No, it’s not a bad episode by a long stretch. It really isn’t.
It’s just that finally, Madhouse caves in and used the shonen cliche.
The boss transforms into a super powered monster, and the main character, seeing all her friends are down, finally gets very angry and transforms into Super Seiyan 3.
Or the main character remembering why she was fighting in the first place – her first love, and her sadness and grief for the loss of that love allows her to transform.
Didn’t they do that in Sailor Moon when she was fighting Nehelenia?
Or didn’t Goku do that when his bald headed friend got slaughtered?
My, how refreshing!
I can see why people are complaining about the show drifting from the manga. Also I can see why the show will end here, but thankfully the manga will go on.
Clare goes to super seiyan 3 and her powers are probably just below Priscilla’s super Freeza 2. To be fair, I’m told that Clare does transform in the manga, just somewhat earlier (I don’t know the details and I don’t need to know for now, thanks).
But here’s what saved this episode – the loyalty of Jeane. Oh Jeane. She has to be the best character (next to Teresa, of course) in this show, besides the villains.
These days, only the stoic character who will die touches my heart. Jeane knows she won’t make it (why not just power up and heal, dammit!!!), but she tries her best to get there. Why?
Because “she [Clare] saved my life, I’m just repaying her.”
Who the hell cares about that these days? Besides, humans who save your life often have some purpose for it, be it mere self gratification or some other more practical purposes.
Clare saved Jeane because she wanted to. Sure it helps to have another fighter, but Clare did it because she wanted to (how Sailor Moon like that was, anyway!).
Jeane responds by giving up her life to the last to Clare (sob, sob).
Raki, you really suck. You don’t even realize that Jeane isn’t going to make it. You dumb fucker.
In this arc in the anime, Jeane is easily the best character on the Claymore team. With Kotono-san playing her, this grim warrior comes alive. Her performance easily blows everyone else out of water, except Inoue Kikuko-san’s. Her Miria has brilliant moments in episode 20 when she commands over the Claymore force and also tries to pray for everyone even though she knows it’s probably useless.
Episode 20 is the best episode for me for the entire series. But back to this episode.
I’m probably just a really cynical bastard (duh to myself). Watching Clare sitting there wondering why she was even there wasn’t a touching experience, and thankfully the moment was short. But even being a cynic, I can still relate to that. Because like I said before in one of my previous reviews, one of the biggest questions that just about everyone faces is probably this: “What can I do when it just seems that I’m so powerless against it all?” I don’t know, maybe some of you have never come to ask that question because you always knew exactly what to do, or you just went ahead and did whatever. But I’ve often ask that question to myself.
Yet, we fight on, against the power of it all, against the never ending tyranny that is fate, against the oppressions and oppositions that life throws at us. Each of us has his or her own motivation, for one person, vengeance; for another, love and justice; for yet still others, desire for power, fame, and status. Nevertheless, we fight on in this environment branded “humanity”.
I’m cutting this review short (mercifully). This episode is 90% recommended for your daily anime diet.
P.S. Again, to be fair and not completely sell Raki short, he helps and supports Jeane for some time before Jeane decides to use the “super speed” and carry him at the same time. So Raki isn’t a dumb fuck, he’s just finally completely concentrates his mind on Clare and not on himself. Raki is doing his best.
They’re still on Namek?
I don’t know too much about DBZ (I’ve seen enough of it and read the manga back in the late ’80s and early ’90s) nor do I give a lick about it. However they’re still on “Mount Doom”.
DrmChsr0 – Oh I see where you’re going with this. Yeah, I know, it’s like the powering ups are endless…
I hated this episode. Teresa was always a sign of hope for Clare:
1. that statue with Clare’s sword on ep4
2. after Clare loses to Miria, she dreams of Teresa right before she heads off to fight the first male awakened being
3. Irene sensed Clare because Clare had Teresa in her
However, this episode just overkills it. Like you said, its cliched. I am surprised that you said Episode 20 was your favorite though…Anyway, I still think Claymore is a “classic” (though i don’t watch much anime).
What animes do you consider classics? I remember you compared Clamyore to Berserk? Does that mean Berserk is better?