History Anime / Witchblade

* MagicalGirlWarrior: although a downplayed variant, the blade-bearers are all transforming female characters with superpowers, fighting X-Cons.

%% * OnlySaneMan: Even if Asagi kept her finger in the mouth most time we saw her, she was the most balanced Sister. The little punk also saw Maria for what she is, even if has not enough good sense to steer clear of mad people's {{berserk button}}s.

* BustChart: One was released in Megami magazine that featured four of the reoccurring females for the first third of the series. Strangely, despite all jokes that the main character gets about her large breasts, she's actually out-sized by a more serious character.

* HeroicBSOD: A truly heartbreaking one when Masane discovers [[spoiler:she isn't Rihoko's biological mother]]. Not so much from the discovery, so much as [[spoiler: her Biological Mother requesting her return. And accepting the fact that making her go with Reina probably IS the best thing for Rihoko. The fact of the matter barely fazes her, family is more than just genes. It's the actual absence of Rihoko that reduces Masane to frightening levels of gloominess. Though the way Rihoko charms everyone and their mother within about five minutes of meeting her, she should be labeled a cocaine-level TastesLikeDiabetes. Weapons-Grade Adorable.]]

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Most characters (those who aren't Blade wielders in SuperMode) have normal colored hair. Reina, Riho, [[spoiler: and Maria]] have purple hair, which provides a hint as to their relationship.
** Plus Maria has blue, red and blonde hair, but that's a result of dyes. When she adopts a more grown-up look, she lets it go back to her natural [[spoiler: purple. Just like her mother and half-sister.]]

* ItIsPronouncedTroPay: It's Na-OH-mi. Not Naomi. The accent's on the O.

* {{Gainaxing}}: Bound to happen, considering [[GagBoobs those things]]. But perhaps most noticeably in the Beach Episode where [[http://media.animevice.com/uploads/0/6083/163103-masaneentance.gif Masane runs towards the camera after undressing to a white bikini]].

* AuthorAppeal: If you're wondering why most of the females in the anime put the comic book one's to shame, look up Uno Makoto.

* AmbiguouslyGay: Segawa could practically be an {{Expy}} for [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Waylon Smithers.]]

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: Father's plan in general. As was clear even for his own laboratory workers.
* AxCrazy: Shiori, due to PhlebotinumBreakdown, as well as any man who attempts to wear one of Wadou's modified Cloneblades.
* BadassNormal:
%%** Reiji Takyama.
** Hiroki Segawa, who isn't afraid to join his boss in a dangerous shootout.
** Also Masane BEFORE she could activate the Witchblade.

* BloodLust: During the early episodes, Masane very explicitly demonstrated this, complete with LickingTheBlade. And her lips. [[FingerLickinEvil And her fingers.]]
* BlushSticker: Masane gets the "[[HardDrinkingPartyGirl blitzed]]" version. Riho gets the "cute little kid" version

* ChildrenRaiseYou: Masane may be Rihoko's mother, but their roles are more or less reversed.

* DefrostingIceQueen: Reina. Also a rare male example in Takayama.

* DiagonalCut: Well, a vertical cut, anyway.

* DrinkingContest: Between Takayama and Wadou.
* EmotionlessGirl: Reina. She gets better after a while [[spoiler: just in time to sacrifice herself protecting Rihoko from a berserk Maria.]]

* EvilLaugh: By the ''protagonist''.

* FauxActionGirl: The X-Cons' preferred victims are all Cloneblade bearers. One assumes they would be perfectly capable of putting up a fight, but they don't even ''try''.
* FreudianExcuse: Father. Just... okay, let's start with the fact that he calls himself FATHER, and [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope jump off the slippery]] {{Squick}} [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope slope]] from there.
* ForgottenChildhoodFriend: Wadou and Takayama towards each other.
* FullFrontalAssault: Maria when transformed with a Cloneblade

* GoodScarsEvilScars: Takayama has one badass scar.
* GratuitousEnglish: Chou sometimes lapses into terrible English for no apparent reason. Which they actually kept in the German dub. It still sounds the same though.

