Claymore (manga)

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Claymore

Cover of the first volume featuring the central character Clare
クレイモア
(Kureimoa)
Genre Fantasy, Supernatural, Action
Manga
Author Norihiro Yagi
Publisher Flag of Japan Shueisha
English publisher Flag of the United States Flag of Canada VIZ Media
Flag of Australia Flag of New Zealand Madman Entertainment
Demographic Shōnen
Magazine Flag of Japan Originally Monthly Shōnen Jump
formerly Weekly Shōnen Jump
currently Jump Square
Original run May 2001 – ongoing
Volumes 16 (List of volumes)
TV anime
Director Hiroyuki Tanaka
Writer Yasuko Kobayashi
(series composition)
Studio Flag of Japan Madhouse
Flag of South Korea DR Movie
Licensor Flag of the United States Flag of Canada Funimation Entertainment
Flag of Australia Flag of New Zealand Madman Entertainment
Network Flag of Japan NTV
Original run April 3, 2007 – September 25, 2007
Episodes 26 (List of episodes)
Game
Claymore: Gingan no Majo
Developer Digital Works Entertainment
Genre Action
Platform Nintendo DS
Released Flag of Japan May 28, 2009
Anime and Manga Portal

Claymore (クレイモア Kureimoa?) is a dark fantasy manga series written and illustrated by Norihiro Yagi. The series initially premiered in the now defunct Monthly Shōnen Jump in the May 2001 issue. When the magazine was canceled in June 2007, the series was temporarily moved to Weekly Shōnen Jump. When Jump Square was introduced in November 2007, the series was moved to it and is still on-going. The individual chapters are published in tankōbon volumes by Shueisha, with 16 volumes released as of December 2008.

Madhouse adapted the first eleven volumes of the series into a twenty-six episode anime series. Directed by Hiroyuki Tanaka the series premiered in Japan on NTV on April 3, 2007 and ran until September 25, 2007. A CD soundtrack for the anime series, and a CD of character songs using the anime voice actresses were released on July 25, 2007 and September 27, 2007, respectively.

The Claymore manga is licensed for an English language release in North America by Viz Media, which began serializing the title in its Shonen Jump manga anthology in the April 11, 2006 issue. It released the first volume of the series on April 4, 2006 and has released 14 volumes as of March 2009. The anime adaptation is licensed for release in North America by Funimation Entertainment, which has released the first DVD for the series in fall 2008[1]. Madman Entertainment has licensed the anime for release in Australia and New Zealand.

Contents

[edit] Plot

In a world where humans coexist with creatures called Yoma (妖魔?) sentient monsters that feed on human innards, a nameless and highly secretive organization has created an order of half-human, half-yoma warriors to protect humans from the yoma, for a large fee. The people of this world have dubbed these warriors as "Claymores" based on their gargantuan, unsheathed swords, or the "Silver Eye Witches", based on their appearance and seemingly cold nature toward others.

After the death of her motherly figure, Teresa, at the hand of Priscilla, Clare voluntarily joins the Organization to seek vengeance. In a small town terrorized by a yoma, she meets and befriends a kind-hearted, albeit naive, young man named Raki. The two travel together until they are separated when Clare is forced to battle a sadistic Claymore named Ophelia. Before parting, Clare promises to find him if she survives. After defeating Ophelia with the help of Irene, her plan of reuniting with Raki is disrupted by the agents of the Organization, who inform her that Isley, Abyssal One of the North, is amassing an army of Awakened Beings. Unwillingly, she is sent to the north along with twenty-three other Claymores. Knowing full well that they have been ordered on a suicide mission, Clare and her comrades come up with a plan to feign their own deaths and go into hiding with the help of Yoki suppression pills. Despite their efforts, only seven Claymores, including Clare, survive the brutal battle.

After hiding seven years with the other six survivors, Clare finds evidence Raki survived and convinces her comrades to travel south with her to look for him. However the other survivors' main aim, under the command of former #6, Miria, is to overthrow the Organization that betrayed them. After rescuing the fortified city of Rabona from an awakened being, the group hears about the true nature of the Organization and the world from Miria. She reveals that the Organization's goal to protect humans from yoma is a sham to cover up their experiments to create controllable awakened beings. These, she reveals, will be used to fight the Organization's off-island enemies, who have as their allies monstrous creatures called "Dragon-kin". The purpose of the Organization is nothing less than developing controllable awakened beings to fight the Dragon-kin, for which purpose the island serves as their "lab". However Miria knows little of the outer world, revealing that it consists of lands outside the island where two sides are battling for supremacy.

