Shounen Claymore by Norihiro Yagi

[Fate_Archer]

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?

This is actually a short manga series, the name is in the image itself, Biotop by Hatopopoko. It's untranslated, and I don't know much else from it, besides getting a certain Claymore feeling about it (the story should be heavily different of course, but this particular image is quite reminiscent, specially of the old fandom pics that were post by a number of artists in the community). My intuition is that the author might like or have been influenced by Norihiro Yagi's works. The blonde hairs, some of the faces reminding some Claymore characters, and all of them being angels (an image that's used on a number of Yagi's works).

Not a dedicated forum, but there's a thread for VS here, I just made a post there. Should post there from time to time, for the latest chapters.

 

[TStew]

Thanks @Number A & @Fate_Archer
Archer, I suppose I really latched onto this series even more because it was the first anime I really liked after watching a few. It was unlike anything I had seen, though admittedly that wasn't a whole lot. It just hit all the right notes for me at least starting out. Plus I felt some special connection to some of the themes and characters. Of course each of our own unique interpretations can vary and fill in the blanks a little to suit our own preferences, so YMMV. I've since grown quite fond of a few other series, but Claymore is still my favorite and due to it being 'my first' I am sure it will always be special to me. I'm not even done collecting memorabilia yet, though some of the remaining things I'd like seem impossible to find like the rest of the bust figures (I just have Helen), and the elusive Galatea full figure that popped up once on ebay for am extremely high price (dangit!). I really think that Galatea figure would been a smash hit especially towards the end of the manga, but since there is practically no info on it, and I've only seen it that one time, I don't know if it was ever really in production or what.

 

[Number A]

@TStew have you tried Japanese Amazon or Ebay? I could ask my tutor if she knows of any places where people will sell stuff like that secondhand. You might need to sort out a Japanese mailing address, though.

 

[Fate_Archer]

I remember a really well done Galatea figure popping up way back in the Animesuki days, but it was custom made by someone. Perhaps it could have been that one. It could explain the price as well if it's the same figure.

Edit: Well, had a blast from the past looking into the old Claymore board at Animesuki. Most of the pics in the Merchandise thread are gone, but luckly the page was archived.

http://web.archive.org/web/20120120002536/http://www.finaloop-mfg.com/x11.html

It's as fucking beautiful as I remember.
Do these look familiar?

 

[TStew]

@Number A No I haven't looked into the Japanese specific sale sites, I'm not sure if that would be too much fuss. I do have a ton of memorabilia, and I don't think it's all that valuable or I'll get a special prize by getting a few more pieces so happy with what I got but also keeping an eye open on ebay.

@Fate_Archer yes that is the one. It was done so well I figured it had to have been produced at sometime and not someones own work, then again it probably exceeds what could be mass produced so perhaps it does make sense if it was made by a very skilled craftsman. I posted the link on here way back when I saw it on ebay, I can't remember how much it was but I think it was $500 plus (US). Just a little to rich for me for an anime figure.

 

[Fate_Archer]

@Number A No I haven't looked into the Japanese specific sale sites, I'm not sure if that would be too much fuss. I do have a ton of memorabilia, and I don't think it's all that valuable or I'll get a special prize by getting a few more pieces so happy with what I got but also keeping an eye open on ebay.

@Fate_Archer yes that is the one. It was done so well I figured it had to have been produced at sometime and not someones own work, then again it probably exceeds what could be mass produced so perhaps it does make sense if it was made by a very skilled craftsman. I posted the link on here way back when I saw it on ebay, I can't remember how much it was but I think it was $500 plus (US). Just a little to rich for me for an anime figure.

Yeah, from what I could see from the website it seems to be the case. I was aware there were those who had the hobby to paint figures, or maybe even produce them down to the mold or prototype. I don't understand much of this hobby, but it's certainly a craft of very skilled and passionate people. I'm usually super critic of Galatea's depictions in fan art, would feel the same in other crafts as well. This figure though really captures the aura of pre time skip Galatea: beautifully confident, gallant, sort of curious or inquiring look/expression.The hair being half blown to the wind is very characteristic of her and was one of the first things we saw in her memorable entrance at the Witch's maw arc. Whoever crafted it really understood the expression of Galatea down to these small details. It's truly unfortunate how this figure is rendered inacessible by it's rarity and price.

And Galatea's name, or the source inspiration for it is quite suiting to the case here. It's as if the care of Pygmalion was put to make it as realistic in expression and close to the character we know an love. Just knowing something like this was crafted and exists makes me happy in some way.

 

[TStew]

On the subject of figures, I recently came across another custom one on ebay (for a ridiculous price). Well the model seems to be the standard Clare Megahouse (or maybe knockoff) perhaps with some material added, but a custom 'Knight' paint scheme. Looks very classy actually, but non-canon. I'm quite surprised of the high price of something non-canon like this, but is nice enough to admire at least...

Spoiler

On ebay as "Clare Knight Version"

--- Double Post Merged, Nov 15, 2016, Original Post Date: Oct 9, 2016 ---

Just thought I'd share a recent acquisition... I've had some Claymore stuff in my amazon cart forever, wall scrolls and few other things. Not really serious about buying unless the price dropped significantly and the other day my cart notified me a few had dropped so i went ahead and ordered some new wall scrolls.

