"IF THE WORLD COMES FROM CHAOS, THEN I MUST COME FROM THERE, TOO."

A quote from Ep. 12

Aside from the isekai macro-genre, it seems Japanese anime industry goes back to the origins once in a very while, so to speak, focusing more on "classic" fantasy, a category that Clevatess fits naturally into and even brings some interesting insights.
Preceded by a lengthy debut episode (about 40 min. long), this anime series is produced by studio Lay-Duce and arrived on the Crunchyroll platform, (unfortunately) only with subtitles and in a 12 episodes format.



---

>#SYNOPSIS: from A PREVENTIVE WAR to A BABYSITTER DEMON KING

Characterized by settlements and a vast territory surrounded by unexplored and rugged terrain, the continent of Edthea comprises a prosperous region concentrated across five nations.
These five kingdoms are Hyden, Boelate, Eslinn and the last two remain unknown. While humanity resides in these kingdoms, their freedom is limited as the continents North, South, East, and West are ruled by the Four Lords of the Dark Beasts: Vordein, Clevatess, Laswell and Zavthier, respectively. These beasts are the oldest and strongest living creatures, possessing great magical prowess.
Also, along Edthea's outer borders lies a wilderness inhabited by ferocious monsters serving these Magical Beast Kings. The regions they rule remained unexplored by humans as they are afraid and weak to venture into them.
So we have four imposing demonic entities, intolerant of any intrusion into their territory, which have prevented humanity from expanding their dominions. But this situation, though fraught with enormous risk, is no excuse to hinder the expansionist plans of the Kingdom of Haiden.
Therefore, in an effort to fulfill an ancient legend, the monarch gathers the most powerful individuals, including the fearless swordswoman Alicia Glenfall, to form a team of 13 heroes who follow his order.



Bearing an unwavering will, Alicia is a courageous girl who, longing to become, just like her heroic father, a noble paladin who could one day "broaden the world's horizons", earned the honor of becoming a member of the 13 heroes from the continent of Edthea.
Entrusting each of these brave warriors with one of the "Crimson Weapons" to withstand adversity, the élite squadron of formidable individuals, each carrying a different legendary weapon, is tasked with undertaking a raid on the border of Haiden to defeat the Southern Magical Beast King, named "Moonlight" Clevatess.
Once they reach their intended location, but without even remotely foreseeing the repercussions of this epic fight against such a terrible entity, the heroes must face the relentless creature, the same creature that will mercilessly kill unwanted invaders. In addition to this, their reckless action triggered a bloody massacre that, far from providing any benefit, led to the absolute annihilation of those involved.
In fact, determined to exact revenge on the Kingdom of Haiden for invading its home, Clevatess storms the kingdom's capital not only to eliminate the king who ordered the attack on her domain, but also to exterminate the population.



After eliminating the ill-fated group of heroes and destroying the Kingdom of Haiden in revenge, and while contemplating the alternative of annihilating humanity before leaving the ruined city, the evil creature hears a cry that captures its interest. Thus, buried in the rubble of the royal castle, Clevatess finds a living newborn baby, accompanied by a dying guardian. The latter, unafraid of being struck by the merciless entity, begs Clevatess before dying to save the infant, for by growing up, it could prove humanity's worth.
Consequently, intrigued by the potential of a lesser species, the fearsome creature agrees to raise the infant, who belongs to the royal family. Lacking any knowledge of how to treat a defenseless being and driven by the desire to witness the child's development, Clevatess decides to revive the champion Alicia to aid "him" in this final task and in a seemingly magnanimous attempt to examine human nature and understand their wicked motivations with which they are shaking up the world as they know it.

format(webp))

Thus, the beast assumes the humanoid identity of Klen, and after naming the child Luna the terrible creature will attempt to decipher, together with its reanimated subordinate Alicia, the complexities of a disconcerting and at times cruel species.
Also, aware of Luna's royal lineage, Alicia must try to protect him from danger to avoid a tragedy that would push Clevatess to unleash a catastrophe. In fact, based on its experience with the various populations in perpetual conflict with each other, Clevatess will judge whether they deserve to exist or disappear forever.

Alicia, Luna, and Klen (and later another girl, a hired nanny named Nelluru, who was a prostitute and a slave under the Ravens bandits) will set off on a journey to the continent of Edthea in order to discover civilization, while the delicate balance of power between the various nations inexorably crumbles...


