Shounen Claymore by Norihiro Yagi

[Number A]

Here's my first and probably last ever swag pic It's the English box set, the artbook, and the complete manga in Japanese (I've started lessons).

Spoiler

I found the following rather interesting image when flicking through the artbook. It's a draft version of Clare.

Spoiler

Note the total absence of wound on her torso.

 

[TStew]

Those box sets are really cool [USER]Claymore1[/USER], [USER]Sir Isley[/USER], and [USER]Number A[/USER]
I had no idea those would be made available, but after collecting all so far individually except the last one, I think I'll just have to fabricate my own box for my set. I'll include some Claymore artwork of some kind when I build the box.

And #A that's pretty cool you got the Jap version and taking up learning, good luck! That really puts the size of the box set into perspective with the artbook next to it... and the art book is full sized! The draft version of Clare is pretty enat now you mention it. I've probably passed it by many times but never really dwelt on it before. Really everything about it is different... from the more normal-ish sized sword to the very short cape and lack of neck-piece with symbol. The armor plates around the waste are shaped differently too. Is it just me or did his earlier drawings (including this one of Clare) look more Japanese-ish and the later more refined ones look to be more European?

I did pick up one more piece of swag a few days ago...

Spoiler

The coffee mug. Not official, but a nice piece. It is available on ebay. It is the full image, wraps 3/4 of the mug. Was a bit pricey for a coffee mug but that is something I can actually use, and I do collect coffee mugs so fits in just fine (though I'll rarely use this one).

I also threw in the pic one of my Clare figures, it is not new (very first one I got actually) but I recently got it out of the box again after a year or so. I decided to swap the head which I have not ever done. I put the awakened head on it. You can barely tell, but she has gold eyes, small veins on the sides of her face, and little baby fangs starting (they make the mouths too small on the figures lol). But when I did this I found that her Cloak comes off. I've never had it off before so it was a nice change - but accurately depicts her condition after bringing Jean back to fight Dauf (she gave her cloak to Jean, and then in her fight she did release yoki).

That particular figure of Clare also reminds me of one reason I like Claymore. Other figures often are very scantily clad in bathing suits or some other sexy arrangement (not that I don't mind those ones too)... but then there is Claymore with very few figures ever made, and it's of the main character dressed disguised as a man lol. That deserves some respect and cred! none of that other silly stuff!

 

[Number A]

Wait, what? What's all this about an unofficial mug?!

Also, if we're talking cool unoffical merch, I kinda want one of these rings: https://www.etsy.com/listing/208942...osts-handmade-sterling?ref=shop_home_active_2

 

[TStew]

Wait, what? What's all this about an unofficial mug?!

Also, if we're talking cool unoffical merch, I kinda want one of these rings: https://www.etsy.com/listing/208942...osts-handmade-sterling?ref=shop_home_active_2

Nice find! I'd be tempted by that one too. Maybe if they made it from a titanium band. I see some other Claymore stuff on the site. Any other cool unofficial merchandise anyone know about other than the usual stuff on ebay? I was thinking about getting a tshirt or something just in case I ever wander into a con or something. But not terribly thrilled with what is out there on ebay or amazon... I've tried doing one of those sites that make custom stuff for you like Zazzle but they rejected images due to it being copyrighted. Anyone know somewhere that will do it?

 

[Number A]

Yo! We got some more Wedge chapters up! We're up to 10.

 

[Goral]

I've stumbled upon some awesome Teresa fanart: http://borjen-art.deviantart.com/#/art/Teresa-of-the-Faint-Smile-593563962?hf=1
But not only Teresa as you can see. Teresa and Galatea are the most beautiful and Miria is the ugliest so everything is in good order.



Edit:
Teresa resembles Evangeline Lilly.

 

[Sir Isley]

Clare is my fav outta of those.

 

[Goral]

It's been over 15 months since Claymore ended and there's still no sign of Yagi starting a new manga. I hope it will change in the near future. FYI between Angel Densetsu and Claymore there was a 15 month gap (5th February 2000 to May 11 2001).