They seem to be knock offs I believe, but no big deal to me. The Jean and Ophelia ones are of course from anime but still look great imo. The Clare one is from Yagi's art book and is one of my fav's . Ophelia was only $1.43 and Clare $2, Jean $5 each had like $5 s/h but still a great deal seing how they are normally $12-20+ each. Seems the amazon seller Adon Yoyo is no longer selling these though and the price shot back up. Maybe now it's been over for a while someplaces are getting rid of remaining inventory so perhaps we might see different things pop up cheap now and then.

Currently the Galetea wall scroll is on sale for $2+4.99 s/h. on amazon.
A great deal for a beautiful print! I'd get it for sure but I already paid more for it in the past lol.
I think I've got 7 or 8 Claymore wall scrolls now
I know there are also cheap ones and many more on ebay too, I just tend to shop more on amazon plus I can use amazon points.

 

[Fate_Archer]

One thing that I like a lot about the anime box arts is their background. Every single one of them is gorgeous. The gloomy and misty forest background on the Ophelia one passes such a great atmosphere.

 

[Number A]

http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-ne...s-first-hiatus-claymore-author-plans-one-shot

Guys, GUYS!!! Yagi is officially Not Dead!

 

[Goral]

He took his sweet time but 2 years of hiatus and we get one-shot only? Hopefully it will be a successful pilot chapter for a brand new series.

 

[Number A]

I'll take a one-shot over radio silence any day :P Hope you're right about new series pilot tho...

 

[Bonefist]

It will be SF and will have 49 pages, with one color. On the image below, you can see two characters, one Raki-like boy and a girl in spacesuit.

 

[Number A]

Here's my best guess at the promo text. Note that I'm still a beginner:

(Text to the side of the boy's head)
超匕ット作「CLAYMORE」の八木 教広,
"Norihiro Yagi of the super hit Claymore's

衝撃のジャンプ参戦！
shocking jump entry!

勇気と冒険のSFファンタジー読切センターカラー49P
A brave and adventurous sci-fi fantasy one-shot. Center color, 49 pages.

(Horizontal title text)
月光のアルカディア
Gekkou (moonlight) Arcadia

八木 教広,
by Norihiro Yagi.

(Box below title text)
少年と少女の出会いが
A boy and girl's meeting

織り成す鮮烈SF開始！
interweaves. A striking sci-fi beginning!"

(Tilted vertical text)
未知へと踏み出す
Setting forth into the unknown.

冒険魂
Adventurous spirit.

(@Utsune how was that?)

 

[Sir Isley]

Can't wait to see the overall art style.

 

[Number A]

Source: http://otakunews01.com/post/158192174616/norihiro-yagi-claymore-lanza-el-manga

見守る月は二つ
Two moons watch over (note: the first part of this 見守る is just the verb meaning "to watch over". It's not clear who's doing the watching so I've assumed the moons).

少年は今, 旅立つ
Now a boy begins a journey.

I'm pretty sure the pink text is the same promo text I translated above, and the white text says "Gekkou Arcadia"

 

[Bonefist]

I found some raw spoilers pics here, and BanzaiMang in the WSJ thread has given a link with some other pages of the one-shot.

Yagi seems to love moons...

--- Double Post Merged, Mar 10, 2017, Original Post Date: Mar 10, 2017 ---

Here it is !

 

[Number A]

Superman warriors? Check. Assertive women? Check. Fights? Check.

I think we all know who wrote this...

 

[Bonefist]

In my opinion, it was bad. The story is cliché, just like are the characters, with the damsel in distress and the superboy, so original. Even the graphics were meh. We know that Yagi doesn't draw nose often, but he has reached a new level.

The one-shot format doesn't help with it. It was too fast, the "I couln't protect the thing that I had to protect the most" was used whereas he knows her for, at best, five minutes ?

He's usually more subtle. He could do more mature things.

And the thing seemed to be a pilot more than a one-shot...

 

[Number A]

Yeah, it didn't blow me away. I enjoyed it probably because I was looking to like it, but it lacked... energy relative to his other one-shots and first chapters.

There was a bit of subtlety in the set-up for Rashil's powers (the way Leans wonders where the power source in his boots is and the way he's internalised the need for concealment), but that was pretty much it. The"protect" bit was really weak. I expect better than that from Yagi.

That said, I'd definitely read it if they serialized it. I have sufficient confidence in Yagi's ability as a storyteller (disclaimer: I liked the end of Claymore) that I think he could do something interesting given room to move. Angel Densetsu doesn't really hit it's stride until Ikuno shows up, and Claymore is hardly an original concept.

--- Double Post Merged, Mar 12, 2017, Original Post Date: Mar 11, 2017 ---

Hey, this is a tangent, but some people from another forum and I are wondering abut making some kind of Claymore fan-made game. We're thinking a visual novel type thing, but if anyone has thoughts I'd love to hear them.

 

[Goral]

]Hey, this is a tangent, but some people from another forum and I are wondering abut making some kind of Claymore fan-made game. We're thinking a visual novel type thing, but if anyone has thoughts I'd love to hear them.

Depending on where you're from making a game using Claymore trademark might not be the best idea, you can receive C&D letters or worse. Then again if creators are in China or Poland they won't do anything :].

As for the game, VN or something in RPG maker would be the easiest I think.