Claymore, Vol. 25: Sword of the Dark Deep

Claymore [クレイモア] #25

by Norihiro Yagi

Three battles unfold around the holy city of Rabona as demonic forces seek to destroy one another, the rebel Claymores and the city itself. Seemingly intent on devouring all life, monsters of unprecedented strength rage on as the rebels struggle to contain them. Could the cause of this rage lie in a distant childhood memory?

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Horror, Comics, Graphic Novels, Comics Manga, Dark Fantasy

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 4, 2013

About the author

Norihiro Yagi (八木教広 Yagi Norihiro) is a Japanese manga writer and artist from Okinawa Prefecture. He started making manga in 1990.

Norihiro Yagi is a successful manga artist, having won the 32nd Akatsuka Award for his very first work, Undeadman. Undeadman appeared in Monthly Shōnen Jump and has had two sequels. Yagi's first serialized manga was his comedy-genre Angel Densetsu, which appeared in Monthly Shōnen Jump from 1992 to 2000. His most recent work, Claymore, has been running in the magazine since 2001.

Reviews

[Etienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe not the best one in term of story evolution. It sure have a lot of action and a good sentimental twist at the end. I sure love it. And it deserve a 5 stars without a doubt, but this series has put such high standard that it become difficult to reach it every time!

[library ghost (farheen) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[~ Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

RIP Clarice 😢
E finalmemte pure quel pazzo furioso di Dae se tutto va bene entro il prossimo volume ci saluta!

[Jesus Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continúan las peleas del tomo anterior, una de las dos se resuelve tras cierta revelacion/transformacion

Se agrega además, otra en la ciudad, entre las otras Claymore y una renacida que abandona y decide ir a comer, y por ahí aparece cierta claymore con poder especial en su forma especial.

Una escena muy triste ahí

Buen tomo acercándose al final

[hotsake (André Troesch) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5
This was not as irritatingly tiresome as the previous volume.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 A Awakened being escapes the battle with the Abyssal One and heads straight for Robona which it believes is undefended so it can feast upon the people there. However Clarice, Miata, and Galatea are there as well as a contingent of all of the more recent rank one Claymores. Clarice and Galatea harmonize with Miata so she can awaken and battle the new threat. Meanwhile Clare and the others continue to battle the Abyssal One and Priscilla finish's her battle with the Riful creature.

Clarice get's to have some nice stand out moments in this volume and they really are the highlight.

Thing's are racing towards the conclusion and I'm looking forward to finishing it.

Clarice, Galatea, and an awakened Miata on the cover of Volume 25

Read 8/24/22

[MarinaLawliett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me lo bebí en la bañera!

[Wing Kee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow this fight, it keeps getting better.

World: This is the best art for the series so far. There is just so much insane action that’s well done. The visuals of Europa and Miata is astounding. The world building is okay, there are some logical leaps but it’s consistent to the level of world building this series has had for a while. The emotional impact of the pieces of the world that is used this time around is the key.

Story: The fights are endless and they are amazing. The choreography of them is beautiful and fun to read. The emotional core of Priscilla and Rilful fight is well done and the Eupora and Miata one is a gut punch. Really good action with strong simple emotional cues. Now we move to the end game.

Characters: Strong simple character moments that tie into Miata and Priscilla. I am surprised we are getting so little of Claire after her return but at the moment I don’t care cause the rest of the characters are pretty strong and interesting at the moment.

Wow the fights were amazing.

Onward to the next book!

[Cienna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the awakened form of the girl, it looks like a dragon and isn't grotesque or sexual like most of these forms, plus we get to see more bad guys join in on the good side which is interesting.

[Jenny Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miata joins the fight, and we learn a tid bit about the organization and Clarice through that. We see more of the fight with Cassandra, as well as see Priscilla's battle end, and what happens then.
Another good volume, lots of action and really cool designs for all the awakened forms.

Check out my YouTube channel for bookish videos and monthly wrap ups!

[MajesticalLion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Priscilla's origin is so dope. And Miata's awakened form. And the fact that the reason Priscilla didn't see Clare all those years ago wasn't because she didn't see Clare as a threat, but because Priscilla's last act as a human was to protect her knowing she'd be the only one who could kill her. It's poetry, dude.

[Casper Paaske · Rating 2 out of 5]

The one cool element with them forcing a girl to awaken is not enough to push this mediocre volume up, unfortunately. Right now, this series lives on it’s fights, but when the volume uses the majority on a fight between two characters I do not care about and the other fight between the c-characters and a new villain that literally showed up out of nowhere last volume.

