Claymore (manga)
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Modèle:Nihongo is a dark fantasy manga series written and illustrated by Norihiro Yagi produced for Monthly Shonen Jump. As of October 2007, 13 volumes of the original Japanese edition and 11 in English have been released. Each chapter in the manga is referred to as a "scene".
As of June 6 2007, the final issue of Monthly Shonen Jump was released and the magazine cancelled, while the Claymore manga appeared on a monthly basis for a brief period in Weekly Shonen Jump. Claymore continued in the first issue of Jump Square, which was released on November 2, 2007.
An anime series based on the manga began airing in Japan on 2007-04-03.<ref>Modèle:Ann anime</ref>
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Background
The setting of Claymore's story is a fictional world with medieval technology. Politically, it appears to consist of a large number of scattered, apparently independent, towns. In this world, humans coexist with creatures called Modèle:Nihongo sentient monsters that feed on human guts. The Yoma, being shapeshifters, are capable of taking on human form and living in disguise amongst humans. By consuming a human's brain, Yoma can also absorb their memories, allowing them to disguise themselves as specific people without alerting any of their close friends or family.
A nameless and highly secretive organization has created an order of superhuman warriors to protect humans from the Yoma. These warriors have come to be popularly known as Claymores, after the immense claymores they wield. Villages being attacked by Yoma hire Claymores to kill the Yoma for a large fee.
This organization creates the Claymores by implanting Yoma flesh and blood into humans, thus creating hybrids that are more powerful than the original Yoma, in addition to their weapons training and often greater intelligence. These hybrids use large claymore swords that normal humans lack the strength to wield and are characterized by their silver eyes and light-blond-to-white hair. A Claymore's standard abilities include overall enhanced physical prowess (most noticeably, strength), faster healing, limited shape modification and the ability to detect Yoma by sensing their Modèle:Nihongo. To use their special abilities, they access the powers of their Yoma-half. However, if the Yoma powers of each Claymore are pushed over a certain limit the Claymore loses all humanity and becomes a powerful, highly intelligent, and incredibly bloodthirsty Yoma called an Awakened Being. A Claymore will ask a friend (usually a fellow Claymore) to kill them if they sense they are "Awakening", ensuring that they do not turn into the very monsters they hunt.
The secret organization is usually contacted by towns or villages afflicted by Yoma, and goes on to dispatch an appropriate number of Claymores to eliminate the target(s). Upon a successful kill, it then sends an agent to collect a large fee for its services. A town that fails to pay will never receive any further assistance, and will be left at the mercy of the Yoma. It has been insinuated that the organization itself sends Yoma to the towns that fail to pay, or at least inform the Yoma that said towns are no longer under Claymore protection. The organization is often strict and harsh; hybrids who break the rules (for example, by killing a human, even accidentally or to protect others) will be hunted down by their fellow hybrids. Claymores who cause trouble or Claymores suspected to be on the verge of Awakening will be sent on suicide missions without their knowledge. Various characters throughout the series suspect the organization of being much more sinister than it appears, though most are either unwilling or unable to act on the matter as it would mean conflict with other Claymores.
Despite saving humans on a regular basis, Claymores are often alienated from and feared by humans due to their incredible powers, their relation to Yomas, and generally aloof attitudes. Humans will often call them "silver-eyed witches/slayers" or "monsters". Family members of individuals impersonated by Yoma tend to be banished from villages for fear that they might be Yoma too. Claymores are often girls who suffered this fate or survivors of villages wiped out by Yoma. Presumably from one or more of their background, Yoma blood, their training, and their harsh lives, many Claymores are generally serious and at least outwardly cold. Claymores often live unhappy, lonely lives due to their solitary lifestyle and the knowledge that they will eventually die or become monsters. Some become hot-tempered and easily angered, while some other Claymores become bloodthirsty killers who enjoy taking life, more savage than the Yoma they hunt. Almost all of them avoid any sort of companionship with humans.
