History Manga / Claymore

''Claymore'' (クレイモア ''Kureimoa'') is a DarkFantasy [[ShonenDemographic shonen]] manga by Norihiro Yagi, who wanted to try drawing a more serious story after finishing his debut manga, the high school delinquent parody ''Manga/AngelDensetsu''. Stylistically it takes inspiration from the generation of action manga that Yagi read as a youth including ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'' and ''Manga/SpaceAdventureCobra''. He planned the plot loosely so that he could let it develop naturally and the tale grew with the telling, beginning publication in May 2001 and finishing in October 2014 at 155 chapters. Notable draws for the series include its WorldOfActionGirls, drawn-out and gory fight sequences featuring some [[OneWingedAngel really hideous demons]], and its exploration of what makes someone [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman a human or a monster]]. Creator/{{Madhouse}} adapted the manga into a 26-episodes anime directed by Hiroyuki Tanaka and written by Yasuko Kobayashi, which aired in Japan from 3 April 2007 to 25 September 2007. It covered the story from volume 1 to the first half of volume 11 (up to chapter 59), staying relatively faithful to the source material until its [[GeckoEnding departure from the manga in its last episodes]], which it took in order to give the series a conclusion the manga didn't have at the time.

* {{Bokukko}}: There is a sliding scale of masculinity of dialect for the claymores. Most use "watashi" and "omae" to foes. Noble, masculine types like Jean use "watashi" but "omae" to allies. Rude, feminine types like Helen use "atashi" and "omae" to allies. Rude, masculine types like Undine use "ore" and "temae" to allies. The rudest claymore is Rachel, who uses "ore" and "teme", a real [[SirSwearsALot sailor mouth]].

* DoesNotLikeShoes: Mainly Riful, who seemed to disregard all footwear since she became an Abyssal One; but all Claymores count a bit, as they take off their shoes when resting regardless of where they are.

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: Awakened Beings, if they recognize any authority at all, usually follow one of the three Abyssal Ones due to them being the most powerful of their kind. Similarly, a Claymore's rank is determined by her combat prowess. However, the members of the Organization, who have authority over the Claymores by virtue of having created them, have not demonstrated any combat abilities so far.

* SexSlave: Unlike a lot of DarkFantasy series, ''Claymore'' doesn't shout at the top of its lungs that rape happens, but it's certainly implied that it does, and sexual slavery is no different. Actually, ''Claymore'' is a bit more disturbing in that when such implications arise, it usually involves pedophilia, and both [[HornyDevils monsters]] AND [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters humans]] partake in it. Poor little Clare had to go through both ordeals, first when she was held captive by that yoma that was molesting her, and then when the bandits planned on making her their child sex toy. Luckily, [[MamaBear Teresa]] saved her from both fates.

* PointyEars: According to Wiki/TheOtherWiki, a semi-rare mutation caused by the enhancement process.

** PowerBornOfMadness: See the entry on PowerOfHate above discussing Priscilla's issues.

* IHaveTheHighGround: done by Clare in Pieta, and observed in awe by two towns guards.

* GlassCannon: Elite Claymore tend to be this, since they can die if they receive a blow in the wrong place. The most powerful monster of the series is this trope UpToEleven compared to the monster of the same category (who are more like a LightningBruiser) : she can die in one good hit, but is very fast and can {{OneHitKill}} almost anything.

** In the final battle, [[spoiler:Teresa]] takes this UpToEleven, with most of the battle being a homage to all of Clare's friends through using their techniques. But, y'know, [[spoiler:better than they can, because it's Teresa.]]

* PantyShot: Mostly averted because of the way the Claymore's uniforms are designed, but then we get a blatant one on Clare in Chapter 100. And even then, it's not of sexual nature.

* {{Determinator}}: Mainly Clare, although Jean, Deneve (Not that we're forgetting the rest of the Seven Ghosts or anything, but [[spoiler: ripping off your own arm to stop yourself from getting infected is kind of hard to top]]), Raphaela and Teresa should all count under this trope. [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters At]] ''least''...

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: To the point where it gets hard to keep track of [[http://xiaoyuchi.deviantart.com/art/Claymore-icons-89221248?q=boost%3Apopular+helen+and+deneve&qo=53 everyone's names]]

%% Zero Context Examples, double-bulleting (**) trope names, and spoilering trope names go against TV Tropes' Administrivia policies.
%% Badass is no longer a trope.

--->-- '''Cassandra''': "You, who tastes worse than ''shit'', can keep eating ''shit'' forever until you turn into ''shit'' yourself."

* GhibliHills: [[CrapsackWorld All]] [[EldritchAbomination things]] [[TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness considered]], it's truly a lovely continent they live on.

* HeWhoFightsMonsters: The more a Claymore uses her [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Yoma powers]], the greater the risk of becoming a ''literal'' monster, and having a Claymore or three sent after her. In the series, it's a great sign of respect when a Claymore who has gone too far asks another Claymore to kill her. See also, HeroicRROD.

