Yagi Norihiro - Claymore, vol. 12-13 (Eng. trans.)

[oyceter]

Whoo! The continuing excitement from volume 11 continues! And I get my favorite manga storytelling devices—flashbacks, flashforwards, and individual character stories!

I got accidentally spoiled for the timeskip via trying to find info on Wiki; thankfully, timeskips as plot devices almost always work for me, so it didn't much affect my reading.

Seven presumed-dead Claymores in hiding, training themselves to be better and better fighters while suppressing their yoki! Awesome! Also, I have a bit of a crush on Miria now. Mostly I just love trying to piece together what's happened in the seven years that have passed. It seems like the Claymore force has been decimated, for obvious reaasons, so much so that they're even taking on not-fully-transformed Claymores like Clarice. And the Awakened Beings have won enough so that the Organization is patrolling less territories and conserving their energy, although they're also frightened the Organization enough so that they are being actively hunted down by teams of Claymores.

I completely forgot if we got Luciela and Rafaela's backstory in previous volumes. How old are they, anyway? And how old can Claymores get, if they manage to stay unAwakened? I also forgot to squee in previous posts about finally, finally, FINALLY getting a female character with tragic eye loss! And it comes complete with a tragic backstory about a sister turned enemy!

Looking back, these two volumes were more set-up for later, but it didn't feel like it when I was reading them, particularly when we got to the view of all the claymores in the ground, marking the graves of fallen warriors. It's just such an awesome and chilling shot, and someday I am sure I will be obsessive enough to go back and check out all the individual Claymore symbols on the swords.

Also, Miata? Really freaking creepy. I cannot quite figure out what mental age she's at, given the breastfeeding, but then again, she probably can't be pinned down anyway. I'm particularly curious to see if she has anything to do with the de-aged Priscilla, although young Priscilla possesses all her mental faculties.

Speaking of Priscilla, LOVE that Isley is just a front and she's the one actually calling all the shots! Bwahahaha! Awesome!

I think I have run out of random commentary now and mostly just want to see what's happened to Galatea and Illena during the timeskip.

Am dying to read more to get to spoiler spoiler spoiler scene which I have heard a great deal about on LJ.

Comments

[magicnoire.livejournal.com]

I think I have run out of random commentary now and mostly just want to see what's happened to Galatea and Illena during the timeskip.

BWAHAHAHA. Just you wait about Galatea. JUST YOU WAIT.

[the-willow.insanejournal.com (from livejournal.com)]

You totally made me go: "Just you wait 'Enry Iggins, Just You Wait!'

[oyceter]

HAHAHA caught up!

[yeloson.livejournal.com]

I've been meaning to check this out- are you reading it in dead tree or downloaded? If the former, maybe I can borrow a volume or two and check it out?

[the-willow.insanejournal.com (from livejournal.com)]

I realize you want the dead tree version, but in case you can be tempted by the other:
http://www.mangavolume.com/claymore/chapter-claymore-1/

[oyceter]

I read the dead tree versions, but I actually got them through my public library, sorry!

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Don't mention investigating the symbols on the swords. I barely restrain myself from that and shouldn't be tempted.

This part is where I pretty much fell in love and declared Miria to be the most awesome thing to ever happen to shounen. Though something later (I think it's the spoiler spoiler scene) creates a tie.

I'm not sure how long Claymores live. There's one Extra Scene that makes me think they can live at least 100 or so years, and I get the feeling that Awakened Ones can live forever.

[oyceter]

Miria = MADE OF WIN! I mean, I love Clare and Galatea and Ilena and Helen and Deneve too, but Miria makes me want to draw shiny sparkly hearts over the page and cheer.

Yeah! I just remembered Rafaela saw wee!Teresa, which doesn't make her hundreds of years old, but definitely makes it look like she doesn't age much over several decades...

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's why I'm giving them 100 years or so. She looked the same when Teresa was a kid as she did when Claire was an adult, so who knows.

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

When I was reading Claymore the first time[*], I was totally faked out by the time-skip! I was really convinced that he'd killed off Clare and them and was replacing my favorites with an all-new cast of characters! And then I was so happy when the black leather brigade showed up!

And yeah, Miria is my favorite.


[*] via scans--but I have bought all the volumes since!

[oyceter]

Hee! The black leather brigade is such an apt name.

I feel there should now be many flashback chapters to the missing seven years!