Ranked #1335

Witchblade

I don't know how many times I looked at this page only to run away five seconds later. For some reason I just refused to watch this, but I can't even remember why anymore.

Witchblade was a nice surprise. Considering it is based off an American comic of the same name that is known for being very sexual and violent, I was expecting a perverted ecchi mess. Her costume certainly doesn't leave much to be desired and the ecchi factor is certainly there, but miraculously it doesn't become the focus of the story. Don't worry boys, you'll all have plenty to drool over. But there's something there for us story lovers too. The main story is simpler then the synopsis lets on. It's about a mother who would do anything to protect her daughter. The greedy organizations, insane scientists and terrifying weapons just add that extra something every plot needs to get on its feet. There are still some hints to this being related to its darker American comic, but they're subtle and younger viewers might not even pick up on them. Otherwise this anime stands alone.

The pacing of the show moves along nicely. It felt a bit slow at times only to suddenly spring this emotional roller coaster at you towards to the end. Some people feel that the ending was rushed and I would have to disagree. Predictable? Absolutely. But that's what they were aiming for and they definitely achieved something with the ending. It might almost feel anti-climatic at first, but after thinking about it I wouldn't think of this a flaw so much as a quirk considering the circumstances. It all depends on how you take it.

The characters moved this show along, the main character Masane particularly. Everything would have fallen apart without her growth. But she wasn't alone; all of the side characters were wonderful and had unique personalities that changed over time. Her daughter, Rihoko was a particular favorite. For one of those anime children that's randomly mature and good at everything, she was one of the few that didn't make me want to punch things.

The character designs seem strange at first. It's like all of the characters are different...but wait that's a good thing! After years of seeing anime girls with the exact same body type it was refreshing to see characters that completely differ in all those. A lot of the girls still had boobs bigger then their heads, but that's to be expected. The action was very fluid and the fight scenes will probably be a favorite of our resident echhi lovers.

The soundtrack was so-so. I always skipped over both EDs, but I adored the first opening. Then they suddenly switch to that terrible second opening half way through and my heart broke. Besides that horrible opening song, the music wasn't really a dominant factor in this show.

Overall Witchblade was a very enjoyable experience. It started off kind of slow as far as character development, but don't give up right away. It's there, you just can't see it. When the plot starts moving along things really pick up, characters stop being idiots and suddenly you won't be able to look away. Don't randomly run away from this show like I did. Witchblade is a show worthy of being given a chance. read more

Witchblade is an adaptation of famous American comic book.
So to say, pretty good one, with tightening story. It’s completely different from manga, thanks to the producers who decided to create an entire new setup, with all new characters.
-Story-(9/10)- The story tells us about “perfect weapon” it’s bearer (Masane Amaha) , and her daughter (Amaha Rihoko). We have a perfect weapon called (Witch blade) the next immediate constituents of the anime are corporations which target is to gain over the bearer of perfect weapon, also researches to find out how the power of witch blade can be used.
Masane Amaha , despite her good intentions was entangled in the struggle for power between a huge corporation and a government agency. Now, she is forced to fight for her fortune.
-Art-(8/10)-Well, I’m not a big specialist in pc graphic, but I must say they did great job with design of twin blades.
-Sound- (10/10)-Perfect, soundtrack which brought feelings to the emotions of the series.
Especially op/ending themes fit excellent
XTC by Psychic Lover.-which showed chaos of fights.
Dear Bob by KOOLOGI which showed relations of Mother and daughter in this anime.
I really liked this two themes.
-Character-(9/10)-I’d like to concentrate only on two characters, because to me, only they were protagonists:
Masane Amaha
Voiced by:my favorite seiyuu Mamiko Noto.
Reina Soho.
The antithesis is just perfect. Two mothers. But real mother cares only about science, and Masane Amaha a step mother who cares about her daughter, even if she isn’t her own daughter.
The end of TV series,when Masane made her final deed showed the true face of her. This thing touched me to the deepest parts of my heart.
-Enjoyment-(9/10)-It gave me really good enjoyment, because the whole anime was strained because of worry for Masaha.
-Overall-(9/10)-Witch blade has an incredibly
moving story, you will be tightened +deeply touched by final decision of Masane.
Sought by the greed of men since the dawn of human kind, but only bestowed upon the women whose fate it forever scars...the Witchblade. Is it the righteous sword of God? Or hand of the Devil himself? Now a new bearer has been chosen. What path she will follow?