* IfWeGetThroughThis: A variant happens during the Northern Campaign arc, where after their first battle with the Awakened Beings, the survivors (which remarkably, all twenty-four warriors do) spend the rest of the night conversing with each other and giving each other emotional support and pep talks. Touching though these scenes were, [[TemptingFate just by saying this,]] [[EverybodysDeadDave you know what happens the next day.]]

-->''[[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything "Keep it up.]] [[LampshadeHanging A blade moving through the body is extremely stimulating."]]''

* LeotardOfPower / MinidressOfPower: Each of the Seven Ghosts wear some variant of this after the time skip in addition to their light armor. Like the organization's uniform, it's hardly played for FanService [[{{Stripperiffic}} like some]] [[ChainmailBikini other series]], but more of an alternative take on medieval dress for warrior women.
** Ilena also wears this sweet-ass outfit when Clare meets her, granted that [[ImpossiblyCoolClothes she would probably have some problems putting it on with only one arm,]] [[{{Handwave}} but]] [[RuleOfCool meh.]]

** A more mundane version was seen back in chapter 17, where a band of bandits see their leader (whose [[WhipSword "Falcon Sword"]] technique had previously seemed invincible) [[SingleStrokeBattle effortlessly cut down]] by a woman who was [[MoralityPet holding a girl]] [[MamaBear one of them had brutalized]] in her other arm.

** ''[[DissonantSerenity "Hysteria]] [[FlashStep the]] [[OneManArmy Elegant".]]'' Nope, [[MostDefinitelyNotAVillain totally not someone to worry about]] [[SarcasmMode at all.]]

* {{Mundanger}}: The bandits from the flashback arc were the only {{Muggles}} who posed a threat in this series, both in a short term and long term sense since [[spoiler: [[ThouShaltNotKillMuggles when Teresa killed them,]] [[NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished that was the beginning of her end.]]]]

* PowerOfFriendship: When you really get down to it, this is what ''Claymore'' is all about (or, it's at least one of the themes). All claymores have gone through [[BreakTheCutie a great deal of trauma]] in their lives, from being divided from their families, having half of their humanity stripped away from them, and becoming pariahs in normal human society. The "benevolent" organization are no surrogate parents, since they only see the women as expendable tools for their own mission. As a possible defense mechanism, most claymores put up a wall of indifference and cynicism around them, to avoid enduring more trauma on their part, but in reality, all that the claymores have are each other, so strong bonds still manage to form between them, be it [[HeterosexualLifePartners a pair of two,]] [[FireForgedFriends a team of four,]] [[TrueCompanions a mini squad,]] [[TheCavalry or the whole damn army.]]

* ThisIsUnforgivable: When a Claymore says this, she [[HeroicRROD means]] [[AndThenJohnWasAZombie it]]. Almost always used as a MadnessMantra.

* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Audrey (polite and has the 'gentle sword' technique) and Rachel (looks almost like a guy and has a 'strong sword' technique).
** [[HoYay They really come across as butch and femme at times, ]][[spoiler: in particular when Ray cries when she thinks Audrey's dead.]]

* WhipSword: The Falcon Sword used by the bandit chief in Teresa's arc is an example of these. He even boasted the power of his weapon thinking that it would have been able to match the power of [[WorldsBestWarrior Teresa of the Faint Smile]]. [[MuggingTheMonster Sadly mistaken]] [[DoNotTauntCthulhu is a term]] [[SingleStrokeBattle that would apply]] [[OneHitKill in this case]]...

* {{Determinator}}: Mainly Clare, although Jean, Deneve (Not that we're forgetting the rest of the [[FanNickname Seven Ghosts]] or anything, but [[spoiler: ripping off your own arm to stop yourself from getting infected is kind of hard to top]]), Raphaela and Teresa should all count under this trope. [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters At]] ''least''...

* LifeForce: Youki.

* {{Asexuality}}: Unless you read into the LesYay Subtext and are convinced that the Claymores are homosexuals that have sex off-screen, pretty much everyone in the cast who isn't completely human isn't interested in sex at all. Probably [[JustifiedTrope justified]] in the fact that people who have Yoma flesh in them become sterile along with their superhuman abilities, not to mention becoming traumatically scarred.
** Though not necessarily aromantic, as evidenced by [[PowerCopying Roxanne of Love and Hate's]] backstory.
** One could take [[spoiler:Clare's kissing Raki right before they separated]] to be indicative of her sexuality, and growing humanity. Which would make sense, since she's only one quarter Yoma to begin with. Of course, it isn't hard to imagine she just did that to get herself alone with Ophelia. Helen once also accused Raki of being Clare's 'plaything'.
** Given that the [[spoiler: surgical scars from their transformation extend all the way to their genitals]], you might think Claymores were afraid to have sex for fear of [[spoiler:their guts spilling out]]. However, [[spoiler: reborn Teresa]] says the idea of Raki taking Clare's chastity pisses off, so it sounds as if it could be physically possible for Clare at least.

