The Normanic Vault: Unboxing [UK]: Claymore - Complete Series: Collector's Edition (Blu-ray)

As part of the Christmas Day 2017 haul, here is a series that I've been meaning to check out for years and now I managed to get it thanks to the Anime Limited 12 Days of Christmas sale.

Claymore is a 2007 anime series based on the 2001 manga written by Norihiro Yagi. The anime was adapted by studio Madhouse and directed by Hiroyuki Tanaka. Claymore at the time was often compared to Berserk in terms of its dark fantasy setting and tone, but this has been in disagreement throughout the years. Claymore's anime was also a victim of anime filler endings where folks end up in disappointment because the anime caught up with the source material.

Claymore is one of the many titles Manga Entertainment UK used to distribute as part of their sub-licensing partnership with Funimation, however the deal eventually expired and all of the titles, including this one, went out of print. Anime Limited rescued the series and has brought it out on Blu-ray only (no plans for DVD). This is also one of the few Funimation titles to be upscaled in-house rather than handled by Japan and the results are doable but not the greatest.

The Anime Limited Collector's Edition release covers all 26 episodes across 3 Blu-ray discs only. The audio specs include English & Japanese with English subtitles. The subtitles are unlockable, as this is one of Funimation's earlier titles. The regions are also both A & B compatible. All of the on-disc extras from the Funimation release carry over to the UK version.

Blu-ray Specs:

Languages: Japanese, English

Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0 [Japanese], Dolby TrueHD 5.1 [English]

Video: 1080i SD Remaster/Upscale 16:9

Region: A B

Subtitles: English [Japanese language & On-screen]

Subtitles Locked: No

Discs: 3

Plot Synopsis (via Anime Limited):

A brutal scourge stalks the land. Yoma, monsters driven by a hunger satisfied by only one quarry – Humanity. The dark breed knows but a singular foe: Claymore. Human-Yoma hybrids of extraordinary strength and cunning, the Claymores roam from skirmish to skirmish delivering salvation by the edge of a blade.

Thus begins the twisting tale of Clare, one such sister of the sword driven by pain in both victory and defeat. A child silent and suffering hidden in her past, Clare’s march toward vengeance unfolds along a path marked by violence, solitude and scorn. In a land where even the predator is prey, the haunted hearts of hunter and hunted alike wear the scars of the age.

On-Disc Extra Content:

Episode Commentaries (1, 8, 11, 16, 19, 26)

Cast Auditions

Interview with Director Hiroyuki Tanaka

Interview with Sound Director Yasunori Honda

Interview with Art Director Manabu Otsuzuki (Kusanagi)

Interview with Art Settings Nobuhito Sue (Kusanagi)

Original TV Commercials

Textless Opening Song

Textless Closing Song

Funimation Trailers

Collector's Edition Extras: