Review: Claymore, Vol. 19

Claymore: Illusions in the Heart, Vol. 19
by Norihiro Yagi

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Claymore, Vol. 19 / 978-1421540788

I'm a very devoted fan of both the Claymore anime and the manga. I love the crisp black-and-white artwork, and while I realize it's not for everyone I personally think it's a perfect style for graphic novels. I find the action easy to follow, and the faces and body language to be surprisingly emotive. The story is complex and compelling, and I'm all in until the series finally finishes. I own this volume as a Nook Book e-book, and I assume it will shortly be ported to other online stores for sale.

Volume 19 provides the following scenes:

Scene 102: The Ashes of Lautrec, Part 7
Scene 103: The Ashes of Lautrec, Part 8
Scene 104: The Ashes of Lautrec, Part 9
Scene 105: The Ashes of Lautrec, Part 10
Scene 106: Phantoms in the Heart, Part 1
Scene 107: Phantoms in the Heart, Part 2

Spoilers ahead!

This volume opens with Dietrich saving Cynthia and Yuma by directing the Abyss Feeders to attack the parasitic yoma from The Destroyer. Meanwhile, Deneve and Helen flee Priscilla while carrying an unconscious Clare. Priscilla is hindered in her hunt by a parasite-controlled Dauf; Priscilla defeats Dauf and attacks The Destroyer for getting in her way. The "statue" portion of The Destroyer crumbles and appears defeated, but the form was merely holding in a massive black cloud of tortured bodies and emotional turmoil. Before Helen and Deneve can react, Clare is sucked into the black mass, along with Priscilla. Helen, Deneve, Yuma, Cynthia, and Dietrich are barely able to flee and head back to Rabona.

In Rabona, Miria draws her sword against Tabitha and leaves the city to take on the Organization alone. She intends to kill humans for the first time in her life: the humans running the Organization and ruining the lives of countless innocents in their lust for power and control. Miria strikes down every warrior called out to defend the headquarters, but she strikes without killing and only incapacitates the Claymores. Though this takes more effort on her part and is done at a greater risk, she is committed to protecting the innocent Claymore who have been lied to by the Organization.

Unfortunately, the Organization reveals a hidden trump card: the hidden Number 10 warrior, Rafutera, has been trained from childhood as an "anti-warrior warrior". She taps into the mental state of those who would attack the Organization and manages to cloud, confuse, and distract them. Miria becomes disoriented, and then dreams that she sees her deceased friend Hilda before her. While she smiles at her friend, Miria is cut down by the other Claymore.

~ Ana Mardoll