Witchblade issues 15 and 17.
Tora No Shi’s name means Tiger of Death. He likes his hits be as colorful and destructive as possible, he often uses high-explosives and brutality in his kills. Tora was depicted as being a murderer from Hong Kong who was struggling with small time hits. After Ian Nottingham temporarily left the employ of Kenneth Irons, Tora moved to NYC in attempts to make a larger name for himself as a killer.
The public declaration of Kenneth Iron’s fall from his building left a temporary void in the criminal power base of NYC. The yakuza saw this as an opportunity to make a move in NYC and to take a larger piece of the criminal pie within the Big Apple. They brought in Tora No Shi and automatically sent him to hit a NYC police department. The attack was successful as he managed to destroy a precinct and murder a few police officers. Tora’s trademark of large destruction and chaos was left in the aftermath.
After the destruction of the precinct the yakuza leader, Takata begin to question Tora’s loyalties after he made a few comments about ‘not believing in rank.’
Family Ties
Tora’s next job was hit on the mafia, specifically Jackie Estacado. Tora manages to catch Jackie without the powers of the Darkness. Even without the powers of the darkness, Jackie is still able to hold his own until the Italian Mafia arrives to capture Tora. Tora betrays the Yakuza, and in a fight orchestrated by Bruce Wilder at the New York Metropolitan museum, gets thrashed by the Darklings and killed by Jackie Estacado who had the full powers of the Darkness at his disposal.
Witchblade: Blood Relations
Months later, Tora is resurrected by Sonatine, so members of the Yakuza can use him to exact revenge against the mafia for a series of assassinations. In order to quell the war between the mafia and yakuza, Kenneth Irons sends Ian Nottingham to deal with the situation leading to a melee and hand to hand fight between Ian Nottingham and Tora No Shi.
During the battle between himself and Nottingham they are described as two different people. Tora No Shi is a murderer who kills anyone including innocents, children, and women to get the job done while Ian is a mercenary only harming those whom he is sent to target and maintains a moral code and honor.
Ian has Tora No Shi defeated but relents and shows Tora No Shi mercy. In return, Tora attacks Ian from behind and then stabs him in the stomach. However, Ian survives the attack due to Excaliber
Walking away from Ian, Tora No Shi then attempts to murder Kenneth Irons at Cautly Towers. Irons manages to taunt Tora and easily evades the first attack. However the fight does not last long as Nottingham appears, seeking revenge against Tora. Another battle ensues, this time Ian destroys Tora by deflecting all of his attacks before throwing the Tiger of Death into a priceless steinway piano. Ian then picks up Tora and makes him beg for mercy before tossing Tora down to the floor like a rag doll while Irons watches with amusement.
Sara Pezzini, bearer of the Witchblade arrives at Cautly Towers and finds a defeated Tora No Shi on the floor. Kenneth Irons offers Tora as criminal who was behind the attacks on various mafia and yakuza bosses in the city. Sara does not make the arrest.
Death Pool.
With Tora No Shi beaten, Kenneth Irons takes him in as a man servant and personal bodyguard. Tora goes through the process of being implemented and receives transfusions, chemical baths, incantations, and Ta Moka, thus attempting to improve him with a slight increase in strength and agility according to co-creator David Wohl.
During one of Kenneth Iron’s executive board meetings, Tora spots Ian Nottingham in open public and nearly craps in his pants. Irons notices Nottingham as well, and then promptly cancels the meeting and brings Tora down to Level 42, an underground facility that provides Tora with training. There Tora battles a pyro-kinetic. Initially Tora is losing the battle but manages to disarm and then decapitates his opponent.
Still he is no match for Ian Nottingham, who easily kills him, hanging Tora’s limp body upside down with the powers of the Excalibur.
Cameo and Flashback Appearances.
Tora No Shi is the first one voted off during Top Cow’s ‘Deathpool’ storyline for the Witchblade comic from issues 70-75 of Witchblade. According to Top Cow, Tora received the greatest amount of votes to die.
Tora No Shi makes cameo appearances in Witchblade 100 and 150, during flashback and reflection moments. Tora is seen knocked out on a guard railing as Sara Pezzini stands over him in issue 100.
He has not made an appearance since the rebirth of the Top Cow universe following the events of Artifacts.
Tora No Shi makes a brief cameo in Witchblade Case Files #1, under a file relating to Jackie Estacado, stating that Tora was once a rival of the wielder of the Darkness.