Claymore: The Burden of the Blade, Chapter 1

In a none-too-distant future, monsters known as the Yoma ramble about in search of their favorite appetizer: humans. The Yoma are easily able to chow down on folk by taking on human form and thereby fooling their unsuspecting dinners-to-be (apparently, the Yoma can tell each other apart, since no Yoma here accidentally eats a disguised comrade). Only one force can stop the Yoma: Claymores, a hybrid species half-human and half-Yoma (although it's unclear—at least in the initial five episodes compiled here—how this coupling ever came about). The Claymore heroine in this first volume is Clare, a take-no-prisoners lady warrior who never met a Yoma she didn't want to slice up—for a fee, of course (Yoma-killing being her profession, not a hobby). Accompanied by a human child named Raki and later joined by another Claymore named Teresa, Clare travels through numerous villages gearing up for inevitable confrontations. While the notion of monster-killing antiheroes with inner conflicts and annoying kiddie sidekicks is not exactly new, Claymore does feature stylish animation. Presented on a dual-language disc, rated TV-MA, DVD extras include audio commentary on the first episode and cast auditions. A strong optional purchase. [Note: Claymore, Chapter 2 is also newly available, with Chapter 3 slated for release on Feb. 3.] Aud: P. (P. Hall)