* HotterAndSexier: The DVD versions manage to be this compared to even the comics.

* InspectorLestrade: Inspector Nakata. And introduced while investigating [[spoiler:an X-Con rampage and dismissing as a random drunk the perpetrator who ''surrendered'']].

* LightningBruiser: Masane and other main/supporting characters with Cloneblades.

* LukeIAmYourFather: [[spoiler: Rihoko]] with ''both'' parents.
** [[spoiler: Hardly a shocker. She's a GenerationXerox of her mother. And once you've figured out who Mom is, it's a short hop to who Dad is.]]

* MamaBear: Masane. She defies all comers, and the Witchblade itself, to protect Rihoko.
* ManipulativeBastard: Father. The manner in which he plays upon the emotions of his impressionable Neogene children while insuring their deaths obliterates the MoralEventHorizon.

* MostCommonSuperpower: See AuthorAppeal.
* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: More specifically, [[spoiler:robot zombie tanks]]. ItMakesSenseInContext.
* NotOfThisEarth: The Witchblade - maybe.
* NotSoStoic: [[spoiler: Takayama kisses Masane after she visits him following his forced resignation from Doji.]]
* OnlySaneMan: Even if Asagi kept her finger in the mouth most time we saw her, she was the most balanced Sister. The little punk also saw Maria for what she is, even if has not enough good sense to steer clear of mad people's {{berserk button}}s.

* OrgasmicCombat: Masane moans in combat mode. A lot. And that's not even counting the gratuitous use of words like "throbbing" and "satisfied." And she's not half as bad as Shiori.

* PleaseWakeUp: Both Riko and Takayama to Masane at the end of ep 20. She's only unconscious.

* PsychoLesbian: Shiori. Made worse by her PhlebotinumBreakdown, during which she even tries to [[spoiler:rape Takayama, Reina's former lover.]]

* SequelHook: Several, and [[WMG/{{Witchblade}} large]] ones. It's quite surprising there's no sequel.
* SexyDiscretionShot: A later episode heavily implies that [[spoiler:Masane and Reiji]] slept together.
* SexySecretary: Shiori, Nora. Masane later on.
* SexyShirtSwitch: Masane after spending the night with [[spoiler: Takayama]]. Before it gets blown off by her [[ClothingDamage clothing-shredding transformation]].
* SheCleansUpNicely: Masane gets dolled up to accompany Takayama to a dinner. Her manners don't clean up nicely, though.
* ShipperOnDeck: In episode 18, Rihoko is shipping hard for Masane/Takayama. [[spoiler: Without even knowing that he's her father.]]
* ShoutOut: [[http://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Rubber-Ducks-Eric-Carle/dp/0007202423/ Little Rubber Ducks]]. Yes, [[http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/06/28/doomed_ducks_sail_oceans_for_all_eternity/ these]] plastic ducks.

* SleepCute: Cute in the case of Rihoko, Sleep Funny in the case of Masane and Takayama.

* StepfordSmiler: Masane, at first.

* {{Stripperiffic}}:
** In particular, the buttocks are a <ahem> vulnerable region in every super-powered female's outfit.
** Also, Maria's normal outfit.

* SuperPowerMeltdown: The Cloneblades. It's not pretty.

* TragicMonster: Arguably all the X-Cons, but especially the mosquito-man. Also, Shiori and Maria.
* TrueCompanions: Masane, Tozawa and the other lodgers at the restaurant.

* VillainousBreakdown: Played straight with Wadou and Father. Inverted with Maria, who is introduced as a bundle of vicious childish impulses but later becomes a stone cold megalomaniac.

* WackyParentSeriousChild: Rihoko and Masane could practically be called the TropeCodifier.

* WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove: Happens to Reina with Riko when [[spoiler:Riko wants her to talk to her more as her daughter.]]

* WiseBeyondTheirYears: Riko, in contrast to ManChild poster-woman Masane.

* YoungerThanTheyLook: Due to being a [[ArtificialHuman clone]], Maria is actually younger than Rihoko.

