Claymore 23
“The silver eyed lion raged, his fury palpable in crimson waves, tearing through soft, all too human flesh. On the field of battle, they fell, one by one, bodies shattered and twisted, scattered to the icy winds until only a single warrior remained. With one last reminisce, one last cold glance back at all that she had lost, she discarded the weakness of humanity and embraced the crackling avarice and power that crawls beyond the faint light of the human soul. Flesh to steel, spirit erupting from within, she rushed into battle, only inhuman hatred guiding her blade.”
On occasion I enjoy an episode so much I am simply in shock after watching it, and then numbly restart it in hope of understanding just what exactly I managed to get into that state.
It’s pointless to describe exactly what happened in this episode, but it goes something like this. Claire unleashes her demon-blood and awakens her legs and then her arms (or so it seemed). At first she uses her massive power clumsily, but as the battle continues she gains full control, at least in the sense that she becomes a precision engine of destruction; her mind slowly deteriorates until she can do nothing but thirst for power and deliver it in crushing flurries of blows upon Rigardo, who, even after unleashing all of his power, can only submit and perish.
This is definitely in the top three anime fight scenes I have ever seen. The episode is nearly pure action between Claire and Rigardo, with a few snippets of Raki realizing just how pathetic he is.
When I read some entries by RAW bloggers about the episode, I was not initially very satisfied simply hearing that Claire had awakened her legs; It didn’t sound nearly as extreme as the ending of episode 22 had warranted. But as soon as I began episode 23 I became satisfied VERY quickly. Claymore manages to pull off a decepitively simple (and fairly original!) power-up with finesse that other anime can only wish they could match.
Combat in claymore is just amazing; the combination of art and intensity just blew me away. That’s without even considering the potential for character development that this episode could bring about.
One of the things I really liked about Death Note was how the characters grew more distorted and grotesque as their sanity dwindled; Claymore does the same, except in a more literal rather than metaphorical manner as suited to the genre and plot. As Claire’s power grows, her face goes beyond the standard toothy grin of a Yoma to a mask of insanity worthy of her newfound power. Her legs were also fantastic, their speed was well animated and the legs themselves were contorted in such a surreal manner that one can’t help but notice just how unnatural yet appropriate they look. My only minor criticism is that she didn’t use her leg blades in combat; they looked brutal.
The episode also avoided falling into the trap of serialized anime such as Bleach, which, while having some great action, can’t stay focused on one fight for long enough for it to feel intense. The color palette of Claymore (while we are doing Bleach comparisons) is one of the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of viewing. Once again, Bleach is a perfect example since it sports a palette much too bright and cheerful to create a feeling of realism and intensity. (Bleach artwork improved well beyond this complaint before the filler began, but has yet to return to it’s former glory despite the continuation of the real plot.) Claymore’s dully grey colors combined with bright red and yellow eyes and auras focuses the viewer, creating blazing waves and points to further emphasize the battles.
Finally, the character development of this episode was subtle. With Raki’s appearance and the madness blazing behind Claire’s eyes, the next episode will likely seal or shatter their relationship. Claire is likely the strongest Claymore currently, but the question remains as to whether she will ever be human again.
You’ve read far too much and I’ve written far too much. Just watch the episode and await the next with rabid anticipation!
