DVD Review: The Claymore Battle Royale

From the first volume, "Claymore" hit the ground running with intense monster battles. Volume two heats up with flashy superhuman Dragonball Z-style sword battles.

Episode 6 opens with Claire actually speaking out her heart to Teresa, pleading to stay with her. There's even a scene where Claire strips off her clothes to show that Teresa means everything as her only mother. It's a saddening sight to watch Teresa leave Claire for her Claymore duties. However, when a band of thieves burns the town down, Teresa has no choice but to kill them.

A Claymore isn't allowed to kill humans, though. However, Teresa refuses to die this easily, slaying the Claymores who planned to execute her. But her Claymore buddies don't plan on letting her leave. The organization sends four of the top-ranked Claymores to fight her, leading to some ferocious, incredibly fast battles.

It's an understatement to say that "Claymore" is one of the craziest action anime series ever made. Each of the Claymores has a unique special power, and some of the Claymore powers are visual astounding. For example, Irene's quick sword technique cuts so quickly that no one can even see her arms. She can move her arms faster than the speed of light. This leads to an amazing sequence in which Teresa arm is speedily blocking Irene's sword slashes at the speed of a Dragonball Z fight.

The fight turns to a fatal end in episode 8, with one of the Claymores, Priscilla, growing amazingly powerful as she slowly uses more and more of her Yoma powers. Many Claymores die in this volume, leaving the remaining survivor devastated. This tearjerking episode will tear viewers' hearts out with emotion.

Volume two sets the tone for Claymore as a godlike superhuman action anime. Although it is limited in its rather formulaic Dragonball Z-style plot, the true draw of the series is the visuals. The dark colors and fierce fighting make for one of the most sinister, violent anime ever seen. However, this is a wonderful anime for its expression of raw female power.

To say the least, the battles are stunning. There's nothing more astounding than watching Claymore jump to incredible heights, swinging their swords in a rapid-fire machine gun fashion and healing their wounds extremely quickly. Like any typical action series, it tends to rely too much on the same formulaic tearjerking action sequence, with one character dying off and another seeking revenge.

However, this series is even more earth-shattering for its horrific displays of violence, with characters getting their limbs and their heads chopped off. This series is definitely not for kids--the violence is very intense. However, it's a beautiful series which shows the power of women, even when one of them is getting attacked by disturbing tentacle monsters in episode 10.

Although I had my misgivings for the series when it began, "Claymore" is a definite keeper for anime fans. However, be prepared to get shocked with this second DVD.

Image courtesy of amazon.com and their wallpaper downloads.

DVD Review: Claymore tops the best anime list

Claymore is one of the best anime of 2008, if not the best.

Not very many action anime are as complex as "Claymore." The female warriors are extraordinarily strong, but are emotionally fragile. This is one of the few series in which the gender roles in an anime are reversed, where the main female heroine is strong, but represses intense emotional anguish.

The plot is simple. Yoma are violent monsters who terrorize towns and cities in the world. The only way in which humans have dealt with these monsters is through the Claymore warriors, hired superhuman warriors who are half-Yoma, half-human.

Raki, a human boy, takes interest in the first Claymore who comes into his town. Her name is Clare, and at first she remains cold and unemotional. But Raki tells her that he wants her to kill the Yoma who murdered his parents.

While Clare says that she doesn't care for his revenge plot, Raki is saved by Clare when his older brother reveals himself as a Yoma. Clare slices the Yoma in half. However, because Raki had lived with a Yoma, the villagers exile him. They are frightened that he could turn into a Yoma.

Raki passes out in a desert, but is saved by Clare. Raki befriends Clare and travels with her, learning more and more about Clare's life as a Claymore.

The Claymores undergo some heart-wrenching moments. In episode two, Clare's best friend Teresa sends her a black card, indicating that she is about to turn into a full Yoma. Whenever a Claymore is sent a black card, it is a request indicating that they want their best friend to kill them, so that they won't terrorize other humans as a Yoma. Although they follow their chivalry code loyally, they clearly have a difficult time controlling themselves.

It's almost unbelievable how much the Claymores repress their emotions, even in near-death situations. Even though Clare is extremely powerful, if she harnesses too much of her Yoma power, she suffers the potential to lose control and kill other people. Thankfully, Raki is her best friend, and acts as her emotional support, even after devastating battles. Clare's emotional journey makes for one of the best stories I've ever seen in an action anime.

Very few anime are as excellent as "Claymore." This is definitely one of the best anime of 2008 so far. It's hard to find more drama and more emotion than this anime series.

Image courtesy of boontan.net