The Series
Claymore is a 26 episode Anime series that covers the first 11 volumes of the still in-progress Manga of the same name. The Manga is written and illustrated by Norihiro Yagi, whose previous works include Angel Densetsu and the award-winning Undeadman.
The show takes place in a medieval-like world in which humans are often attacked by shape-shifting creatures called Yoma. Not only are these creatures extremely strong, but they can take the form of humans, thus being able to live amongst their victims without fear of discovery. In order to counter this threat, a secret organization was formed. By implanting Yoma flesh into humans, this organization was able to create hybrids which can not only stand up to Yoma, but can also detect them even when they are in human form. These hybrids are called Claymores by the people they protect because of the huge swords that they wield. Unfortunately, it is the fate of all Claymores to lose their humanity as their Yoma powers increase. The more they use their abilities, the closer they inch toward becoming full Yomas. The Anime and Manga focus on one particular Claymore named Clare. During one of her missions she befriends a boy who reminds her of herself before she joined the organization. We follow her as she struggles to hold on to her humanity while protecting both herself and her new companion.
Throughout most of the show, the source material is followed very closely. It is only towards the end where changes had to be made due to the fact that it was produced while the Manga was still in progress. Essentially, the studio in charge had to make things up since the real story hadn't been fleshed out yet. Instead of going for an ending that allowed for OVAs down the line ala Hunter X Hunter, the studio completely changed what was supposed to happen in order to force a pre-mature ending. Because of the changes, we'll never get to see all the cool things that happen after the events in Pieta, at least in animated form. No look into the shady organization, no epic fights with the Dwellers of the Deep, no further dealings with Riful of the West, and no closure between Clare and the person she hates the most. Now, I'm not saying that the end of the series is horrible; it is actually decent and provides a somewhat satisfactory conclusion for those who have no intention of ever reading the Manga. Some of the powering up is a little Dragon Ball Zish, and it's painfully obvious that something is amiss, but it isn't that bad.
Show Rating: 7.0 if you include the final episodes where the show deviates from the Manga (episode 21 and above) / 9.0 otherwise
The Episodes Great Sword
Clare is sent to a village to take care of its Yoma problems. During the mission, she saves a boy named Raki. Because the Yoma had disguised itself as someone who was very close to the boy, he is banished from his village for fear that he himself may be a Yoma. With nobody to turn to and nowhere to go, Raki decides to follow Clare.
The short fight scenes that we are treated to help to establish Clare as someone who can kick ass. We also see that she is fairly cold and unemotional, an expected trait from someone who is trying to distance herself from those around her. Raki is presented as a well-intentioned boy who sees things a little differently than those around him. It's a trait that will help both of them in later episodes.
The Black Card
Each Claymore is given one black card upon joining the organization. When one finally reaches her limit and can no longer control her Yoma side, she sends the card to the one person whom she would like to end her life so that she can die as a human. Clare just received a card from her only friend.
No time is wasted in establishing what it means to be a Claymore. Clare is tasked with taking out someone who had joined the organization at the same time she joined. This episode brings home the fact that all Claymores are half Yoma who will eventually become full Yoma. This revelation is made more poignant by the fact that the person Clare is sent to kill joined the organization around the same time she did, meaning that she may be nearing her limits as well.
The Darkness in Paradise
One of the biggest advantages Claymores have over Yoma is their ability to sense where they are hiding. Unfortunately, Clare's next mission takes her to Rabona, a holy city where Claymores are not welcome. In order to enter, she must take special pills which change her silver eyes to their natural color. A side-effect is that she can no long sense Yoma. Now, walking freely amongst humans, she must locate and destroy the Yoma without the use of her biggest asset before the creature strikes again.
This episode offers a nice mix of action and character development. It's also the first episode where we get to see Clare display some actual emotions, though we only see them because she is acting more human in order to blend in.
Clare's Awakening
"The more power they utilize, the closer their bodies inch towards becoming a monster. Such is the way of things."
Even though she is still recovering from the injuries she sustained in the last battle, Clare decides to act before the Yoma makes its next move. Her cover blown, she no longer has to take the special repressing medicine and is able to user her powers to find the elusive monster. However, she soon realizes that finding and destroying the monster are the least of her worries as her overuse of her powers combined with her injuries push her past her limits.
The last part of this story arc is yet another solid episode highlighted by the fight at the end and the complications that arise because of it.
Teresa of the Faint Smile
In battle, Claymores must release their Yoma power in order to defeat their enemies. The only one who can defeat Yoma without releasing any of that power is Teresa, the most powerful Claymore. This new arc centers around Teresa who, like Clare, finds herself taking care of someone who has been cast off by a village after she exterminated the Yoma within. Unlike Clare, she is, for the post part, unwilling to care for her new companion.
