Tora No Shi - Powers and Abilities

Powers and Abilities

Tora is a well versed martial artists but at the beginning of his tenure in the series does not possess anything supernatural of sorts. He was able to defeat a tired and exhausted Jackie Estacado without his Darkness powers, but was not as skilled as Ian Nottingham early on in the series. Tora's weapon of choice is a white cane with a tiger head at the pommel. This cane would extend and become a three section staff with sharp blades at the end of them. Later on in the comic book Tora would come into the services of Kenneth Irons and have to go through scientific training under the millionaire's tutelage.

Using the Level 42 program, Irons would bestow Tora with supernatural abilities. According to David Wohl, a Top Cow writer and one of Tora's creators, those abilities would be a slight increase in strength and agility. For he was meant to be on par with Ian Nottingham.

Here is how Tora's power levels break down during the series.

Witchblade issues 15, 17, 18, 19 and Darkness issues 9 and 10 - Tora is a regular martial artist during this era of the Witchblade. He is not on par with Ian Nottingham during this time, as Ian was able to jump from a moving helicopter (issue 4). But Tora was still a top tier fighter in the world of the Witchblade. He was able to defeat Jackie Estacado without The Darkness powers in issue 9 of The Darkness but was beaten very badly in the next issue (Darkness #10)

Witchblade 54-59 - Having been brought back to life by Sonataine, Tora is deemed the new and improved Tora No Shi at the very end of issue 54. In issue 55 we see that Tora has been brought up to par with Ian Nottingham in terms of physical strength. In issue 55 Tora climbs a ferris wheel to complete an assassination. And then later on in the issue we see him jump from rooftops during his bout with Ian. Prior to being magically enhanced by Sonataine, Tora was unable to accomplish this feats. According to David Wohl this is when Tora was given slightly enhanced strength and agility.

Witchblade 59-75 - After Ian destroys Tora at Cauty Towers, the Tiger of Death becomes the new man-servant of Kenneth Irons. Irons puts Tora through a series of chemical testing and ritual baths. During this time Tora was given the abilities to battle the Witchblade and the Excalibur. It is unknown the extent of this abilities but it is safe to assume that Irons bestowed Tora with the same powers he gave Ian back during the origins arc (Witchblade 1-8).