'''''Witchblade''''' is an anime series based on the American comic book [[Comicbook/{{Witchblade}} of the same name]]. It is an all-new story using the premise of the original with an all-new character and setting. The series centers around Masane Amaha, who was found at ground zero of a catastrophe that destroyed Tokyo with an infant in her arms, a jewel on her wrist, and [[LaserGuidedAmnesia no memory]].

!!This series provides examples of:

* AuthorAppeal: If you're wondering why the most of the females in the anime put the comic book one's to shame, look up Uno Makoto.

* ZettaiRyouiki: Maria's outfit, after [[spoiler: her drastic change in personality]]

Now free [[http://media.dvd.ign.com/articles/820/820467/vids_1.html on IGN]] at low resolution, and on [[http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Witchblade/70077808?trkid=2361637 Netflix Instant Stream]] in whatever res your internet connection can handle.

* ActionMom: Masane, [[spoiler:Reina]].

* AnyoneCanDie

** Reiji Takyama.

* BareYourMidriff: Masane.
* BattleButler: Segawa, Shiori, Nora.
* BeachEpisode

* CassetteCraze: Reina Sohou.

* CheerfulChild: Riko.

* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: Segawa.

* TheComicallySerious: Reiji.
* CorruptCorporateExecutive: SmugSnake Wadou.
** And subverted with Takayama. With his perpetually stern grimace, [[GoodScarsEvilScars scar over his right eye]], and the way he manipulates Masane into working for him with money at the start, never mind the fact that he's a corporate executive working for a rather shady company to begin with, and he looks like the second coming of Gendou Ikari. Turns out he's one of the more noble characters in the series.
* CursedWithAwesome: Masane tries to [[ClingyMacGuffin get rid of her symbiont]] by any means possible. It only notices when she's about to hurt herself.
** More importantly, hurt IT. When she's trying to gouge it out with a screwdriver or piece of metal, it does nothing. When she goes for more powerful tools that might actually WORK to get rid of it...

* DeadpanSnarker: Asagi.

* DirtyOldMan: Chou.
* DisappearsIntoLight: [[spoiler: Masane.]]

* {{Fanservice}}: ''Buckets'' of it.

** It's possible that they weren't full-on wielders, or they probably wouldn't be walking around loose.
*** Not all Sisters are granted Cloneblades.

* GoingForTheBigScoop: Yusuke Tozawa.

* GratuitousEnglish: Chou sometimes lapses into terrible English for no apparent reason.
** Which they actually kept in the German dub. It still sounds the same though.

* HardDrinkingPartyGirl: Masane.

* HeroicBSOD: A truly heartbreaking one when Masane discovers [[spoiler:she isn't Rihoko's biological mother]].
** Not so much from the discovery, so much as [[spoiler: her Biological Mother requesting her return. And accepting the fact that making her go with Reina probably IS the best thing for Rihoko. The fact of the matter barely fazes her, family is more than just genes. It's the actual absence of Rihoko that reduces Masane to frightening levels of gloominess. Though the way Rihoko charms everyone and their mother within about five minutes of meeting her, she should be labeled a cocaine-level TastesLikeDiabetes. Weapons-Grade Adorable.]]
* HotScientist: Reina.

* IJustWantToBeNormal: Masane.

* IntrepidReporter: Tozawa.

* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler: Father dies at Maria's hands]]
* KilledMidSentence: [[spoiler:Maria]].
* LadyOfWar: Reina Sohou.

* LovableSexManiac: Chou.

* MagicPants
* MagneticPlotDevice

* MementoMacGuffin: [[spoiler:Masane's clamshell.]]

* PerpetualFrowner: Reiji

* PrehensileHair: Masane, Nora, Maria.

* PunchClockHero: Masane.

* ShrinkingViolet: Naomi.

* SleepMask: Tozawa
* SmugSnake: Wadou.

* {{Stripperiffic}}: In particular, the buttocks are a <ahem> vulnerable region in every super-powered female's outfit.