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I stumbled across this anime at Funimation's Anime Selects On Demand channel and was pleasantly surprised. Lately it seems like anime has become stale and formulaic, but Witchblade brings some American energy into the mix with this US/Japanese co-production.

The characters were energetically imaginary but with enough reality mixed in to further endear them to the viewer. I've known several people like Masane - flighty and incapable of holding down a real job, but with enough heart and love to do what ever it takes to raise their kids. Rihoko is the mandatory kawaii injection that just about every Japanese production seems to require, and her cuteness is a bit overpowering but it doesn't detract from the story. The rest of the gang is fairly well scripted, the good guys being Noir good, meaning there's enough bad in them to make it interesting, and the bad guys are really bad.

What also engaged me is that the story is not solely focused on the action and the fight scenes. Like truly great anime, like Neon Genesis Evangelon or Full Metal Alchemist, the story focuses on the bigger story; how the characters got to the point where they're at and how the current situation is effecting their lives. And all is done without long, boring, confusing flash backs that make you wonder if you're still watching the same anime like Tenjou Tenge. The action is there like frosting on a cake; not too much or it will get boring - sort of like Bleach's 4 episode long fight scenes. This action is well animated and exciting to watch.

One of the best points, like any good story, not everything is wrapped up in one tidy package at the end of the story. Life isn't like that, and even though you may be able to see how it's going to play out several episodes from the end, the final scenes are satisfying, but Witchblade still leaves plenty of threads dangling for one to savor and ponder long after the show is done. It's a fan fiction authors God-send.

I highly recommend this one - kick back and enjoy. It's good viewing. read more

Witchblade - i expected this anime to be a sort of *not much of a story but a lot of action and ecchi* anime, as i read the description on an anime streaming site. i just finished it and shall present to you my fresh impression of this anime.

to my biggest suprise, there was not that much of action in it, but quite a lot of talking. and there was no "ecchi" in it at all (expect of the girls to have really big boobs, but thats not really ecchi, is it). the more episodes you progress, the more interesting it gets, and i, personally, was not bored even a second.

the main topic of this anime was the mother-daughter relationship of the main protagonist and her child. that makes this anime something special and "mature". in fact it gets really emotional at the end. about the ending... i shall say this much: its quite a sad ending.

all in all i really enjoyed watching this anime. witchblade is neither outstanding, nor a masterpiece, but its a really good anime which i would recommend to you if you search for an anime that differs from all other "action, superpower and sci-fi" animes, but still contains these genres.
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(i know that this is not a professionlly written review, and that there are many grammar mistakes in it, i shall apologize for it. this is the first review of anything i have ever written ^_^) read more

Story behind Witchblade Anime kept me going from the 1st episode to the last one; the plot that keeps together a mother/daughter relationship forces us to feel both the pain and joy they experience. It's impossible to avoid psychical contact with problems that characters in this anime have to struggle with. While watching the show, You actually feel like Your a part of it.

If it goes to Art, it's the best I’ve seen in an anime series, that long, so if You like to please Your eyes, that's one of the best shows I could recommend You.

Soundtrack/effects during battles, or more emotional base scenes is sinking in Your bones, and I might say that without the music this show would lose half of it's value.

Enjoyment? Yes I had, as I start my review looking mostly from how I felt after ending this anime. I can't say I did found anything wrong in Witchblade; sound is great, art is pure candy, story is deep and enjoyable in every episode, enjoyment I can't even pick proper words how to describe it, so in overall, as much as I hate doing it I unfortunately have to give this anime a full 10.
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I must say, when I first looked up this anime I thought it would be mainly fanservice and no story, so I dropped it after the first episode. However after a couple years I finally gave it a second chance and I'm glad I did. My favorite part of the whole series is Masane and Rihoko's mother-daughter relationship, I found it so sweet and heartwarming, I'm glad it was the main part of the series. The action scenes were good but sometimes the fanservice was a little too distracting, could've done with a little less of that. Overall I highly reccomend this show! :)

I first heard about this Anime when i was watching G4TV and a commercial came on announcing that they were going to Air it. Instead of waiting, i jumped on it and saw the first 4 episodes. Based just off that, it caught my interest almost immediately.

