Claymore / First Impressions

Summary:

Having learned the basics of the Quick Sword technique, Clare continues her training with Ilena, wanting to push herself more than Ilena will allow her. When they take a rest for the night, Clare notes how Ilena hasn’t changed in all these years, so the older warrior explains that Claymores don’t age, meaning that even Teresa would look the same if she were still alive. On the topic of Teresa, Ilena then confronts Clare about feeling at fault for the former Number 1’s death. Ilena believes that it was, to an extent, Clare’s fault since Teresa grown weaker as a warrior after meeting her. Still, Ilena thinks that Teresa was happy because Clare was with her, and the time they were together was peaceful and full of humanity. The next day, their training draws close to a finish as Clare learns to get a feel for her limits. Ilena, however, feels that Clare isn’t suited for the technique because of the passion in her heart. After telling Clare that she’ll never really be able to use the technique, Ilena suddenly slices off the stub that remained of Clare’s right arm. To Clare’s surprise, Ilena also cuts off her own remaining arm and presents it to Clare as a gift.

Clare attempts to protest this gift, but Ilena remains firm about Clare not being able to use the Quick Sword without this arm. This arm has been relatively useless for Ilena since she stopped fighting, and she wants Clare to have it so that Clare can live as proof that Teresa existed. Clare ultimately decides to take the arm and leaves, but she promises to come back to return it. Shortly after Clare is gone, an armless Ilena is approached by another Claymore who finally tracked her down: Rafaela, the current Number 5. She is here to kill Ilena and refuses to answer any questions about her scar or why she’s kept herself at that rank despite her strength. In the nearby forest, Clare suddenly senses something concerning Ilena, but before she can react, something else emerges in front of her. That something is none other than Ophelia in Awakened form, though it seems that she hasn’t realized she’s Awakened yet despite her hunger for innards. When she goes after Clare so that she can eat her, Ophelia notices how much stronger and faster her prey is now, but she still manages to take a bite out of Clare’s left arm. Not finding it tasty, Ophelia nevertheless knocks Clare into a nearby lake and then attempts to drown her.

It is not until Ophelia sees her reflection in the water that she finally realizes that she’s Awakened. In tears, she questions why she became the same kind of monster that she wanted to kill, and she blames the one-horned monster that murdered her brother. She’s brought back to reality when Clare suddenly slices Ophelia’s arm into pieces, and she proceeds to blame Clare for what happened to her. With her borrowed right arm, Clare is able to easily cut apart Ophelia’s other arm too, and she declares that she’ll be the one to kill the one-horned monster Priscilla. Clare then goes on the offensive and starts destroying every part of Ophelia, but she suddenly drops her sword. She suspects that the reason is because she hasn’t gotten used to Ilena’s arm yet, and this has allowed Ophelia to figure out the Quick Sword technique and Clare’s limitations. However, instead of directly attacking Clare, Ophelia decides to reform herself so that her human head and body become the end of her tail. Ophelia’s challenge for Clare is to cut up the length of her snake-like body without Awakening. If she succeeds, then Ophelia will entrust her purpose to Clare.

As Clare starts cutting up Ophelia’s body, Ophelia thinks to herself that Clare is an idiot for not just going directly for the tail. The way Clare is destroying herself without thinking about how the people left behind would feel reminds Ophelia of how her brother sacrificed himself to protect her from Priscilla. After remembering how she doesn’t like it when people fight outmatched and die on their own accord, Ophelia impales Clare multiple times. Seeing Clare unable to respond with her arm, Ophelia suddenly starts to yell at Clare about dying here alone and the people she’ll be leaving behind. This jars Clare into being able to use the Quick Sword technique again, and Ophelia starts questioning why she did that right as Clare cuts through the rest of her body. Left with only her human torso, Ophelia clings onto Clare and entrusts Clare with everything as promised. Clare then stabs her in the gut, and Ophelia’s final words to her say that she forgive her if Clare loses. As she falls into the water and her hair unfurls, Ophelia recalls her brother’s last smile and wonders why she’s remembering it now. In her final thoughts, Ophelia wishes to play together with her brother on the other side.