---

>#FINAL COMMENTS (INFO, ANALYSIS/PERSONAL IMPRESSIONS)

Based on the manga of the same name, written and illustrated by mangaka Yuji Iwahara, who also created another good fantasy (King of Thorn), Clevatess: The King of Magical Beasts (In Japanese: Clevatess: Majū no Ō to Akago to Shikabane no Yūsha) is most probably THE fantasy anime of the season, even carrying some of its flaws.
The anime adaptation is being developed by studio Lay-duce and it's directed by Kiyotaka Taguchi, with the expert Chief Animation Director Soichiro Sako designing the characters, series composition by Keigo Koyanagi, and Takuro Tsukada serving as animation director.

format(webp))

Supported by a curious premise that lays the appropriate foundation for its quite unusual plot, Clevatess presents a compelling proposition that, from the very beginning, immerses the audience in a tense story. Using a narrative that doesn't shy away from exploring the darkest side of humanity, the work establishes the context of a violent environment, also addressing several explicit scenes: aspects that should be carefully considered before watching the anime. Thus encouraging the evolution of a fabulous plot, which, distinguished by the evocation of a peculiar atmosphere, arouses the audience's anticipation of how its protagonists will face numerous dilemmas in a world marked by suffering and despair.
Likewise, displaying a technical section of (according to myself) unique quality, from its striking visual aesthetics, some imaginative landscapes and evocative action sequences, to the composition of an interesting soundtrack, the adaptation introduces those kind of settings that can generate an immersive atmosphere. In addition to the above, the series stands out for its in-depth exploration of the interactions of its cast, showing various circumstances in which one can observe the evolution of the connections between the characters, as well as the evolution of each individual.
These virtues make this release a surprising preview that, in addition to being appreciated by dark fantasy enthusiasts, will keep all types of viewers enthralled as the episodes unfold.

---

>#WHY IT'S ONE OF MY "HIDDEN GEMS" OF THE YEAR: THE HIGHLIGHTS

That being said, after finished ep. 12 I'm genuinely convinced that Clevatess became one of the year's biggest surprises, by now. And if you haven't watched it yet, I will discuss the main good points in detail in order to convince y'all to give this anime a chance.




1. A DARK AND UNIQUE PLOT, ALTHOUGH NOT REVOLUTIONARY

The title falls into the dark fantasy category, featuring a fair amount of violence and bloodshed and a narrative that presents a fairly classic tale, that of the journey of the small group of protagonists, against the backdrop of political intrigue and clashes between various factions.
The story presents a dark and cruel world, where "gods" and "powerful beings" engage in political games and wars, creating a more mature and unpredictable atmosphere.
So, the "Horrible beast lord has to reluctantly raise a baby and learns about humans and their struggles along the way" premise is merely the gateway to a much more complex dark fantasy universe.
Furthermore, the fact that "magic" (often referred to as "alchemy") is a concept whose existence has not yet been acknowledged, especially among ordinary mortals, but which is slowly emerging and which proves decisive in the course of battles, makes this role-playing game even more intriguing.




2. A (POTENTIALLY) RICH AND DEEP WORLDBUILDING

Personally, I loved that this series devotes significant attention to the development of its mythology, religion, and the geopolitics between kingdoms, such as the Boelate Empire. This gives the feeling that the universe is "alive" and layered, reminiscent of dense works like Made in Abyss or Attack on Titan.
And, as for me, I think he worldbuilding is potentially well structured in its basics, though it doesn't stray too much far from fairly classic stereotypes, and allows for an immediate understanding of both the various competing factions and the power dynamics that develop over the course of events, without running the risk of getting lost in an endless list of names.






3. CONSTANT ELEMENTS OF MYSTERY AND INTRIGUE

Linked to this, the constant mystery and intrigue is another strong point, since I think the series excels at building suspense and creating the sense of deep, hidden secrets. Elements like the Book of Toah and mysterious entities like the Four Calamities keep the audience intrigued with each episode, always wanting to learn more about the world's mythology.

To give some practical examples: for much of its run, Clevatess may gave the impression it would be another familiar fantasy anime. However, that sense of "déjà vù" changed completely starting by Episode 11.