-Story: Unique story even if there wasn't much background to get you to know everything. But, as you watched, more and more is revealed.
-Art: Great art, got a little qwerky here and there, but other than that, Nice.
-Sound: I watched the entire series with my Studio headphones and it was great. Explosions, screams, clashes, and the music all turned out well. The battle music got stuck in my head for awhile even afterwards. xD
-Character: All the main characters were all very different, giving the full aspect of who the protagonist was.

Overall it was Very Enjoyable. I would recommend this to anyone into Action pack awesomeness. read more

Last Wednesday I caught the Flu, I worked through the first two days and took friday off. Wow, three day weekend of misery. So, after calling in friday morning I go back to bed, early saturday afternoon I awake, soar, hurting, miserable and bored. Now you know the state of my mind, and body, as I watched a 26ep Witchblade marathon!

Okay, let me get it out of the way early, it's a good series. It didn't wow me, it didn't bore me. It kept me engaged for two days of coughing and fever.

So we have a story set in the near future of an amnesiac .... woman name Masane, in post...... disaster ........Tokyo, with a way too mature for her age daughter and a whole host of formulaic characters. Uh, yeah, sound pretty bad huh? Well, Masane has big... Huge Boobs! hmmm, doesn't help any, does it?

Remember, I still say this is a good series, worth watching once you get past it's shortcomings.

What's good about it you ask? Well, the animation is good, it done by Gonzo and is as good as anything you might see from Production IG or their like. The music is okay, nothing really stood out, but that can be a good thing. Voice acting is excellent in the subed version. Technically is a quality product, polished and professional.

The characters? Well there is no real growth, but you do get to know each character pretty well. Yes, many are overly simplistic, of course I personally know many overly simplistic people in real life! Even being simple and formulaic, the are not grotesque stereotypes. I guess they do have some depth. Even the most insane characters have enough history to explain their problems.

Character relationships feel natural, especially the bond between Masane and her daughter Rihoko. Not only that, but the "family" of characters that surround Masane, well they bond, but not instantly. Things take a little time and yes, in time there is a love interest. It won't surprise you when it happens, which is another good thing.

I guess what really shines about this anime is the pacing of it all. There is drama, but it doesn't take up an entire episode. There is action packed combat and it never takes more the fifteen minutes to finish a fight, compared to dozens of episodes in some shows. Every episode gives you some drama, humor, action and fanservice. Everything is very well balanced and not rushed.

So, yes, the series is good. I would never say that I loved it, but it did satisfy my need for anime entertainment. read more

I was half worried when I started watching this show that I'd end up dropping it halfway due to some negative feedback I'd gotten from others who'd watched it. However, I found myself surprisingly entertained and enjoying the show enough to actually keep myself watching it fully through.

Things I didn't like include the two openings, I always get ticked off when a series changes it's opening credits halfway through the show and when it changes to a peppy, jamaican reggae-esque song it gets even worse. The first opening wasn't that good anyway, but luckily they changed back to it in the final episode (nice surprise!). Another, though not really that important matter, is the fact that the main character, Masane, seems to have magic implants that changes the size of her bust from episode to episode, or sometimes even from scene to scene. Other then that I can't really complain about much. Oh, except for the mouths of the characters, somehow they sometimes felt odd and off in some way.

Things I did like were numerous. I enjoyed the characters, even if some of them were slightly cliché, like Chou being a pervy old man and Mariko being the fat, grumpy land lady obsessing with money. The humour in the show is atleast entertaining and there isn't really that much focus on fan-service, sure, in Witch-form Masane's outfit is oddly cut and cleaved the fight-scenes never last that long anyway so it doesn't really matter. The storyline has some fun plot-twists and though you can guess yourself to some of them, atleast I was a bit surprised at times, then again I'm not particularly bright so it's not surprising I guess.

Things I'm staying neutral to are the fight-scenes. Allthough Masane and the Neogene-sisters have weird, oddly shaped outfits and seem to enter orgasm whenever they fight, the fights never go on for especially long periods of times and to some this might be bad and feel like the show is lacking, but I personally prefer short, decisive battles that don't span multiple episodes and making up 25% of the entire season.

The music then? Well, apart from the two different openings I didn't like, I can say that the battle-theme is quite nice. Oh sure it's pepped up and the "singer" is just making breath-noises, but I still found it enjoyable whenever it went on, a very fitting piece of music for the show. And if you don't agree then stick a pinecone up your butt 'cuz I don't care!

