(L) Witchblade (2006)

[Rikichi]

Top Cow announced at Wizard World Chicago that they had an agreement with Gonzo Digimation whereby Gonzo will produce a 26-episode TV series based on the Witchblade property. Top Cow also has an agreement with Kodansha for a manga adaptation of the Witchblade anime. The manga and anime will be released in a "coordinated launch."

The Gonzo anime would replace Sara Pezzini with a Japanese policewoman.

Top Cow will publish the manga in the United States.

The Witchblade property currently includes a series of comics books from Top Cow, a canceled TV series staring Yancy Butler, and merchandise from Palisades.

Last year Top Cow began a push to get Witchblade animated with a series of "Witchblade: Animated" products, including a new comic book writen by Paul Dini and a series of Withcblade: Animated merchandise from Palisades. The only thing missing was an actual animattion. The Witchblade: Animated series features more cartoonish characters designs than the original comic book. Around the same time that Witchblade: Animated was released in 2003, Top Cow editor in Chief Jim McLauchlin did state that they were seeking opportunities to have the series truly animated.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/article.php?id=5357

[cagz]

I was a big fan of the tv series, the main character tho she was alcoholic and i think that's also partly why it was cancelled after season 2 :/, if it's done properly an anime of this would be very cool.

[FlyByNite]

Hey everyone is ALWAYS complaining when an US company changes the japanese names of the characters.

Why isn't there an outrage here?



On Animenewsnetwork 43% say they don't care, 32% say it's wrong and 23% say it's good.

I guarantee you if it was Funimation changing the name of a character from a Japanese show it would be something like 70% say it's wrong. I think it's a bit hypocritical.

[Burner of Anime]

Originally Posted by FlyByNite

Hey everyone is ALWAYS complaining when an US company changes the japanese names of the characters.

Why isn't there an outrage here?

Maybe because when the Japanese get their hands on foreign created material it usually comes out better?

But this is Gonzo digi doing the work, if there is ever a company capable of going in 2 opposite directions at the same time for a product then they are it >_< Middle ground doesn't exist for them, they either make crap or knock it right out of the park.

More interested on who they are going to use as the lead.

[Yamano667]

nice sig...but did you ask permission the studio to use their promotional art ??? I believe that you have to ask permission first. I wouldnt put coca coca sig without asking permission first ??!

Originally Posted by Rikichi

Top Cow announced at Wizard World Chicago that they had an agreement with Gonzo Digimation whereby Gonzo will produce a 26-episode TV series based on the Witchblade property. Top Cow also has an agreement with Kodansha for a manga adaptation of the Witchblade anime. The manga and anime will be released in a "coordinated launch."

The Gonzo anime would replace Sara Pezzini with a Japanese policewoman.

Top Cow will publish the manga in the United States.

The Witchblade property currently includes a series of comics books from Top Cow, a canceled TV series staring Yancy Butler, and merchandise from Palisades.

Last year Top Cow began a push to get Witchblade animated with a series of "Witchblade: Animated" products, including a new comic book writen by Paul Dini and a series of Withcblade: Animated merchandise from Palisades. The only thing missing was an actual animattion. The Witchblade: Animated series features more cartoonish characters designs than the original comic book. Around the same time that Witchblade: Animated was released in 2003, Top Cow editor in Chief Jim McLauchlin did state that they were seeking opportunities to have the series truly animated.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/article.php?id=5357

[Lord Raiden]

Dude, all I gotta say is "WTF?? You're kidding, right?" Seriously though, this might sound like a good idea, but if I remember the Witchblade show, this kinda wouldn't translate well into anime. At least not that I'm aware of. But we'll see. I've been surprised before.

[Rikichi]

An executive of Top Cow revealed to ICv2 that Gonzo asked for a detailed manual with everything that they can and they cannot do with Witchblade.

Point for Gonzo, for respecting the fans...
It is come from Gonzo know that something will come different, and no the repetitive sameness of Bones and Pierrot.

[a_nevels666]

Originally Posted by Lord Raiden

Dude, all I gotta say is "WTF?? You're kidding, right?" Seriously though, this might sound like a good idea, but if I remember the Witchblade show, this kinda wouldn't translate well into anime. At least not that I'm aware of. But we'll see. I've been surprised before.

