*Blog post started on August 14, 2020.
Two more blog posts and I should be set for my vacation. It is great day to have multiple realizations. Unfortunately, the first being that you cannot have an anime review about a strong female protagonists that only covers its first few episodes and call it "A Taste of". I hope I get one more realization for an acceptable title by the time I finish the review.
As for my other realizations, I was able to remember my password to all the essential systems at my retail job (I should see if I can update my address outside of those confines) and I remember that I have a notebook of movie reviews from 2010 at my desk. If you want a third realization, it would seem that I was predisposed to focus on the 90-minute runtime as I soon discovered flipping through the pages.
Aside from my questionable health, I think the world is telling me to relax. High interest credit cards are in order. Lack of income should be straightened out with the return to retail. There is so much blog stuff today, why worry about the racist and sexist bullshit that Trump is going to be spouting today, at least for a few hours.
And there is the fourth realization. I am going home at some point this week, so Mom will keep me up to speed on that. It is tempting to put my "Squad Goals" and "IMPEACHED" bumper stickers on my car, but anxiety dictates I not bite the hand that is willing to feed. Play nice through October and be there to comfort her during her upcoming depression, provided this country is not as awful as it seems.
Speaking of awfulness, there are still tweets promoting my blogs to post today. After a momentous week, more trolling of great Americans is likely. With my luck, that might take up this evening, but since I love shooting Malort, I can endure and benefit from it. This would just mean I would have to bump back tonight's tweets to Monday. In turn, lets not worry about rushing a movie review out when the schedule would be better served by a wrestling list.
Just relax and let everything play out. It sort of feels like my increased use of cannabis might be shaping me into the ideal artist. Thank you Governor Pritzker.
Speaking of my enjoyment of the Member Berries strand, I should have probably have partook in it last night. It would have been appropriate since I decided to focus less on 90-minute flicks by returning to what got me into writing and the internet. That is anime.
Member Tenchi? Oh I member Tenchi! Member when Jerry Lawlor talked about puppies?
The only problem was that having seen episodes multiple times, paying attention to them is a little difficult in a sober state. I knew everything that was going to happen when I put "Claymore" into my Blu-ray player. What I failed to remember was how stylized the violence was and how the manga is captured. With rock music, colors, and violence, being high would have probably reinvented the experience.
Marijuana might reinvent the experience that was the pseudo-medieval "Claymore", but since I would like to express my admiration of it, better tell you what it is like with a clear head. Here is the experience of what would have probably been the first VHS tape of the series. Oh how I miss tape collecting.
Claymore: Episodes 1 through 4
Claymore. Silver-eyed witch. Monster. Clare does not have a title for her purpose that she identifies with. What she does know is that her life is dedicated to The Organization, a group that sends her kind to villages and cities that will pay her kind to eliminate man-eating monsters called yomas. The reason for the many unofficial and unflattering titles mankind has given her is that she was a human who volunteered to be infused with yoma to become the only weapon that can defeat them.
During her travels, she came across a teenage boy named Raki. He was exiled from his village after it was discovered that his older brother was taken over by a yoma and was responsible for numerous killings of townsfolk. After his parents were devoured, Raki had to become a cook for his remaining family.
Clare determines he is not totally worthless as a travel companion, and surely she will be able to place him a new home eventually. For her benefit, it would be best not to get attached to him. The last thing a Claymore needs is someone who can get in her way or can be exploited as a weakness. Conversely, pushing away her humanity may result in her becoming a yoma.
The more of the monstrous power Clare uses, the greater chance she will lose her ability to control it. Because of this, she is feared by all of humanity except for Raki. This boy's affection might be the only thing that can save her from the darkest of fates.
"Claymore" is a slick action anime with a very compelling and even relatable story. Being an otaku in the 90's at a high school that mocked those who chose to be different, debating whether you wanted to genuinely know anybody who did not appreciate cartoons (period) was a reality. The premise of accepting that you can find someone who will make you a rounded and complete human is what encourages you to stick with its tale.
The series lacks crazy characters, so if the emotion is not there, the series will fail. Now, I could see watching the Japanese language version rather than the English dub, because the Raki character is quite whiny. Somehow, English voice actors cannot nail the childish roles. Despite the clingy nature of that character, he is the only means of getting emotion from Clare, so you get comfortable with it.
The character development is good, but the action is what brings the audience...I suppose. I do not recall seeing a FUNimation trailer for this series as I worked my way through "Speed Grapher". My purchase was probably the result of a strong looking female protagonist on the box art, and it was still being sold in individual volumes opposed to season sets (like the good old days of Suncoast The Motion Picture Store). I like the subtlety of the actual action contrasted with the loud blood sprays of the results. This gives the series a feel of a manga especially when the intense scenes feature contrasting colors. It takes the place of lighting effects that you would see in live-action cinema while also serving as a means to separate every element into its own space, like comic book frames.
This animation production was top notch, but I will say that I think the character design is a bit weak. Over the past 20 years, it feels that anime productions are trying to be totally different than what was the popular style wise in the 80's and 90's. It is almost to the point where trying not to celebrate big eyes and small mouths means everything is starting to look the same again but lacking the feel of being Japanese animation. Is this the though process of how "RWBY" came to be?If there is a benefit to this, it really shows off the character of Clare and her familiar style. I think that proves the old ways are the best ways, but I digress.
Another aspect that may have been too hip is the music. The all rock driven score is great through the first episode, but is recycled from episode two on. I know anime is a relatively cheap form of media, but I cannot see where the money went that they gained via a static score.
"Claymore" shows how great storytelling is paramount. It is able to take a somewhat disinteresting lead character and annoying sidekick and create a narrative where caring about them is what drives the series. The animation and soundtrack may not stand out with its contemporaries, but it successfully captures the feel of a serialized manga which is what all manga-based anime should strive for.
This series ends up being beautiful despite the lack of exceptional elements. Like the character of Clare, "Claymore" shows us that if you have enough acceptable elements, the sum will be worthwhile.
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