Now, to sum things up neatly. The show is fun and engaging enough to keep you interested to atleast complete watching it, maybe not enough so to make you run a marathon and watch it in an all-out-sitting, but you'll definetly want to finish it if you start. The ending is, in my opinion, fitting and good and though I was expecting a cheesy, happy cop-out I was happily surprised. Some of the humour is good and enjoyable, aswell as the show not doing any unnecessary boob-jokes, thankfully. Overall I like Witchblade and would say you atleast give it a try, the makers probably aimed for something dark and serious but didn't quite make it, though that's not necessarily a bad thing in my mind. Give it a shot, you'll entire enjoy it enough to see it through or get bored and drop it quickly. read more

"When I saw the pictures and the explanation of the story, I thought it was a coarser, scarier and darker anime. But once we started, I realized it had less violence and more heart." - Mie Sonozaki

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Before anything else, you need to understand the following: Witchblade is, first and foremost, a character-driven drama, rather than an action series. It has some fighting, yes, but the vast majority of the episodes are spent focusing on character development. Everything else comes a distant second. At first the suggestion is that it's going to be a The Devil Lady, 'monster of the week' type, but that isn't the case.

Whoever decided to market Witchblade as a violent, fan-service heavy title wasn't too bright. Likewise, the person who came up with the idea of taking the title of a popular American comic and then creating an entirely different story, with an all-new cast, didn't make the wisest of moves. By attempting to pass-off a slow-paced, heartfelt and very human drama as a generic action title with added boobs, all Gonzo achieved was getting the wrong type of viewers; pushing away the types who would appreciate a family drama about a mother loving her daughter with all her heart and being willing to do anything for her.

Judging the series based on the revealing Witchblade forms and boob sizes, it's hard not to expect an utterly tasteless anime. But you know what? Sex only occurs ONCE during the entire series, and NOTHING gets shown--the two involved kiss and then it's the morning after. That pretty much sums Witchblade up: there's a lot of cleavage but, that aside, Witchblade is surprisingly tasteful. In truth, there isn't even a huge amount of action once series gets past the introduction period.

:: Story :: 6/10

Six years prior to the start of Witchblade, Tokyo had been left devastated by a catastrophic earthquake. Two people were found alive at the ground zero of the quake: a 17-year-old woman (later named Masane; her having lost all of her pre-disaster memories) and a baby (Rihoko). Only the maternity diary held by the woman pointed towards them being related...

Once the series gets going, the two are heading back to Tokyo on the run; desperate to stay together and not be separated by the child welfare organization (created after the quake, to 'help' children). As jobless Masane struggles to keep Rihoko, she encounters the 'monster' responsible for a string of nasty murders, and that's when what had been sleeping within her for six years awakens--the power of the 'Witchblade'; something that has existed since the beginning of time, selecting its (female) hosts and forcing its hosts to give into their lust and destructive urges. Masane then gets caught between two organizations who seek the Witchblade, ending up working for one (Douji: a major weapons supplier) to support her life with Rihoko and hunted by the other (NSWF: in charge of the child welfare organization and with links to genetic research).

I'll be honest here: the story of Witchblade is full of anime silliness, ranging from fat men disguised as killer microwaves, genetic experiments, and women who use 'Cloneblades'--lesser, copied versions of the ever mysterious Witchblade. It's never explained why the weapons Masane hunts target random females, or why the Witchblade only selects women as 'hosts'... or what the Witchblade actually is. And I couldn't help but see most of the twists coming in advance; the writers actually intentionally spelling out how the series would end in order to impact on the viewers' feelings progressively rather than shock them.

While it does have a B-movie sort of entertainment factor in its favour, if I were to score Witchblade based only on its story, it wouldn't be very flattering... But this is where the negative ends because, like I've already pointed out at the start, the characters are where it's at. The story is no more than a means to an end; the backdrop for lots of excellent drama.

:: Characterization :: 9.5/10

Masane (nicknamed 'Melonie' because of her boob size!), the lead of the story, has nothing going for her apart from her six-year-old daughter, Rihoko. She isn't incredibly sharp, has no skills of note and, really, only has her love for her daughter. The child welfare organization try to separate them; Masane's ability to transform into a scantily-clad, sexulized version of herself (thanks to the mysterious Witchblade attached to her wrist) puts her in danger and powerful corporations involve her in their troubles, but, no matter what stands in her way, she fights to protect and give a better life to the one she loves the most.

