‘Kay, instead of just copying an article from Wikipedia, I’ll review the anime myself.

Let’s start reviewing the hottest issues in anime recently, Claymore.

*Background Story*

The setting is in the mediteranian world filled with monster-like creatures that can disguise themselves as a human. Those monsters are called Youma. These Youma are not ordinary creatures. None of the humans (I mean pure human) can withstand their power alone. They bring terror and masacre in every village and town in the entire continent. The fear spread, until the Claymores shows up…

Claymores, this is the name people call for blond-silver-eyed girls and womans whom carried big sword at their back and wearing light silver armors. They appears from what those woman calls “The Organization”. This organization is the one that creating those Claymores. Why creating? Coz Claymores were half-Youma half-human. After having those bodies, their hair will turned blond and their eyes will turned silver. Because of that, they posses Youma strength and abilities, which makes them can withstand and fight against Youma mobs alone.

The story goes on as a Claymore named Claire is arriving in town where a Youma has just caused troubles to 2 siblings. Their parent’s guts were eaten in front of their eyes, leaving the two of them survived. Having trouble identifying the Youma, the mayor call for a Claymore. Claymore are basically an errand-girls, they act as they paid, but they doesn’t receive any payment coz the man of the organization (which they always refer as “the man in black”) will come and ask for the payment… which is usually in large sum of money.

Back again, one of the siblings, Raki, is interested with this Claire. He follows every step of where Claire is going. Finally, after reaching the edge of town, she rest a bit. The sun is set, Raki is going back to his uncle house, where he and his brother lives. Suddenly the story begin to getting interesting…

Raki didn’t find his uncle, rather he finds out that a Youma is eating someone’s hand. “Our uncle is taste so good”, that’s what the Youma said. The reality turns up side down, the one he used to be called brother is the Youma itself! The Youma eats his brother’s brain and use the memory to disguise as his brother. A perfect disguise, but not in front of a Claymore, coz a Claymore can feels Youma energy. And the shows begin, Claire make a huge entrance destroying the rooftop and cutting right through the Youma hands (Warning, PARENTAL ADVISORY, full of VIOLENCE, BLOOD, GORE, And many more).

Shortly Claire’s leaving the town, while Raki, being feared by the townspeople of turning into Youma (in fact he doesn’t even get infected with), is being exiled and thrown to the heart of desert. Walking weak, he unconscious and find himself in an inn after woke up. The innkeeper said a Claymore brought him to the inn and pay all the expense in advance. Raki then knew the good side of a Claymore. They were also human by the heart.

*End of Background Story*

That is the background story of the series, which is unfold at the first episode. This is not the only part that is interesting, I found myself in a list of things that is very interesting in the later episodes and also from its Manga. Here are the list.

*List of Interesting Events and Facts*

1. Claymore can release their Youma power. 10% then their eyes starting to change yellow. 20% then their movements and strength can be faster than before. 50% they can regenerate damaged limbs. More than 80%, they will turn into Youma, losing their sense and beginning to taste deep hunger of human guts.

2. The Claymores that beyond their limits (80%) were called “Awakened Beings”, people called it as “Veracious Eater” (Youma who is stronger than any common Youma… people doesn’t know that those Veracious Eater is from the Claymores itself)

3. The current Claymores is the second generation. The first generation were Men and all of them are “Awakened”. Thus because Men can’t hold their sexual desire and power.

4. Claire was a toy of a Youma before Theresa, the number 1 Claymore at that time, save her (but Theresa itself doesn’t have any intention of saving her :P)

5. The Claymores are divided into numbers and regions. Based on their power, the lesser the number, the higher the power. Theresa was number 1 but getting killed cowardly by the awakened Priscillia.

6. The single-digit numbers have their own moves and specialty which makes their nicknames (Cool!), Theresa’s The Faint Smile specialty is that she can read any flow of Youma energy, even the tiniest. And her other specialty is that she
is too……………………………………STRONG!!! (she only change her eye color to fight number 2,3,4 and 5 simultaneously)

7. There are 3 cases of Huge Awakened Beings. The first is at the Men age, the other two is from the 2 number 1’s awakened at the womans age. The current episode is featuring the Riful of the West.

8. Claire is number 47 Claymores (the weakest of all T.T;)

9. Almost forgot… Claymores are divided into offense type and defense type. Defense type can regenerate limbs from nothing, while offense type can only uniting pieces of limb (which is separated by clean cut… UGH!!). While the defense type attacks are weak.

*End of Interesting Events and Facts*

This is my general review:

Title: Claymore
Author: Norihiro Yagi
Director: Hiroyuki Tanaka
Studio: Madhouse Studio
Genre: Action, Violence, Fighting
Number of Episode: 26 (I think it was the 1st season, because the story wasn’t ended, yet.)
Story: Good, Unique, You never know what is the behind of all this events until…
Fighting Scene: Awesome, creative and smart movements. Not the traditional blasting energy like Bleach and other fighting Anime does (where they always rely on the burst of energy rather than techniques, moreover their fighting scene always repetitive.)
Sound Effect: Good, the chimning sound of sword and flash moves of Claymores sounds is fitting the scene.
BGM Sound: Bad, the music is too small
Seiyuu: Good, the Seiyuu (japanese dubber) fills in the womans “deep sound”, giving the intense seriousness of the story
Characters Role: Dominant, not so important at the beginning, you will feel that she is weak!
Supporting Characters Role: They have their own power and even stronger than the main character

Overall comments: This Anime is a hard-core fighting anime that is not intended for children under 18 or until they can distinguish what is right or wrong. The story is unique and imaginative. The role of the characters can’t be guessed in a glance. This require further analysis in its Manga. The quality of the Anime is good and a little bit different from the usual anime (bright and colorful), maybe because there are lots of Korean artist involved (dark and grunge). This anime is suitable for the adventurous adults who had a lot of curiosity. It’s also recommended as a sample for people who emphasis on animation studies.

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