Claymore (manga)

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Claymore

クレイモア (Kureimoa)
Genre	Shōnen, Heroic Fantasy, Horror
Manga
Authored by	Norihiro Yagi (八木　教広)
Publisher	Shueisha
Serialized in	Monthly Shonen Jump
Original run	2002-01-01 – 2005-04-28
No. of volumes	11 (in progress)

Claymore (クレイモア, Claymore^?) is a manga series written and illustrated by Norihiro Yagi (八木教広 Yagi Norihiro) produced for Monthly Shonen Jump. As of November 2006, there are eleven volumes of the original Japanese edition. Each chapter in this manga is referred to as a "scene". An anime series has been announced for 2007.

[edit] Background

The setting of the story is a fictional world of abundant towns where humans coexist with demons called Yoma. These monsters feed on humans as their main source of food, hiding themselves in human society until they strike.

A group of skilled warriors form a nameless organization to protect humans from these demons. These warriors are called Claymores, after their immense Claymore weapons. They willingly infuse themselves with demon flesh and blood to become powerful half-human hybrids. Villages in danger of attack hire warriors from the organisation for protection.

The story of Claymore follows the adventures of the beautiful Claymore warrior Clare, who fights demons and struggles to hold on to her humanity.

Long ago, the Yoma, the shape changing demons, took human form to live in disguise among human society. They feed on human innards, and take possession of memories from the brains of people they eat. These acquired memories help them better disguise themselves within human society.

In recent years, a secret society discovers a way of implanting demon bodies and body parts into humans, to create hybrids more powerful than the original demons. Hybrid's standard abilities include faster healing, limited shape modification, the ability to detect other demons and hybrids, and overall enhanced physical prowess. Almost all hybrids are created against their will; they are typically survivors of families attacked by demons. The only exception is the lead character, who volunteered to become a hybrid to avenge her family. The society sends hybrids to towns that can afford their fares to kill demons, although not every hybrid does so willingly (this is implied in the manga.) The society is often strict and harsh; hybrids who break the rules risk being hunted down by their fellow hybrids.

Flowing through the bodies of hybrids and demons is a demonic "chi." Hybrids and demons detect one other by this chi. Hybrids can suppress or release their chi to enhance their abilities. The individual aptitude of each hybrid leads each to specialize in either speed, agility, healing, shape modification, strength, chi detection, or control of chi of other demons. The degree at which chi is released is rated from 0% to 100%. Beyond 80% the release of chi is out of the hybrid's control, and accelerates to 100% within seconds. In this 100% state, the demonic side of the hybrid overcomes the human side completely and the hybrid becomes a being called an Awoken. It is believed that Awokens can never become human again. The power of each Awoken varies, depending on his or her power while still a normal hybrid, but in general exceeds the typical hybrid. It is an Awoken who kills the lead character's foster mother and sister; and this incident provokes her to become hybrid to avenge them.

The awoken are varied in character, ranging from the malicious and wantonly destructive, to the seemingly normal with human looks and behavior.

There are both male and female hybrids, but male hybrids inevitably become Awoken very quickly after the process of releasing chi, which feels like an orgasm to them. As a result, the society only creates female hybrids.

In Vol 7 it is revealed by Ofelia that there are 2 possible categories of Claymore attack prowess — offensive and defensive style. The nature of a Claymore's attack style determines the Claymore's regenerative/self-healing abilities.

The defensive category endows the Claymore with incredible self-healing abilities. A unique characteristic is that if a claymore loses any limbs, in the event that she is able to rgenerate new limbs, the limbs maintain their original demonic strength and prowess. Only Deneb (#15) has been known to be in this category. Those in the offensive category, however, are not able to regenerate their bodies as effectively. If a claymore in this category loses any limbs, in the event that she is able to regenerate new limbs, the strength of these limbs will only be equivalent to that of a normal human being. Claire (#47), Ofelia (#4) and Irene (#3) are known to be in this category.

[edit] The Claymore organization

The cover of the first volume portraying Claire, holding a Claymore sword.

The Claymore organisation initially comprised half-beast, half-human men whose purpose was to protect humans from flesh-eating Yoma (monsters).

