The appeal and reviews of "Claymore": A thorough analysis of a masterpiece of dark fantasy

Claymore - Warriors of the Abyss

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

April 3, 2007 - September 25, 2007 Nippon Television April 3, 2007 - September 25, 2007 (Episodes 1-26) Every Tuesday 25:26 - 25:56
Sapporo Television July 16, 2007 - January 14, 2008 (Episodes 1-26) Every Monday 25:31-26:01
NTV Plus & Science November 2, 2007 - ??? (Episodes 1-26) Every Friday 22:30-23:00, etc.
AT-X September 8, 2011 - ??? (Episodes 1-26) Every Thursday 8:00-8:30, etc.

■Broadcasting station

Nippon Television

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 26

■Original Story

Norihiro Yagi

■ Director

Hiroyuki Tanaka

■ Production

Animation production: Madhouse Copyright: "CLAYMORE" Production Committee (Nippon Television, DN Dream Partners, VAP, avex entertainment, Madhouse)

■Works

©Yagi Norihiro/Shueisha, "CLAYMORE" Production Committee

■ Story

In a world infested with demons that prey on humans, humans have created female warriors who are half human, half demon, with the flesh and blood of demons in their bodies, in order to fight against the demons.
With silver eyes and giant swords, they are called "Claymores" after the name of the sword they wield.

Claire, one of the "Claymores," once met the strongest Claymore named Teresa when she was a young girl.
In order to save Claire, Theresa breaks the iron rule of the Claymore and kills a human.
Having broken the rules, Teresa is pursued by the extermination squad. Teresa is then defeated and killed by the powerful Priscilla, a member of the extermination squad who has become an "Awakened One" and is unable to stop her demonic powers from going out of control...

In order to defeat Teresa's enemies, Claire chooses to inherit Teresa's flesh and blood and become a Claymore herself.

This is where Claire's battle begins...

■Explanation

"CLAYMORE" is a popular manga by Norihiro Yagi that began serialization in "Monthly Shonen Jump" (published by Shueisha) in July 2001 (as of February 2007, 11 volumes of the comic have been released).

Set in an era when "demons" that prey on humans run rampant, this work depicts the life and struggles of Claire, one of the "Claymores," half-human, half-demon warriors created by an "organization" to defeat the demons.
"CLAYMORE" will be adapted into an animated series on Nippon Television starting in April!
The film features a cast of talented actors, and animation is handled by Madhouse, the studio behind "NANA" and "Death Note."
What is courage and love in extreme situations? A masterpiece that will question the hearts of all who see it is now born.

■Cast

・Claire/Hiroko Kuwashima
・Raki/Takagi Genki
・Teresa/Paku Romi ・Milia/Inoue Kikuko ・Helen/Nagasawa Miki ・Deneve/Takeda Hana ・Louvre/Hirata Hiroaki ・Priscilla/Hisakawa Aya ・Irene/Takayama Minami

■ Main staff

・Original story by Norihiro Yagi (serialized in Shueisha's "Monthly Shonen Jump")
Director: Hiroyuki Tanaka Series Composition: Yasuko Kobayashi Character Design: Takahiro Umehara Art Director: Manabu Otsuka Color Design: Harue Ohno Director of Photography: Oh Seong ha, Lee Suk bum
・Editor: Satoshi Terauchi ・Sound Director: Yasunori Honda ・Music: Masanori Takumi ・Producers: Toshio Nakatani, Manabu Tamura, Masao Maruyama ・Animation Producer: Ryohei Takahashi ・Animation Production: Madhouse ・Copyright: "CLAYMORE" Production Committee (Nippon Television, DN Dream Partners, VAP, avex entertainment, Madhouse)

■ Main Characters

Claire is one of the Claymores. When she was young, her family was killed by demons, but she was saved by Teresa, who is also a Claymore. She became a Claymore of her own volition in order to defeat Teresa's enemy. As a result, she gained the strength of a demon and greater agility than a demon, but she is destined to one day transform into a demon.
・Claire (childhood)
A girl who inherited Teresa's blood. Claire was a child. She was taken by a demon and saved by Teresa. She opened her heart only to Teresa and wished to be with her forever, but Teresa was killed right before her eyes. She became a Claymore of her own volition, wanting to inherit Teresa's blood.
・Raki A kind boy who is good at cooking. His family was killed by a demon disguised as his brother, but was saved by Claire. After that, he begged Claire to accompany him as a cook.
Teresa: The strongest Claymore, who can destroy any demon without releasing her supernatural powers. She accidentally saves a young girl named Claire, and ends up breaking the iron rule of the Claymore that "you must not kill humans."
・Luvre A liaison who appears like a shadow wherever Claire goes. His job is to tell Claire where to go for her next job and to collect payment from clients on her behalf. He acts like a mysterious man who appears out of nowhere.
Claymore pursues the mystery of the Millia organization. She is the number 6 of the organization who can move at high speeds in a very short period of time by instantly releasing her supernatural power. Because of her movements, she is called "Phantom Millia".
・Deneb A cool and reliable Claymore. Former number 15 of the organization. A semi-awakened warrior with the ability to regenerate his body in a short time. He always acts calmly, but often speaks harshly. A member of the same generation as Helen.
Helen is a belligerent troublemaker. Number 22 in the organization. A half-awakened warrior with the ability to stretch his limbs at will, and a contemporary of Deneb. He's a playful troublemaker, but he cares for his friends.
Priscilla becomes an "Awakened One" that even demons cannot match! She is one of the four Claymores who were summoned to defeat Teresa, who had rebelled against the organization. Her potential was said to be greater than Teresa's, but she was defeated by Teresa. She lost herself and unleashed her demonic powers too much, turning her into a true monster, an "Awakened One," who is neither human nor demon.

