Hayane

The story is about Clare, who is a 'claymore', a job in which they kill demons called 'Yoma' where an organization sends them out to targeted villages. The story started with Clare meeting a young boy called Raki where Yoma attacked his village. The story premises started great, the main character Clare was the badass female character you would want to see in a shounen anime. Especially that the series emphasized the importance of females in this universe since only women can become a 'claymore'.

However, I started to have mixed feelings halfway through the show where Clare became a bit overpowered and everything seemed convenient for her 'overpower' to happen. For instance, the characters introduced as Clare colleagues throughout the series had a lot of potentials but somehow halfway they started to be weak and unimportant all of the sudden? Clare somehow can still stand in the fight but a 'known' claymore of a higher rank is taken out before her? For God's sake the author kept insisting she is ranked WAY below others but she can stand and others can barely keep up.

Therefore, storywise, the series started great and was lost for me in the second half which I doubt is because of the studio changing the story to fit the 25 episodes. Honestly, I would rate the first half 9/10 if not for the poor directing later.

As for other elements, the animation was good for a 2007 anime and its MADHOUSE, which doesn't disappoint us until today. There were some flaws but they were acceptable. Nevertheless, the OST choice was terrible during fighting scenes like...I couldn't get excited and actually had the speed at x3 just to get done with it.

Finally, I have already mentioned that the characters were great and had potential especially a certain claymore who made me fell for the anime in the first half and helped keep it 7 instead of a lower rating. On the other hand, the young boy Raki who Clare met, reminded me again why I want to burn Isekai protagonists. His interaction with Clare was merely of someone who couldn't find a way in life after the village attack and the consequences that occurred to him so, he saw her as a hero. Moreover, it seemed like they had big sis/lil bro interaction where he ADMIRED Clare which is the message the anime was showing to the audience in my opinion. However, the author somehow thought "hey! he is the only male in her life!" and their relationship was more disgusting to me than anything. Raki's existence, in short, was to be that pillar for Clare which is essentially..... nonexistent? He literally was only bothering her and only followed her since duh he got no one. How he became such a person to Clare is beyond me.

All in all, I wouldn't say the show was bad, just ignore the character called Raki and forget about the last 6-7episodes if you hate him as much as I did. The ending left a bad taste in my mouth where I wish my impression of the anime would be only of the first half. It's purely my opinion where someone might think he was fine and the ending wasn't that bad. 

First half 9/10, second half 3/10. Bless Teresa existence. Thanks to my secret Santa 2019 for the recommendation! :)