The story of Claymore follows the adventures of the Claymore warrior Clare. The plot follows her as she fights Yoma and struggles to hold on to her humanity. Starting in the 3rd volume, there is a flashback to her childhood on how she was 'adopted' by the Claymore Teresa. After Teresa rebels against the organization and is subsequently killed, Clare volunteers to become a Claymore using Teresa's flesh in order to take revenge on the Awakened who killed her. With determination and her human friend Raki by her side, Clare overcomes her low demonic power by honing the skills she inherited from Teresa. As the series progresses, she becomes a stronger and better fighter, gradually earning the respect of strong allies and coming in conflict with the shadowy organization, the top Claymores who support them, and many powerful Awakened Beings.
Claymore characteristics
Due to their hybrid nature, Claymores possess strength, speed, and reflexes far greater than that of any human. Because of their great strength, Claymores can wield a heavy claymore single-handed with ease and grace. In addition to this, Claymores possess vast regenerative capabilities and resilience, allowing them to survive normally-fatal injuries such as evisceration. Any wound that does not kill them heals over completely within hours. Claymores with a talent for regeneration, such as Deneve, can even regenerate entire limbs within minutes. These abilities, combined with their combat training and weaponry, allow Claymores to fight on par with most Yoma.
Aside from their strength, perhaps the most well-known ability wielded by Claymores (and the one for which they are most prized by their clients) is their ability to sense Yoma. This is achieved through the sensing of Yoki (Yoma energy). Specialized Claymore can detect the aura of a Yoma from as far as several miles away, depending on the individual Claymore's skill. Clare herself has proven capable of sensing residual Yoki on humans who come into close contact with Yoma. A refined use of sensing Yoki allow the Claymores Teresa and Clare to read and predict the Yoma movements, to the point of reacting before the Yoma attacks. Some claymores can use their sense of smell to locate yoma. Clare and Miata have exhibited this ability.
All of a Claymore's abilities are dependent upon her control over her body's Yoki. By regulating the amount of Yoki used or localizing it to specific body parts/functions, Claymores can further augment their already-prodigious physical attributes, or utilize a number of exotic abilities. The average Claymore will tend to simply tap/release a greater percentage of their total Yoki, causing great increases in base strength, speed, and healing ability. If a Claymore releases 10% of their power, their eyes will gleam gold and become cat-like. If they release 30%, their face will contort and become monstrous. If they release 50%, their body will deform. Tapping too great an amount (over 80% of the body's total Yoki), however, causes Claymores to become Awakened (see below). Higher-ranking Claymores usually display far greater control, and exhibit enhanced ability with their standard abilities or unique powers, such as Ilena's Quicksword, or Helen's ability to extend her arms.
Claymores require far less food in order to survive than normal humans. They need only consume a few bites of food every few days, and if required, can go for over a week without any. Partially awakened Claymores occasionally feel hungry. They are generally only seen resting by sticking their claymore swords into the ground and leaning against them, rather than sleeping in a lying position or on a bed. In terms of physical appearance, most Claymores appear fully human save for their silver eyes and pale hair (extremely weak Claymores can retain some hair color). However, some possess inhuman traits such as pointed ears. Early in the manga, it appears that the front of Teresa's torso is hideously deformed, although we never see it directly. However, when we do see Jean's, later, no deformation is seen. This discrepancy has not been explained, though it may related to the implanting of yoma flesh and its placement.
Almost all Claymores are created against their will, only becoming Claymores because they had no other way to live. Many are orphans, abandoned children, or survivors of towns and families attacked by Yoma (although the Organization has been known to take children from their family, if they have an unusual quality they desire). The only known exception is Clare, who asked the organization to put Teresa's flesh and blood inside her body in order to become a Claymore and take revenge on Priscilla.