[Melissa C · Rating 5 out of 5]

After two playing volumes, finally, this volume got me emotional.
I knew Clarice would play a role in the main plot but man..that was sad! You are great Clarice! Maria may not remember you any more but your comrades and ME will!

[Kira Thebookbella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still in the middle of the final battle scene. It has stretched many volumes and still going. It's meant to be epic but it feels like it drags in parts.

[Mal the Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually cried a little in this book which I totally was not expecting. I'm so sad that I only have two more books until I finish this series. This is a really great series.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

My gosh.. There are some interesting stuff here. I almost cry with Clarice death. It's so sad and emotional.

[Mandy Sickle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claymore is a manga about Yoma who pretend to be human in order to kill and eat the humans. The Claymore are the hybrid of the two stronger faster but still human with the ability to slay the Yoma which they do for a price. They travel from village to village slaying Yoma with nothing but the sword on their back using the Yoma abilities but slowly turning into a monster that they hunt. When the time comes a Claymore will send a black card to another claymore to be slain before the Yoma takes over and so they die as a human.


In the 25th volume the claymores are locked in a heated battle with an awakened being that’s bent on destroying the holy city and eating the soldiers. However with the help of Clarice and Miata they just be able to save the city, but this will be her first time awakening will they be able to control her and bring her back? While they deal with the awakened in the city Priscilla continues her fight against the rival that matches her power. The awakened ones continue their assault against the abyssal one hoping to bring out the ego she was famous for.

I like Clare she’s a sword carrying slayer who isn’t afraid to die charging in risking her life. She's grown a lot in the last several volumes leading up to the battle in the north. After faking her death along with her fellow claymore's she's returned after seven years to battle the Organization. While she may not be the strongest she's determined and unwilling to give up. She's one of those underdog characters you can't help liking. We've seen a little of Raki having grown up into a man who fights yoma he’s been captured by the organization. Clare and Priscilla have been trapped in a ball of flesh locking them both away from the others.

I’ve seen all of the episodes on Netflix a few years ago actually binge watched them over a long weekend. While it’s been a while I don’t think the anime has gone this far in the series. I don’t remember the girls taking on the organization which is where the story has turned. It’s interesting learning that the organization which has been creating claymores for a long time may not be the good guys after all. I love the concept for the Claymore the hybrids created using parts from the monsters that they have been created to fight against the Yoma that they created. The art is great it gives me just enough to create the story in my head as I read each detailed page. This is only my 2nd manga so I don’t have a lot to base on but I’m super addicted to them. They are perfect for when I have some downtime or when I feel like reading back to back. I already know that the ending is close as I’m almost done.

[Karissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 25th volume in the Claymore series. The series is expected to wrap-up in late 2015 with volume 27. This was a good continuation of the series and is pretty much an epic battle between Priscilla and the other gigantic Abyssal One. We finally get to see Miata and Clarece in action and that was pretty spectacular as well.

While Priscilla and the mysterious Abyssal One continue to face off our favorite rebel Claymores works to defend the city of Rabona and face off with what Cassandra the Dust Eater has turned in to.

There is a ton of action, as with all of these books, and the illustration is well done. I kind of feel like I say the same things over and over about these books. I think if you enjoyed previous books in this series you will enjoy this one.

Overall a great continuation of this series. I can’t wait to see how this series wraps up in the next couple books. There was a lot of action and fighting in this volume. I would recommend this series to fans of action-packed fantasy manga.

[Roxana Chirilă · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is starting to wrap up and things mentioned many volumes before are shown to have an important part to play. I'm starting to see how at least some of the future will look (I think; one can never be too sure).

There's a lovely scene right at the end, with one of the greater evils in the book (the scientifically-minded one) is enthusiastically going on about how various things in the world function, despite having his body slowly eaten away. He looks so thrilled about everything.

[Peter Barr · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this and there was quite a lot going on and the artwork was good but, to tell the truth, I can't remember the characters any longer. I don't know who the bad guys are and the way it's set up, it looks like all the good guys will die a horrible death even if they win all the battles. Such is the manga saga that is Claymore. I'm looking forward to #26 (if my local library has it).

