Witchblade Vol.1
Licensed By: MVM Entertainment
Genre: Sci-Fi
Episodes: 1-4
I admit this now rather than later, but I have never read or watched Witchblade. So before I giddily popped the DVD in, I decided to polish up on my knowledge of the series.
From what I understand, Witchblade is a super-weapon born from the divine entities of dark and light, and is a creature of balance with a male disposition and as such must have a female host to maintain this balance. It is a sentient weapon with destructive and protective capabilities, able to take on almost any form and providing an amount of armour based on the level of threat imposed. The series originated in comic form published by Top Cow Productions, and has since spawned a two-season live-action series, a 24-episode anime, manga and a possible movie venture.
Witchblade Vol. 1. follows Masane Amaha and her 6-year old daughter Rihoko, as they return to a futuristic Tokyo that is in the process of rebuilding itself after being struck by a devastating earthquake 6 years prior. As events continue we also learn that they are on the run from the Department of Child Welfare who wish to take Rihoko into custody.
At this point, it is worth noting that Masane has a strange scar on her right wrist and possesses incredible durability, despite being clumsy, ditzy and useless around the house. With these faults, it falls to young Rihoko to pick up the slack and take on the mature personality and household chores. Without giving too much away, the first episode ends with Masane falling unconscious after her first transformation.
Events proceed into the second episode where we see that Masane has been taken back to her stalker’s place of work. He is revealed to be Hiroki Segawa, meticulous assistant to Reiji Takayama the Bureau Chief of Douji Group Industries, which is an organisation interested in the Witchblade. The entire episode is dedicated to providing information on the Witchblade, which has now replaced the scar on Masane’s wrist as an ornate bracelet. In the meantime, Rihoko has taken up temporary residence at Yusuke’s apartment complex and has been left in the care of the landlady, but ultimately decides to search for her mother alone.
The third episode continues with Masane performing in a training session, designed to measure the Witchblade’s current abilities. Again, this episode is straightforward, focused on reuniting mother and daughter by the end of the episode with only a single murder to spice things up. Also, two new characters are introduced, the charismatic head of the NSWF, Tatsuoki Furumizu who is known among the people as Father, and a woman by the name of Reina Sohou who seems to have a past with Reiji.
The final episode on the disc revolves around Masane and Rihoko’s search for a permanent place of residence, as well as some more information on who Reina Sohou actually is. We also meet her assistant, Shiori Tsuzuki who appears to be more than just loyal to Reina. The episode draws to a close with a confrontation between Masane and two strange women in Witchblade attire.
The story is more detailed and complex than I make it out to be and I’ve been forced to omit much in order to keep this review spoiler-free. It is evident from what we learn in episodes 2-4 that there are bigger plans and greater powers at work, all of which may collide. It’s also clear that Masane will have to make big decisions, in preparation for what may be at stake.
With Witchblade being such a well-known title, it is a treat that the animation is of high quality. However there are points where shortcuts are evident, with some scenes inappropriately gratuitous. It does little to detract from the overall experience however as landscapes and backgrounds are beautifully designed, with fluid animation and character concepts that are easy on the eyes, despite almost all of the women being a little too well-endowed.
Some people may believe that you can’t have an enjoyable series without good voice acting. Fortunately, Witchblade has a voice cast that suits the characters well. Both the English and Japanese versions are well done, though with the latter it is more evident to notice that the actors are still getting used to their characters, as certain lines are delivered without as much gusto. Saying that, the English version has taken some liberties with the translation, but there is no need to burn effigies as the edits are minor and do not impact on the nature of the situation the lines are delivered in.
The opening theme, XTC by Psychic Lover, is difficult for me to form an opinion on. It begins somewhat slow and picks up really well from the chorus, which is the only real bit I find memorable as there are points where the lyrics are a little strange. In contrast, the ending theme, Ashita no Te, is one that I really like, as we are graced with Mamiko Noto’s vocals, the Japanese voice actress of Masane. The song is gentle and full of hope and surety, almost lullaby-like in its delivery.
Witchblade Vol. 1 is a good introduction to a series that has a great deal of promise. Despite certain personal gripes, I’m looking forward to seeing where the series will go.
I know Masane Amaha is no Sara Pezzini and this may put fans off, but isn’t the idea of the Witchblade to be wielded by various female hosts? This is after all a story set in the future, after Pezzini’s time, a story that could be told and seen as the future of the Witchblade.
I am aware that there are die-hard Witchblade fans who may snub the series for being an anime, but I highly recommend watching it if you are given a chance.
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