witchblade

The Witchblade anime series was created in 2006 as a joint project between Top Cow and Gonzo. Running for a total of twenty-four episodes, the anime uses concepts from the original comic serial to create an innovative tale focused on an all-new cast. The anime series has since been integrated into the overall Witchblade canon. The title is licensed for English language distribution by FUNimation.

Amaha Masane is a single mother who brings her young daughter (Rihoko) to Tokyo in order to begin a new life six years after the city was ruined by a massive earthquake. What Masane doesn't count on is becoming the latest in a long line of women to bear the Witchblade, an incredibly powerful sentient weapon. But wherever there is power, people strive to possess it. Soon Masane is standing between two different organisations, each intent on using her newfound abilities to achieve their own ends...

Despite being promoted as a festival of T&A, the Witchblade anime series is more of a human drama than anything else. It focuses on familial love, shifts of power and the progression of the human species. Of course there are plenty of titties too, just to keep things interesting, but fanservice is certainly not the extent of its depth. Try renting or buying it sometime, you might be pleasantly surprised by the story that unfolds.

glossary of terms

There are quite a few series-specific terms floating around this site, so if you're unfamiliar with Witchblade it might be a little challenging to pick up on what certain words mean. Here's a quick guide to some terms used in the Witchblade anime.

Witchblade: An ancient, sentient weapon that can only be used by women. The Witchblade gives its wielder incredible power, but this power is frequently coveted by those unworthy of using it. In the anime, the Witchblade will eventually kill whoever wields it.

Cloneblades: Devices modeled on the original Witchblade. Though not as powerful as the Witchblade, Cloneblades have similar abilities. They too will eventually destroy their wielders. The only humans equipped with Cloneblades are Neo-genes.

NSWF: National Scientific Welfare Foundation, an organisation that deals with both child welfare and scientific advances. It is run by Furumizu Tatsuoki ("Father") who appears to be an elderly philanthropist but is in truth an unhinged genius, desperate to engineer the perfect "Mother".

Douji Industries: The company that developed the X-Cons and helped foster the Cloneblades. Douji hires Masane to work for them early in the series in the hope that she will destroy the rogue X-Cons.

Neo-genes: Neo-genes ("Sisters") are the product of Furumizu's genetic research, girls engineered to be "perfect" in every way. They are raised to be brilliant but are denied human affection. Neo-genes that show incredible potential are fitted with Cloneblades. Furumizu hopes that his genetic in-breeding program will eventually create the perfect "Mother" through which he can be reborn.

X-cons: Combat devices created by Douji Industries from corpses. About as good an idea as it sounds - Masane is hired to stop them killing people indiscriminately.