Fenzi/Doll House.
Tom Keifer is the owner of the doll storeโCinderellaโ.
The setting is that he has loved dolls since he was a child.
He loves the dolls in his shop, so he has no intention of selling them.
He loves the dolls on sale as if they were living things.
As a result, the employees (Jeff LaBar, Eric Brittingham, and Fred Coury) became so creepy with him that they left the store and moved elsewhere.
Employees rarely come to work at the store.
(However, I am curious about the store, so I sometimes observe the owner from a distance.)
One day, David Sylvian came to Tomโs shop to buy a doll.
He asked Tom, โDo you have any dolls with beautiful faces?โ
David went on to say.
ใThe most important part of a doll is its faceใ.
tom answered.
ใThe faces of the dolls in my shop are all goodใ.
ใThis is the one that looks the best!ใ
He said.The doll he brought out was an L.A. GUNS doll.
(โปใปใปใปIn Japan, when the ใfaceใ is written in kanji, it can be read as โGUNโ, so it is a play on L.A.GUNS.)
However, David does not like the face of the L.A. GUNS doll and leaves the store angrily.
Next up is Paul Weller from the Style Council.
(โปใปใปใปHe is nicknamed โCheck Manโ in this manga. I donโt know why.)
Tom says to Paul.
ใWhen it comes to checking dolls, Iโm better than you.ใ
Paul ignores Tomโs words and says to Tom,
ใNow, hereโs a quiz. What is my favorite Japanese band?ใ
Tom answers easily.
ใcheckersใ
Paul ran away in frustration.
Tom ignores Paul and loves Slashโs doll.
Next, Jon Bon Jovi comes to the store.
Jon asks Tom.
ใDo you have a stuffed animal like Bubbles?ใ
(โปใปใปใปBubbles: Michael Jacksonโs pet chimpanzee๏ผ
Tom brings out a Michael Jackson doll instead.
ใHow about a Michael Jackson doll instead?ใ
John is scared.
Tom๏ผ
ใThis dollโs face has been remade many times, so it has cracks, but this is the only one I have.ใ
Jon๏ผ
ใHow much is it?ใ
Tom๏ผ
ใ500 million yen (approximately 4 million dollars)ใ
Jon leaves angrily
ใBye!ใ
Tom๏ผ
ใItโs half price sale nowโชใ
Jon๏ผ
ใI donโt need it!ใ
Eric says to tom
ใTom, you have to treat your customers well.ใ
Tom๏ผ
ใThe doll is more important to me than the customer.ใ
Tom wanders around the store carrying a Cure Robert Smith doll on his back.
Eric๏ผ
ใHey! Stop dressing like that at the store!.ใ
Tom๏ผ
ใWhy?ใ
Andy McCoy, formerly of Hanoi Rocks, comes to the store next.
Andy๏ผ
ใHi!ใ
Tom๏ผ
ใHi!ใ
Andy๏ผ
ใItโs a little early in the season, but I thought Iโd buy a May(Satsuki) doll for my son.ใ
Tom๏ผ
ใI have a doll that is just right. Mr. McCoyใ
Tom offers Andy dolls of Robin Crosby and Joe Elliott dressed as samurai.
Andy๏ผ
ใThis dollโs face looks like a beast.ใ
Tom๏ผ
ใIf thatโs the case, how about this doll?ใ
Tom offers a Duran Duran doll
Andy๏ผ
ใOh! great!ใ
Tom๏ผ
ใThe price is 500 million yen!ใ
Andy๏ผ
ใThen Iโll take out a 50-year loan.ใ
Tom๏ผ
ใThe down payment is 100 million yen!ใ
Eric๏ผ
ใTom, stop it! itโs ugly!!ใ
Tom is silenced by Eric.
Andy๏ผ
ใHeheheโฆ 5,000 yen is cheap.ใ
Eric๏ผ
ใThank you for your purchaseใ
Tom crying๏ผ
ใWooown, my doll was bought!!!ใ
Eric is stunned๏ผ
ใใปใปใปunderstand?ใ
Howeverยทยทยทยท
Three months later, Checkman Wellerโs doll shop ใCheckersใopened directly across from Tomโs shop.
Paul๏ผ
ใFumiya(Lead vocalist of Japanese band โCheckersโ)-kunโs dolls are not for sale.ใ
Tom finally became interested in business, the three employees returned, and the number of customers at the Cinderella store increased.
(As a result, thanks to Paul, the store was able to run normally, so Eric thanks Paul.)
The End.