Bestiality in a male Claymore might make him exceedingly strong, and when more than 80% of his inner power is released, he will no longer be able to control his power; so he thus turns into a monster called an "Awoken".

Because the "awakening" sensation for men is similar to an orgasm, the organization eventually decided to use women instead of men. Helen, however, a female Claymore, also has sensations similar to what men experience when awakening. It is unclear how each female Claymore feels when awakening; Claire describes the feeling of awakening as "painful."

Because of their enormous power, Claymore girls can wield a heavy sword with just one hand with ease and grace.

Claymores are best known by rank rather than name. Claymore #1 is the strongest, while #47 is the weakest.

A "incomplete awakening" increases a Claymore's strength. It occurs when a Claymore is about to lose control of her bestiality, but recovers normal condition in the end. Milia notices the consequences of incomplete awakening, like strength increase. The trasformation is not fully reversible. Clare, Milia, and the other members of their group all use incomplete awakening, enabling them, despite their rank, to fight evenly against Claymores #6 to #9; but they are still unmatched to #5.

[edit] Characters

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

[edit] Non-Claymores

[edit] Raki

Raki.

First appearance - Volume #1.

Raki is a young boy with a very similar story to Clare's. He has lost his family, and follows the beloved Claymore in her journeys.

Upon meeting Ophelia and realizing she kills humans, Clare distracts her and orders Raki to run. Thus the pair separate here.

Later, when he comes across a deserted, destroyed town in the frozen north, he encounters a girl who bears an identical face and name to one Clare is hunting. She takes a liking to him.

[edit] The man dressed in black (Rubel)

The man dressed in black.

First appearance - Volume #1.

The man dressed in black is a white, thin man, also known as Rubel — as Clare calls him once. He is apparently immortal, and through a generation he does not seem to age. He also has supernatural powers. He controls the Claymores and collects money for the organisation, although he is not the leader.

[edit] Claymores

[edit] Clare

First appearance - Volume #1.

Clare is the series' protagonist. When she was just a little girl, a Yoma killed her family and sodomised her. She was saved by Teresa, whom she then followed and loved for the rest of Teresa's life.

After Teresa's murder by Priscilla, she vowed to kill Priscilla, and subsequently came across Rubel in a town while carrying Teresa's severed head. She requested Teresa's flesh and blood be infused in her. She then became the first hybrid with 1/3 Yoma blood, instead of the normal 1/2 and 1/2. This resulted in her strength rank becoming 47 — the lowest rank.

Her abilities, however, are greater than the Yoma enemy; for she is able to instinctively react to the vibes from a Yoma's body. Despite her low rank, she shows mysterious abilities which puzzle even higher ranked Claymores. For instance, she reverts her comrade Jean by awakening her back to normal form in volume 9.

Clare is considered partially awakened, but has somehow reverted to her human state.

Jean (rank 9), upon being saved by Clare, pledged her loyalty and life to her regardless of rank. This dismayed both Helen and Denev, since a top ranking Claymore was allied with the bottom rank Claymore.

During the incident involving Ophelia, shortly after the bulimic Yoma mission, Clare lost her right arm; but she later received a new one from Irene, along with the "Light Speed Sword" technique. Even though the new arm was part of her, it still seemed to have its own life; she thus projected 2 auras. Only with this arm could she use the Light Speed Sword skillfully.

In the north campaign, Clare joined Flora's party.

[edit] Teresa (deceased)

Teresa.

First appearance - Volume #3.

Teresa is the strongest Claymore of her time, and famously known as Teresa of the Faint Smiles for effortlessly slaying enemies with a faint smile. After once being a cold-blooded killer, she radically changes after meeting Clare.

A group of bandits employ Teresa to rid a town of Yomas, though their secret intention is to attack the town when the monsters are gone. When she realises this plan, and the fate that would befall Clare, she kills the bandits.

Because of these killings, the Claymore organisation marks her for death. To this end, it dispatches a team of 5 Claymores, of rank unknown, with an unidentified observer to assassinate her. Teresa wounds these Claymores, but does not not kill any of them. The unidentified observer subsequently assembles claymores #2 to #5 — namely, Priscilla, Irene, Noel and Sophia — to kill her. Facing all four of them at once, Teresa defeats them without using her demonic power.

