Has the Organization finally created a warrior class that can take down Isley of the South?
Creative Staff
Writer/Artist: Norihiro Yagi
Translation: Arashi Productions
What They Say
After Miria’s incredible revelations about the origins of the Yoma, the seven warriors split up to settle their affairs and say their goodbyes in preparation for the final battle against the Organization. Helen and Deneve fall in with a spirited young warrior of the current generation and soon find themselves confronting the Organization’s latest, most terrible weapons.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
This series has never had that much political intrigue, but Miria’s revelations about their world and the Organizations true purpose has given this series a well-appreciated spy versus spy shot in the arm. The intrigue only expands in this volume with the reappearance of Rubel, Clare’s former handler from the Organization. Rubel has always seemed a dangerous, calculating character, but never as dangerous as his admission of being a spy within the Organization makes him. He wants the Organization and all their research destroyed, including the Claymores, especially Clare and her companions.
Much of this volume follows Helen and Deneve and the discoveries they make on their pilgrimage. Their meeting with a group of Claymores battling an Awakened Being highlights an aspect of this series that has been written quite well. The Seven Survivors have been able to increase their strength well beyond normal Claymores. This is apparent in Helen and Deneve’s ability to quickly dispatch the Awakened Being. Yet despite their newfound abilities, Clare’s group are still nothing against Creatures of the Abyss. There continues to be a balance between the Survivors of the North capabilities and the enemies they face.
Helen and Deneve are quickly reminded of this fact when they stumble across Isley of the South. A false act of bravado finds Helen and Deneve in a desperate battle. They can’t even damage Isley enough to force him into his massive awakened form. A humbling experience that should end with their deaths. A stroke of luck, good or bad is debatable, reveals the appearance of zombies. These aren’t your normal mindless leg dragging zombies, the zombies that attach Isley are super fast and they can learn. Who are these new foes and why are they attacking Isley?
In Summary:
The ball really got rolling in volume 15 with Raki’s return and the revelations that their world is only a small island off a massive continent. Not only that, but the Organization is using Yoma and Claymores as military weapon experiments. Plenty devious considering the normal people are nothing but pawns, and sometimes Yoma meals. These aspects steamroll right into volume 16 with the appearance of another character from Clare’s past, along with two Creatures of the Abyss. Knowing their confrontation with the Organization will end in their death, Clare and many of the other survivors from the Battle in the North decide to part ways to tie up any loose ends they have. This reinforces the idea that the Claymores are still human, despite the Organizations attempts to suppress their feelings and memories. I appreciate this inner struggle the Claymores all seem to suffer. A creepy situation considering all the Organization members are old men and all the Claymores are women.
Despite this, the Organization proves they lack souls when they create zombie Claymores. Well, they aren’t exactly Claymores. These zombies are soulless creatures that only hunger for the flesh of a Creature of the Abyss. Yoma flesh is used to make Claymores, so if flesh from a Creature of the Abyss is used to make these zombies, it seems unlikely that a Claymore could face them in battle. Just one more fascinating revelation among many in this volume.
Content Grade: B+
Art Grade: B+
Packaging Grade: B
Text/Translation Grade: B+
Age Rating: 16+
Released By: Viz Media
Release Date: June 1st, 2010
MSRP: $9.99