The Witchblade comic was very much like a manga already. Similar to Spawn and other such 'dark' comics.

[andromeda]

As a fan of the Witchblade comic (one of my fave North American comics), I am very dissapointed at GONZO's choice to change the main character. As far as I am concerned, it just wouldn't be Witchblade without Sara Pezzini.

[Lord Raiden]

Originally Posted by a_nevels666

The Witchblade comic was very much like a manga already. Similar to Spawn and other such 'dark' comics.

Hmm, you have a point. I did forget about the comic that the show was based off of. In that case it might translate a little better than the show did.

[Silent Otaku]

Sounds interesting

Does anyone know what happened to the Lady Death Anime/Cartoon?

I would like to see another Spawn Anime/Cartoon

[FlyByNite]

What's with Gonzo lately, this will now mean that three of their most recent animes were #1)Adapted From a 50 year old cinema masterpiece(Samurai 7 from Shichinin no Samurai) #2)Adapted from a 19th century novel(Gakutsuou from Count of Monte Cristo) and #3)Adapted from an American Comic Book(Witchblade)


Well, gotta give them props for being unique.

[Burner of Anime]

Originally Posted by FlyByNite

What's with Gonzo lately, this will now mean that three of their most recent animes were #1)Adapted From a 50 year old cinema masterpiece(Samurai 7 from Shichinin no Samurai) #2)Adapted from a 19th century novel(Gakutsuou from Count of Monte Cristo) and #3)Adapted from an American Comic Book(Witchblade)

Eh? I though that GD was infamous for inflicting onto the public some of the most parody filled and shamelessly cliched/exploitative titles on the planet. Only Gainax can top what they've done but I think the race has been pretty close of late . Looks to be a busy year ahead since they've announced 6 titles so far in production. That includes Hellboy, Spirit, Trinity blood and that odd Basillisk title. Only Spirit looks to be an original work.

[Guido]

Staff
Director: Yoshimitsu Ohashi
Series Composition: Yasuko Kobayashi
Script: Yasuko Kobayashi
Original creator: Marc Silvestri
Character Design: Uno Makoto

Witchblade anime will start airing in April and running a full season of twenty-six episodes.
http://www.witchblade.jp/

This anime could likely be non-canonical to the comic book because the story, taking place in present-day Japan, features a Japanese protagonic that is not Itagaki (one among the previous WitchBlade wielders). Because of this, many devoted fans of the comic book have raged their contempt seeing the anime as a blatant niponisation of the comic book.

The anime features the character of Masane, a somewhat clumsy young woman who has no recollection of her past prior to any date before the year 2000.
This type of plot device has been recently used on the character of Saya in Blood+.
It is the year 2006, the time on which Masane will accidentally come into contact with the Witchblade and find herself being prey of the NSWF (National Science and Welfare Foundation).

[Sonhex]

It maybe Gonzo and it has Stellvia's character designer, I'm still undecided about this one. I've never been a fan of the original comic, but that fact it's set in Japan with Japanese characters is a bonus. And that costume should look good animated...

[IntrepidAKP]

Originally Posted by Sonhex

but that fact it's set in Japan with Japanese characters is a bonus.

How so if I might ask?

[Sonhex]

Originally Posted by IntrepidAKP

How so if I might ask?

Less chance of familiar US settings and character stereotypes?

[Guido]

Originally Posted by Sonhex

Less chance of familiar US settings and character stereotypes?

Adding to the fact that Masane, like Saya in Blood+, will immerse herself into a crusade to claim back her lost memories and her previous identity.

I forgot to tell that a WitchBlade manga is on the works too, and probably its serialisation will run in parallel to the anime.

[Sonhex]

I'd be curious to know who initiated this manga-rization of Witchblade - Top Cow or Gonzo? If it was Top Cow it could be a shrewd piece of marketing i.e. reinventing a flagging franchise...

[Tabiree]

Originally Posted by Sonhex

Less chance of familiar US settings and character stereotypes?

As opposed to more familiar Japanese settings and character stereotypes (Oh come on now, you know they exist).