In the opening pages of Volume 5, Teresa injures the four Claymores. Teresa then intends to kill only Priscilla, upon realising Priscilla's potential to surpass Teresa's abilities, in the near future. She subsequently changes her mind and leaves with young Clare.

Teresa is killed by Priscilla after having awoken her bestiality.

[edit] Priscilla (awakened)

Priscilla.

First appearance - Volume #4.

At the story's advent, Priscilla is promoted to Claymore #2, displacing Irene to Claymore #3 despite only recently having joined the organization.

She possesses the ability to conceal her presence from Yoma and fellow Claymores. Although she is sometimes clumsy, she fights deftly, but often unfairly. Her stealth ability enables her to defeat Teresa. In volume 5, Teresa defeats her and other top Claymores. Later, after attempting to assissinate Teresa, Priscilla, blinded by rage and self-righteousness, awakens her bestiality, and immediatley pursues Teresa. But, despite this awakening, Teresa still defeats her. So Priscilla resorts to trickery to kill Teresa, which Clare witnesses. Priscilla also amputates Irene's arm and kills Noel and Sofia in front of Clare. These acts horrify Clare, and she resolves to hunt Priscilla in revenge.

Riful reveals to Clare that Priscilla is the companion of Easley—one of the Three Persons of the Abyss who rules the North.

[edit] Irene (believed to be deceased)

First appearance - Volume #4.

Irene is Claymore #3, ranked after Teresa and the young Priscilla. Originally being Claymore #2, she was demoted to #3 when Priscilla joined the organization. Irene is well known for her great speed at wielding a sword. She acknowledges Priscilla's prowess, and is confident at assissinating Teresa with Priscilla's help. During her mission to assissinate Teresa, after Priscilla had awoken, Priscilla attacks her comrades, killing them and amputating Irene's arm.

Irene goes into seclusion after this incident while also being wanted by the organisation. She saves Clare from Ophelia's rampage, and trains her in the "Light Speed Sword" technique, with which she aids her in her quest to avenge Teresa's death by Priscilla. She also gives Clare her right arm.

Rafaela, who is sent to execute Irene, eventually finds her. While the manga does not reveal her fate after being found by Rafaela, it is generally believed that that she is now dead given that she was armless and defenseless when Rafaela found her.

[edit] Noel (deceased)

First appearance - Volume #4.

Noel is well-known for her agility. She vies with Sofia for rank #3. Though Noel's and Sofia's abilities appear to be equal, Irene pronounces that Noel is 3rd rank.

Noel is among the party of #2 - #5 Claymores sent to assissinate Teresa, after she kills humans in her mission to save Clare. After Priscilla awakes, she kills Noel during a battle between the two.

[edit] Sofia (deceased)

First appearance - Volume #4.

Sofia vied with Noel for rank #3. Though the two were alike, their fighting styles are significantly different. Evidencing her power, Sofia, with her brute strength, sliced a Yoma and the pillar hiding it in two.

Sofia was among Claymores ranked #2 - #5 sent to kill Teresa after she had killed humans to save Clare. Priscilla kills Sofia after she is awakened after the battle to kill Teresa.

[edit] Helen

Helen.

First appearance - Volume #5.

Helen is #22. She has the power to stretch her arms to extreme lengths like rubber, allowing her to bind an opponent. She is a friend of Denev.

Early in the story, when Helen talks to Raki, she mocks Clare as "the weakest and worst out of all of us Claymores". But she gains respect for her after she admires her performance against a bulimic.

Helen is short tempered. In volume 9, she aggressively swings her sword at Clare, and thus provokes Jean's anger. Denev quickly resolves the situation, despite being called "always the troublemaker" by Helen.

Helen is considered partially awakened, but has reverted to her human state.

[edit] Denev/Deneb

First appearance - Volume #5.

Denev is ranked #15. She has had two previous experiences with bulimic Yomas.