The Claymore organization has a strict hierarchy, in which the Claymores are each given a rank corresponding their relative strength. Claymore #1 is the strongest, while #47 is the weakest (and receives a corresponding lack of respect). The number of existing Claymores at any time is officially 47 as that represents the total number of regional jurisdictions that the Claymores are responsible for. Claymores take orders from their black-clad handlers/money-collectors, who in turn appear to take orders from a small council of older males. It should be noted that the name 'Claymore' was originally coined by laymen - the organization and its warriors do not, in fact, have any official name. As such, few Claymores will ever refer to themselves as a 'Claymore'. Instead they refer to themselves by the term "senshi" which roughly translates to "warrior". All Claymores seem to go by a single name with a few earning particular epithets due to a distinguishing characteristic such as personality (Teresa of the Faint Smile), physical prowess (Muscular Sophia), fighting styles (Stormwind Noel, Undine of the Twin Swords, Flash Sword Irene) and special techniques (Phantom Miria, Windcutter Flora). During the "Endless Gravestones" arc, the character Ophelia expresses the desire to have such an epithet of her own (Rippling Ophelia).
Originally, most Claymore warriors were male, but it was soon discovered that releasing Yoki was pleasurable for men, an experience feeling similar to an orgasm. As such, they were unable to control their release of Yoki and Awakened quickly. Consequently, all Claymore warriors are now women.
Attack styles
In Volume #7, the character Ophelia reveals that there are two types of Claymore combat style: The offensive and defensive style. The nature of a Claymore's attack style determines the Claymore's regenerative/self-healing abilities. According to Ophelia, a Claymore's fighting is determined by "whether one tries to win a fight by surviving, or by killing the opponent." In a further explanation in Volume #10 by Deneve, the strength of a Claymore's instinct to live will determine the attacking style that she will use. The stronger the desire to live, the more likely the claymore's attacking style will be the defensive attacking style.
The defensive category endows the Claymore with incredible self-healing abilities. A unique characteristic is that if a Claymore loses any limbs and regenerates them, the new limbs will maintain their original demonic strength and prowess. Galatea, Veronica, Cynthia, Deneve, and Yuma are known to be in this category.
Those in the offensive category are capable of more powerful attacks. However, they are not able to regenerate their bodies as effectively. If a Claymore in this category loses any limbs and she regenerates them, the strength of these limbs will only be equivalent to that of a normal human being. Clare, Ophelia, Rafaela and Ilena are in this category. However, they can reattach recently severed limbs, including limbs originally belonging to another Claymore.
Uniforms
Image:Claymore TV Series Uniforms.gif
Claymores wear a uniform consisting of pale grey, tightly-fitting long sleeve shirt and pants. Claymores with shapeshifting powers replace part or all of this with a black material which can stretch to match changes. Over this, they wear some pieces of armour, shin high, slightly high heeled metal boots (Sabatons), large wrist guards (Vambraces), large shoulder pieces (Spaulders) and a partial skirt (Fauld). Finally, they wear a short cape and a piece of fabric marked with the individual Claymore's specific certification symbol attached to their neck. Each Claymore's symbol is unique and serves as an identification marker. It also appears on their sword and black card.
The Black Card and Other Customs
Inside the handle of every Claymore's sword is a rolled black card with the wielder's symbol. Should the Claymore feel that they are losing their hold on their humanity and the steep descent to Awakening is beyond their control, they would remove the card and give it to a handler to be sent to a chosen Claymore. The Claymore receiving the Black Card, usually a close friend or teammate, would then meet her at an agreed location and proceed to mercifully kill the Claymore who requested it, allowing her to die with dignity rather than turning into an Awakened Being.
Like many organizations and military units, the Warriors of the Organization have several customs unique to them. Besides the Black Card, one often seen in the manga is the crossing of swords as a sort of salute when friends among the Warriors meet or part. This is first seen at the conclusion of the "Slashers" arc when Miria, Deneve, Helen and Clare part. It is again observed on a much larger scale during a flashback in the "Together with the Soul" arc when the twenty-four Claymores defending Pieta did so before the full scale Battle of the North began.