Soon after the battle Clare learns that Raki was in Rabona the year before with a small girl, which troubles her. Unknown to Clare, this girl is none other than her archenemy, Priscilla. Clare then leads a group of survivors west to find Raki and along the way meets Rubel, her former handler. He reveals that he suspects that Riful, the Abyssal One of the West, has captured Renee, the "Eye" (long-range yoki detector) of the organization to obtain something. It is revealed that this is likely "Rafaela's shell", the body of Rafaela, who was equal to her sister, the awakened number one, Luciella. After learning that Riful is attempting to awaken Rafaela and make her an ally, Cynthia, another survivor, correctly guesses that Rubel is in fact a spy. He urges them to attempt to destroy the organization, save Rafaela, and warns them not to let the organization find out about their partially awakened members.

Two of the other survivors, Helen and Deneve, head south from Rabona and discover the existence of Abyss Feeders, part human/part awakened being hybrids assigned to kill Isley, the reigning Abyssal One of the South. After a long fight with the Abyss Feeders, Isley falls in battle. Soon after the Organization unleashes more Abyss Feeders and warriors No 1 and 2, identical twin sisters Alicia & Beth, in the west. Their orders are to find and kill Riful before she awakens Rafaela and destroys the island's balance of power.

Clare enters the consciousness of Rafaela and the two engage in a mental battle that takes the form of a duel. Despite having grown incredibly in power, Clare is outmatched by Rafaela. After defeating Clare in the mental battle, Rafaela reveals that Renee's and Clare's intrusion into her mind has caused it to be reconstructed, and since she is no longer dormant she is starting to awaken to be a creature of extreme power. Clare decides to use one final technique, her most powerful, in order to stop Rafaela. Releasing her yoki for the first time in seven years, Clare gathers it in her right arm and unleashes her Quick Sword.

As her mind is destroyed, Rafaela pours all her memories, emotions and knowledge into Clare. Rafaela gives everything that she possesses, everything that made her what she is, and her entire life to Clare.

Something new and vast is born.

[edit] Characters

Main article: List of Claymore characters
  • Clare (クレア Kurea?), the series' protagonist, is a distant and quiet Claymore, with an occasional impulsive side. At number 47, Clare is ranked as the lowest and weakest of all Claymores.
  • Raki (ラキ Raki?) is a young boy whose family was murdered by a Yoma, which Clare subsequently slew. Raki was exiled from his village for being suspected as a Yoma and Clare allowed him to join her on her journey as the cook. Wanting to become strong enough to protect Clare, Raki trains under Isley. When Clare disappears for seven years, Raki begins traveling along the paths they once walked (strong enough to kill weak yoma) to meet up with her again, with Priscilla joining him.
  • Priscilla (プリシラ Purishira?) was once the second ranked Claymore, who had the potential to rival Teresa for the first rank. She was one of the four Claymores sent to execute Teresa after she deserted the organization. During the attack, Priscilla's lack of experience caused her to become an "Awakened Being". Priscilla regresses to the mindset of a child and began rampaging in the northern lands, drawing the attention of Isley, the Abyssal One who rules there. When he attacks her, Priscilla completely overwhelms him, and he surrenders, swearing fealty to her, although he lets out that he defeated her.

[edit] Species

In the fictional world of Claymore, yoma (妖魔 yōma?) are a species of humanoid monsters, believed by some to be a type of demon, that coexist with humans, feeding on their internal organs. Most are similar in size to humans, though some are noticeably larger and more heavily muscled. Most have rows of stubby spikes growing from their upper backs, with elongated limbs that end in clawed digits, large fang-filled jaws and pointed ears, giving them a bestial appearance. Yoma have greater strength, speed, and durability compared to humans, being capable of extending their limbs and digits, and are capable of both regenerating after being wounded and shape-shifting to appear completely human. Taken a step further, they can eat a human's brain to absorb their memories and completely replace them. Yoma are identified by their 'yoki' (妖気?), or life energy, which can be sensed by other yoma and by claymores.