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today's post is on Claymore volume 25: Sword of the Dark Deep by Norihiro Yagi. It is the twentieth-fifth in the long running Claymore series, You need to have read the first twenty-four volumes to understand the story. It is 191 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump Advanced. The cover has Clarice and Galatea on it looking into the distance. The intended reader is someone who likes dark plots, high action, and strong female characters. There is mild foul language, no sexuality, nudity, and lots of violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Three battles unfold around the holy city of Rabona as demonic forces seek to destroy one another, the rebel Claymores and the city itself. Seemingly intent on devouring all life, monsters of unprecedented strength rage on as the rebels struggle to contain them. Could the cause of this rage lie in a distant childhood memory?


Review- Everything is coming to close and we are starting to get answers about Awakening beings and Priscilla. No Clare in this volume but lots of fighting with the Awakening beings heading into the city to eat the people and the Claymores are all that can stop it. The child Miata is the last line of defense to stop it but the price is very high. But we learn something very interesting about Priscilla that explains why Clare was not killed when Priscilla awakened, it seems that Priscilla cannot see young girls like she was when the Yoma killed her family. It was her human mind's last act, to hide young girls from her sight in an effort to protect to herself from the horror that she has become. With only two volume left I am very curious about how everything is going to be wrapped up.

I give this volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

[47Time · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm confused. These Abyssal Ones are merged somehow. Even the Claymores are surprised by the results, so I'm not the only one here. Their naked bodies make up for the confusion.

One of the Awakened Ones becomes blinded by her hunger and attacks Rabona. Galatea and Clarice keep a hold of Miata's human half as she Awakens and attacks the Awekened One. Though Miata is victorious, Clarice's body starts to unravel because of the effort. With her last energy she conforts Miata, then erases her memories of her. Miata then remembers the mother she lost to a Yoma.

Priscilla's fight is going badly until she reverts to her human guise. That coupled with her ability to siphon her opponent's energy earns her a victory.

Cassandra goes on the offensive and gains the advantage on the warriors and their Awakened allies. The plan becomes again to draw Cassandra into a fight with Priscilla.

[Suhail Mohammed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, Miata’s awakened form was really nice. Also, Clarice’s death caught me off guard. At first, I didn’t like nor care about Clarice and Miata. However, their conclusion was handled beautifully, that I almost got emotional for characters I wasn’t even interested in. Really loved her death scene. (Sounds wired when I say it like this)

The writer is building Priscilla to be the ultimate villain. And honestly, I kinda felt bad for her after her backstory, but I still can’t forgive her for killing Teresa.

Also, what’s up with Raki heading to Priscilla? I hope he won’t do anything stupid.

[Frankie Frabizzio · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume handled transitions between scenes and pacing REALLY well, which was my main problem with volume 24, until the ending reveal which, just, like, what? It fell so flat and was played off as a massive mic drop moment. That final section dampened my enjoyment with how much improved the pacing was so it’s a 3/5 instead of what would’ve been a 4/5. 2 volumes left and I’m still very intrigued to see how this wraps up—especially with Clare, who is still being trampled as main character by what is now a MASSIVE ensemble cast of distinct secondary and tertiary characters

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

This big battle arc continues to drag on and on. Whilst I liked the design to Miata's awakened form (very Yu-Gi-Oh! style dragon) I didn't care for how she's basically become a deus ex machina in the parts of the story where she is relevant. Lots of gore and body horror in this one, which is saying something considering the whole series is claymore-wielding ladies killing yomas. Oh well, hopefully the next two read as fast as this one so I can see it through to the end.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

It looks like we have a resolution to Robona, with the Awakened One fighting against Miata/Clarice/Galatea and all that. Which... ended really well! Good resolution! Still feels pointless. We introduced a bunch of new characters for them to die, then go fight other characters. We're biding time waiting for the main plot to do something.

[Liam Strong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cue the part in Bohemian Rhapsody where Freddie goes maaaamaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ooooooOOOOooooooo didn't mean to make you cry and stuff, but except this time mama erases your memories so now you have no mama no more so now Freddie just goes oooooOOOOooooooooo forever like a very constipated ghost

[Shahna (VanquishingVolumes) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again I’m not sure how to review these final volumes that all center around the final showdown without spoilers, so I will simply say that I am FLYING through these as I have to know what happens next!

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ya dejen se darle power ups a Priscilla, me tiene harta la morra.

Como sea, me dolió muchísimo lo de Clarice y Miata, ay, no. Yo sí pensé que serían relevantes para derrotar a Priscilla y nada hahaha.

[Aleksandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Priscilla decapitated her yoma father and proceeded to feed on his flesh for a month before she was found by claymores? And she imposed a lock on herself not to see little girls as a last act of humanity. Damn.