Claymore: Anime Thread
 

Plot Summary:
Running time: 23 minutes
Number of episodes: 26 ( =( )
Number of Volumes Released: 12 (11 translated)
VIZ Number of Volumes: 7
Production: MADHOUSE
Genre: Action

Opening Theme:
"Raison D’être" by Nightmare

Ending Theme:
"Danzai no Hana~Guilty Sky" by Riyu Kosaka


Official Sites:
MANGA - http://annex.s-manga.net/claymore/main.html
ANIME - http://www.j-claymore.com/top.html

I've seen this series referred to as Berserk for lesbians. I don't really know about the lesbian part, but I get the same 'feel' from this show as I did watching Guts in his own show. While Berserk got me hooked from the beginning (moreso in the manga than the anime series), Claymore took more than a year for me. It premiered in Shonen Jump a long time ago and didn't seem like anything special at all. However, after taking a peek at one of the latest volumes at work the other day, I was convinced that this was one of those things I shouldn't pass up.

The series starts off slowly, but quickly picks up the pace halfway through volume two. Most fans agree that the 'kick-off' for the series begins with the Teresa of the Faint Smile Arc, which provides a good back story for the protagonist while also showing off a high-ranked battle involving the most powerful Claymores at the time. For a flashback arc, things that typically produce more yawns than cheers, this one is good and doesn't linger for to long.

The fight scenes seem to have made the conversion from manga to anime well. I haven't noticed anything significantly altered and every bit of gore appears to be intact. MADHOUSE has done another fantastic job, as the animation is relatively smooth and well choreographed. There are a few episodes where the quality takes a dive, but it's really not by much. By comparison, I'd say that Death Note is still superior in the consistent 'quality,' but that's probably because they had a far larger budget for that series than Claymore.

One other thing to note is that the author isn't afraid to kill characters off. While this series has 'shonen-esque' concepts like power levels and special moves, the tables can be turned at any moment. It's actually kind of depressing to see characters go that were otherwise fun and interesting, but it's clear, from a writer's position, that their personal arcs were over or ending.

The artwork might take some getting used to, especially in an anime season filled with 'moe,' but it's worth it. I highly recommend the manga, but the anime's not a bad entryway into the series either.

Screencaps
http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/9...0670330fc8.png
http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/7...ymore04sr7.jpg
http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/8...ymore06bx5.jpg

- Just a flesh wound (Manga)


- Me after working out (Manga)


Sub-Groups
- Eclipse

i love this anime. Its did sort of remind me of berserk except I didn't think it sucked. Thats right, I hate Berserk ~_~
It has a somewhat feeling of vampire hunter d as well which is why i liked it so much. I didn't read the manga so I wouldn't know of any changes made but to me it matters not, so I have nothing to complain about from the differences.

I was skeptical to pick up this manga, because the prims sounded too stereotypical. but i figured i would get the anime a shoot. So far i have enjoyed it. Its not the most funonimal anime i have seen in my life but deffently holds it own to whats airing right now.
One question, how does it match up to the manga, is it sticking almost 100% true?

It appears to be sticking to the manga very closely. I'd say about 98%. Some stuff is removed or shortened due to the length of the series (26 episodes). However, the opening has characters that show up around volume 9 and up, meaning that it'll probably cover a good chunk of material from the manga.

I imagine that includes the Battle of Pieta, which is all kinds of unprecedented WIN.

I like Claymore and was intrigued ever since I saw a preview page of it under "manga explorer" within my very first issue of Shonen Jump. After a couple of years, looks like it's now an anime and doing pretty well. Other than the half-yoma fact, there's something about the girls that I don't find pretty at all, but I think that's actually moreso a product of the art style in general for me.

Iunno, I think Clare is hawt :tpg:.
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Overall I'm really hooked on this show right now. I've never read the manga, so I don't know what to expect, but it's been a long time since I've enjoyed an anime this much though, thanks for bringing it to light :D.

I have one possible beef about it though:

Not so much a spoiler at all, but:


All Claymores lose their original hair colors after being 'converted,' by the way. After conversion, their hair color is a light blonde.

Yeah, after seen the opening i figured that. It would make since, but i am glad to hear that the last few episodes with young Clare do lead back into her adult life as a claymore, and this isn't just some random child by the name of Clare.
I'm going to go on the assumption that they expect people to know some things, it took me abit to figure out that it was flash back due to the fact that i have never read the manga.
Now after seeing this anime it makes me want to go pick up the manga some time and read it.

Ya, I thought so about the hair, it was a guess, but I wasn't sure so I didn't say anything about it. The main reason I was lead to believe that the story of Teresa is in present time because you see Clare and Teresa clash blades in the intro, that threw me off >_>. Well, mystery solved lol.

Aaaah spoilers! I only saw up to episode five :(
Wouldn't have expected that at all, but I guess that's really interesting. I thought also that it was taking place at the same time, and that it was just a coincidence.
Now Teresa, I find much hotter and deadlier than Clare ;)

I hope they eventually explain that event which happened right before Raki and Clare leave the Church town, while they were still inside the church.