 

[Number A]

Miria is the ugliest so everything is in good order.

And Goral is still hating on Miria so the fandom is not yet truly dead

I've written absurd amounts of fanfiction while waiting for ppl to get Wedge stuff done, btw, if anyone is interested.

 

[Sir Isley]

I'm still waiting for an anime reboot.

 

[Claymore1]

I'm still waiting for an anime reboot.

I will wait for it until I die.

As for the pictures, I would have to agree with Goral, Galatea and Teresa are the best looking out of them. Followed by Clare, Miria, and then Jean.
Jean just looks like a boy, but she always looked like that.

 

[TStew]

I've stumbled upon some awesome Teresa fanart: http://borjen-art.deviantart.com/#/art/Teresa-of-the-Faint-Smile-593563962?hf=1
But not only Teresa as you can see. Teresa and Galatea are the most beautiful and Miria is the ugliest so everything is in good order.


Edit:
Teresa resembles Evangeline Lilly.

Well I think Miria looks as nice as the rest, but Jean is a bit more gruff than I imagined. Great find though! I always liked the more realistic appearance Claymore portrayed... well a bit more realistic than many anime at least. But this art furthers that IMO.

When I first saw Galatea I was instantly drawn to my memory of that hottie on Harlock Space Pirate. Had to look it up... Kei
Side by side is not nearly as close as what I had in my memory, but still a resemblance. Galatea has longer hair of course.

I'm still waiting for an anime reboot.

My hope is that eventually when they are running out of new material they may go back and reboot or add a season on some of the older ones, much like movies today. There is always a chance...

Now if they would use the awesome animation from Harlock Space Pirate and the awesome story of Claymore, now that would be something! All they have to do is lengthen Kei's hair and they have one character ready to go lol.

As for me I still haven't finished reading Claymore. There has been a part of me that doesn't want it to be over so I don't want to read the end. I recently realized that that was actually a thing... some people never read the end of their favorite stories. Well I probably will soon, just not quite there yet. Over the winter I kind of put it away for a while and switched gears. But by spring I was having a Claymore vibe and decided to start it back up, and a couple times a week I'll go through a book, think I'm back up to Vol 23 so only a few weeks if I keep it up. Problem is next two weeks at work are pretty rough ones and then I'm on vaca hiking in the mountains for a couple weeks so not sure I may have another big gap.

 

[dany le fou]

There's still some stuff on Danbooru sometimes...
Warning : NSFW : http://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/2411133

 

[Bonefist]

It seems that Mister Yagi is still alive. He did this for the 30th anniversary art tribute to Viz Media. Credit goes to DemiFiendRSA.

 

[Goral]

It seems like they reused old art and just stamped a writing on it. I'm guessing none of these authors lifted a finger on this (besides agreeing to this). Also, Dorohedoro > Claymore :P.

 

[Number A]

It seems like they reused old art and just stamped a writing on it. I'm guessing none of these authors lifted a finger on this (besides agreeing to this). Also, Dorohedoro > Claymore :P.

There's a good point :P

--- Double Post Merged, Jul 24, 2016, Original Post Date: Jul 18, 2016 ---

Update: A tumblr user also saw the same pic at SDCC and took a closer-up pic. It looks less like older art in it not least because it looks like it's marker and Yagi generally works with oils.

--- Double Post Merged, Aug 20, 2016 ---

Hey! The Tumblr community has started a Claymore discord chat. Please shoot me a PM if you're interested!

--- Double Post Merged, Aug 22, 2016 ---

Here's more info about the chat. It's open so, like, feel free to drop in

 

[Fate_Archer]

It's been ages. Even though I found worthy replacements for my invested series in Vinland Saga and Berserk, Claymore is still missed. There was something special about waiting for a new Claymore chapter every month, with the odd post on the community discussions. I haven't even finished reading this last page, but I liked everyone's post. Even those I do not agree with. If I could, I'd even like my own post.

