Witchblade, Vol. 1

A cross-cultural anime, Witchblade, Vol. 1 compiles the first four of 24 episodes of a series produced by Japan's Gonzo Studios but inspired by the popular American comic book from Top Cow Productions. In this update, young mother Masane and her infant daughter Rihoko are among the survivors of a devastating earthquake that submerges most of Japan. Masane's memory of life before the earthquake is lost—she doesn't even remember giving birth. In fact, six years on, the mother-daughter relationship is very odd: Masane seems childishly impulsive while young Rihoko is extremely wise for her years. When welfare agents separate the pair, the police incarcerate Masane, who—when faced with a jailhouse attack from a mutant miscreant—unexpectedly turns into a voluptuous superhero wielding the eponymous weapon with stylish gusto. Following a mother and child reunion, viewers are treated to a surplus of action sequences with Masane swinging her Witchblade against a variety of monsters and villains, interwoven with a plotline about a mysterious corporation's attempts to take over the world. Although Witchblade only sort of makes sense, the artistic imagination and sheer energetic power on display overcome any quibbles about frayed logic. Presented on a dual-language disc, appropriately rated TV-MA for violence, DVD extras include a tour of Top Cow's studio with CEO Marc Silvestri, and an interview with Mamiko Noto, the voice actress for Masane in the original Japanese-language version. Recommended. [Note: Witchblade, Vol. 2 is slated for release on Nov. 6.] Aud: P. (P. Hall)