For many, the story arc that begins here elevates Claymore from being just an Anime about girls with swords to one that is truly unforgettable. It's too bad that Funimation decided to go with five episodes on the first disc. Even though we're getting more per disc (which is usually a good thing), it might have been better if the two arcs were separated by disc, which would have made watching them back to back much easier. Then again, things might have worked out for the better since we will get the aftermath of all that transpires in the next Chapter, instead of the one after. Overall, this is a good setup episode for the rest of the arc with a surprise ending (if you weren't savvy enough to see the twist early on) that makes you count the days until the next DVD release in December.
Episodes Rating: 9.0
The Video
From the buildings in the big cities, to the houses in the villages, and the forests and hillsides in-between, the Medieval setting is done fairly well. The story will often shift from one area to the next and at no point will you question whether or not the characters are still in the same world. The different color-effects, shadows, lighting choices, and shades that are used to make sure we can see what's going on during the many night and low-light situations are quite impressive. However, there are still some scenes, particularly the action scenes in the Cathedral, which are hard to follow. The heavy use of panning and zooming is also well done. Most of the fight scenes are nicely choreographed. There is nothing that is way over-the-top, which fits the "realistic" tone of the series. The only real issue I have with the art-style is the inconsistent way in which the Claymores are presented. In some scenes they are shown to be skinnier than your typical supermodel while in others they look like they actually eat more than one meal per day.
The DVD is presented in widescreen with a 1.33:1 aspect ratio.
Video Rating: 8.5
The Audio
The DVD features both English and Japanese audio tracks as well as an English subtitle option. For the most part, the English voices work well and fit the characters nicely. I did have an issue with Clare's English dub at the beginning as it was not what I had expected. It took some getting used to, but by the end of the first few episodes, I had warmed up to it. While those who have already watched the show in Japanese may be thrown off by the choice, I’m certain that those who have never watched the series will have no problems whatsoever.
It's too bad that I can't say the same thing about the soundtrack, as it is the weakest part of the show. Let me clarify - the music itself, which is comprised of both orchestral and rock pieces, is not bad. I've listened to the soundtrack by itself and it sounds pretty good, especially the opening and ending songs once they get going. The problem is how the background music is used. Case in point - one scene has a girl falling down a cliff, and in that serious moment rock music is thrown in. Later, dramatic music is used during a fight where rock would have been a better fit. There are quite a few oddities like these throughout the series. I read that Yagi likes to listen to hard rock in his spare time, so that might have something to do with it.
Audio Rating: 6.0 The English dub and Japanese tracks are good, but the overall music selection and placement leave much to be desired.
The Packaging
Claymore is distributed in a regular black DVD case. The insert/booklet just contains info on some of Funimation's other shows. There is also the Starter Set which includes a special art box and a 24-page booklet that contains interviews, character profiles, and artwork. I wish that Funimation had kept the Region 2 DVD cover, but unfortunately, what we got was a picture of Clare in some weird, twisted position. I chose to display the Starter Set cover up above because I didn't want to scare away potential readers. It's that bad. Honestly.
Packaging Rating: 5.0 for the standalone DVD / 8.0 for the Starter Set
The Extras Episode 01 Commentary
The commentary features Stephanie Young, the voice of Clare, and Todd Haberkorn, the director and voice of Raki. Todd starts off by explaining why he chose Stephanie for the part of Clare. At one point it is revealed that Todd had been paying attention to the forums and was well aware that everyone was expecting Laura Bailey or Colleen Clinkenbeard to take up Clare's voice. It's nice to know that those in charge are paying attention to the fans, even if they don't always give in to demand. The two go back and forth on some of the decisions that were made in bringing the show here. It's pretty entertaining and informative if you are interested in how things work on the inside.
Trailers
We get eight trailers for several Funimation properties, including one for Claymore.
Cast Auditions
Audition recordings for Clare, Teresa, Rubel, and Sid are included here. There are also a few for the various Yoma in the show. I've been a little spoiled by the Speed Grapher DVD extras, so I was expecting the director to add commentary that explained why some takes were better than others. All we got were recordings that fail to show us why each particular actor or actress was chosen. While some of this was talked about in the episode 1 commentary, it would have been nice if things were fleshed out more in this section.
Textless Songs
You can't have an Anime DVD release without these.
Extras Rating: 7.0 It's pretty lackluster save for the episode 1 commentary
The 411: Claymore, Vol. 1 is a good start to one of the better action-oriented series to come out in recent months. The mixture of action, suspense, and drama is above and beyond what one usually sees in the first few episodes of most shows. The visuals are good considering the Medieval setting and the fight scenes are entertaining without being too over-the-top. The only real knock I can give the show so far is the odd music selection and placement. But thankfully, that is offset by the good voice acting and overall story.
Awesome finally someone in the TV/Movie section realized "Hey, Anime is a massive empire in america, Maybe we should review it O.O" Thanks for picking such a delightfully bloody series
Posted By: John (Guest) on October 25, 2008 at 03:42 PM
Nice review..and yeah that dvd cover really does suck..
but yeah awesome series...I've watched a lot of anime and this is among the best I've seen..
also I've heard they're working on a season 2 due out in 2010...hopefully it'll be a continuation of the manga!
Posted By: stonecoldd (Guest) on October 26, 2008 at 01:14 AM
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