Claymores are created by the organization to fight the yoma. By implanting Yoma flesh and blood into humans, they are able to create a hybrid that is faster than the source Yoma with their original human combat training and intelligence. It is unknown why Claymores are so overpoweringly powerful in comparison to Yoma despite only being half-Yoma. This hybridization process changes the human's hair to a light-blond or white, their eyes to silver, and sometimes they develop elf-like ears. Claymores are stronger than typical humans, have an enhanced healing ability, and some limited shape-shifting abilities. In battle, Claymores wield large claymore swords, hence their name. Claymores are in danger of losing control of their powers if they activate more than 80% of their demon strength, changing them into a form of yoma called an "awakened being". The majority of Claymores are female, as human males who are changed to hybrids tend to "awaken" more quickly due to the feeling of pleasure, akin to sexual ecstasy, during the process. In an attempt to avoid this fate, Claymores will ask a friend, usually another Claymore, to kill them if they begin to awaken. Some rare Claymores have been able to pass the 80% mark but avoid awakening, permanently increasing their strength. These Claymores' ability to surpass their limits and revert back to human form (most of the time), their lack of blood lust, and their increased strength are unknown to the Organization's leadership. This is due to the interference of enemy spies like Rubel within the Organization itself.

Similarly their close cousins, Awakened beings, retain their original memories and intelligence that they had as a Claymore, but in contrast gain the most basic bloodthirsty nature of a yoma. The "great shame" of the organization, the true nature of awakened beings is kept from the public. Instead, they are called "voracious eaters" and are proclaimed to be particularly old yoma who have gained greater experience due to their age. As they were originally humans made into Claymores, the awakened beings are as varied as their sources, with differing personalities and appearances. As awakened beings are more powerful than regular yoma, and generally as strong as or stronger than many Claymores, a team of at least four Claymores is typically necessary to deal with them, led by a single-digit ranked Claymore. It is originally believed that all awakened beings have lost their humanity, but as the series progresses, it is revealed that they do not always. The organization publicly denies this, while making use of such awakened beings.

Before the time skip, the spies within the organization attempt to use the sudden overabundance of awakened beings to attempt to dispose of troublesome, partially-awakened Claymores, beginning with Clare, Helen, Deneve and Miria. They do so fearing the possibility that the Organization might discover their partially awakened status, but fail to kill the four comrades. Using this half-way status as a foundation, they fear that the Organization would be able to create controllable awakened beings. These would then be used outside the island (where the main events of the series take place), where a war is waged between Awakened Beings haphazardly unleashed by the organization against a dragon-like species allied to their enemies.

Recently in the series, another 'species' has appeared, called Abyss Feeders, though they are often referred to as 'Demons'. The Abyss Feeders are females with light-blond or white hair, resembling Claymores, except that their mouths and eyes are sewn shut. It has been revealed that these 'demons' were created by the Organization seven years ago, shortly after the Northern Campaign. Unlike Claymores which are hybrids created by combining Yoma flesh with a human, Abyss Feeders are hybrids created by using the corpses of Awakened Being and giving them human characteristics. Abyss Feeders have been stripped of all emotion or conscious thought and are conditioned to have a single insatiable desire: to consume the flesh or blood of one that has been fed to them. Like Awakened Beings, Abyss Feeders can generate weapons from their own bodies and regenerate at an even staggering rate. While they are driven to seek out the one that they are looking for, they will also attack anything that makes a sudden movement and according to Dietrich, whole towns have been wiped out by the 'demons'. Having learned to fight the fed one, Isley, through countless encounters, they finally succeed in killing him after a tough battle.