Preview

So I guess Ophelia had some redeeming features after all – or at least she didn’t seem quite as bad as in the two previous episodes. Once she stopped lopping off Clare’s body parts and once we learned more about her past, she actually showed some human qualities. Given what she had done though, it’s too little too late, but at least her death made her seem somewhat honorable. Actually, I hadn’t realized that she was talking about Priscilla last week when she mentioned the one-horned monster, so I liked how that tied things together with her entrusting Clare with revenge against Priscilla. And Clare’s now finally more powerful with this new arm, so maybe she won’t have to experience such a humiliating defeat again. The question for me now is if Priscilla is going to be the final boss or the Organization itself. The Organization seems to grow more sinister with every arc, and the mysterious Rafaela killing Ilena doesn’t help any. The preview shows that the next arc will have plenty of new characters, including some Claymores, but there’s no sign of Raki.

61 Comments

  8. That was exactly what happened in the Manga.
    Finaly Orphelia found her peace.
    Her story is also interesting but well, read the manga 😉
    https://randomc.net/image/Claymore/Claymore%20-%2014%20-%20Large%2012.jpg

    “Approximately how much manga chapters does each episode cover?”
    Would say ~3, depends though.
    Actualy there was a side story published. It’s about
    Show Spoiler ▼

    Pick it from the usual places like Toyko Toshokan.

    mutio
    Reply

  11. A bitch? She’s the most interesting character in the entire show, IMHO 🙂

    Riful is an absolutely brilliant addition to Claymore, because she opens up an entire new faction for us, AND she’s both very smart AND very twisted.

    Mentar
    Reply

  12. @animeaddict depend on the episode but generally each episode cover couple chapter at time. This episode is the Vol. 8 chapter 40 of the manga.

    The fight on this episode was pretty cool and like the Clare was able to fully learn a lot.

    dxanato
    Reply

  21. “he question for me now is if Priscilla is going to be the final boss or the Organization itself. The Organization seems to grow more sinister with every arc, and the mysterious Rafaela killing Ilena doesn’t help any. The preview shows that the next arc will have plenty of new characters, including some Claymores, but there’s no sign of Raki.”

    Uhh. . yeah The organization is really sick. wont go into the details, but they are fuxed up. Its gonan be a long time before Raki shows up again. He’ll be in the last parts of the anime if it is to go to 26 eps, but clare and raki wont be reunited for a while, and probably not in the series if they stick to the manga. But yeah the next few arcs are going to be really cool, you’ll love it.

    jackson burger
    Reply

  24. @Mentar yes I agree Riful is an awesome character, great addition to the progression of the plot.

    @kaito, well youve obviously read the manga so you should know that the anime probably isnt going to get through all of it sicne the author wont be going back to the main story till november-.- So they probably will end it after one of the later arcs and make a season two later on when the manga is finished.

    jackson burger
    Reply

  28. Claymore is so mad. Legendary series i’ve yet to come across in a long time.

    Definitely will enjoy this show until the end. Hopefully they leave an open ending and pick it up with a 2nd series. Last season we thought nothing could live up to CG. Now i’m scared that it’ll be a while before something else comes and is on par with claymore to me.

    Typer
    Reply

  30. i want back the d grayman blog plzz i a great fan of the manga even tho the anime aint even dear the lvl of the manga i still interested in the series so plz could ya bolg at least episode 38 or 39

    the nik
    Reply

  32. @animeaddict

    The end of ep.14 matches up with the end ch 40, so the average is ~2.86 chapters covered per episode, but keep in mind that Claymore is a monthly manga so their chapters tend to be longer then the weekly series (so actually close to roughly a 1/2 volume of the manga is covered per episode).

    Za_Paper
    Reply

  35. Hmmm… tons of spoilers from the comments. Not really much discussions or personal thoughts about the current episodes and plot development like what Omni is trying to convey.

    That’s the problem when ppl can read the translated manga ahead. The value of a weekly anime that allow us to watch, absorb, reflect and anticipate is turning into what’s next? what’s new? where is the next page? maybe I can skip ahead… kind of mental state.

    Anyways, I’ve read the manga too, waiting for the next chapter. The anime’s value is lost forever. Now it’s just to see how they draw the scenes, the actions, etc… The anticipation is gone. Thanks to the first j****s spoiler.

    Futari no Yorube
    Reply

  36. I think Rafaela’s Primary Job is to hunt down and kill all Claymore’s that have fled or aren’t 110% loyal. Considering that Ilena The flash sword, faked her on death, but I’m saddened by her death. Ilena should of shown Clare her Yoki suppression skill,(ie how to hide and remain hidden from other CLaymores) like how Ilena misteriously showed up in ep 13.