Denev is considered partially awakened but has reverted to her human state. She is the only Claymore known to have regenerative powers: she grows back her arm after it has been amputated and chewed up by a male Awoken.

[edit] Miria

First appearance - Volume #5.

Miria is the head of the squad formed by Clare, Helen, and Denev, who are required to eliminate a bulimic Yoma, that is discovered to be in reality an awakened. She is Claymore #6, the strongest of the group.

Miria can greatly increase her speed, but only for a very short time, hence her nickname "Mirage Miria". Miria is also considered to be partially awakened but was able to revert back to her human state.

She is suspicious of her superiors, thinking that her squad was cheated and assigned to a suicidal mission, as they soon realized they had little or no chance to leave the battlefield alive. She thinks her squad (composed of incompletely awakened Claymores) was sent to sure death, and suspects that they are considered troublemakers because of their problematic status. She also formulates a theory about their incomplete awakening. Determined to find evidence and to seek revenge, she decides to investigate deep inside the mysteries of the Claymore organisation. In the northern campaign, she's the chief Claymore.Miria directly leads the following warriors: Queenie(#20), Tabitha(#31), and Yuma(#40).

[edit] Galatea

First appearance - Volume #6

Galatea is Claymore #3. Not much is known about her yet. She is capable to locate other Claymores from a long distance (so that other Claymores can't feel her presence), and she can read their thoughts and see their actions as if she were in that very place. It is said that she rarely makes mistakes. She fights alongside Clare and Jean against Daf, and helps Clare to control her Yoma power.

[edit] Ofelia/Ophelia (deceased)

First appearance - Volume #6.

Ofelia is Claymore #4, an extremely powerful, cold-blooded psychotic murderer. She has an obsession of "Awakened-hunting", by the sight and taste of blood; she enjoys indiscriminate killing. She brings sorrow and desperation to everyone who meets her. Ophelia is supposed to fight together with Clare against an awakened Claymore, but she forces Clare and Raki into a deadly game instead, trying to kill them slowly.

Her technique involves shaking her sword rather fast, thus giving the blade a snake like appearance which is very difficult to read and counter when attacked.

Upon being wounded severely by Irene who saved Clare from her, Ofelia is later pushed to the limit and is awoken (without actually realizing this until she sees her reflection in a lake when she meets Clare again and tries to kill her).

At the end of volume #7, it was revealed that prior to being a Claymore, Ofelia's brother sacrificed himself whilst trying to save Ofelia from a Yoma. It was later disclosed that this Yoma was Priscilla who had also killed Teresa.

[edit] Rafaela

First appearance - Volume #7.

Rafaela is Claymore #5. Rafaela first appears as Irene's executioner. Her job is to execute Claymores who disobey the organization. Later, she turns out to be Teresa's predecessor. Her power is considered equal to that of her elder sister, Lucera of the South (the previous Claymore #1).

The failed experiment of the organization causes Rafaela's elder sister to be awakened, who who is now one of the Three Persons of the Abyss (See section below). It also leads to Rafaela's eye injury. She stays inactive after the incident. During her inactivity, she has a brief encounter with a Claymore trainee, Teresa.

After the organization loses, Teresa and other four top Claymores enlist Rafaela in the combat unit again. It offers the information of her elder sister as the exchange of her service.

[edit] Jean

First appearance - Volume #8

Jean is Claymore #9. Her specialty is offensive skill. Her attack is said to be the most destructive among all her peers. She awakens after prolonged torture inflicted by Daf and Riful, but thanks to her extraordinary willpower and Claire's help, she manages to revert her transformation back to human shape. For this reason, she decides to follow Clare to help her and to return the favor. In the north campaign, she's named one of the division captains by Milia. Jean leads the following warriors: Eliza(#17), Emelia(#27), Natalie(#37), and Diana(#43).

[edit] Daf

First appearance - Volume #8

Daf was Claymore #3. He is Riful's lover (see 3 Persons of the Abyss). He helps Riful to torture captured Claymores. Daf has a strong attack and can throw beam-shaped darts to his enemies, but lacks strategic knowledge and intuition. Riful interfered in the fight aganst the Claymores to save his life.