Yagi Norihiro - Claymore, vol. 14-15 + ch. 84-85
Tue, Nov. 25th, 2008 10:41 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oyceterUm, yes, my inherent privileging of narrative over pretty much everything else has won over my flailing and pathetic attempts to get enough sleep. I fear this is the story of the life.
But, continuity! Story structure! Reveals! I have to say, Yagi's worldbuilding is pretty good... I now have to reread to see what's been set up and what hasn't.
I was totally spoiled for the nun-habit-ripping-off and the saving-of-men-from-tentacle-monsters, and yet, it was still TOTALLY AWESOME. It helps that Galatea doesn't just pose for three seconds in her torn habit and instead goes off fighting and OMG her eyes! And of course she blinded herself! I love how this series has single-handedly increased the number of women with traumatic and angsty eye injuries by 200% or so.
I am still disturbed by the overt sexualization of the female Awakened Beings. The other Awakened Beings don't keep their vulnerable bits in a human shell, right? I wonder how the forms of Awakened Beings get decided. Also, I am totally pretending that the naked and seductive female body on Agatha acts as a lure to men with tasty guts, much like that lantern fish in the deep ocean. I mean, I am sure it does in the world of the manga; I am just not sure that is the main purpose Yagi has for giving her a naked and seductive female body. (Also, bathing self in showers of blood = EWWWWWW)
I cheered when Clare and the Northern Warriors appeared. They are so awesome! Also, I love that Rabona remembers what Clare did for them seven years ago and that there are bits of continuity!
Miata is still creepy like a creepy thing, although I'm particularly interested in all the adult/child pairs that there have been in the series—Clare-Raki, Teresa-Clare, and now Raki-Priscilla and Clarice-Miata. And there's Galatea and all the children of Rabona. And possibly Isley-Priscilla? I find it interesting that the pairs with fathers/brothers/whatnot are on the side of Evil. Well, we are not yet certain that Raki is on the side of evil, and I am sure he is not intentionally so, but really, being trained by Isley and dragging Priscilla around from town to town cannot possibly be a good thing. And of course there's the semi-paternal stance of the Organization, who takes young girls and ostensibly raises them. It's particularly refreshing that the older women paired with younger people aren't generally given a typically maternal role, Clarice aside; though the older person is more emotionally open thanks to the younger person, there's a general lack of the romanticization of parenthood and specifically self-sacrificial motherhood.
Oh! I have not even gotten to the Big Reveals! A larger war! The Claymores' island as a laboratory for breeding monsters for war! Although I have to say, if they are trying to get good Awakened Beings, I am not sure they are doing it the best way possible. Plus, why don't they just take the trained Claymores and pit them against the monsters from the other side? Or are they already doing that? Or are they not because of the fear of awakening them? But even if they were afraid of awakening them, it seems like the black card system could work on the mainland as well.
Plus, I'm not even entirely sure that there is a larger war going on, or that all Miria's information is correct, given the source. Still, I heart Miria so much, especially when she's all "Yeah, we're going to bring down the Organization. If you're not with me, you can leave, and I'll just do it by myself." She is SO AWESOME.
And Clare's handler possibly being a spy for the other side!
Also, if the island is isolated, wouldn't the villagers at least know this? Unless the Organization has somehow managed to construct the entire island society from scratch?
My current theory is that the war may be a lie, but the island as a lab/testing ground is not. I also think the Organization creating yoma and siccing them on the island is totally true. I also think the members of the Organization are not human themselves; they look off, and I swear some of them have pointy teeth.
Oh! And Rafaela/Luciela, OMG so disturbing! And poor Renee, ow ow ow. I am slightly more inured to limb-loss now, given all the regeneration, but it still squicks me out, especially when used as torture like Riful does.
Also also, I am still not sure why Isley concluded that Priscilla was more powerful than him just from her regeneration, but I am assuming we did not see everything that happened there. And! Priscilla's regression to childhood does not bode well for Miata.
Also x 3, did we ever get backstory for Galatea or Ilena? Also x 4, where are the billionty femslashy stories starring Miria angsting about Hilda and kicking ass? I feel this should be a large portion of the fandom. And was Ilena actually killed by Rafaela? I feel since she was not chopped to bits and we did not see it, there is the potential for a dramatic and awesome return. And OMG, where are the billionty stories about the backstories of all the Claymores who were in the battle at Pieta and awesome flashbacks to training days and the workings of the Organization? I am glad I have caught up in time to read any Yuletide stories that come out for the series, although it really sucks because its inclusion in Yuletide means there is not a plethora of stories out there. Fandom! You are failing me! Especially given how popular the series seems to be online!
