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The Tarot Café

Cover, The Tarot Café volume 1 (Tokyopop edition)

Genre Horror, romanceMythology in comics

Author Park Sang­sun

Publisher Sigongsa

English publisher Madman Entertainment Tokyopop

Volumes 7

The Tarot CaféFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Tarot Café is a manhwa by Park Sang­sun(박 상선) being published by Sigongsa in Korea,and distributed by Tokyopop in the United States.Seven volumes have been published in Korea, allof which have been translated into English. Eachchapter starts or ends with a modified tarot cardoften relating to the story, featuring well knowncommercial tarot decks replaced with storycharacters.

Contents

1 Plot2 Characters3 Release

3.1 Volume List4 References5 External links

Plot

In contemporary Great Britain, Pamela is theowner of a mysterious Tarot Cafe. Aftermidnight, she receives supernatural clients whocome to her for advice through tarot readings.From cats to fairies to vampires, they tell her theirstories even as she unravels their past, present andfuture through her cards. In exchange for heradvice, they pay her with beads of Berial's Necklace, which Pamela gathers for her own secret ends.

Characters

Pamela: Pamela was orphaned at age eleven when her mother was burned at the stake for witchcraft. Asa result of her mother's begging, she was spared, despite having the ability to foresee the future. Ledaway from the village by a priest, Pamela was abandoned in the forest. After a chance encounter, shewas raised by a dragon named Ash, who ultimately became both her lover and her mentor. Years later,Ash was murdered, and whilst dying in Pamela's arms, inadvertently gave Pamela his immortal lifethrough a drop of blood from his heart, which manifested as a mark on her forehead. After tryingunsuccessfully to end her life by many means, she makes a pact with Belus. In exchange for collectingthe beads of Berial's necklace, he has agreed to kill her. Now, hundreds of years later, she is the wiseproprietor of the Tarot Café. She is both kind and stern with her many customers, particularly her"special" ones. In her own words, she doesn't profess to know the future but instead depends onexamining her clients to fully understand their motivations and problems. Also to aid her is a vast store

Other Publishers

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of esoteric knowledge, particularly identification of magical creatures, and her companion Belus. Pamelais a kind­hearted young woman, shown when she takes in the young werewolf Aaron after he comes toher for a tarot reading, but at times cynical about humanity (though not quite to the extent of Belus). Shehas a complicated relationship with Belus, who she is bound to by a pact. While they outwardly appearto dislike each other and violently deny any sort of romantic relationship with one another, they tolerateand ultimately depend on one another for strength (or a good shove in one direction or another).However, he is simply an aspect of Belial, and being a devil he toys with her, revealing his true form andforcing her to choose between seeing her mother in heaven by killing Ash, and living forever. When sheis saved, she remains close to Aaron and Neribos, saying goodbye to him when he dies. When Belusreturns, he attempts in desperation to re­establish their old contract. However, she reveals she hasdecided to live, and tentatavely lets him back into her life after he admits that he's lonely. It is impliedthey stay together and begin their relationship anew.

Belus: A mysterious young man with an intimate tie with Pamela, Belus is always at her shop to annoyher or offer cynical remarks about humanity and her clients. When they first "meet" he claims to bePrince of Pandemonium. After she is thrown in a body of water as a witch, he rescues her from a mob.He is often shown smoking a small opium pipe. Mercurial and flippant, he nevertheless shows a seriousside, particularly when Pamela is threatened, slaughtering many to save her life. This may be because hehas made a pact with her; in exchange for her gathering all the pieces of the mystic 'Belial's Necklace',he will end her immortal life. He also has a strange connection with Ash and Nebiros, and seems toknow either everything or nothing at all about any given subject. He is often found to be involved indifferent episodes where one might not expect him to be. According to Ash, who hates Pamela becauseBelus his only friend as a child, he left to find her because she made him happier than anyone else.Despite his normal appearance, he exhibits several supernatural traits ­ his stamina, strength, speed anddamage resistance are all far above humans, surviving falls and injuries that would kill humans and mostimmortals, and able to strangle a feral werewolf to near death without straining himself. Later in theseries it is revealed he is capable of great magical feats. Eventually, he comes to be nearly killeddefending Pamela, but appears in Hell where he and Pamela sleep together after he saves her life. In theend, it is revealed that Belus is just another form of Belial, who genuinely loves Pamela, but being aDevil and not knowing anything else, he has been playing a cruel game with her because she is the onlything that amuses him. He attempts to force her to choose between living for the rest of eternity, orkilling Ash and dying. When she is saved by God, he goes into isolation for 60 years, only admitting hisfeelings when Neribos visits him to taunt him about love. At the end, he goes back to find Pamela afterreceiving a handkerchief soaked with her tears from Nebiros, and she lets him in. The two of themdecide to spend the rest of eternity together with neither one dying, though it is unclear what theirrelationship becomes.