[[InAWorld On a continent cut off from the outside world]], in a [[MedievalEuropeanFantasy medieval-ish]] civilization of scattered cities and villages, demons called ''Yoma'' hide among the humans and prey on them for food. These demons are capable of tearing through armored soldiers, have an insatiable appetite for human entrails, and can disguise themselves perfectly as humans. For these terrorized communities, there is only one source of salvation: pay an exorbitant sum of money to a mysterious group called [[TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness The Organization]], which will send one of its feared silver-eyed female warriors to root out the threat.

Nicknamed "Claymores" by the common people after the great swords they wield, these warriors are half-human, half-demon hybrids possessing superhuman strength, speed, and regeneration, as well as senses that can detect demons and demonic energy. They are all adopted as orphans by the Organization and trained after undergoing the painful surgery to implant demon flesh in their bodies, learning to use their demon halves to bring out their most impressive abilities while fighting ''Yoma''. However, a Claymore who releases too much of her demon power at once runs the risk of losing control and turning into something truly monstrous. Human society [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer rejects them as freaks]], and their own Organization treats them as [[WeHaveReserves expendable pawns]] by sending them on one dangerous assignment after another until their luck runs out. Desertion from the Organization is punished by death, as is breaking the iron-clad rule not to kill a human under any circumstances.

Our main character is Clare, a [[TheStoic stoic]] and self-sacrificing warrior assigned the number 47. She is the weakest Claymore of her generation because she took on the flesh of a fellow warrior instead of a ''Yoma'', and is therefore only one-quarter demon. In her travels, she adopts a teenage boy named [[HeartwarmingOrphan Raki]] who was cast out by his village after she killed the demon that ate his family. Raki [[MoralityPet tags along]] with her as her cook as she goes from village to village plunging into one desperate fight after another, and gets past her emotional defenses enough to earn a place in her heart. However, Clare is caught up in her own quest to get {{Revenge}} on the monster that killed her mother-figure. On top of that, she is soon sucked into a vast conflict between the Organization in the East and the supreme demons called Abyssal Ones that rule the North, South, and West, as well as a rebellion by a group of Claymores who want to expose the Organization's dark secrets. What ensues is a story of sacrifice, survival, TrueCompanions, and finding something WorthLivingFor.

** [[spoiler:[[TragicVillain Cassandra]]]], presumably because [[GutPunch the manga-ka hates her fans.]]

** [[spoiler:Octavia]] is beheaded and lives long enough to watch her body to devoured, to her (very short-lived) horror.

** [[spoiler:[[TragicVillain Cassandra]]]], presumably because [[GutPunch the manga-ka hates his fans.]]

* BadassAdorable: All of the little trainees count as this. Just look at their [[http://www.mangakong.com/manga/Claymore/125/27 cute, clueless faces! ]]

* ShoutOut : to one to his previous work, Angel Densetsu. [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/angel_densetsu/v14/c075/20.html Ikuno]] and [[http://www.mangareader.net/485-29325-15/claymore/chapter-14.html Teresa]] compare having a little blonde girl to owning a pet...

** Cynthia even hangs a {{Lampshade}} on the [[http://www.mangareader.net/485-57823-15/claymore/chapter-108.html impracticality]] of it.

* InstantAwesomeJustAddDragons: [[spoiler: ''Claymore'' gets a lot more interesting at the reveal that [[spoiler: all of the warriors are essentially being trained up to become ''fucking dragon slayers.'']] Chapter 126 takes it even further [[spoiler:with the reveal that youma (and by extension Claymores) are humans augmented with parasites born from the flesh of dragons. The Claymores are ''half-dragon dragon slayers''.]]

* OurDragonsAreDifferent: [[spoiler: The dragons, or the Asarakam, are bizzare looking creatures who can awaken, like Claymores, into the "Descendents of Dragons" and are about as monstrous as any Awakened being. Both are positively Geigerian. These Asarakam are hermaphroditic and can live up to 200 years, growing stronger as they age. When slain, they decay at a rapid rate.]]

* ZettaiRyouiki: After the timeskip, several of The Seven Ghosts wear thigh-highs that show skin between the leggings and hemline.
** ZettaiRyouiki shows up a few other times in the series: in Clare's disguise when she first goes to Rabona and in the [[ImpossiblyCoolClothes glorious but impractical]] outfit [[spoiler: Ilena]] wears while in hiding. Post-timeskip Galatea also wears ZettaiRyouiki under her robes. While disguised as [[spoiler: [[NaughtyNuns a nun]]]], mind you.

* UnfamiliarCeiling: Clare, when she wakes up after Ilena saves her from Ophelia.