Loud, simple-minded, direct type of characters tend to be hard to like and easy to hate, but Masane is very endearing. There are many simple things that made her into a likable character, such as when she went into a blind panic after learning that her daughter had been hurt; Masane ending up running out of her apartment barefoot. She's often called a primate by her 'boss', Takayama, because of how she acts without thinking and says what's on her mind, but that's what's so lovable about her: her honesty, maternal instincts and selflessness. It's little surprise that she eventually wins over even Takayama with her natural personality as the series progresses - she's just impossible to not like and respect.

The supporting cast backing up Masane aren't too shabby, either. Rihoko basically 'mothers' her own mother by shopping, cooking and caring for the more absent-minded Masane, and her being so mature at such a young age makes her have instant likability. Takayama plays the role of Masane's stern and somewhat awkward middle-aged boss, giving her orders to hunt down rogue 'weapons' for money, and it's his banter with her that provides much of the comic relief--the two later also becoming much closer; the writers doing a wonderful job of humanizing him and showing his softer, caring side as the series progresses. The rest of the cast are less developed and involved than the main three but all play important roles; the residents where Masane and Rihoko live, though never getting much time individually, are responsible for the 'family atmosphere' always being in the air during the more relaxing periods, for example.

:: Art / Animation + Sound:: 8.5/10

The first thing that made me think, 'Wow, Witchblade might not be so horrible, despite the title and fan-service!' was its opening. I watched/listened to the opening by chance, and as soon as I heard the fast-paced, exciting beat and saw the visuals that accompanied the music, which included a close-up of Masane's eye and a tear coming out of it, I just knew I had to watch it. The first opening is THAT good--even the 'GIVE ME YOUR XTC!!!' lyrics going with the show itself. Gonzo went on to regret changing it halfway through since they replaced the far less impressive second opening with the first for the final episode.

In terms of the overall art and animation, the best word to use when describing it is consistent. Why? Because Gonzo are known for running out of budget and forgetting to animate towards the end. That wasn't the case with Witchblade, though, since the final episode featured fluid animation; Gonzo not being reduced to showing movement through lines on the screen and actually showing the characters running. Aside from a few instances of laziness where there wasn't animation and a few stills were linked, it was great to watch. Even Japan's obsession with breast jiggling got attention throughout! And, though I can't say Masane's HUGE, could-suffocate-with-ease breasts appealed to me personally, overall the art did look pleasing.

As for the soundtrack, I have to say: it's excellent. One track that stands out is one used for action quite frequently; a track with an eerie edge and... a woman breathing in an 'erotic' manner in the background - the track having an action-oriented beat. I was ALWAYS pumped for the action - my attention focused - simply because of the music. Towards the end, I recall drums starting beating after what had been a nice 'family life' sort of episode, and I just knew some sweet action would be coming my way. If a soundtrack is good enough, it can make something great into something even greater, and that's the case with Witchblade.

:: Overall :: 9/10

Witchblade has its flaws: the story isn't anything special, Gonzo appeared to run out of ideas at the death and just ended it, and the near enough naked girl-on-girl battles might be off-putting for some. However, the good by far outweighs the bad, and the characterization is at such a level that, if you're anything like me, you won't give a toss. Once the introduction was over and time had been given for attachment to the characters to form, I was too engrossed in their struggles to concern myself with negative thoughts about a robotic monster with the head of a bug and the like.

To sum it all up: If you go into Witchblade expecting nothing, you might just get everything in return. It's always rewarding to find a gem, and in my eyes Witchblade is a gem that deserves to have more people look at it. Do yourself a favour and watch it! read more

There's a lot of 9's and 10's on the review page for Witchblade so, if your looking for a review with a more opposed opinion here you go.