Aaron: Abused and ultimately sold by his alcoholic father, Aaron is a young boy who once was thecompanion of a demon named Nebiros, who granted his every wish. He ultimately grew dissatisfied inNebiros's castle, and is lured by the enticing company of a young shepherd girl who persuaded him torun away with her. Once he left the castle, however, she turned into a werewolf and bit him with theintention of devouring him. Although Nebiros arrived in time to save him, Nebiros was stung by hisyoung charge's betrayal and abandoned him. With a bite wound from the female werewolf, Aaron is nowcursed to turn into a werewolf every full moon. After Pamela takes him from the streets and reads hiscards, she hires him as her cafe employee. He is a flighty but good­hearted boy (described by Pamela ashaving 'the nose of a dog and the brain of a bird') who is haunted by the horrific change that comes overhim every month and with the memory of the man who was like a true father to him. He is kidnappedand rescued by Nebiros and sixty years later at the end of the story, he is seen dying as an eighty­year­old man after Nebiros and he finally reconciled with each other, with Nebiros promising Aaron that theywould see each other again once Nebiros returned to the rank of an angel.

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Ash (past): Ash is the name of two virtually identical men with intimate connections to Pamela: one herformer teacher and lover and the other a mysterious young man who suddenly appears on Pamela'sdoorstep. The past Ash was a dragon of great rank, though a kind, slightly scatterbrained recluse, incomparison to his closest friend, the serious and belligerent, though dutiful, Emperor Alecto. This is adeception however, though he does love Pamela, he admits to loving himself more, and is described byBelial himself as "the coldest person" he knows. He discovered Pamela after her mother was executed,and raised her, ultimately falling in love with her against the misgivings of Alecto. Pamela's and Ash'sidyllic existence soon was shattered upon Ash's death and the passing of his immortality to her with thefirst drop of blood from his heart. Despite his love for Pamela and his genuine affection for Alecto, hetruly detested life, describing his heart as stone and wanted nothing more to die, unleashing a tragicseries of events that resulted in Pamela's anguished inheritance of his immortality.

Ash (present): The present day Ash appears to have no memories of his past and yet seems to attract theworst sort of company. Despite his sweet, almost innocent demeanor, he is in reality a cruel sociopathwho has no trouble torturing and seducing others for mere amusement. He was apparently raised by thecurious fortuneteller Cora since childhood though he shows her no real affection. He has a similarlytumultuous relationship with Belus, able to threaten the other man without repercussions, though due toBelus's true nature it is unsure how much of this is Belus humouring him for his own ends. According tohim, Belus was his teacher and friend, but abandoned him for Pamela, causing him to hate her.Eventually he comes to be kidnapped by a confused Alecto and after a failed seduction attempt, faints atthe speaking of the Past Ash's full name. Once he is returned, he comes to haunt both Pamela and Cora'ssteps once more, culminating in a devastating revelation about his past and purpose. Alecto tells the Ashthat he is only a doll created by Belial and given life by a gemstone of Belial's necklace. Eventually, it isrevealed that he is actually the real Ash, who had signed a contract with Belial for a new life in whichone may die, be reborn, and have an end. After 60 years passed at the end of the series, Ash is seen as ayoung student among a group of friends walking past Pamela. Both of them share a long stare, beforelooking away. When questioned by one of his friends whether he knows her, Ash answers "no."

