Witchblade  

Witchblade Takeru, ウィッチブレイド, ウィッチブレイド丈琉

Takeru is a high school girl from Japan who was raised in a Buddhist convent by nuns. Despite being an average student, she has been plagued with nightmares about the Witchblade calling out to her. This is because the temple where she grew up houses the mystic artifact known as the Witchblade, which is sealed inside a box. Additionally, Takeru's lineage is connected to the folklore of the Oni and the mystic artifact, explaining her strong attraction to it. Takeru's life takes a dramatic turn when she becomes the next bearer of the Witchblade due to some unforeseen circumstances that force her to encounter it randomly. The series "Witchblade Takeru" began its serial run in March 2006 in Champion Red magazine, published by Akita Shoten. It was written by Kobayashi Yasuko and illustrated by Sumita Kazasa, whose art style is erotic. The series is based on Marc Silvestri and David Wohl's American comic book series of the same name.

Witchblade was released in English by Top Cow Productions as a 2-in-1 omnibus volume on May 13, 2008. Through the collaboration between Top Cow, Akita Shoten, and studio Gonzo, the English publisher was allowed to reformat the manga to cater to American audiences.