[edit] Media

[edit] Manga

Main article: List of Claymore chapters

Written and drawn by Norihiro Yagi, the individual chapters of Claymore began serialization in Shueisha's Monthly Shōnen Jump in 2001.[2] After the magazine was discontinued, the series moved to Weekly Shōnen Jump where it is appeared monthly rather than weekly. On November 2, 2007, it moved to Jump Square, Shueisha's replacement for the original Monthly Shōnen Jump, where it continues serialization.[3][4] The individual chapters are published in tankōbon volumes by Shueisha, which released the first volume on January 5, 2002. As of May 13, 2009, 16 volumes have been released.[5]

On July 18, 2006, Viz Media announced the serialization of the Claymore manga in North America in its Shonen Jump manga anthology.[6] The first chapter of the English adaptation appeared in the April 11, 2006 issue and continued serialization only until the entire first volume was released.[2] Viz released the first volume of the series on April 4, 2006,[7] and as of March 3, 2009 has released 14 volumes.[8][9]

The series is also being released in English in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment. It is licensed for regional language releases in France and Spain by Glenat, in Mexico by Grupo Editorial Vid, in Italy by Star Comics and in Germany by Tokyopop Germany.[2]

[edit] Anime

Main article: List of Claymore episodes

Madhouse produced a twenty-six episode anime series based on the manga series.[10][11] Directed by Hiroyuki Tanaka, the series aired between April 2007 and September 2007 in Japan on Nippon Television.[12] While Madhouse oversaw the production, the animation was done by the affiliated Korean studio DR Movie. The series adapts the first eleven volumes of its source material over the first 24 episodes, then uses an original storyline for its final two episodes.

As of February 2008, seven DVD volumes, each containing three episodes of the anime, have been released in Japan by Avex Trax.[13] In addition, four limited edition sets have been released. The first limited edition set contains the first DVD volume, while the other three sets each contain two DVD volumes.[14] The latest limited edition set and volumes were released on January 30, 2008. Two more DVD volumes and one more limited edition set are planned for release on March 26, 2008.[13] On February 15, 2008, Funimation announced that it has acquired the Region 1 DVD and broadcast licenses for the anime,[15] and released the first DVD in North America on October 14, 2008;[16] as of February 2009, three volumes have been released. Madman Entertainment has licensed the series and Volume 1 will be release early 2009. [17]

Two pieces of theme music are used for the episodes: one opening theme and one ending theme. The opening theme is "Raison d’être" (レゾンデートル?, lit. Reason for being) by Nightmare. The ending theme is J-pop singer Riyu Kosaka's single, "Danzai no Hana~Guilty Sky" (断罪の花 ~Guilty Sky~?, lit. Flower of Conviction~Guilty Sky). These two themes are used in all twenty-six episodes.[11]

[edit] CDs

Two CDs have been released for the Claymore. Claymore TV Animation O.S.T., the soundtrack for the anime series, was released on July 25, 2007 with instrumental compositions by Masanori Takumi. Spanning 32 tracks, the soundtrack includes the television versions of the opening and ending themes.[18]

A CD of character songs, Claymore Intimate Persona: Character Song Shuu (CLAYMORE INTIMATE PERSONA~キャラクターソング集~?) was released on September 27, 2007. It contains ten tracks, one each for ten characters from the series, featuring songs performed by the character voice actresses from the anime adaptation.[19]

[edit] Video game

Cover of Claymore: Gingan no Majo

A Claymore video game for the Nintendo DS was released in Japan on May 28, 2009.[20] The game is titled Claymore: Gingan no Majo and will be released by Digital Works Entertainment. In the game, the player controls Clare in a similar fashion to the Castlevania games. She can alter the amount of her Yoma Power by using the touch screen and stylus.[21]

[edit] Reception

 Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (October 2008)