I actually like the initial premise for the story. The single mother relationship between Masane Amaha and Rihoko makes for a good plot device. There's potential for heartfelt moments and potential for moments of desperation but really, when those moments come, the aren't delivered well. The manufactured drama here just doesn't catch me enough. After the first few eps, the plot from episode to episode begins to fall into a cookie-cutter pattern. 5/10

The face value of the animation is fairly average, though they seem to take more stock in Masane's big breasts and ass. The points where it gets bad is in the fight scenes. If you really liked this show, go back and watch the fight scenes in detail, they are so half assed and not fluid at all. There's always a pause in the fight for talking. Speed lines, bright flashes to replace the actual hits and slow motion where it's not needed don't help action scenes at all. 4/10

There's nothing spectacular about the sound in this show. I watched the dub and well, it was a really bad dub. The voice actress playing Masane has a nice soft voice but when she has to get boisterous and loud, it's more painful than accurate. 5/10

I find that Masane is the typical loud girl type and the only saving virtue is the Mother/Daughter relationship. Although Rihoko just like every other child portrayed in an anime. There's just very little personality, mostly typical acts and reactions. The supporting cast, to me, was also pretty plain vanilla. 4/10

The show had some potential but the end fell short due to a predictable, over done plot, over done characters, no substance, bad dubs, bad sfx, bad fight scenes. Overall 4/10

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Witchblade.
The story of a mom, that gave up everything for the sake of her daughter.
When I first found Witchblade on mal, I thought Ranked #1276 , ok another nonsense.
I was really amazed, how this anime turned to a very touching one.

-Story- The story tells about mother(Amaha, Masane) and daughter(Amaha, Rihoko), which somehow survived giant explosion in some Japan district. They sailed to a new asylum and everything was good until
she was forced to give her child to some organization which is said to be quite rich and with a goodwill. But it was delusive. This organization was trying to discover a new godlike weapon, called witchblade. Masane recovered in time, and decided to take her daughter back, she was attacked by unknown being in jail, and her power was awakened. And everything was fine till it was clarified that the organization which was planning to take Masane’s daughter has the same godlike weapon named clone blade.
-Art- I am lover of anime with a good art, and here I dare say animation was rather successful.
-Sound- Soundtrack fits ideally, for example dear bob’s song,it fits the story perfect.
-Character-All characters are unique with their aims, wants, and fears. I’d like to stick to one topic.
How they made parallel between two mothers. Real mom, who does care about science, and a foster mother,Amaha Masane she is the real mom!
-Enjoyment-It gave me unforgivable enjoyment and feelings watching this touching anime, also worrying about Rihoko, I was on pins and needles for the whole anime!
-Overall- I recommend this anime to all that who fed up of ecchi+ anime without good setting.

またね.
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When this series first came out I didn't pay any attention to it. About two months ago my older brother bought the box set and he loved it and a week ago he let me borrow it. The anime is loosely based off the comic which I read and really liked. Still I wasn't expecting to much from the series but I was wrong.

The story was very good. Focusing on the mother( Masane) and daughter(Rihoko) relationship. The Witchblade plays a secondary role in the anime which I thought was good. The two problems with the story was the back story of the blade which they never even hinted at. The biggest problem though was the ending. It was plain terrible, you can tell it was rushed. I know there are many reasons a anime series ends to soon. From being unpopular to running out of money, but they could have at least tried to make a coherent ending. They should have extended it to 26 episodes that would have been more than enough time to give a ending to the series.

Perhaps the best part of the series were the characters. Masane and Rihoko were great as mother and daughter. They brought the emotion to the series and you end up really caring for them. The other characters from Reiji, Hiroki, Shiori and the rest all add something to the series.

The animation done by GONZO was brilliant, but what do expect from one of the best anime studios. The music was also outstanding.

Overall a great anime worth watching, but prepare to be a little let down with the ending. read more

The story line is alright for a Japanese version of an American story. It’s not a something you would show a child though, it has a lot of sexual lingos and when Masane turns into Witchblade… well, she doesn’t leave much to the imagination. Most of the story is confusing, especially the fact that I don’t know the actual comic from America. In fact, it took me a little bit of research to figure that there was the comic in America. I feel like I was missing something all the time in the show, and I wasn’t really fond of the interaction between Masane and Rihoko. It was touching but something seemed a bit off.

The animation is nicely put together, very clean cut and loveable designs though the background is a little lacking in detail although better for Gonzo. Gonzo is a strange studio, they either win or don’t. This one… well for the animation, it might be one of his better ones in there pocket. Another thing I hate is the large amount of fan service in the act of large breasted women that their breasts go everywhere. The fighting scenes which seem to make up most of the shows is not all that well done, I almost have to say it is a bit like any fighting show where clothing is torn off. Even though her clothing doesn’t fly off, it’s really more of a fan service to show her butt and breasts.

