Witchblade | Anime Series | Review

WITCHBLADE

It's true that I was taken aback by how much I enjoyed Witchblade. I learned that it is a violent and sexually explicit anime based on an American comic book of the same name. A lot of blood and gore in an Ecchi anime was not what I was anticipating. Though it does have a ton of that "ecchi" factor, it manages to be a surprisingly good series nonetheless.

This anime often hints at its darker American comic-book counterpart, but those are well hidden and almost invisible. From a narrative standpoint, the anime clearly draws inspiration from the comic, but it stands on its own as a stand-alone story.

The main story is way simpler than what most people describe it as. It’s genuinely just about a mother who will go to any lengths to protect her daughter. The greed-fueled organizations, insane weapons, and mad scientists are the extra side stuff, and at the center of it all are Masane and her daughter Rihoko.

I have to say, this show has some incredibly well-done pacing. It slows down and speeds up at the perfect moment. This calm before the storm was most visible, especially during the final few episodes at the end. I have read many reviews for this series, and people constantly say that the ending was rushed and predictable.

Predictable? I agree, but that is the story they set out to tell. It wasn't predictable in the wrong way because the choices made by these characters and the path their journey took felt appropriate. However, most people might not feel the same way about it as I do.

The characters in this story are the heart of this series. They move the show along, and their growth is the most crucial aspect of it, particularly for the main protagonist, Masane. Everything in this story was prone to a misstep if it weren’t for her development and growth as a character. The best part is, she wasn’t the only character that received this high level of development; every single side character in the series was unique, with personalities that grew and changed over time with the show and Masane herself.

Masane’s daughter, Rihoko, was an insanely well-written character. She’s another one of those children in anime who are randomly mature and know how to react in every situation. Still, her character is portrayed with such care that you cannot help but love the way her development happens.

Witchblade is not a brutally scary action show. Instead, it is a drama that focuses on the characters. Before watching, you need to understand that it has some fighting, but the vast majority of this series is focused on developing these intricately written characters.

This show was marketed poorly; it was presented as a violent, sexual, action-packed show, but it was none of those things. bad marketing decision to steal the name of a well-known American comic book series and use it for an entirely different product. If they just gave it a different name and made it exactly the way they did, it would’ve had a better fan following and would have become a cult classic. But the marketing doesn't take anything away from the series. None of the ideas are forced, and at the end of the day, it still has its own unique style.

The show's character designs were top-notch. Visually, the series had a lot going for it; the wide variety of appearances contributed greatly to the overall sense of individuality. Even though Gonzo tends to blow through their budget and do bad animation in the last episodes of every show they make, the fight scenes were surprisingly smooth and fluid.

The best word to describe the animation here is CONSISTENT. Witchblade had consistently good animation throughout the entire series, and the final episode in itself featured some of the best animations in the series by far. Compared to some of the other anime out there, the art style was plain, but it managed to be both attractive and distinct.

Especially when Masane was in her Witchblade form, the scenes showed Japan's love of breast-juggling physics. Those among us who are particularly interested in Ecchi culture will find plenty to admire.

The first thing that stood out to me when I started the series was the incredible opening song. The opening was a hyper-noisy rock song that demands your attention right from the get-go. I was always ready for some riveting moments in the series, simply because of how well-made and well-timed the music was.

Near the end of the series, after an episode that focused long and hard on slow family drama, a strong beat started playing, and I knew there was some action coming my way too. The soundtrack not only shines with these terrifyingly hardcore rock tracks but also with somber songs that are used for whispering moments. That's also the point where Witchblade's score succeeds in immersing you emotionally.

The best thing about Witchblade is not the excellent character development, the great depiction of family drama, the perfect pacing, or the animation. It does have its flaws, such as the hypersexual outfit that Masane and her opponents usually wear during fights, and the story ends on a predictable note.

It is, in fact, how it ends. It ends on an open, ambiguous note, which to me feels like a very real ending. Nothing is crammed into a neat little package by the end; not every story is resolved, and yet everything still works perfectly. It succeeds in its depiction of its setting, and the conclusion grows on you the more you think about it.