    The suspicious Man Dressed in black, waring Glassses
    Reply

  38. aaah, she is not called Ilena!! It’s completely impossible for her name to be “Ilena”, it’s イレーネ “I-re-ne” not イレーナ “I-re-na” or even “ai-ri-na” or however Ilena is supposed to be pronounced in English. “Irene” pronounced as in Italian, German, Greek etc.

    Since when do you accept changed names just like that oO;

    Minikui
    Reply

  39. Goodbye, dearest Ophelia! Your death was the same as in the manga!
    . . .
    Jean’s up next! and Riful! and . . .
    MISS CLAYMORE! Go Galatea!
    i wonder… did the anime show Ilena’s death? y’know, just to confirm the rumor that Ilena is still alive via “Youki release: Quickfeet no jutsu!” (or something . . .)

    greg
    Reply

  41. The Great Loli of the West is one sick girl. But yeah, she makes the story very interesting. XD

    The manga material from this arc onwards is what made me really get interested in Claymore. Better yet when all of Clare’s nakama start playing greater roles in the storylines.

    Jean, Galatea… CANT WAIT! :))

    krazy
    Reply

  45. Claymore was very nice, by far the best of the spring season, but actually from Teresa’s arc and onwards it moved to perfect, on par with my favorite series.

    By the way, I just hope that brat doesn’t show up again, unless it is for a short pointless death 😉

    Do you know any sites with wallpapers from Claymore? I only managed to find some sketches.

    @Minikui
    Totally agree “Ilena” is wrong, “Irene” is correct, though in greek, it is pronounced I-ri-ni, despite the fact that most people use the german romanization.

    Malkuth
    Reply

  46. Claymore was very nice, by far the best of the spring season, but actually from Teresa’s arc and onwards it moved to perfect, on par with my favorite series.

    By the way, I just hope that Raki-brat doesn’t show up again, unless it is for a short pointless death 😉

    Do you know any sites with wallpapers from Claymore? I only managed to find some sketches.

    @Minikui
    Totally agree “Ilena” is wrong, “Irene” is correct, though in greek, it is pronounced I-ri-ni, despite the fact that most people use the german romanization.

    Malkuth
    Reply

  48. EXACTLY!!!!!! I’M WAITING FOR THE GROWN UP RAKI TOO!! cuz you know he’s gonna get all up in clares guts!!! “BIG SISTER FANTASY REALIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

    BROOKLYN otaku
    Reply

  50. Yeah I’d say something about Ophelia…but who cares poor Irene probably got killed. Seriously what were they worried about? That she was going to walk around kicking them all to death? Not being able to defend herself was just a pretty sad way to go down. Feel bad since she really wasn’t a bad person and really had a normal response to such a terrible situation like the one with Priscilla. Being afraid of death yet having to be killed by that Raphaela and not being able to do anything.

    Makes sense why Irene gave up her arm. Probably knew when she took down Ophelia that her yoki could be sensed again and wasn’t up for fighting against the organization to survive. There wasn’t a trick other than not using yoki for a long time which isn’t an option for Clare of course. Either she found a way to escape which would be nice, or simply they didn’t want to show the audience a sad sight of a defenseless Irene getting killed by Raphaela.

    On that note unless Raphaela has some really likable quality I’m hoping she gets cut to bits by Irene’s right arm down the road. Now that’d be some payback.

    FlareKnight
    Reply

  53. @FlareKnight

    Something from the manga that was left out of the anime, was that Irene said she would be able to eventually regrow her arm (albeit very slowly since she’s an offensive type), but the new arm wouldn’t allow her to use her Quick Sword technique anymore.

    But like you said, Irene might have been aware that her training of Claire would lead to “The Organization” finding and killing her, so she might as well of given Claire her arm.

    Za_Paper
    Reply

  57. Claymore has been fun and all but this new arc is where the real fun begins, after every episodes from now on, you be begging god for someone to build a time machine so we can fast forward to the future and watch all the claymore.

    Bob
    Reply

  59. I’d have liked to see Raki come back as a male warrior. Deal with the devil kinda shtick. Plus I sorta kinda have a shota complex so Raki in the beginning was the only reason I was watching Claymore.

    Suma
    Reply

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