The voices now are a little odd. I’m not fond of Rihoko’s voice, being a bit whinny in my mind. Most of the voices do match the characters but even though they do, I wanted to cringe when I heard them. I think that the music was really good, perfect for the fight scenes though any other background sounded like a day in the life of the characters, just not that well done. The beginning and ended aren’t really very memorable though the opening is a little better then the ending.

It’s an ok show to watch but I’m not sure why. The underlining plot is well done and the fan service is ok but other then that, well… I guess I’m fine with one time watching.
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A definite must for Claymore fans, like Claymore except that the family emotion and human ties are more dominant. There are a couple funny catch phrases like "let’s go blow some shit up". Overall a nice anima about a mother daughter bond; there are some intense sad moments but all the more to show the viewer how much more rich the love is with all the relationships with the other characters. One aspect of the anima I enjoy is the way the witchblade destroys its host slowly; this allows for more characters to move throughout the show without a cliffhanger on them. The ending I believe is poetic. read more

Witchblade was one of the first animes I had watched and now that I look back on it, it was pretty damn good. I remember when I first found Witchblade I was working off the high of a lot of ecchi and was all like ermahgerd a chick wearing like no clothes fighting robots and shit this is gonna be sweet! As I watched Witchblade I was pleased to find that yes there are tits and explosions, but I found myself not watching Witchblade for those reasons. Witchblade is not about the boobies and blades it is actually a really feeling story about a woman and her daughter trying to put together a life. This plot evolves into a much grander scheme involving big corporations and their weapons of mass destruction, which is also awesome and shit. What I enjoyed the most about Witchblade was how much I began to feel for the characters. You wanted to comfort them, you wanted to be mad with them and when an anime makes you feel, it has got to be a pretty good anime. Witchblade is a great ride and I highly recommend it. Its touching story, intense fights, and yes boobs, make Witchblade a pretty cool anime. read more

Witch blade is a story about the most loving mother in the world who would do anything for her daughter mixed in with technological advances and the most powerful weapon in all creation (which gives her a lust for violence) along with a memorable cast of friends and enemies.

Like many others have said in their reviews "Never judge a book by it's cover"really comes into to play for this anime. I thought this would just be a teenage boxum babe vs another teenage boxum babe type anime that would only focus on fan service I was dead wrong.

Story - The main focus is a Masane and her 7-8 year old daughter Riko the two of them face many struggles from running away from the "Child protection agency" (aka NSWF) and finding a place to live. The first part of the story is about Masane trying to prove that she is more than capable of taking care of Riko on her own so that Riko and her can stay together.

When a monster also know as "X-CON" attacks Masane in a jail after she was separated by Riko , Masane's power awakens using the "witchblade" to not only save herself , but destroy the X-CON. She is hired by Dojima industries which is a arms dealer corporation but the main focus is on the relation ship between Masane and the companies Director (who sorta reminds me of bruce wayne.)

Using her pay from her job (Killing X-CONs) Masane settles down at bar/restaurant/apartment complex with her daughter. This place is full of interesting characters : the perverted old man , the timid fortune teller , a big yet silent man named Micheal (who is later discovered to be somebody famous from over seas ) , the owner and land lady who is still full of energy and is one of the first people to take care of Riko , and Yuusuke who could also be considered a Hero in this story who is a freelance photographer who snoops around places like the NSWF for information to sell to the media much to the police cheif's chargin.

Clone blades or "sisters" are the main antagonist in this story yet most of them have problems of their own like Reina's desire to be a mother to her daughter and learning more about human emotions and the Third generation of sister Maria's (main antagonist) desire to be loved by a mother. Clone blades like the original have a certain defect the cause the user to break in other words die. the second half of the series focuses on Masane preparing for her death and making sure Riko will be taken care of by her father which turns out to be the Director that Masane has feelings for.

The final part of this anime is the battle between Masane (Witch blade) vs the last three sisters vs Iweapons (machines) that are now acting like X-CONs and are drawn to the witch blades power. Masane uses up her last moments to take down the strongest sister Maria and save Riko (Who would of ended up the next witch blade) from the same fate as herself by destroying the witchblade with its own power and herself in the process making the ultimate sacrifice for her daughter. The anime ends with Riko standing with the director (Masane's lover) remembering what Masane said "I will always be with you."

Art - Character design is to notch I found most of the girls down right beautiful. And the scenery of the tower at the final moments was a masterpiece.

Sound - Pretty badass fighting soundtracks definite ipod ad and the for the touching/softer moments they had the perfect tunes.