Alecto: Another dragon from the days of Dark England, apparently the Emperor of Dragons, with a grimprophecy hanging over him: the day he falls in love with a human female would be the day death takeshim. Though friends with Ash, he treats him with open contempt and a gruff concern, particularlyregarding Ash raising Pamela. His callousness extends to the point that he calls Ash a useless dragon,and were he a female Alecto would impregnate the other to propagate the species. Belatedly finding ofAsh's death from a loyal wind servant, he was unable to find anything at the site of the death. He hassince hunted Pamela, insistent she killed Ash, whether in malice or carelessness. So when he finallyfinds her, and proceeds to attack her, who should walk into the cafe but Ash himself. Confused, Alectoquestions him fiercely, only to be told that this was not the real Ash. Refusing to accept the fact, he laterkidnaps Ash and chains him in his bedchamber. After nearly being taken in by Ash's charms, he fleesand later returns to explain to the new Ash about his past. When he speaks the past Dragon's name, he isthen thrown back by a mysterious force later revealed to be Belial and obliterated. Later, it is revealed hewas sent to Hell and spoke with a three­headed crone who told him his fate. It is later revealed thatAlecto was also in love with Pamela since he first saw her and that he wishes to kill her to end his pain.He is infected by a Mind Worm, causing him to go insane, and is eventually killed in his dragon form byBelus.

Nebiros: Nebiros is a mysterious figure and the foster father of Aaron. He claims to be a demon thoughhe is more commonly associated with werewolves, who fear and adore him. Some time before, he had"purchased" Aaron from his drunken father and lured him into a secluded castle. He provides the boywith everything he desires and soon takes him as a confidant. Cursed by "forces of light," (possibly forsiding with Lucifer and the rebel angels in the War of Heaven) he becomes wracked with pain and mustremain in isolation. Despite this curse, he is a powerful demon, able to turn underlings into stone withone touch of his sigil ring. Upon Aaron's betrayal, he abandons the boy and isolates himself. Oddly

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enough, he seems to be acquaintances with Belus, though he shows no liking for the other male. It isrevealed at the end that Nebiros was a former angel who was cast from heaven and turned into a demonby the Almighty. He is Belial's rival, explaining his connection with Belus (Belus is another form ofBelial). He later returns for Aaron and leads Pamela to Belial in Hell, getting his revenge on Belial as hecan watch whilst he unwittingly betrays and crushes the thing he loves most, Pamela, forcing Belial tolive without her. At the end, he somewhat helps Belial to reconcile with Pamela knowing the truth abouthis seclusion, saying Belus can't hide the truth of his real love for Pamela from him since they're brothersafter all, and gives him a tissue soaked with Pamela's tears. He also reconciles with Aaron sixty yearslater in the storyline and waits to return to his angelic status so he can be with Aaron in Heaven.

Cora: A mysterious albino fortune teller. She found the present day Ash when he was just a child andraised him. When she goes to find Pamela later, Pamela is shocked at the resemblance between hermother and Cora. Upon meeting, Cora dissolves and leaves behind a gemstone from Belial's necklace,indicating that she was a doll like Ash.

Victor: A wicked monk from Pamela's past who was in love with Pamela. After she refused him (on thegrounds that she was in love with another and that Victor must only love God as a monk), he attempts torape her. He declares he would have her even if he had to make a deal with the devil. After she escapes,he makes a contract with Belial to have the strength to kill Ash, become immortal, and win Pamela.Though he succeeds in killing Ash, he does not obtain his other desires, as Belial only promised to givehim the means, the fact he failed was his fault.