Although Claymores usually function as solitary Warriors, Awakened Being hunts are typically undertaken by a team of four Claymores. The highest ranking Warrior in the party is the leader by default and this is so even if the Claymore in question does not display any leadership skills or has a personality unsuited to command. One example of this is seen in Extra Scene 2 (The Phantom and the Evil Warrior) when Ophelia lead a team despite displaying sociopathic tendencies. Also of note is that Miria was present in the team and did not take command even though she is renowned for her tactical acumen. This seems to be extrapolated to larger groups as seen in the "Battle in the North" arc.
Yoma
The main enemy of the human race, the Yoma are a species of humanoid monsters that coexist with humans in the Claymore world.
Common Yoma are the same size as humans, but some can be noticeably larger and more heavily muscled. Their bodies are generally similar in shape to those of humans, but their skin texture is significantly different. Most have rows of stubby spikes growing from their upper backs. Their limbs are also elongated, ending in clawed digits. Yoma heads sport large, fang-filled jaws and pointed ears, giving them a bestial appearance. In the anime, they also have purple blood.
Yomas seem to have intelligence approximately equal to that of humans, though sometimes dulled/influenced by their bestial nature. Their strength, speed, and durability far exceed those of normal humans, allowing the average Yoma to assault large groups of unarmed humans or small groups of armed humans with impunity. Their regenerative capabilities also allow them to survive grievous wounds and heal faster than normal. Body parts that cannot be regenerated in humans, such as eyes, grow back within days.
Perhaps the single greatest asset of the Yoma race is their ability to shape-shift. All Yoma can alter their shape and colour in order to become physically identical to humans, even if their natural form is considerably larger. Yoma can perfectly copy the shape of specific humans, becoming completely indistinguishable from the original. They can take the shape of any type of human, even a human corpse. By eating a human's brain, a Yoma can absorb their memories. This allows Yoma to secretly replace any person within any given community without alerting anyone, not even close family members and friends. Thus far, the only sure way of detecting Yoma in their human form is through the sensing of their Yoki, an ability unique to Yoma and Claymores.
Older, more experienced Yoma eventually learn to exploit their shape-shifting powers for more offensive uses. A common technique is to hyper-extend their fingers or limbs at great speeds. Yoma can use this technique to punch clean through armoured humans from as far as ten metres away. Some Yoma can grow bat-like wings, allowing for flight and aerial attacks.
Awakened Beings
Modèle:Nihongo or Yoma 'life energy' flows through the bodies of Claymores and Yoma. Claymores can control their release of Yoki to enhance their abilities. However, once a Claymore goes beyond 80%, the release of yoki is out of her control and increases to 100% within seconds. When this happens, the Yoma aspect becomes dominant, and the Claymore hybrid transforms into an Awakened Being. It is not generally thought that an awakening hybrid can retain their humanity and revert. However, during the course of the manga, it is discovered that this is possible, though extremely risky. The Organization continues to deny this, even though they make use of it.
Awakened are exceptionally powerful Yoma with an incredible craving for human innards. Awakened will retain the intelligence and memories of their Claymore and human lives, but will otherwise have the mentality of a Yoma. The Awakened are the secret shame of the Claymore organization, "super-Yoma" resulting from the organization's own tampering. The Claymores use the term Voracious Eaters when referring to Awakened with outsiders, and claim that they are simply old Yoma with great strength and wisdom in order to hide their true origins. Before the war in the north, the organization would treat them the same way as other Yoma, not dealing with Awakened unless they had been hired to do so. In the new arc, however, the organization has changed to actively hunting Awakened. This is in response to Isley gathering together an army of Awakened in the northern lands.
In dealing with Awakened, the organization usually dispatches a team of four Claymores, led by a "single-digit" Claymore (i.e. one ranked within the top 9).
Thus far, all Awakened bear little or no physical resemblance to one another (i.e. some remain humanoid like Priscilla, or become serpentine like Ophelia), suggesting the process varies greatly from individual to individual. Common traits of Awakened include large size (ranging from over two meters to several stories tall) and armored hide. Thus far, Awakened Beings have not displayed the same type of shapechanging abilities as yoma, the ability to mimic any form. Most have an "Awakened" form and a human form which appears to be the same in appearance as their original forms before they became Claymores. However Awakened Beings seem to have far greater control of their body shape; many can extend limbs or fingertips to act as weapons and both Isley and Luciela can apparently assume a hybrid shape somewhere between their Awakened and human form. It may be that they've never felt the need to do so.