■Subtitle

・SCENE01／Great Sword - Claymore - (2007/04/03)
・SCENE02／Black Book (2007/04/10)
・SCENE03／Darkness of Mahoroba (2007/04/17)
・SCENE04／Claire's Awakening (2007/04/24)
・SCENE05／Smiling Teresa(2007/05/01)
・SCENE06/Teresa and Claire (2007/05/08)
・SCENE07／Brand of the Dead (2007/05/15)
・SCENE08／Awakening (2007/05/22)
・SCENE09／The Slashers I (2007/05/29)
・SCENE10／The Slashers II(2007/06/05)
・SCENE11／The Slashers III (2007/06/12)
・SCENE12／Endless Gravestone I (2007/06/19)
・SCENE13／Endless Gravestone II(2007/06/26)
・SCENE14／Qualification to Fight(2007/07/03)
・SCENE15／Witch's Jaw Gate I (2007/07/10)
・SCENE16／Witch's Jaw Gate II(2007/07/17)
・SCENE17／Witch's Jaw Gate III(2007/07/24)
・SCENE18／Northern War I (2007/07/31)
・SCENE19／Northern War II(2007/08/07)
・SCENE20／Northern War III(2007/08/14)
・SCENE21／Pieta Invasion I (2007/08/21)
・SCENE22／Pieta Invasion II(2007/08/28)
・SCENE23/Critical Point I(2007/09/04)
・SCENE24/Critical Point II(2007/09/11)
・SCENE25／For Whom (2007/09/18)
・SCENE26／To the Successor (2007/09/25)

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Raison d'etre・Lyrics by Sakito・Composition by Sakito・Arrangement by Nightmare・Song by Nightmare

・ED1
・Flower of Condemnation ~Guilty Sky~
Lyrics: Riyu Kosaka Music: LOVE+HATE
Arrangement: Naruse Shuhei, LOVE+HATE, Nakagawa Kotaro Vocals: Kosaka Riyu

Claymore - Warriors of the Abyss: Detailed Review and Recommendation

"Claymore" is an anime series based on the dark fantasy manga by Norihiro Yagi, which was broadcast on Nippon Television in 2007. The series is set in a world where demons prey on humans, and depicts the battles and way of life of the half-human, half-demon female warriors known as "Claymores." In particular, the growth of the main character Claire and the drama surrounding her deeply move and excite viewers.

Story and Characters

The story of "Claymore" is about a young girl named Claire, whose family is killed by demons, who is saved by the Claymore Teresa and then becomes a Claymore herself. The story begins with Claire's childhood, and depicts her growth, her desire for revenge, and the bonds she forms with her friends. In particular, her meeting and parting with Teresa are important episodes that have a major impact on Claire's life and serve as her guiding principle.

Besides Claire, other characters with unique personalities such as Raki, Millia, Deneb, Helen, and Priscilla also appear. Raki is Claire's emotional support and brings out her humanity. Millia is a Claymore who pursues the mystery of the organization and watches over Claire in her battles. Deneb and Helen are Claire's companions and support her in her battles. Priscilla is an awakened one who defeated Teresa and becomes Claire's greatest enemy. The drama of these characters makes the story deep and moving.

Animation and performance

The animation for "Claymore" is handled by Madhouse, and the quality is very high. The depiction of the battle scenes in particular is powerful and has the power to draw the viewer in. The battles between the Claymores using their giant swords and the battles with demons are well worth watching. The character designs also capture the atmosphere of the original work well, making it a visual treat.

In terms of directing, director Hiroyuki Tanaka's skillful technique shines through. He skillfully depicts the development of the story and the emotions of the characters, deeply moving the viewer. In particular, the scenes depicting Claire's growth and her relationship with Theresa are deeply moving. Music is also an important element in adding excitement to the story, and Masanori Takumi's music further enhances the battle scenes and other moving scenes.

Theme songs and insert songs

The opening theme, "Raison d'être," is sung by Nightmare, and its powerful rock sound enhances the atmosphere of the story. The ending theme, "Danzai no Hana ~Guilty Sky~," features the beautiful singing voice of Kosaka Riyu, expressing Claire's inner thoughts. These theme songs are important elements that symbolize the theme of the story, and will remain deeply in the hearts of viewers.

Recommended points

Claymore is a work that combines deep human drama and powerful battle scenes in the dark fantasy genre. In particular, Claire's growth and the drama of the characters surrounding her deeply move the viewer. Madhouse's high-quality animation and Hiroyuki Tanaka's skillful direction are also not to be missed. In addition, Nightmare and Riyu Kosaka's theme song are also important elements that liven up the story.

This work is recommended not only for those who like dark fantasy and action, but also for those who want to enjoy deep human drama. Through Claire's battles and growth, you will be forced to think about what courage and love are. Please give it a watch.