Claymore (Anime)

Claymore is an anime series is based on the manga series of the same name by Norihiro Yagi. The episodes are directed by Hiroyuki Tanaka and produced by Madhouse Studios. They adapt the first through eleventh volumes of the manga over twenty-four episodes. The remaining two episodes follow an original storyline not found in the manga written by Yagi. The series aired between April 2007 and September 2007 in Japan on Nippon Television. The series follows the adventures of Clare, a Claymore, or half-human, half-Yoma hybrid, and her comrades as they fight for survival in a world filled with Yoma, or shapeshifting demons. The series made its North American television debut when it started airing on the FUNimation Channel September 6, 2010. Netflix also made Claymore available for streaming, but the series has been removed as of April 2012. All 26 episodes are available on Hulu, however, and Funimation via their streaming video service and DVD.

Plot
A young boy, Raki's whole family was killed by a Yoma (demon), so a Claymore (half-demon, half-human hybrid) is hired to kill the Yoma. Raki interacts with the Claymore when she arrives. Raki later goes to his uncle's house and is met by the Yoma, who had taken the form of his brother, but is subsequently saved by the Claymore. After the attack, Raki is banished from the village by the frightened villagers and left to die in the deserts before he is saved by a Claymore, and subsequently attacked by another Yoma when he goes searching for her, believing her to be the one who saved him from the first. After the Yoma attacks him, the Claymore who saved him before does so again, and as she leaves, she gives him permission to join her in her travels as a cook, along with her name; Clare.

Clare receives a black card from mysterious man who seems to be working with the organization she works for. Raki witnesses as Clare confronts another Claymore named Elena. Clare explains that when Claymores use too much Yoma power, they eventually succumb to the influence of their Yoma half. Once this occurs, Claymores, knowing they will have to die, often make the choice of dying with human hearts, so as they feel their humanity beginning to slip away they send a black card bearing their individualized insignia to the Claymore that they want to be slain by. Clare's closest friend, Elena, was on the verge of succumbing to her demonic nature and becoming a Yoma, a process called "awakening". Despite Raki's protests, Clare slays Elena, granting her the solace of dying as a human.

Clare is hired to kill a "Voracious Eater" in a holy city where Claymores are not allowed. Forced to use a special drug to disguise her Claymore-specific characteristics, she has difficulty sensing where the Yoma is hiding. She poses as a human in order to infiltrate the church and meet her organization's client. At night, she makes her way to the church again and is caught fighting two suspicious knights, but escapes. The next day, the same two knights barge into the inn room she and Raki are staying at and accuse her of being a Claymore. Raki comes to her defense saying he believes that she is more kind than anyone and doesn't deserve being accused as a monster. After the two knights leave when they find no proof of Clare being a Claymore, she tells him to give up searching for kindness within her as he will ultimately end up disappointed. At night she goes back into the church to look for the Voracious Eater, but the two knights interfere and when it shows up they only complicate the fight between it and Clare. Ultimately, as it is about to kill them, Clare does everything she can to protect them, including jump into the path of its deadly claws.

Clare comes close to awakening when she uses too much of her Yoki (demon energy) in the battle against the Yoma, the Voracious Eater. She intends to commit suicide before her awakening is complete in order to find peace through dying while she is still human, but Raki pleads and begs her not to do it, saying that him meeting her was the best thing to happen to him. His pleas halt Clares awakening transformation, and one of the two knights fighting in the battle later gives Raki a sword in appreciation for what he and Clare have done for them while the other wishes for Raki to grow strong.

Theme Songs

 * Opening


 * Reason For Being
 * Closing


 * Guilty Sky

Voice Cast

 * Japanese


 * English
 * English