The Awakened are also varied in character, ranging from openly malicious and wantonly destructive to calm and composed. However, each and every Awakened has an insatiable hunger for human flesh, and the ones who act and look civil only appear so for the sake of disguise and to subtly catch a meal. The power of each Awakened varies as well, depending on his or her power before Awakening. The Awakening itself grants a tremendous power boost, allowing an Awakened formerly of low rank to match even a single digit Claymore.
Of all the Awakened currently alive, there are three who were formerly ranked 1 in the Claymore organization. These three are referred to as Those of the Abyss, Dwellers of the Deep or The Abyssal Ones, and are generally believed to be the most powerful beings in the Claymore world. Rivals in power include Alicia, the organization's current number #1 who can fully awaken controllably, and Priscilla, an Awakened Being who is said to be even more powerful than the Abyssal Ones.
Some Claymores are partially Awakened. This occurs when a Claymore surpasses the Yoki use limit (losing control of their Yoki), but somehow manages to restrain themselves from fully Awakening. This permanently strengthens the Claymore, and allows them to exceed the 80% limit again without Awakening, but the organization regards these members with deep suspicion. Although this is a permanent state, it is unknown whether it is stable or if they will become fully Awakened eventually.
It is unclear how each female Claymore feels when awakening. Clare describes it as pleasurable and painful,<ref>Full quotation of Clare's description of her feelings: "I felt a rush of suffering and ecstasy. Somehow I was able to pull myself back.", Norihiro Yagi: "Claymore #6", VIZ Media, February 2007</ref> while Helen has sensations similar to orgasm (which is also what hybrid men experience when awakening). Most Claymore describe the feeling of awakening as being between "violent pains and ecstacy".
Characters
- Modèle:Anime voice
- The series' protagonist. Clare is a distant and quiet Claymore, but occasionally shows an impulsive side. After one of her assignments, she picks up a boy called Raki, who was exiled from his village. Raki gradually manages to break through her shell and they become friends. It is unclear whether their relationship is fraternal or romantic, although it has similarities to her relationship to Teresa, a Claymore who adopted Clare as a child. Clare is ranked #47 of the Claymores, the last and therefore weakest of all. Over the course of the series, she grows in power. Her main goal is to take revenge on the Awakened Being Priscilla.
- Modèle:Anime voice
- A young boy whose family was murdered by a Yoma. The Yoma was slain by Clare. Raki, suspected of being a Yoma himself, was exiled from his village, although he denies this to Clare and claims to have left voluntarily. Clare originally offered to take him with her to the next village, but eventually they get attached to each other and continue their journey together. Raki is devoted to Clare and aspires to become strong enough to protect her.
- Modèle:Anime voice
- Teresa was the strongest Claymore of her time. Her special ability was an exceptional sense of the yoki flows of her adversaries. Teresa was known as Modèle:Nihongo.
- As a Claymore, Teresa was originally a cold-blooded killer who cared for no one, only helping villages because she was ordered to. During a hunt, Teresa saved the young Clare from a Yoma that kept her as a plaything. Clare chose to follow the initially unwilling and hostile Teresa. Eventually Clare's determination moved Teresa and a close bond was formed between the two. After leaving Clare in a village which was subsequently attacked by bandits, Teresa broke the cardinal rule of Claymores by killing the human offenders in order to save Clare. Faced with execution Teresa chose to break with the Organization and make a new life with Clare.
- Modèle:Anime voice
- A Claymore who qualified during Teresa's peak, Priscilla was quickly promoted to #2. It was believed she would become stronger than Teresa in time, and she was one of the group of four Claymores sent to execute her following her break with the Organization. Her lack of experience led to her awakening with horrific consequences.
