Claymore Creator Norihiro Yagi Launches New Sword Fantasy BARTLET FAIRY BASSLET on Jump+

Norihiro Yagi is back with a sword in his hand. The creator of Claymore has started a brand-new series, BARTLET FAIRY BASSLET, on Shueisha's Shonen Jump+ app, and the first chapter went live on Monday, November 2 (Japan time).

Shonen Jump+ announced the launch on its official X account, billing it as Yagi's long-awaited latest work and urging readers to witness the impact for themselves. The promo poster tells you a lot at a glance: a blonde, armored knight with a huge blade, a gothic castle behind her, and a tagline that roughly reads "the iron war maiden dances." If that silhouette makes you think of Clare and the warriors of the Organization, you are not alone.

What we know so far

• Platform: Shonen Jump+ in Japan, with new chapters on a weekly Monday schedule.
• Genre: a hack-and-slash fantasy built around a steel-clad warrior woman, which is exactly the lane Yagi made his name in.
• English release: the series is also running in English through Shueisha's MANGA Plus and VIZ Media's Shonen Jump service, so overseas readers do not have to wait for a licence.

Why this one matters

Claymore ran from 2001 to 2014 and still has one of the most loyal fanbases of any dark fantasy manga, helped by the 2007 anime that introduced a lot of Western fans to the series. Yagi's most recent long run, Ariadne in the Blue Sky in Weekly Shonen Sunday, wrapped up in 2023 after 22 volumes, so this is his first new serial in a few years, and it brings him back to Shueisha, the publisher behind Claymore.

My take: the weekly digital format suits Yagi's big, kinetic sword fights, and a simultaneous English release means the global conversation can start on day one. I will be reading chapter one tonight and keeping an eye on whether the "fairy" in the title hints at something stranger than a straightforward knight's tale.