Spoiler, click to view

In this specific ep., instead of focusing on the usual “good versus evil” setup, the show through a plotwist revealed a much bigger truth: the entire war between humans and demons had been built on lies.
So, the final episode is set to build on the shocking twist from this episode, where the long-standing “13 Heroes” tradition was revealed to be a complete lie. Luna's hidden identity as Haidenrius stunned both viewers and characters alike, while Klen discovered that the Book of Torh had been manipulating his legacy all along.
That moment added real weight to the series. Alicia, who started as a background fighter and was even killed off in Episode 1, but was immediately resurrected by Clevatess and showed she might actually be the story’s true hero. As for Klen, usually distant and all-knowing, suddenly broke down laughing at the absurdity of the world. These shifts gave the show depth it didn’t seem to have at first.

Considering how much of the manga still hasn’t been adapted, it seems season 1 feels more like the opening act than a complete tale, which makes a Season 2 announcement feel almost inevitable (EDIT: and so it was XD).

4. AN INTENSE AND (TOO) MATURE ATMOSPHERE

But the aspect that I'm sure will please the fans of this niche genre the most is the intense and mature atmosphere. As I said previously, Clevatess is not a "light" epic fantasy at all: it tackles heavy themes, features brutal battles, and reflects on ambition, power, and destiny. It's the ideal choice for those looking for a more serious fantasy, different from the standard lighthearted adventures. For in, Clevatess Episode 3 picks up directly where the second episode leaves off with Alicia suddenly reawakening to her mangled body. And while Clevatess has a quaint discussion with Alicia about the nuances of being a rogue bandit, her neck is twisted completely the wrong way. This brutal scene is somewhat horrifying to watch, but in line with the rest of the epic but merciless "seinen" series.




5. A CAST OF COMPELLING AND MORALLY GRAY CHARACTERS

Unlike anime where heroes and villains are well-defined, here many characters navigate gray areas. Clevatess, Alicia, and even the villains have their own complex motivations, sometimes making it difficult to predict who is truly an ally or an enemy.
Plus, although the series' structure is fairly classic, the dynamic created between the three main protagonists seems to work well, even allowing for some brief comic relief that lightens the tension without significantly ruining the overall tone of the whole story.



-----

THE PROTAGONISTS

ALICIA GLENFALL, a.k.a. THE CORPSE HERO (probably my fav one <3)



At the center of this story there is Alicia Glenfall, a character who represents both the shining light of heroism and the crushing reality of failure. She's not just another swordswoman swinging her blade against monsters, but a symbol of what it means to chase glory, fall from grace, and still find a reason to carry on.
At the very beginning, Alicia didn’t defeat the great monster king: instead, she lost, died tragically, and was reborn into a life tied to the very creature she once sought to destroy.
And even if this championess is indeed a fairly basic character, shaped largely by a desire for personal revenge, she is simultaneously held in the balance between life and death by a powerful demon. And while Alicia is now forced to obey his wishes like an empty puppet, she also was fortunate enough to return to life (and to do so several times), having the opportunity to settle her own scores and uncover the hypocrisies of the world she's always fought for, so she still clings to her identity as a hero.
In fact, Alicia’s most important relationship is with Clevatess itself. As her killer and her resurrector, Clevatess embodies everything Alicia hates, yet also everything that keeps her alive. This makes their bond (filled with tension, reluctance, and a strange dependency) fascinating since now, instead of serving the kingdom, she exists in service to the very being she tried to destroy. This cruel irony defines her origin within the anime and sets up her role as both fallen hero and reluctant servant.
Also, caring for the royal child not only softens her role but also allows her to feel like she has reclaimed some of her former heroism. In her eyes, protecting this innocent life is a form of personal redemption.
Her whole (back)story makes Alicia one of the most fascinating figure in Clevatess for fans looking for a character (and particularly, a waifu) who embodies both tragedy and resilience.

As a chosen hero, Alicia is skilled in combat, particularly with her dual swords, and her fighting style is practical and rugged, reflecting her training and battlefield experience. Alicia’s strength lies in her swordsmanship, endurance, and sharp reflexes but after her resurrection. Plus, she became even stronger since she gains an unnatural "blood-connection" to Clevatess.

Although very classical in its structure, I really loved her very tragic story so far (from her father's death until her own), and how she is able to muster the guts to keep trying to be a hero, despite her significant set backs (trying not to spoil things).

