THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!

I think as a whole, Claymore definitely was a fun read for me. The premise itself is already quite telling, with some badass good-looking anime girls called Claymores slicing up monsters called Yoma. And this is not condescending by the way, as Claymores being badass is one of the main appeals in the series, which the series itself is aware of too, making a joke about the corny dialogue in chapter 112.

I think it’s part of Claymore’s identity, and also what it separates from usual fantasy stories. A fantasy story usually (at least in my experience) tries to get you involved into its world, the lore, and while Claymore does have that to an extent, it’s clear that Yagi wanted to make this a character-driven story first and foremost. That not only means that the characters are appealing in their coolness and by scratching that certain kind of edginess, but also, that the series ultimately wants the most that you care about the characters. Beyond the surface of being badass anime girls slicing up monsters in a middle-age fantasy world, it’s a story about humans, and a very emotional story, at that. No matter how distorted, how evil, or how inhuman the characters in Claymore are or become, it doesn’t forget to always show how genuinely human these characters nonetheless are, breaking the facade built by the supernatural aspect of fantasy. Claymore wants to be both cool and edgy, but also an emotional story about human characters when the opportunity is given, and if necessary the worldbuilding & power system are bent accordingly, to sell what the story at the end prioritizes. Which, if I’m honest, was a bit of a wacky aspect especially towards the end, when Yagi really utilized his vague description of Yoma power to really make anything work, and at times it really felt like random bullshit (yes, this phrasing refers to the Moon Knight meme). But, as I said before, even with these aspects which fell short for me, Claymore was a fun read: Because what it put focus on instead mostly worked well for me, and with that I mean the characters. As I said before, Claymore is a story, which uses its fantasy/supernatural elements to emphasize the humanity of its characters. As a result, there are many characters which are explored heavily in backstories, or their dynamic to other characters which made it easy for me to care about the majority of the cast as many of them were just nuanced and likable characters. I like Clare, who lost everything dear to her, and channeled all her hatred and purpose of her existence into taking revenge on the one who took it from her, but ended up finding new purposes in her life instead through inevitable encounters and friendships she made along her journey. I like Clarice, who initially was only a normal person who had to deal with the mentally troubled Miata, who sees her as her mother, but ends up sacrificing herself for Miata, because Miata is the first person to actually make her feel like she's special and not a mere failure. I like Priscilla, who is driven by infinite loads of hatred and yearns to find out what she actually wants, only to find out and to accept that she is traumatized from her past and her hatred is actually directed at herself, because she hates what she was eventually forced to become. And not only the characters themselves. I like the relationship between Clare and Raki, because it mirrors the relationship between Clare and Miria, and Raki through his kindness and open affection towards Clare is able to make her feel like a human, remind her that she’s a human, saving her from losing that humanity as a result and also becoming incredibly precious to her. I could name more examples, but the point is clear: Claymore’s backbone are its characters, and it’s a solid backbone. Looking at Claymore overall, I can only say that it’s a solid story. It has strong aspects, it has shortcomings, which are more understandable when you look at what the series ultimately prioritizes, though. If there is a reason why I don’t rate it higher, it’s because it simply didn’t reach the heights other stories did, for me. Lastly, I want to give my appreciation for Yagi’s art. Even in battles and some more messy situations it was most of the time easy to follow and a good read, sometimes with amazing paneling and drawings, and I adore the designs of the awakened beings. Here my favourite two designs.