It seems that Hollywood continues to bet heavily on manga adaptations, and this time it's “Claymore's” turn. CBS Studios and Propagate Content have announced that they are working on a live-action series based on the popular dark fantasy story by Norihiro Yagi, in collaboration with Japanese publisher Shueisha.
The project has Masi Oka (Heroes, Hawaii Five-0) as executive producer, an actor known for being a big fan of the manga and who was already involved in the live-action film of “Death Note” on Netflix… which can generate some distrust among fans. There is no confirmed scriptwriter yet, but the series promises to remain faithful to the action and moral dilemmas of the manga and anime, which were a success at the time.
The announcement comes at an interesting time for live-action adaptations of manga and anime. After the huge success of “One Piece” on Netflix, it seems that studios are more willing to take risks with these projects. But let's be honest: Western adaptations of Japanese material have a… rocky track record (Dragon Ball Evolution, Ghost in the Shell, Cowboy Bebop, to name a few).
Will Claymore be the exception to the rule or end up on the list of disappointments? We will have to wait for more details to find out.
Claymore Synopsis
When a shapeshifting demon thirsty for human flesh, known as Youma, arrives at Raki's village, a lone silver-eyed woman appears in the village, carrying only a sword on her back. She is a Claymore, a half-human, half-Youma being created for the sole purpose of exterminating these creatures. After Raki's family is massacred, the Claymore saves him, but he is banished from his home.
With nowhere to go, Raki decides to follow the warrior, whose name is Clare, and accompany her on her travels. As they travel through town after town, eliminating Youma in their path, slowly more is revealed about the mysterious organization of Clare and her fellow warriors. With each battle fought and each demon eradicated, Clare grows closer to the Youma she has sworn revenge against since the moment she chose to become a Claymore.
