Female knights galore! Well, my fetish for ladies clad in knight's armor got the best of me the instant I saw some images and background description on this anime series. True enough, the numerous blonde babes in medieval armor, wielding large swords, each with her own unique identity and awesomeness really gets me excited. Though I make it sound like a harem, its totally different and way deeper than that. Claymore is a classic tale of revenge mixed with a bit of romance and tons of bloody action. Somewhat along the lines of the popular movie series Kill Bill but in a medieval setting where demons, called Yoma, abound, terrorizing humans and an organization of exterminators-for-hire comprising of blonde, silver-eyed female warriors wielding huge swords, called Claymores exist to protect humans from Yoma.



The story revolves around Clare, a Claymore and Raki, a boy whom Clare took under her wing -which is unusual for Claymores who are usually cold towards humans- as a cook after being abandoned and thrown out of his village because his brother turned into a Yoma. Unlike normal Claymores, who are half-human and half-Yoma, Clare had another Claymore's flesh and blood infused in her body thus making her quite an incomplete fusion of Yoma and human.




When Clare was still a young girl, she had requested the organization to turn her into a Claymore using the severed head of a fallen Claymore. The head of the  previous number one and the strongest Claymore in the organization's history, Teresa of the Faint Smile. Teresa saved the life and took care of Clare and even went against the organization just to do so but was slain in battle by the current number two, Priscilla who in the heat of the battle became an "Awakened Being", a Claymore turned Yoma with powers far greater than a normal Yoma. Clare travels along with Raki from town-to-town on her Yoma hunting jobs all the while, waiting for the time to come when she'll finally be able to meet face to face Priscilla and avenge Teresa's death.



I should say, this is one of those titles that kept me glued on my seat until I've finished watching every arc. The story is very commendable and really gripping especially the character development on Clare and the story's progress on each arc. I really hope a second season would be made as the ending feels open-ended, not to mention, the series isn't even half the story on its manga.