Wow, episode 8 was a shocker.



Gah, so very eager to see episode 9 now, and so on lol.

The different levels and signs of releasing yoma powers kinda remind me of the super saiyan lvls in DBZ >_>.

and another thing I noticed:

I finally saw 08 today and I loved all the insta-gore flying about but it was very sad indeed. Looks like 09 is out today and we get to see Clare's past wrapped up from what the preview indicates. I still wonder how Raki ultimately fits in due to the last event seen with him and Clare together.

Mmmm, that was a good episode. My only confusing was those small metal rods that Clare hands over to Raki before she leaves, I had to ask my friend what those were >_>.

Just finished reading the manga up to volume 12. I still want mroe and the anime and manga isn't coming out fast enough!

Well, last I heard the anime's only going up to episode 26. While I don't know how accurate that is, I can see that happening, considering the pace it's moving at. But yeah, the manga takes forever for new ones to show up. I did, however, find a site with a chapter 73 preview. Lost the link, though.

I'm surprised there's folks who've been following the manga, as most Claymore discussion I've seen has been about the anime.

Edit: If anyone's interested, I have volumes 1-12 along with the released chapters from volume 13.

Do you happen to have a link to those volumes you have?

If not, would you be able to share the volumes via uploading websites such as Megaupload.com? etc

Sure thing, I just made a Megaupload account yesterday too. I'll post the links to the volumes here once I upload them.

Claymore Volume 1

Claymore Volume 2

Claymore Volume 3

Claymore Volume 4

Claymore Volume 5

Claymore Volume 6

Claymore Volume 7

Claymore Volume 8

Claymore Volume 9

Claymore Volume 10

Claymore Volume 11

Claymore Volume 12

The one below is only 3 chapters so far, and there's a preview for Chapter 73 on the website.
Claymore Volume 13

Gah, my brain is like, fried after reading all that manga, it was so good I couldn't stop @_@.

Do you have a link of where these scanlations came from? I plan on buying the manga since they're so good, but I'm not patient enough to wait for the books to come out since they're behind D: .

--

Oh, I also have a question...

From what I know, the earlier chapters were done by [M-S] and the later ones are being done by 10sigh. As a matter of fact, Chapter 73 was just scanlated. I'll put that one up in a few.

Heh, you're not the only one. I did the same thing too, and so did another person that I sent the volumes to. :tpg:




Edit: Alright, just finished uploading chapter 73. Good stuff in there.

Claymore Chapter 73

Wow, thanks a lot for hosting those, I really appreciate it :D.

I'd just like to share some of my favorite moments so far in the manga, not in any order:

Heh, yeah. The Battle of Pieta should be pretty epic animated, especially considering how that might be where the anime ends. Most of the rest of the budget might be pumped into those episodes.

Is it true that the manga will only be released monthly from here on out?

From the conversation I gathered it was used in place of money but could just be golden rods for all I know... /shrugs.

No problem. I offered to do so, and someone took me up on it (sup Yume). Uploading stuff isn't all that difficult, heh.

Heh, those are definitely high points.



They're definitely going to sink most of their budget into those last few episodes, don't know how they'll end it. Either immediately after the battle (BAD END) or later on (TRUE END). I think those gold rods are money, by the way.

actually i like claymore more than Berserk to be honest
first episode in i notice it was a like berserk but just better quality overall

i was following the froth-bite releases but now i'm following the Eclipse releases since they quicker and i like their fronts.

Hmm...with episode 11, it seems they're starting to take the anime in a different direction than the manga, since We're almost halfway through the series now, and there seems to be a trend with mini-series animes that won't see the manga to the end to diverge around the halfway point (think Full Metal Alchemist). I really hope they can follow the manga fairly closely still, and wrap it up at a point that doesn't seem suspicious, instead of changing the story entirely and making an ending for themselves.

How is it possible that no one is talking about this great piece of anime anymore? Have you guys lost interest or what?

Ep.22 is out, but I haven't seen it yet. I'm waiting for my spanish fansub to watch it.

I'm kinda afraid, you know:


I haven't been soo hooked to an anime since Elfen Lied. This is definitely good stuff.

lol I talk about it on facebook :P.

Anywho, episode 22 kinda pissed me off, I was looking forward to it, but how it's turning out, it's giving me hints that my favorite part in the manga won't be happening in the anime, perhaps.

You mean this?:


By the way, have you guys seen this?:
http://www.koichan.net/mt/src/1187018398933.jpg
http://www.koichan.net/mt/src/1187018540857.jpg
I don't like that "line" over her head, but anyways it looks amazing.

Wow, that figure is freaking awesome, where'd you find that?

And it's hard to explain what I'm talking about without spoiling it for you, since I'm riding on assumption ever since:

hmm...just started watching this anime today after reading this thread, its the first anime that i have actually enjoyed watching and bothered to watch past the first few episodes in a long time (as far as new series go). definitely good stuff.

Well, I couldn't resist anymore and downloaded Ep.23 from an english fansub..