Adaptations
Manga
Anime
The anime adaptation of the manga began airing on Nippon Television from April 3 until September 25, 2007. It ran for 26 episodes. It faithfully followed the plot of the manga up until about episode 20, where it started to diverge. By episode 24, the plot had changed completely. The 26 episode run was not sufficient to cover all the manga published so far.
The anime was directed by Hiroyuki Tanaka and Madhouse Studios with character designs by Takahiro Umehara, series organization by Yasuko Kobayashi and music by Masanori Takumi.
Music
- Opening Theme: "Raison D’être" by Nightmare
- Ending Theme: "Danzai no Hana~Guilty Sky" by Riyu Kosaka
OST
The Original Soundtrack was released on July 25, 2007. Composer: MASANORI TAKUMI Composer: LOVE+HATE Arranger: Kotaro Nakagawa
CLAYMORE TV Animation O.S.T. Tracklisting:
- Gingan no Majo 銀眼の魔女
- Ookina Ken 大きな剣
- Youma no Okite 妖魔の掟
- Sabaku to Kaze 砂漠と風
- Kirisaku Mono Tachi 斬り裂く者たち
- Osoroshiki Fujin 恐ろしき布陣
- Bishou no Teresa 微笑のテレサ
- Kanashiki Shukumei 哀しき宿命
- Kakusei no Kodou 覚醒の鼓動
- Seikan naru Tatakai 精悍なる闘い
- Shinpi to Shin'en 神秘と深淵
- Yobikakeru Kioku 呼びかける記憶
- Kita no Chi to Hakugin no Ou 北の地と白銀の王
- Hateshinaki Tabiji 果てしなき旅路
- Kyoujin na Chikara 強靭な力
- Kouya no Rakujitsu 荒野の落日
- Kokoro no Kizuato 心の傷跡
- Shoukei 憧憬
- Machinami 街並み
- Den'en to Ogawa 田園と小川
- Utsushiki Kariudo Tachi 美しき狩人たち
- Ayashiki Mono no Shukumei 妖しき者の宿命
- Kyousenshi 凶戦士
- Kakusei he no Midare 覚醒への乱れ
- Souzetsu na Shitou 壮絶な死闘
- Erabareshi Mono 選ばれし者
- Haruka na Michinori 遥かな道程
- Itoshisa to Nukumori 愛しさとぬくもり
- Chiheisen no Kanata 地平線の彼方
- Ishidzukuri no Ienami 石造りの家並み
- Hito wo Omou Koto 人を想うこと
- Fukaki Mori no Naka de 深き森の中で
- Raison D'etre TV by Nightmare
- Danzai no Hana ~Guilty Sky~ TV by Kosaka Riyu
Claymore Intimate Persona
A character songs CD, entitled Claymore Intimate Persona: Character Song Shuu (CLAYMORE INTIMATE PERSONA~キャラクターソング集~ ) has also been released. It contains 10 songs, each representing a character, and sung by their voice actress.
Tracklisting
- 記憶 [Kioku; Memory (Clare)]
- 変貌 [Henbou; Transfiguration (Priscilla)]
- 反逆 [Hangyaku; Rebellion (Galatea)]
- 覚醒 [Kakusei; Awakening (Deneve)]
- 憎悪 [Zouo; Hatred (Ophelia)]
- 疾風 [Shippu; Hurricane (Irene)]
- 永遠 [Eien; Eternity (Sophia)]
- 転生 [Tensei; Reincarnation (Teresa)]
- 慟哭 [Doukoku; Lamentation (Helen)]
- 幻影 [Gen'ei; Phantom (Miria)]
References
External links
- Official site at Shueisha Modèle:Ja icon
- Manga Site Modèle:Ja icon
- Official anime site Modèle:Ja icon
- NTV Official site Modèle:Ja icon
- Avexmovie Official Site Modèle:Ja icon
- Official Claymore Ranking Modèle:Ja icon
- Modèle:Ann manga
- Modèle:Ann anime
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