Witchblade is an anime series based on the American comic book by the same name. Instead of an adaptation of the original story, the producers decided to create an entire new setup, with all new characters. This co-production between Japanese studio Gonzo and American publisher Top Cow, who owns the rights for the Witchblade franchise, was licensed for release in the United States. The English dub premiered on the US cable network IFC in January 2008. The show aired on Tuesdays & Wednesdays at 3:30 AM ET, and the series finale aired on June 13, 2008, on IFC. The show is also available on a purchase-to- system on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. The first twelve episodes are also available for via Amazon's Unbox service. The show is also available on Netflix Instant Stream. As of June, 2011, it was available free on Hulu. As of December 2008, in the USA and Canada there were 6 Volumes on DVD available, with Vol. 1 having been released in September 2007. There is also a full boxed set containing all 24 episodes and an extra disc with special features. A Blu-ray box set was released on November 3, 2009. The anime was directed by Yoshimitsu Ohashi, who directed Galaxy Angel and Galaxy Angel Z, and the characters were designed by Uno Makoto, the character designer for Stellvia and Love Hina.