Witchblade The Complete Series
Released By: Manga Entertainment
Rating: 15
Running Time: 600 Mins
Audio: English & Japanese DD 2.0
Release Date: Out Now!
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

Masane Amaha wakes from an earthquake many years ago with a baby in her arms and no memory of her past. Several years later she struggles to bring up her daughter as the child protection services close in on her saying she is neglecting Rihoko while she goes to work. The real truth is Masane does what she can to provide for her, but the authorities take matters into their own hands when they try to get Masane to give her up to another family saying that they could do a better job of raising her than a single mother with hardly any means of support.


Masane is no ordinary mother though, she can wield a Witchblade and as only women can bear the unique bracelet and use it at will when danger draws near.
After many attempts to get her back Masane is told that if she wants to truly keep her then she has to get a decent job that pays enough to keep her. Looking around she can only find one job, working for the Douji Group who know who she is and can use her capabilities with the Witchblade. She is given information that she will be payed more money than she could have normally earned in a year, but taking the position offers more attempts on her life than she would like.

Once a rival company NSWF find out they have a woman with the original Witchblade they try to find and take the bracelet for themselves. This company are currently testing clone-blades on other possible subjects who already have the strength to use them though they are nowhere near making them as good as the original and prove to be unstable to the users.

Of all the anime series to watch this one is one of the most unique that has everything an anime lover would want in it. There's plenty of action that can be mind-numbing at times as well as amazing, dramatic storylines that keep on twisting all the way through, more characters than you can explain and moments in it that border on serious fan-service for the men. Just about all that is in this anime will appeal to the otaku.

Masane and her daughter Rihoko lead a very troubled existence, yet her daughter knows the stesses and strains she goes through every day trying her best to provide for her and no matter what happens she always has a smile on her face and an adults mind to boot. There is more evidence later on of why they are linked and why Rihoko wants to stay with Masane, but that would spoil the plot if it is gone into now. 

Her time at the Douji Group is anything but sweet as she doesn't think much of her boss, Takayama and his assistant Segawa appears a complete creep who will change sides with whoever proves to be the most in power in both groups. She later warms to Takayama as they grow to get to know each other, yet in the background there is someone else who wants to be with her, freelance Photographer, Tozawa who develops a keen interest in her. All the characters are fun and there are some that are downright cruel, but this is an anime for those who like everything about anime in one box set.

Bonus Material: A tour of Top Cow Studios with Marc Silvestri, How to create a comic book the Top Cow Way,  The Witchblade Forged- Part I, II & III, Top Cow Studio tour outtakes, Coloring a comic book page, The early days of image comics, The Top Cow staff talks about comics
Experiences in Japan/other Top Cow franchises, Crossing into other media, Textless songs, Japanese cast interviews, Japanese TV spots and Trailers for other anime series.


Verdict: Action, fan-service, great plot and believable characters - This will make a wonderful addition to an already bursting anime collection.