* TheTokyoFireball: Happens before the story.

* {{Tykebomb}}: The Sisters.

* TheVoiceless: Michael.

* WeHardlyKnewYe: Shiori.

* {{Yandere}}: Maria.

* YourDaysAreNumbered: [[spoiler: Masane.]]

'''''Witchblade''''' is an anime series based on the American comic book [[Comicbook/{{Witchblade}} of the same name]]. It is a all-new story using the premise of the original with an all-new character and setting. The series centers around Masane Amaha, who was found at ground zero of a catastrophe that destroyed Tokyo with an infant in her arms, a jewel on her wrist, and [[LaserGuidedAmnesia no memory]].

Of course, this does complicate her personal life a bit....

Now free (in low resolution) [[http://media.dvd.ign.com/articles/820/820467/vids_1.html on IGN]] and on [[http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Witchblade/70077808?trkid=2361637 Netflix Instant Stream]] in whatever res your internet connection can handle.

* AuthorAppeal: if you're wondering why the most of the females in the anime put the comic book one's to shame, look up Uno Makoto.

* AmbiguouslyGay: Segawa could practically be an {{Expy}} for [[TheSimpsons Waylon Smithers.]]

* MostCommonSuperpower

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<<|NoteworthyAnime|>>

* GoodScarsEvilScars: Takayama has one {{Badass}} scar.

* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: [[spoiler: Rihoko's two mothers can be seen as the adult version of this trope. Masane's more "sporty" and outgoing compared to the more "lady-like" and reserved Reina.]]

** Whitish fluid. That sorta looks like...

* BadassNormal: Reiji Takyama. Also Hiroki Segawa, who isn't afraid to join his boss in a dangerous shootout.

* BareYourMidriff: Masane

* YouFailBiologyForever: Father's plan in general. As was clear even for his own laboratory workers.

* IJustWantToBeNormal: Masane.
* IAmAHumanitarian: During the first transformations, Masane under Witchblade influence licks a strange substance that oozes from X-Cons and I-Weapons. They're both the result of Witchblade research, so this amounts to eating one's own cloned tissue. In later episodes, she gains control of these urges. [[spoiler:Counts twice, considering another [[HumanResources component]] of X-Cons and I-Weapons.]]

* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: Several variants. First of all, Takayama specifically said that their [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot dubious creations]] were made because they're more expendable than human soldiers. Reina in her self-exploration reveals her own inability to relate to "normal" humans, and Masane fears her daughter will see her as less human as a result of her symbiosis with the Witchblade.
** [[spoiler: She needn't have worried.]]

* DisappearsIntoLight: [[spoiler: Masane]]

* [[EvilKnockoff Evil Knockoffs]]: The Cloneblades are mass produced copies of the Witchblade.

* FanNickname-The series is known affectionately among fans as "Milfblade." This becomes completely '''''[[HilariousInHindsight hilarious]]''''' when the series reveals that not only is Masane still possibly a virgin for most of the series, it turns out she's roughly only '''''twenty-three''''' by the time the series starts, and ''maybe'' twenty-four at the finale!

* PlayingAgainstType ([[MamikoNoto Guess who voices Masane]]).

''Witchblade'' is an anime series based on the American comic book [[Comicbook/{{Witchblade}} of the same name]]. Rather than a retelling, it is a story set in the future with new characters. The series centers around Masane Amaha, who was found at ground zero of a catastrophe that destroyed Tokyo with an infant in her arms, a jewel on her wrist, and [[LaserGuidedAmnesia no memory of how she came to be there]].

Years later, Masane is on the run from Child Services with her daughter Rihoko. With no one to turn to and nowhere left to hide, she has no choice but to accept when corporate executive Takayama offers her protection and a salary in return for her services in hunting down a series of escaped semi-sentient weapons designed by his company - a task made considerably easier by the bracelet on her wrist, the symbiotic Witchblade.

<<|NoteworthyAnime|>>

* LesYay: Shiori for Reina. She actually [[IndirectKiss kisses the lip print]] left on a teacup at one point.