The first OP "XTC" (Escasty) was the embodiment of Masane's excitement she found in battle which was brought back on the final episode since Masane would have a lot of slaying to do thus alot of excitement putting her life on the line.

The second OP "Dear bob" is really refreshing mixing soft rock with sorta reggae really original sound to be found in a anime. It now makes me cry becuase the animation of teh OP is full of heartwarming moments of Masane and Riko with the rest of the cast.

Characters - All of the supporting characters excuted their roles perfectly very entertaining.

Main developments were -

Takayma (Director) - Becoming more human like and learning how to smile and have fun thanks to his daughter Riko and Masane his love.

Masane - She starts off pretty childish and mostly has to have Riko tell her what is right from wrong even though she is the mother. She gains responsibility pretty fast juggling motherhood with destroying X-CONS. She ultimately she matures and finds out a peaceful way to tell Riko about her slowly dieing that she will always be with her.

Enjoyment / Overall

A excellent and entertaining anime I am glad I gave it a chance.
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Well I decided to expand this review abit

Story: 6/10
I'm not usually the type of person who cares how complex or simple a plot is but I know where to draw the line as well with the two extremes. Unfortunately Witchblade crossed the line of complex into "incomprehisable", it's not that it lacked information, infact it was quite the opposite. They present far too much information far too fast, and sometimes all at once. It's sometimes useless and unnecessary for the viewer to know yet they give it to you anyways. Alot of things get lost as well, some characters even get slightly forgotten until they crop up like a guest apperance. It is also missing some action, it's sorta lacking on that. On the bright side the story is touching in a sweet kind of way, it's hard not to get a little engrossed in it.

Art: 8/10
Gotta hand it to Witchblade, while the main characters chest was huge the art quality wasn't demished. I have to say that I really anjoyed the art, they did a wonderful job balancing the main characters chest with teh rest of her body, she didn't look like she might fall forward. The style was soft and gentle, yet when needed rustic and unrefined. I have to say if anythign I enjoyed the art style most of all.

Sound: 8/10
Music sometimes defines an anime, it sets the mood and the emotion, I feel like it was definately appropriate. I gotta admit I enjoyed both the ending and the opening songs which is not usually common. They fit the feel of the anime, and the background music was beautiful as well, so no complaints on that front.

Characters: 7/10
Gotta hand it to Witchblade, the characters may've been a bit cliche-ish but they had their own unique qualities that made them sound out as individuals and not just clones of each other. Their personalities didn't always mix but they somehow found common ground and were able to build friendships of it. They also showed some personal development through the anime, which is important when you notice how a character has grown and changed, for the better or worse. While the development was subtle it was noticable and pleasently refreshing.

Enjoyment: 6/10
I can't say I cared much for the story, it was overly complex (and I'm not the dullest crayon in the box mind you) and sometimes drawn out and annoying but I did find some parts to enjoy. It was a rather heavy anime and I probably wouldn't suggest this for someone looking for a lighthearted, feel-good anime but it's definately for those seeking something with a little more depth to it. Otherwise it was alright to say the least.

Overall: 6/10
I wouldn't recommend this anime really, but I wouldn't tell someone NOT to watch it. I believe this kind of anime is the type that leaves an individual imprint on everyone, each unique in it's own way. I have say if anything it's worth watching for the art and music alone, even if the plot is rather insane sometimes. read more

So, picked this with no expects really, had some knowledge of the basic story though.

My first impession was "Boobs and supernatural fights". Need to say this offered quite a bit more. There´s lots of emotion in the story also, got me touched more than once. The characters are also good, there weren´t exactly bad characters in this anime. Action was rather good also, even though this style isn´t the preferenced one for me really. Animation was pretty solid, not the best Ive seen though. Overall, really enjoyable anime, recommended!

Witchblade, based on an American comic, is ok. I say what brings it down more in my eyes is its very similar set up to Blassreiter. Witchblade had an awesome start and hit the brakes when it was getting good to develop characters and never really picked up again. The characters were likable enough, but were rather one dimensional and I felt I had seen most the characters before and done better. I still had fun watching the characters, but it was B movie fun, not Oscar-winning, LOTR fun. This is a series that could have done with 50 episode budget to develop both characters and plot. I would liken it to a shortened Bleach with girls as the only fighters, and the ending being Rukia getting taken away, the end. Wish they would do a better remake, and have more seasons. read more