Claymore: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]

Fianlly, Claymore Gets the Box Set Treatment it Deserves
I'll come right out and confess it; there is much to be excited about when an anime company like FUNimation decides to release a beloved franchise in a single complete collection box set. Not only does it save the buyer money but it makes a given property much more accessible to viewers who would otherwise be reluctant to track down half a dozen volumes to enjoy the show in it's entirety. Enter Claymore the Complete Series, a property of which I've long been campaigning for a complete box set release. The show, which is really unlike any other anime series out there, has been released to the North American market thus far in a pace that could only be described as "trickling" as in six, 4-episode releases that each ran 95 minutes. I've got them all but won't lie about waiting impatiently for each release to come out so that the story could continue.

Coming in at a total runtime of 650 minutes, Claymore The Complete Series release contains all 26 episodes across 6 discs...
Mature Anime with Sweeping Vision
Claymore is a series for the more serious anime watcher; I think that should be stated first and foremost. There is no jarring change from the plot with ultimately wasteful filler meant to make you laugh nor is there any comedy involved in the series. It is a very good series to start an adult on if you have a friend who is interested in anime and wants both the plot aspect and the violence that comes from the more mature fare. It is the blending of these two factors, along with the fantastic artistic style of this series that makes it so successful in appealing to both the male and female audience.

Claymore does not start gradually, but it builds to a maturity of storyline that should be envied by other animes that attempt to blend the typical violence of a storyline revolving around combating demons, monsters, or other evil forces and balance it with serious dialogue and characters. Claymore is not a cliché series in any way.

The story starts out...
Can't wait for the blu-ray...
I watched this entire series on DVD via Netflix, and absolutely loved it. I held off on actually buying it, though, with the hopes that a blu-ray version would stroll along. And whattaya know, here it is. The animation quality on this series is already fantastic, and I can't wait to see it in HD (though, as always, it's questionable just how much cel animation can be enlivened by high definition).

A couple of general notes about the series:

1. It's ultra-violent and not very hopeful, so otaku parents, be aware before you show your kids (though I will say it could be quite empowering for young girls).

2. If you enjoy this, try Berserk. The story and characters are way different, but the dark medieval fantasy environment is the same (still need that on blu-ray, though...).

3. Funimation, as always, does an excellent job with the english dub, but the original japanese is still superior.

4. If you've finished watching all the anime...
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