This article is about the series known as Witchblade The Abridged Series.
Overview[]
Witchblade: The Abridged Series (WB: TAS for short) is an Abridged Series created by Kindaaloser. It is currently not available to view on YouTube because the account for the videos is gone. It has been noted for featuring multiple parts for a majority of it's episodes.
Characters in Contrast to Original Anime[]
See Also: List of Original Main Characters from anime "Witchblade"
Masane Amaha[]
In the original anime, Masane is a free-spirited, tomboy-ish main character of the series. Masane is a 23-year-old Japanese woman, and is noted for her bust, which becomes a running gag in and of itself in the original anime as the abridged series. She is the new wielder of the Witchblade, a powerful, ancient weapon that gives it's bearer great and massive power. It was found upon her during a great quake six years prior to the main plot, but Masane can't remember anything before then. She is the mother to Rihoko, and is very caring of her, despite acting like the child herself most of the time. In the first episode, she is placed under arrest and is separated from Rihoko. While in jail, she is attacked by an X-Con, and transforms into her Witchblade form and defeats it. Afterwards, she passes out, and wakes up at Douji Enterprises, a rival company to NSWF, and researchers of the Witchblade (which is run by Takayama). She accepts Takayama's offer to destroy X-cons, and soon, is reunited with Rihoko. Soon, after meeting the people at the complex Rihoko was staying at, Masane manages to end up living there with Rihoko.
In the abridged series, most of Masane's traits are very similar; she still speaks her mind and retains the same personality. However, she seems much less caring of Rihoko's safety and well being than in the anime, even in one instance, selling her for "Monster Truck" tickets. However, it seems that whenever Masane shows care towards Rihoko, it's countered by an irresponsible act (like having a TV babysit her). In another instance, Masane is welcoming of Rihoko after finding her, even going so far as jumping out of a hovering helicopter, breaking her spine in the process. Masane's feeling towards Rihoko is a mixed bag. She is voiced by Kindaaloser.
Rihoko Amaha[]
In the original anime, Rihoko (nicknamed Riko) is the 6 year-old daughter of Masane, and is a main character in the series. Despite being her daughter, Rihoko seems very mature, much moreso at times than Masane. She loves her mother, and goes great lengths to be with her and never be separated. In the first episode, she is taken away from Masane by NSWF, a child welfare agency that raises children whose mothers are deemed unsafe. However, she escapes and meets Tozawa and Mariko, before she runs off again and finally meets her mother after some time. It is revealed that she is the biological daughter to Takayama and Reina, and was found by Masane, before being taken in and raised by her.
In the abridged series, she also retains a lot of the same traits, although out of all the characters, she seems more aware of "The Fourth Wall", and tends to break it often. She flaunts her "moe" appeal often, and as a result, is the lust for some other characters, like Tozawa and Cho. Other things about her is that her intelligence is played off a lot more in the abridged version, and she befriends the Sea Captian. She is voiced by Kindaaloser.
Yuusuke Tozawa[]
Tozawa is a freelancing journalist photographer who catches Masane in her Witchblade form while investigating another story. He finds Rihoko while at the NSWF building, and decides to take her to the jail to see Masane. Once there, he finds Masane in her Witchblade form, and photographs her. After believing he has not seen her mother, Tozawa takes Rihoko to his apartment complex, run by Mariko. Later, after Rihoko and Masane begin to live at the complex, Tozawa begins to question about what she saw at the jail the night he saw the Witchblade.
In the abridged version, Tozawa is mainly has the same personality as the original version. However, due to his freelance status as a photographer, he's been reference to character Frank West from the video game Dead Rising because of the similarities in personality, even saying exact quotes from Frank (even mentioning PP, a sort of experience gained in the video game).
Humor[]
WB:TAS takes inspiration from the main storyline of its respective anime, Witchblade, and sticks close to its original source material and uses it as motive for comical purposes. It's been expressed as both "Fandub" and "Parody" mixed, due to its knack of having drama elements included with the comedic moments.
Voice Acting[]
For the original first 3 episodes, all voices were done by Kindaaloser, with the exception of the "Pickpoketer" in episode 3, as done by Youtube user BigMagumba101. Episode 4 onward included 2 voice actresses cast who are cast as of now: Wrathsinner as Reina and Shiori, Bigmagumba101 (now a complete cast member) as Cho, and Greenteawithsugar in a cameo as Random Lady. A majority of upcoming characters in the series have still not been announced by the creator.
Even though the series has been deemed somewhat of a fandub, it's still demeaned as a very poor cast. As posted on an episode by the creator, it's stated that "...WB:TAS was never considered to have good, or even acceptable voice acting. I have done most of voices myself, and despite having too much penis to correctly voice this mostly female cast, I try to bring a funny, entertaining series nonetheless". With the addition of new female cast members, however, the criticism revolving the subject has dropped.
Running Gags[]
- One running gag includes the recurrence of "Officer Diffy", an unnamed character in the original first episode of the anime who was killed off after his brief camera time. He has been mentioned in every episode to date, and even became a main part of the plot (as canon compared to the original show), becoming the motive for Masane to use the Witchblade as vengeance for his death. He has a strong speaking disorder, and stutters constantly. Despite being mentioned in each episode, lines spoken by him have only been heard in Episode 1.
- In Episode 4 (Pt. 2), the line "E-gad !" was spoken twice by two characters (a woman who was shortly killed off and Masane), and is strongly believed to be the same sound clip, as it is spoken in exactly the same fashion. It has been mentioned by the creator that the line would become a running gag, but has yet to be heard again as of lately.
- Rihoko's more of lolicon is strongly played, as expressed by Tozawa, Cho, and even Masane herself.
Opening / Closing Themes[]
WB:TAS has used the song "The Beginning is the End is the Beginning" by as the opening theme for episode 1 onward.
For each episode, different songs are used along with a different closing credits style. They're listed as follows:
| Episode 1 |
"Fever"
--The Hives |
| Episode 2 |
"Love Train"
--Wolfmother |
| Episode 3 |
"Creeping Up the Backstairs"
--The Fratellis |
| Episode 4 |
"Hyper Enough"
--Supechunk |
Along with the closing songs, insert songs have been included in the series as well. The abridged version uses various music from the anime's first Original Soundtrack, "Sexual Panic". Also, songs not included in the anime have been used, including "I Don't Wanna Be Your Dog" by Iggy and the Stoogies, and "Runners High" by the pillows.