Berial/Belial: A devil­like figure. Known as the King of Fear and Deceit, Lord of Fire, Great Prince,and Noble of Malice (among other titles) and has great power in hell, rivaled only by Nebiros. It isimplied throughout the series that despite being a Devil, he is simply bored rather than evil, though dueto his power he has no respect for most people and treats them as pawns in his games to amuse himself.These games are usually cruel and malicious, no matter what he feels towards the individualsthemselves.

Belial is first introduced with the concept of his necklace: The necklace holds immense power but wasbroken apart. These pieces gravitate towards mystical beings but have no power by themselves. Beluscharged Pamela with collecting the bead in return for her death. It is later revealed that Belial disguisedhimself as a Sage who gave bread to the poor when Pamela was a child. When Pamela and her motherwent to him for food, the girl's power let her see his true evil form, a winged demon feeding people thedead. This impressed and intrigued Belial, who then set about making Pamela immortal by grantingAsh's wish to die (he wanted Pamela around forever so that he could continue to "enjoy" her). It isfurther revealed that he was responsible for creating Cora and the present day Ash with gemstones fromhis necklace and that they, along with Alecto, Pamela, and Belus, were pawns in his games. At the endof the series, it is revealed that Belial and Belus are one and the same and that he actually loves Pamela,but being a Devil and not knowing how to deal with this, plays a cruel game with her that only succeedsin driving her away. He was also disguised as the first monk who decreed that the mother must die butthat Pamela was young enough to possibly be redeemed. After 60 years in isolation, Belial/Belus isgloated over by Nebiros, as since he and Belial are brothers, he knows Belial truly loved Pamela,claiming he enjoyed watching Belial rip himself apart, and leaves a handkerchief Pamela cried into. Hebegins to hope he can have this love reciprocated through Belus, an aspect of himself that Pamela loves,and attempts to re­establish his old contract with her just for a reason to contact her. When she revealsher desire to live, she tentatively lets him in, and it is implied they stay together, though it is unknownwhat happens to his realm in Hell after he leaves.

Release

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The Tarot Café is licensed for an English­language release in North America by Tokyopop, whopublished the seven volumes from March 8, 2005 to June 10, 2008.[1] The series is also licensed inBrazil by NewPop Editora,[2] and in France by Soleil Manga.

Volume List

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No. Korean releasedate Korean ISBN North American

release dateNorth American

ISBN

01 — — March 8, 2005 ISBN 978­1­59532­555­6

001. "A Wish­Fulfilling Cat"002. "Eternal Beauty"003. "A Fairy"004. "A Heartless Princess, an Alchemist, and a Jester (Part 1)"

02 — — June 7, 2005 ISBN 978­1­59532­556­3

005. "A Heartless Princess, an Alchemist and a Jester (Part 2)"006. "The Werewolf Boy"007. "The Witch Hunt"

03 — — September 13,2005

ISBN 978­1­59532­557­0

008. "The Star of Jealousy"009. "Lady of the Lake"010. "Dragon Heart"

04 — — December 13,2005

ISBN 978­1­59532­814­4

011. "A Butterfly in My Dreams"012. "Contract"013. "Leanan Sidhe (One)"

05 — — June 12, 2007 ISBN 978­1­4278­0395­5

014. "Leanan Sidhe (Two)"015. "Perfume"016. "Tree and Long­Horned Beetle"

06 — — October 9, 2007 ISBN 978­1­4278­0396­2

017. "Invitation to Hell"

07 — — June 10, 2008[3] ISBN 978­1­4278­0397­9

018. "End of the Journey"

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References1. "Tarot Cafe (Manga)" (http://www.madman.com.au/actions/periodicals.do?periodicalId=244&method=home).

Madman Entertainment. Retrieved 28 November 2009.2. "Tarot Café 7" (http://www.newpop.com.br/?p=436) (in Portuguese). NewPop Editora. Retrieved August 3,

2015.3. "Manga+Comics: Book Catalog" (http://www.tokyopop.com/manga/book_catalog/browse?alphabet=T).

Tokyopop. Retrieved 28 November 2009.

External links

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Categories: Manhwa titles Tokyopop titles Horror comics Mythology in comicsRomance comics Tarot

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