Witchblade: The Complete Series
by Yoshimitsu Ôhashi
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Cherami Leigh, Jamie Marchi, Mark Stoddard, Scott Hinze, Shizuka ItoDirector: Yoshimitsu Ôhashi
Brand: Funimation
Editor: Kiyoshi Hirose
Writer: Marc Silvestri
Writer: Michael Turner
Writer: Yasuko Kobayashi
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; English (Subtitled); Japanese (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; English (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Format: Animated, Box set, Color, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 600 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-10-28
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Funimation Prod
Movie Reviews of Witchblade: The Complete Series
Movie Review: I thought this would suck but now I see it is Raging RED HOT Anime!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have passed over this Anime many times, because I don't like the American comic. I only gave it consideration because my brother in-law recommended it.
Well saying "I don't like the comic" is unfair... I'm sure the writing is good and Top Cow is known for producing quality products (high quality graphics, paper, toys, etc... etc...) But, the Witchblade logo reminds me too much of the Thundercats logo. And additionally I don't like the American style art that original source material has. Just MHO.
I'll stop talking about that before I find someone at my doorsteps upset with me for bashing the most popular new comic of the last decade. New is relative... considering franchises like Superman have been around for 60 plus years I think.
THIS Version of Witchblade However... is stunning! The story is deep and valid. It is the classic heroes journey, and it is absolutely fantastic!
Watching this immediately makes me think of one of my other absolute favorite anime franchises... Elfen Lied. Just like Elfen Lied they contrast hyper-violence with powerfully moving relationships... Beauty and the Beast wrapped into in one person then pumped up on "sexy-violence steroids" to end up with a really high contrast product.
The women are outrageously sexy and usually that just doesn't do it for me when it comes to anime. Sometimes I'm put off when the fan service levels are this high. See my reviews on Misuki Chronicles and you will see that I'm just saying this.
The fan service is REALLY REALLY high on this, almost to the point of ridiculous. But the content of the story and the high impact action just makes that something that has to be overlooked.
This is another keeper for the collection... and I feel it is a must own. Dare I say the success of this could set a new trend... I can see that many other comic producers would want to jump on this bandwagon the same way they did with "digital comic painting" back in the early 90's when Image Studios launched that boat for the first time.
Top Cow apparently gave Gonzo/Funimation creative freedom on this because it is remarkably different from the American version. In my opinion that is good...
The only constant is the Witchblade. Which really demonstrates the thinking of Top Cow... The Witchblade is a great tool for telling many stories... very clever... and remarkably strategic in the market place.
Should you own this? I would say... Sell what ever you gotta sell to get this into your collection... The images are so stunning, and the story is so powerful you would be crazy to pass on this one... (Like I did for quite a while.)
I regret not getting this sooner because I have picked up some pretty mediocre anime lately and that money would have been much better spent on this title at twice the price.
In summary:
The Action - Rivetingly Awesome. Complete edge of your seat stuff.
The Fan Service - Super sexy but not offensive.
The Story - Very compelling. (My wife and I watched the 4 DVDs that have the story on them in just 1 sitting. We pulled an all-nighter on the couch to watch all of this... it is that good.)
The Production Quality - Really high... very little in the market place is better today. (Perhaps the folks that did the new Appleseed might have higher production standards.)
The audio quality - Superb. I don't like the opening song but the audio is normalized well so you don't have to keep adjusting the sound when action changes to dialog. It is very easy to clearly hear what is being said. And the rest of the music is really good for the show...
The artwork - The quality of the cover art is not as good as the anime and the box cover art is pretty high quality. The overall artistic rendering during the animation is very clean and will likely stand the test of time. (Again I'm not real big on American Comic Style Art)
The box quality - This is pretty good. I would have to say this, while excellent, is the weakest link. The fold out thingy has some great artwork on it that is clearly a different artist than the cover artist.
Overall 5 stars but I wish I could give it more.
You will like this I'm 100% sure of it.
Summary of Witchblade: The Complete Series
WITCHBLADE BOX SET - DVD MovieThe fan-service adventure Witchblade (2006) is another trans-Pacific hybrid: a Japanese TV series based on an American comic. Masane Amaha and her obnoxiously precocious daughter Rihoko were discovered amid the ruins after an earthquake devastated 22nd century Japan. During the disaster, she somehow acquired the sentient ultimate weapon, the Witchblade. When Masane comes near an X-Con, a prototype cyborg made by Douji Industries from human cadavers, the Witchblade causes her to morph into a fighting fiend--in an outfit Pamela Anderson might wear in a sequel to The Dark Knight. The Witchblade supposedly endows the wielder with "insatiable lust and unthinkable power," but Masane gets her exposed derrière kicked by women using Cloneblades, imitation Witchblades the Douji Group also created. Maria, the most powerful Cloneblader, emerges as a potential rival to Masane. When she decides to seize control of Douji Industries, the audience is left to wonder how and why she went from an undisciplined, infantile killer to a disciplined, mature killer. The inevitable duel between Masane and Maria atop Tokyo Tower suggests High Noon with implants. Masane triumphs over Maria and the power of the Witchblade in a finale that's simultaneously gory and mawkish. Although the convoluted plot stumbles along like Masane after a binge, Witchblade will delight adolescent boys who want to watch fights between overendowed, under-dressed babes. In an accompanying interview, character designer/executive animation director Makoto Uno says, "We added a devilish element to the physical beauty of women and animated them with particular attention to the breasts and butt." No kidding. (Rated TV MA, suitable for ages 16 and older: violence, violence against women, grotesque imagery, risqué humor, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon
(1. The Beginning, 2. Bewilderment, 3. Defiance, 4. Movement, 5. Search, 6. Change, 7. Past, 8. Reciprocity, 9. Sadness, 10. Interaction, 11. Danger, 12. Prisoner, 13. Separation, 14. Family, 15. Bonds, 16. Relaxation, 17. Confusion, 18. Turn, 19. Feelings, 20. Request, 21. Vow, 22. Inform, 23. Chaos, 24. Light)
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