"MOONLIGHT" CLEVATESS /KLEN



With absolute dominion over light and darkness, this monstrous being that resembles a mixture of a lion, a ram, and a wolf has been guarding the Southern border from times immemorial (its title was inherited around 1000 years prior to the beginning of the series). As one of the Beast Kings, though it itself is not the first Beast King of the South ever, Clevatess holds the title of one of the strongest creatures in the world: its power is so great, that it was able to wipe out an entire capital in a single night.
Though vulnerable in its human shape (Klen), Clevatess is scheming, holds the wisdom of ages, and has defeated hundreds of generations of heroes armed with the "Manahydrite weapons".
And for some specific reason, the last king of Hyden, Hydelius V, recognizes Clevatess as "the strongest and last barrier of the hominid races" to break through "the limits of the world".
Clevatess, in turn, has felt the pull of curiosity for the mortals and their ways, and the only reason why it doesn't exterminate all of humanity is that same curiosity that has pulled it out of seclusion. Otherwise, it could very well wipe out all of the human kingdoms if he desired.
I think Klen/Clevatess steals the show both as a Demonic Beast and as a disturbing and androgynous "bad boy," and the dynamic between "him" and Alicia is probably the most successful element of the series. For instance, I believe the way how much Clevatess challenges her zombified subject's beliefs and motivations, having her humanity questioned, is a super interesting topic.

NELLURU/NELL and LUNA



Nelluru (or Nell) is Luna's nurse and a survivor of unspeakable cruelty in the lair of the "Crows" bandits. In fact, she was a former slave and in the beginning her appearance is totally unkempt and neglected and her speech is hesitant, making her an outcast and a victim of abuse of all kinds. But, after spending her entire childhood deprived of freedom and dignity, Nelluru remains marked by a profound humility, and due to an innate maternal instinct she shows rare courage by protecting Luna to the end, even when her own life was at stake.
If we all have seen what Nell has gone through, we clearly understand that if anyone is worthy of a second chance, it's Nell herself. So, after being brutally attacked by her owner and nearly killed, she's brought back to life with Klen's magical abilities, gaining a new brand body, a prodigious strength and an incredible resilience.

Luna is the royal newborn, guardian of the future of all his people and the only son of the crown princess T'ala Mort Anzetta, who can't inherit the throne all alone. He's silent and insightful and he's entrusted to the care of Alicia, Klen and Nelluru.

Not gonna lie, both Nell and Luna are such cute and reletable characters, and even if they are the "weakest" members by now, I'm glad they are part of the group.

Spoiler, click to view

That scene in ep. 12 in which Luna finally learns to walk by himself and reaches her mother on foot, or when the princess deeply thanks Nelluru for nurturing her son was truly touching and does justice to their development. I truly hope T'ala will hire Nelluru as part of her staff so she can continue caring for Luna.

---

>#Digression on the ANIMATION & the MUSIC SECTOR
The show’s animation comes from Lay-duce, and while some quieter scenes are fairly standard, the action has consistently delivered.
So, speaking of the technical execution, Clevatess also maintains acceptable standards, with very few flashes, yes, but at a very decent average level for a serialized product.
The character and background designs and animations are functional, and the animation style itself is sort of retro but establishing it as a brand new anime.
The grainy look with the film grain with the flat tone coloring the characters mixed really well.
That being said, I'd say Clevatess has been a quite surprising show in terms of the quality because, even if the production staff don't really have anything notable, this time they're adapting this old style-like anime really well.
On the music side, this anime has stood out for its unusual mix of talent. The opening, “Ruler” by Mayu Maeshima, is a powerful theme that sets the tone right away, while the ending, “Destiny” by Ellie Goulding (o__O!), adds an unexpected international flavor that works surprisingly well.


---
---

>#In conclusion: THE NEXT BIG FANTASY ANIME?




A fantastic and compelling world, as are the characters and the plot so far, all seasoned with brutal action. Maybe I'm exaggerating, but Clevatess has easily become this summer's breakout anime. And due to a very stacked season, I don't think it's getting the attention it deserves.
Furthermore, I think it has the potential to be one of the best dark fantasy series of the last decade. But for now, we'll have to wait for it.
if you aren't in the mood for OP protagonists and tits, but simply enjoy medieval violence and "bad guys who get bad things done and finally meet a very bad end", you should just check out this anime.
No isekai, no harems, no RPG mechanics. Just a pure, grotesque, and gratuitous fantasy journey.

In conclusion: give Clevatess a try, I'm sure you won't regret it. ^^

format(webp))

#*Thank you for reading, see you in S2! <3*