Greykin: About those pictures, I usually search in forums and japanese sites for fanart and stuff. I hope to see that figure on play-asia soon. I'll try to find info about it.

Episode 23? It's out? > > Or did you get the manga subs?

Bad typing, sorry. I meant Ep.22

Tecnically, the anime is aired every tuesday, so we'll have to wait a little longer.

Anyways, about the figure, check their official site:

ƒNƒŒƒCƒ‚ƒA

If I'm not mistaken, it will be released on November 2007.
5,775 yens....like $50, right?

Haha, a Claymore shirt. Usually with yen I just add in a decimal place where it would normally be and that would equate to the approximate price. That's too pricey for my blood though D:

Can't wait for episode 23 though, more of the Clare goodness then. They're kind of stretching the battle out though compared to the manga. Raki's moments seem to extend the episodes.

they are stalling it, thats makes me go crazy =___=

So ya, it's clear that the anime is going to have a made-up ending to finish it at 26 episodes. Though I am VERY disappointed that they took out my favorite scene with, my favorite claymore, Jean, it's sort of nice to have "new" story to follow along though, even though I despise Raki haha.

I just finished volume 9 of the manga.


I have up to volume 12. Is there any fansub dubbing the manga? Or since it was licenced in US no one is dubbing it anymore?

I've also seen Ep.23, which it was pretty good. Obviously every person who has read the manga is disappointed, but anyways it was a decent episode.

From my knowledge, that's as far as the manga currently is in Japan :D
It's still running after all.

I honestly stopped watching the anime though, I wasn't impressed with the changes they made. (as you wrote, it seems to be the norm for people who read the manga first)

A good question I'd like to ask the manga readers is whether Raki ever becomes an awesome character. In the anime, he's been made into an idealistic chump whose only sole purpose is to serve as a plot device whether it's to keep Clare from awakening or to hypnotize Priscilla. Other than that, I haven't really seen him do anything useful which brings the question as to why he was put in there in the first place other than the fact that he's in the manga. As it stands, I could see this show taking place without Raki and nothing would really change in terms of plot.

Raki remains pretty much the same in the manga. He doesn't do anything particularly useful outside of buying Clare enough time to reattach her limbs in the Ophelia battle.

I'm not a fan of where the anime is going compared to the manga, but I have to admit that episode 24 was pretty sweet.

Over all, i have really really liked the anime, Up to the last few episodes, its stuck pretty close the the manga, if not quoting it word for word at parts. But i will have to agree with everybody else, on the part that the manga is better. the manga lets us know abit more about things between all baddies.

and as far as Raki goes, i think it was just some parallelism that they through in there. That is probably the real reason he is there, and he is also a driving reason for Clare to stay alive(besides the obvious, not wanting to die) and for her not to awaken. I would say, the only reason he is there, is because he in a since, keeping her human, so to speak.

Which means that all he does is serve as a plot device. And a character that has no other function in a series other than to serve as a plot device leads to a pretty crappy character. There really is no depth to the anime version of Raki. And that's a damn shame given all the potential that he had to develop into a strong supporting character (which has incidentally been given to the other Claymores).

Any word on whether there'll be a second season? From the way this series is proceeding, I'm expecting it to close out.

I never said he wasn't a crappy under developed character, I was just describing what kinda of plot device I thought he was.

In regards to Raki,

and thus the greatest (in my incredibly biased opinion) most recent shounen anime has come to end, and there is definitely room for a second season! I'd like to start reading the manga from this point, despite what I've heard about discrepancies in between anime and manga towards the last episodes.

I admit that the end got far too DBZish for me:


Frankly, I don't see how or why they would just leave it at that, unless it wasn't popular enough to warrant the next season's budget or whatever.

Probably because it'll be all fillers and would suck.

The anime finished not very far from where the manga is and considering that the manga is being released one chapter per week, we'll have to wait for more than a year if we expect the second season to be any good.

About the ending:

That last episode was too painful to watch. The show definitely started going downhill after episode 17. Once the showdown began, the consistency and quality just became completely laughable.

My problems with the last episode can be summed up below:



I can sort of understand if this was done to preserve a shot at a second season. But if the plan was to create a second season in the first place, why deviate from the manga at all? By all accounts, the manga was pretty decent and everything fits in order. It's when they started deviating from the manga (after episode 17 I think) is when this show started becoming laughable.

=\

Basically, I have to echo zzeroparticle's complaints too and it seems like that's the most common observation. When it started changing things from the manga is when things started coming off the rails.

Dizzy, Claymore's once a month, it just gets rerun every week apparently. AFAIK the author mentioned he'd like to take it to 25 volumes which means we won't see the end of this one for some time. Mirai Nikki's the same way, along with several other manga.

As for Raki?

waiting for this month's manga chapter to be out.
hmm. it's kinda disappointing how the anime turned out. hope there's a second season. or a OVA

hmm. the Clare model looks tad bit too shiny. though the extra attachment is kinda amusing. imagine a budget version -arms not included-