I saw an advertisement for this anime, and became intrigued. Finding it streaming, I caught a few episodes; and finally downloaded all of them for viewing the entire series.
Firstly, I want to talk about some of the characters.
1). Raki is a pain in the behind, with little plot value, and adds nothing to the story. A total wimp, who faces everything like a participant in a Beauty Contest "... I want World Peace ...". He will never understand that his world's game of life is rigged, and that Clare cannot escape from the rules of the game, if she never tries to alter the views of the game-masters.
2). Clare is passable as a character, but is far too dependant on her past, to face the future.
3). Muria is totally focussed on the future (and rightly so), but is never expanded upon in the story line properly.
Next I want to talk about the music.
While some of the between scene music is passable, much of it is inappropriate or just plain lousy. The opening and closing music is downright terrible; so poor is it that I often found myself almost quiting the series.
And for the final critique (and here's where I'm completely innovative), the entire series anime and manga are a spectacularly better looking version of "DragonBall Z". Comments like "... I Need More Power ..." and "... I'm Going To Kill You ..." are everywhere, and are a dead-ringer for plot points for DragonBall-Z et al.
Now for the review commentary.
The worst part of this show, should have been the basic direction of the story. The "Organization" (for those who have seen this show) should have been the main focus. They're crooks, manipulative, and outright corrupt. If I had to make a judgement, I'd have to say that the entire story wrongly misses that the Organization formed the Yoma (evil monsters) so that they could also produce the solution Claymores (the saviors) in order to financially (and politically) fleece the general public. If that is true, and I think it is, then the authors of the Manga and the anime, have created a felonious assault on the viewer's belief system; because they have left all of us, with nothing but never-ending combat; while promising something more, grander and better. Never to be delivered.
This story will never get any better. While Claymore is dark, moody, and atmospheric (which I like); it might as well have been written in the the comic style of a TV sitcom for all its story line strength.
I really don't like writing negative reviews, but it is necessary in this case. Claymore is a huge disappointment. I give it a five (5); only because the artwork and character development is fairly good. The story is never going to fulfill its promise.