In a review of volume seven by Carlo Santos of Anime News Network, the art is rated A, story C+ and overall B.[22] Theron Martin also of Anime News Network, rates the art A- in his reviews for volume eleven, twelve and fourteen.[23][24][25] In ICv2's list of "Top 50 Manga - Summer 2008", Claymore placed 42nd.[26]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Claymore DVD 1 (Hyb) + Artbox". Rightstuf. http://www.rightstuf.com/1-800-338-6827/catalogmgr/xZke-XGP-NJvmMBaHz/browse/item/80860/4/0/0. Retrieved on 2009-05-17. 
  2. ^ a b c "Claymore (manga) - Anime News Network". Anime News Network. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=5743. Retrieved on 2007-10-10. 
  3. ^ "月刊少年ジャンプ休刊のお知らせ" (in Japan). Shueisha. 2007-06-30. http://mj.shueisha.co.jp/suspend.html. Retrieved on 2007-10-10. 
  4. ^ "Shueisha to Launch New Monthly Magazine". Anime News Network. 2007-04-06. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-04-06/shueisha-to-launch-new-monthly-magazine. Retrieved on 2008-09-21. 
  5. ^ "CLAYMORE　-月ジャンネット-" (in Japanese). Shueisha. http://mj.shueisha.co.jp/claymore/main_c.html. Retrieved on 2007-10-09. 
  6. ^ "New Viz Manga - Anime News Network". Anime News Network. 2005-07-18. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2005-07-18/new-viz-manga. Retrieved on 2007-10-10. 
  7. ^ "VIZ Media . products - Claymore, Vol. 1". Viz Media. http://www.viz.com/products/products.php?product_id=5879. Retrieved on 2007-10-09. 
  8. ^ "VIZ Media . products". Viz Media. http://www.viz.com/products/products.php?series_id=450. Retrieved on 2007-10-10. 
  9. ^ "VIZ Media . products - Claymore, Vol. 12". Viz Media. http://www.vizmedia.com/products/products.php?product_id=7280. Retrieved on 2008-09-10. 
  10. ^ "Nippon Television Licensing Catalogue for Animation". Nippon Television Network. http://www.ntv.co.jp/english/pc/ntv-animation.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-10-02. 
  11. ^ a b "Claymore (TV)". Anime News Network. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=7028. Retrieved on 2007-12-29. 
  12. ^ "Claymore (TV) - Episode List". Anime News Network. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=7028&page=25. Retrieved on 2007-10-08. 
  13. ^ a b "CLAYMORE クレイモア" (in Japanese). Avex Trax. http://avexmovie.jp/lineup/claymore/dvd.html. Retrieved on 2007-10-08. 
  14. ^ "クレイモア" (in Japanese). Nippon Television. http://www.ntv.co.jp/claymore/dvdcd/index.html. Retrieved on 2007-10-08. 
  15. ^ "Funimation Licenses Claymore Anime Series". Anime News Network. 2008-02-15. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-02-15/funimation-adds-claymore-anime. Retrieved on 2008-02-15. 
  16. ^ AnimeOnDVD.com (2008-02-18). FUNimation Entertainment Acquires Claymore from NTV. Press release. http://animeondvd.com/news/pr.php?pr_view=1270. Retrieved on 2008-02-18. 
  17. ^ "Claymore (TV) V01 & Limited Collector's Box". Madman. http://www.madman.com.au/actions/catalogue.do?releaseId=11341&method=view&webChannelId=1. Retrieved on 2009-05-17. 
  18. ^ "Claymore CD" (in Japanese). NTV. http://www.ntv.co.jp/claymore/dvdcd/cd.html. Retrieved on 2008-09-21. 
  19. ^ "Claymore CD/Character" (in Japanese). NTV. http://www.ntv.co.jp/claymore/dvdcd/cd_chara.html. Retrieved on 2008-09-21. 
  20. ^ "Claymore Ginme no Majo". National Console Support, Inc. http://www.shopncsx.com/claymore.aspx. Retrieved on 2009-05-17. 
  21. ^ "Claymore Ginme no Majo". National Console Support, Inc. http://www.shopncsx.com/claymore.aspx. Retrieved on 2009-05-17. 
  22. ^ "Claymore GN 7". Anime News Network, Carlo Santos. 2007-09-13. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/claymore/gn-7. Retrieved on 2009-05-05. 
  23. ^ "Claymore GN 11". Anime News Network, Theron Martin. 2008-03-15. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/claymore/gn-11. Retrieved on 2009-05-05. 
  24. ^ "Claymore GN 12". Anime News Network, Theron Martin. 2008-07-05. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/claymore/gn-12. Retrieved on 2009-05-05. 
  25. ^ "Claymore GN 14". Anime News Network, Theron Martin. 2009-03-23. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/claymore/gn-14. Retrieved on 2009-05-05. 
  26. ^ "ICv2 Top 50 Manga - Summer 2008". ICv2. 2008-09-29. http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/13211.html. Retrieved on 2009-03-05. 

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claymore_(manga)"
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