 

[TStew]

Well I'd thought I'd stop in and announce that my long Claymore journey has finally come to its end. Few are probably still reading this thread but since I loved some of the discussions earlier I just felt a part of these forums. Earlier in the week I decided to read the final chapters. Some of you have been reading it month by month for a lot longer than I, but even when I jumped into it just a few years ago I still read them at a slow pace, just a few chapters every once in a while. I really wanted to extend out the journey as much as possible. I can't believe it's been over for so long (for the rest of you anyhow), but even now I wonder if I should have waited even longer on the final chapters. I think it was some time last winter I decided to start the manga over and read from the beginning all the way through. I'm not certain but I think it was the first time starting over from 1 again, and to be honest I had forgotten some of the smaller battles and other tidbits here and there. Felt almost as good as the first time. I caught up to where I had read up to prior, I think it was just prior to Miata's awakening, early this summer. I continued on through till I reached the last volume and decided I'd read it all together on one special day. Just had to pick out a day of some significance I thought. Last weekend I had a big race, an 18 miler in my home town that I traveled to and visited family for a few days. Claymore has always giving me a bit of inspiration and feelings of strength when it came to running, sometimes just hearing some of the soundtracks from the anime in my playlist gives me some extra mental fortitude during a very straining race. I completed the 18 miler and knocked a whopping 6 minutes off my time from last year and placed in my division, 11th in the overall race (of 352 finishers). I'd like to say that I was pushing my limits of yoki release. Anyhow I thought I'd celebrate the minor victory and finish my favorite manga. I set out some memorabilia, actually just all the figures I had of Claymore, played the OST disc from the anime for some nice theme music and put up one of my favorite pics of Clare I made on my tv as I finished my read. The pic is also symbolic of the sun setting for the last time on this series since it is sort of a sunset pic, well at least evening sky. There were only a few sunsets in Claymore (referring more towards the anime here) but for some reason I always think of Claymore when I see good sunsets. I also had a special beer I had been hanging on since the early days of reading the manga... early on I was attracted to this brew due to the name... Raison D'etre due to it being the name of the opening song on the anime (reason for being). It became a habit to have a Raison D'etre while reading the manga until I couldn't find them anymore and decided to keep my last once for the finish. Luckily its a strong beer and can take a bit of aging in my cellar. I held on to the last one till the end, and enjoyed it during my finish, aged 3+ years in my cellar.

My setup for the finish^
Yeah I know I am big nerd.

Many series have had disappointing finishes, rarely do they live up to elevated expectations. I was thoroughly impressed with Claymore's finish. Thought it was fantastic. Both thumbs up to Mr. Yagi It's sad though to be over. But now there is fan fiction and other things I can read, that I didn't before due to potential spoilers. That'll keep me going a while longer. And the hope that some day someone will decide to go back and fix or start over an anime for the entire series.

Summer 2011 - September 4 2016

 

[Fate_Archer]

Chronicles of a true Claymore fan!! I enjoyed reading your account, TStew. Not to take the merit of many of ourselves, who have been discussing Claymore for years and always had a very special connection with this amazing series. Yours was certainly a very unique approach, and your dedication to the series always impressed me. It's sad that it has come to an end... but as the popular saying goes: "never be sad that it ended, be happpy that it happened!".

Haha, and yes, I suppose now you can read lots of archives that you may have avoided due to spoilers. Unfortunately, you won't be able to experience the atmosphere of a lively Claymore community anymore, specially where you're currently at (unless the anime is revived with another adaptation or Yagi starts a related series), and the joys of monthly discussion and theory crafting.

I also absolutely loved the ending, and think it leaves things quite open ended for imagination. Btw, here is something I saw the other day and it reminded me of Claymore:

I can't be the only reminded of some familiar faces when looking at this lovely picture.

 

[Number A]

TStew is finished; the rooks have left the tower of London. Thanks for sharing that moment with us.

Also Fate, that pic is almost uncanny. What is it and could this possibly be deliberate on the part of the maker?

And who else here loves Vinland Saga?! Shall we go occupy that forum instead?