But, continuity! Story structure! Reveals! I have to say, Yagi's worldbuilding is pretty good... I now have to reread to see what's been set up and what hasn't.
I was totally spoiled for the nun-habit-ripping-off and the saving-of-men-from-tentacle-monsters, and yet, it was still TOTALLY AWESOME. It helps that Galatea doesn't just pose for three seconds in her torn habit and instead goes off fighting and OMG her eyes! And of course she blinded herself! I love how this series has single-handedly increased the number of women with traumatic and angsty eye injuries by 200% or so.
I am still disturbed by the overt sexualization of the female Awakened Beings. The other Awakened Beings don't keep their vulnerable bits in a human shell, right? I wonder how the forms of Awakened Beings get decided. Also, I am totally pretending that the naked and seductive female body on Agatha acts as a lure to men with tasty guts, much like that lantern fish in the deep ocean. I mean, I am sure it does in the world of the manga; I am just not sure that is the main purpose Yagi has for giving her a naked and seductive female body. (Also, bathing self in showers of blood = EWWWWWW)
I cheered when Clare and the Northern Warriors appeared. They are so awesome! Also, I love that Rabona remembers what Clare did for them seven years ago and that there are bits of continuity!
Miata is still creepy like a creepy thing, although I'm particularly interested in all the adult/child pairs that there have been in the series—Clare-Raki, Teresa-Clare, and now Raki-Priscilla and Clarice-Miata. And there's Galatea and all the children of Rabona. And possibly Isley-Priscilla? I find it interesting that the pairs with fathers/brothers/whatnot are on the side of Evil. Well, we are not yet certain that Raki is on the side of evil, and I am sure he is not intentionally so, but really, being trained by Isley and dragging Priscilla around from town to town cannot possibly be a good thing. And of course there's the semi-paternal stance of the Organization, who takes young girls and ostensibly raises them. It's particularly refreshing that the older women paired with younger people aren't generally given a typically maternal role, Clarice aside; though the older person is more emotionally open thanks to the younger person, there's a general lack of the romanticization of parenthood and specifically self-sacrificial motherhood.
Oh! I have not even gotten to the Big Reveals! A larger war! The Claymores' island as a laboratory for breeding monsters for war! Although I have to say, if they are trying to get good Awakened Beings, I am not sure they are doing it the best way possible. Plus, why don't they just take the trained Claymores and pit them against the monsters from the other side? Or are they already doing that? Or are they not because of the fear of awakening them? But even if they were afraid of awakening them, it seems like the black card system could work on the mainland as well.
Plus, I'm not even entirely sure that there is a larger war going on, or that all Miria's information is correct, given the source. Still, I heart Miria so much, especially when she's all "Yeah, we're going to bring down the Organization. If you're not with me, you can leave, and I'll just do it by myself." She is SO AWESOME.
And Clare's handler possibly being a spy for the other side!
Also, if the island is isolated, wouldn't the villagers at least know this? Unless the Organization has somehow managed to construct the entire island society from scratch?
My current theory is that the war may be a lie, but the island as a lab/testing ground is not. I also think the Organization creating yoma and siccing them on the island is totally true. I also think the members of the Organization are not human themselves; they look off, and I swear some of them have pointy teeth.
Oh! And Rafaela/Luciela, OMG so disturbing! And poor Renee, ow ow ow. I am slightly more inured to limb-loss now, given all the regeneration, but it still squicks me out, especially when used as torture like Riful does.
Also also, I am still not sure why Isley concluded that Priscilla was more powerful than him just from her regeneration, but I am assuming we did not see everything that happened there. And! Priscilla's regression to childhood does not bode well for Miata.
Also x 3, did we ever get backstory for Galatea or Ilena? Also x 4, where are the billionty femslashy stories starring Miria angsting about Hilda and kicking ass? I feel this should be a large portion of the fandom. And was Ilena actually killed by Rafaela? I feel since she was not chopped to bits and we did not see it, there is the potential for a dramatic and awesome return. And OMG, where are the billionty stories about the backstories of all the Claymores who were in the battle at Pieta and awesome flashbacks to training days and the workings of the Organization? I am glad I have caught up in time to read any Yuletide stories that come out for the series, although it really sucks because its inclusion in Yuletide means there is not a plethora of stories out there. Fandom! You are failing me! Especially given how popular the series seems to be online!
(no subject)
Tue, Nov. 25th, 2008 08:02 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Tue, Nov. 25th, 2008 10:38 pm (UTC)