Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Witchblade: Takeru

Author: Yasuko Kobayashi
Illustrator: Kazuasa Sumita
English Publisher: Top Cow Productions, Inc.
Volume count: 2
Note: Witchblade: Takeru is based on the original American comic Witchblade.


     Takeru is a sweet young girl brought up in a monastery by Buddhist nuns. For sometime now, she has felt increasingly drawn towards the storage of their monastery where she has envisioned herself go under a strange transformation and become covered in her own blood. The source is a strange object contained in a glass box that the nuns strictly forbid her from getting too close to. When not at home, she attends school with her two friends Ayaka and Kou, occasionally reprimanding them for their actions with the phrase 'BUDDHA WILL SURELY PUNISH YOU!'. Then one day in class, she has a troubling vision and hurriedly leaves; something telling her to hurry home. Kou follows her and the two hurry back to the monastery only to find the inside in shambles. While Kou searches, Takeru hears something calling her makes her way to the storage room where she sees the head nun in mortal danger. Now she's left trapped, her last resort chance is the sealed glass box containing the same alien object from her dreams. At the word 'Witchblade', the glass cracks and merges with Takeru, unleashing an incredible power from within.

     Witchblade is certainly interesting. I actually haven't read the the original American comic yet or seen the anime, so my review will be strictly based on what I've read in the manga. Readers should note that the manga does carry an M rating for mature content. But even so, there isn't any real nudity as much as suggestive nudity, which is drawn out tastefully and exquisitely. Kazuasa Sumita draws out each page beautifully with careful attention to detail. The overall style is clean, round, expressive and erotic especially when it comes to the more feminine figures. Though I only own the black and white version, the all color version I have seen is marvelous. The colors used are very masculine and there isn't an overkill of special effects, just enough to highlight. Yasuko Kobayashi puts together a good story with enough light humor, violence, fantasy, tears and suspense to carry out for those two novels and still reach a conclusion. It's rather short but I assume that he assumed that for an adaptation off of an enormously popular franchise, it didn't have to be too long. But it stands by itself as a solid manga. The length only allows brief looks into the character's lives, so the reader gets a sense for their personalities as the read. But with all of that in mind, it's a notably well written piece. Another short read to those of you looking for something a little adult in taste that needs to be checked out. It's uncensored and only two volumes that I find my own hand reaching over for time and time again. If the cover doesn't get you, I hope this review will. So go read it!

Late review again and I apologize. Thanks to everyone who takes the time to properly comment on my reviews and continue to read them. I changed the way I present the Author, Illustrator, Publisher, etc. part. Should I stick to that or change it back? Opinions or request anybody? Hahaha, thanks everyone.

14 comments:

  1. There was also a Witchblade TV show back in the day. I don't remember any of it anymore. From the bit I read of the US comic, it's quite good. I'll be sure to check this out as well.

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  2. ZOMG. I REMEMBER THIS.

    Wow nostalgia.

    Keep up the great ideas!

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  3. Great review! I'm having manga flashbacks now. Like Yu Yu Hakusho and umm.. Ruroni Kenshin :3

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  4. Supporting...I remember the original from many years ago; it wasn't too bad back then. There was also a made-for-TV movie, but I never saw it.

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  5. pretty interesting, will check it out once I am done reading my other books xD

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  6. The name of the series sound very familiar but I'm not sure if they're the same as the one I'm thinking of...

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  7. I'll be looking forward to reading more from you. Tired of reading naruto and bleach

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  8. Hey, seems like a cool manga!

    Great review!

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  9. looks great... finished watching death note like 10mis ago will have to watch this now =)

    supporting

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  10. Even though I speak Japanese, not that really into manga, but whatever floats your boat.

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  11. nostalgia..followed. :)

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