During reading, I've found only one contradiction: it is said what Claymores don't age after Yoma parts is implanted into their bodies. According to this all Claymores must look like young girls, similar to their appearance, when organization took them. However, Claymores are depicted as full grown women.

... Last updated on February 17th, 2016, 11:55pm

I just have one question that repeatedly keeps at nagging me right now, Why? Why the heck did you choose to follow an altogether different plot-path than what was obviously intended Mr. Norihiro? WHY?

Here's the thing, I had three MAJOR issues with Claymore. Three and only three, but an oh-so-important three.

1. Claymore started out good, I am not going to deny that, but somewhere after the Manga started to slowly, but surely, decline both plot and character wise. Clare made some huge metamorphosis from being an actually pretty badass character that had some dark element to her, to a character that BARELY got any attention in the plot and was as a result made easily forgettable. I could hardly distinguish here from characters such as Miria, Deneve or Helen. Characters that were obviously made to be side characters, but still outshone Clare in every possible way towards the end!!!

2. Raki? Yeah Raki and a big question mark. What the heck happened to this very likable character that had so much potential? His story and his character could have been developed so much with the help of Isley and Princilla. Thanks Mr. Norihiro, appreciated.

3. ISLEY, I WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT ISLEY. He was such an interesting character that did not get the time he deserved.

I should probably also mention something about the art. I liked the old-version much better than the new one. The new art style felt....messy.

To sum up, I am disappointed, not going to deny that either. I whole heartedly believed that Claymore would be good from beginning to end. Would I recommend Claymore? Yes I would, because although this Manga had some plot-holes, issues and the like, it is good and original in its own way.

My journey with Claymore was a unique one. I started reading the first two volumes and while I found it scary, it wasn't my cup of tea for a while. Then Viz/Shonen Jump ran an editorial on the Shonen Jump website showcasing some of the Awakened Beings in the manga and then I went back into the series b/c I really took to the designs of the strange creatures. The story started getting interesting for me around Clare's origin story, which features Teresa and Priscilla (around Volume 3). One of the most memorable moments was the scene of the very first Awakening that displayed the reactions and feelings of the one in the process of Awakening. The best moments of the whole manga are the humanistic ones, and there are a few. Those moments when the author dedicates time for each character's story and backstory and explains why they do what they do. These were the most tragic moments of the series and the author keeps this element throughout the whole series. Humanity is a great discussion here and all of the characters start out as human beings just like us, caught in a chaotic time period and forced to make big decisions concerning life or death.

This was an interesting read and it felt very refreshing to see a manga with mainly female characters yet no female harems or impossibly large boobs and the like. At first I didn't really like the art and I agree that the eyes are drawn too far apart but it gets better. All the awakened forms were really cool so I guess the mangaka just isn't suited to drawing normal humans. All the characters were unique and likeable, well the villains weren't likeable but they were suitably creepy. The plot was interesting and I was expecting that Clare would have to fight her friend when they met again but thank god the mangaka didn't put friends against friends and betrayal in the mix... Overall great and recommended read !

The story at the beginning was very suspenseful and engaging, but halfway through it starts getting extremely cliche and by the end it's just a mess of friendship this friendship that. Ending is disappointing.

Claymore is my favorite manga. It's a true masterpiece, though not perfect.
Some (few) of the chapters are barely above average and a few of the plot decisions could have been chosen better, but all in all, it's very high quality, unique, and very very enjoyable.
The art is slightly eerie and the world lends the story a certain gritty realism. The fact that monsters like the Yoma and the Awakened Beings live in this world does not actually reduce that realism. Instead, the realism of the rest of it brings the unrealistic parts to life.
With every single chapter I read, every single page I turn I feet the love of the author for this work.
It was really amazing to enjoy a product that is more than just a professional's way of making a living (not that I'm saying that's bad, but it's special if it's more than just that).

I was there since the start, I read every chapter is it was released and I've read the entire series easily 8 times now. And I will read it again in a year or two. And after that. And again.
This is also the only manga I ever afforded the money to buy. I think that should probably tell you the most about just how much I enjoyed it.

Re-reads: 10

... Last updated on May 17th, 2020, 3:50pm

Most of you may already know, Claymore is a really gory and brutal manga, mix in an awesome captivating, interesting story and you have a masterpiece. The problem is that said qualities are lost in the last volumes.
What started out has a similar manga like Berserk, but with a female cast and a less profound story and plot, ultimately ended with the typical shounen crap. Don't misunderstand I love shounen but what started like Seinen turned in a blink of eye in Shounen, this is a difficult transition to make and doing it rushed like this only spells failure... I rated high because I'm judging the manga has a whole, this just shows how much I enjoyed it excluding the shitty ending.
From the beginning you always have your heart jumping asking when will something bad happen, that suspense that you like disappears for no reason.
After half the story they try and try to had plotwists and in each one, the story dies a little. A really big "bomb" information is dropped that changes completely what you thought was the Claymore world, but they don't even care to explain what happens with that next... They had so much volumes to think of a decent conclusion but then the story drags and drags just to a stupid end with no epilogue at least...
Beware there is no "Berserk" here after half the story, if that is you reason to try reading this you should move on.
The art was really good even better later, but the fights weren't so fluid like it should be, probably the mangaka style at play no problems there.

... Last updated on January 8th, 2015, 6:23am

My only complaint so far is that the art style is a little strange/unsettling. The artist draws the eyes too far apart, and the nose is so barely drawn that it looks like there isn't one. The characters (all of them) are very reptilian looking.

Story is pretty good, and the characters are compelling.

Just a creepy art style.

I don't usually comment on mainstream series, but I was interested by the comment by chaechaebol.

I think one of the reasons Claymore is so good, is because the special abilities aren't that shounen, like flame of recca or naruto or one piece or bleach or things where the abilities are way too wacky. The straightforward, awesome abilities of speed, illusion, suppression etc are just realistic enough to make it feel gritty and incredible, and varied enough to give it that fantasy and individual special techniques aspect. I guess it really depends on what you like, but for me Claymore's action scenes are what make the series, and they are some of the best in manga.

This series has a few plot twists and surprises that may blow your mind. I enjoy it for the most part, but the action in it is lacking in appeal to my taste. The claymore pretty much just hack and slash at different speeds when they fight.

... Last updated on May 22nd, 2014, 10:31am