To the masses Top Cow may not be a well known juggernaut like DC or Marvel but comic book fans know the company intimately. I remember when the publisher began releasing its first line of titles and spawned from Image. Operated by Marc Silvestri, Top Cow launched its most popular comic, Witchblade, in 1995. The series went on to be very successful with a continued release, a short-lived TV series, and rumored film in the works. About a year ago the franchise quietly jumped across the ocean and landed in Japan.

Last year GONZO worked with director Yoshimitsu Ohashi and designer Uno Makoto to produce an anime series based upon the Witchblade universe. If you were ever a fan of the comic book then you should know going in that this Witchblade is very different. Sarah Pezzini is nowhere to be found and the show takes place in a dilapidated Tokyo rather than New York City. This change in venue and focus may be jarring at first for fans but like many other franchise if you look at this anime as simply an alternate continuity then it's easy enough to accept.

The show seemingly takes place in the future judging by some of the available technology, though they never really discuss a time period. All we know is that after a great earthquake most of Japan has been left in ruins. When the show began a woman named Masane Amaha appeared with her daughter Rihoko and there was some trouble with the Child Welfare Services. Before long we discovered the Masane was actually the wielder of the Witchblade and all went to pot shortly thereafter.

In the third volume we learned more about the X-Cons as they were thrust into the limelight at the outset. Early on the show tells us that the X-Cons are deceased who's bodies were given to the program and turned into weapons. In their human form they retain the semblance of memories but at specific times they'll lose all control and become a bloodthirsty machine of sorts. Masane also went with Tozawa to a party and wound up in a serious fight that left her in the care of the enemy. When all was said and done the question about whether or not Masane was Rihoko's mother was raised and that's right where the fourth installment picks up.

At the very outset we learn that Reina is actually Rihoko's biological mother which quite honestly wasn't very surprising. The show hinted towards this numerous times but it was fun to explore how Masane and Riho deal with this revelation. As you'd expect both are devastated and in good form each reacts the way you'd think they would. Masane questions the validity of her paternal instincts and bemoans her situation while Rihoko actually comes to grips with the reality quickly enough. For a little girl she certainly is mature and it's a fun little trait that her personality has.

During all of this Nora is sent to take Riho back but Reina steps in to protect her real daughter. This results in a Cloneblade fight that leaves Nora turning to dust and foreshadows Reina's inevitable demise. That death comes at the hands of the twisted red and blue haired Maria who is certainly an interesting addition to the series. I'll be curious to see in the coming volumes what happens between her character and Masane as well as how she becomes involved in the overall plot.

For three episodes the fourth volume of Witchblade is very entertaining with a lot of action and suspense. This was an example of the show at its best but the final episode on this disc takes the group to the beach for a simple fan service throwaway story that feels very out of place. In the end this is a fun little show that satisfies in a guilty pleasure kind of way. There isn't a lot of depth to the story or characters but it's a good watch just the same; especially if you appreciate the Witchblade franchise.

If you have read any of my reviews then you already know that I love GONZO productions. They have a way of rendering a show with cool designs, slick animation, and higher than average video quality. Witchblade fortunately does not break from GONZO's tradition of excellence.

The character designs for the show by Uno Makoto come to life with a great level of detail and presence in most every scene. Considering Makoto lent his designing talents to other shows like Gravion and Love Hina I'm sure you can ascertain just how, um, "developed" the female characters are. The action and animation is also top of the line though I do have to share some of my disappointment with a couple scenes during this volume. Like the previous installments some of the animation seemed stilted at times and this time around it surfaced during regular dialogue bits rather than just action. It wasn't enough to cheapen the production but it certainly made me take notice.

Technically speaking the video quality on this disc is fine enough but it's nothing entirely stellar. FUNimation has included four episodes here but the compression rate once again is slightly higher than average so you're going to see blocking and artifacts nestled in darker sections of the image. Some light grain was also present in scenes where lighting wasn't designed to be the best and I spotted a few instance of aliasing here and there. There are plenty of moments where Witchblade looks brilliant though and on the whole the transfer here is better than most. I just wish FUNimation hammered some of the nitpicky flaws out of this release.

Like most recent series released here in America Witchblade comes with three audio tracks. On the lighter side of things is a pair of 2.0 stereo tracks for English and Japanese languages. The audio quality in both is exemplary with precise and flawless sound but it unfortunately doesn't pack the wallop on the soundstage that you'd hope it would. The 5.1 English track is a definite step in the right direction with a greater sense of immersion and presence on the soundstage. Some of the effects don't provide as much impact as you'd expect them to but overall the quality is very good. With regards to the dubbing quality both the English and Japanese languages offer an enjoyable experience though I feel that the English dub has a little more fun with the "sexy" part of Witchblade.

This volume of Witchblade brings trailers, textless animations, and an interview with the Japanese voice actor for Reina to the table. The second part of "Witchblade: Forged" is included here as well which provided a lot of insight into the franchise. If you've been a fan of the comic book you will find this look at Top Cow's production fascinating as it takes you into the minds of the people who put the comic together.

Witchblade has become a fun show with gratuitous violence and T&A (always a winning combination in my book). The fourth volume pushes the boundaries of the relationship between Masane and Rihoko but it also jumps over earlier plot lines involving Reina. Sure the last episode on this disc is a bust but overall there's a ton of action and the entertainment value is very high. I can't wait to see what's next for this show!

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