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First of all, let me state that I absolutely love the original manga Claymore written by Norihiro Yagi. In my opinion, it's one of the best and most drilling shonen manga of our generation, with great, deep characters, a fantastic story with good twists and so on. Well, several years ago, it was decided to make an anime out of it, when 'Claymore' wasn't finished yet. Did it pay off? Hell no, it didn't.

'Claymore' is, and let me underline this twice, one of the worst manga-adaptions I've ever seen, an abominable example of what can go wrong if an adaption doesn't stick to the ... original or does focus on the wrong points.


Story

The Anime follows the path of the manga for a while, until it breaks on a certain point and goes for his alternative ending. The Problem is, the Story of the anime lacks impact. It doesn't manage to hit the viewer in certain scenes (Theresa, North, Riful, ...) like the manga did, instead the narration mostly feels like mediocre-fantasy. Scenes get rushed more than in the manga and some characters are even pictured differently, if not entirely weaker. And eventuelly, there are the last episodes who are all fanfiction. They're so bad and repetitive written I really got angry how terrible the sourcematerial was burned. In two or three episodes you basically get the same scene four or five times, containing the same message, a girl crying for her family for example. Also, the plot goes in circles for the last episodes, as the writters clearly didn't know how to let things end. What you get on the final is an expectable Fantasy-climax who makes no sense in the context of the original and who abandons several side-plots and important characters (Riful?). Let's just never mention them again. And of course you get lots of melodrama. The Claymore-Anime-Ending is surely one of the worst you'll see in this genre, especially if comparised to the manga.

Characters

Llike the manga-versions, only more shallow, stupid and annoying, clares personality changed quite a bit, especially to the ending, and while awesome characters from the original at least appear (some of the great four) they quickly disappear and have no valuable point in the narration of the anime. Overall, I didn't really feel with the anime-claymores, and I would descripe them as a weaker version of their originals. And dont let me start about Raki. His character got shredded completely.

Art

While the manga-art is a bit strange at first, it gets better and better as the story goes on to the point where its unique and iconic. Unfortunately, the anime skipped that development and sticked to the strange-part. Unfortunately the second, they didn't adapt the original-art, but tried to make a style who resembles him in his strangeness but ultimately, comes out as ugly. This is just my opinion, but the art of claymore is ugly and cheap. The characters models, especially in the later parts of the story, are by far more elaborated and nicer-to-look, while the anime seems to have a kit for shallow Claymore-characters with funny-blonde hair. The awalened beaings mostly look cheapy-monstrous and are shitty colorized, the eyes dont have the sharpeness of the manga. And the mouths... aren't well-drawn at all.

Sound

The Soundtrack tries to be all-medieval over the times. Sometimes, it manages, most of the time it doesn't. I really think Claymore would have deserved a better soundtrack. It's such an epic story with lots of fantasy, perfectly fitting for great choirs and quick action-beats, but all you get are exchangeable low-fantasy-beats you would heard in every other anime too. The OP and ED are of course exchangeable too, nothing memorable that sticks in your head more then five minutes.

Overall

here's my honest and safe suggestion: Read the manga. It does everything better than the anime, and I mean everything. While the anime-story goes completely down at the end, the manga only starts, the characters aren't well-pictured at all and overall, the anime just feels like a experience worse than the original, forced low-fantasy where thrilling fights should take place. I cant recommend Claymore to anyone, not the anime. There wont ever be a continuation, of course, thanks to the ending. Fortunately.

Clannad with more music

A lot of people seemed to enjoy this anime and think of it as a masterpiece. Personally, I think it's a (lovely) rip-off and typical Dramaromance-Kit of every.single.Drama.

Story

After the first episode, you literally know how this anime proceeds and ends. If you're experienced with anime like this (Romance, Drama, stuff) you also know all the intermediate steps. After the first Episode. basically, you dont need to watch the other 21 episodes, because you're right, that's exactly how it goes and ends. YLIA does over a long stretchtime nothing to surprise you, instead rattles down his Dramance-Model kit with twists and ... turns you can see coming miles and miles before. That's not necessary bad, because many Dramance-Anime do this. Difference is, they do it in a creative way somehow. YLIA isn't creative or entertaining in his copying. It feels like you're watching something you've watched a thousand times before. In fact, you did.

Characters

Nearly all of the characters are shallow and/or stereotypes, with some rare exceptions on the side-characters. The protagonist is the quiet, traumatized genius, introverted and overall not really social, no outstanding personality-traits, allthough there's at least a development through the story. not a big one, though. Tsubaki is the typical Childhoodfriend-character, and I say this by ALL MEANS. It doesn't take more than her first appearence and you know what she feels. She's a rude tomboy, cheerful and of course, wont admit certain things until the end, eventhough the complete cast, including us, knows better. Kaori basically has no personality. She's hyperactive, cheerful, innocent and overall just a plot-device to produce drama and make kouseis boner glow. She has no development and there are no deeper insights in her personality, which is actually a shame, she could have been a good character. rest of the cast isn't worth mentioning, a brother-worshipping girl, competition-focused teens for Kousei, his rude, brutal, female mentor, the cool, icy friend of Tsubaki and so on. YLIA is a picture book of old, discarded stereotypes. at least they're not annoying, and that is a really good point. Not a single one of the characters is really annoying over 22 episodes. Most anime dont manage this, so even if no character is interesting, they're not terrible either.

Art

The art is kinda good. Nothing marvelous, nothing extraordinary, but well-done over the progress of the anime and with some nice artworks. If I can say a bad thing about the art, then that it's boring, maybe. Nothing outstanding in the mass of averageness.

Sound

Naturally the best part of the Music-Anime. While the OPs and EDs are all boring, clichéd and uncreative scrap, the classic (piano-)music in the series itself always hits the tone and is worth to get listened to. The Soundtrack is memorable, especially the maintheme is a likeable piece you wont forget so quick, but aside from that... again, kinda boring. nothing really intense, nothing outstanding. still, your ears are well-threated in YLIA.

Overall

I have to admit I didn't enjoy watching Your Lie in April for a single moment. I think of the 22 episodes as a waste of time, but there's a high chance you'll disagree. If you dont mind knowing the complete plot and all characters from the first episode, and watching 22 episodes of a drama-anime-kit you already watched 4000 times before, you may enjoy this shoal, peaceful anime who takes much room for the insight and feelings of his characters. If you liked Clannad, you'll definitely love Your Lie in April. Funny enough, I loved Clannad. Just... dont expect any surprise. Or you will get disappointed. Promised.