TV-Series
Description
Clay Sizemore is a Demon Weapon and a major supporting character, serving as the weapon partner to the meister Akane Hoshi. He is a member of the DWMA Central Intelligence Agency and operates as an E.A.T class agent, though he and his partner are introduced while undercover in the NOT class.
Physically, Clay is relatively tall and slender, noticeably older than most of his freshman classmates, appearing to be around sixteen to eighteen years old. He has spiky, light-colored hair. His typical attire as a NOT student consists of black trousers, a white shirt left unbuttoned at the collar, and a black tie adorned with a small Shinigami mask icon near its tip. This formal dress can give him the appearance of an upperclassman rather than a freshman. In contrast to his partner Akane, who often wears a full suit with his tie properly fastened, Clay maintains a more relaxed and informal look with his collar unbuttoned and tie loosened. During a part-time job at a Death City café, he wears the establishment's uniform of a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves, a black bow tie, a dark waistcoat, and a black apron.
Clay's personality presents a fascinating contrast between his professional aspirations and his natural tendencies. He tries very hard to present himself as a capable and calm member of the EAT Central Intelligence unit, but in his leisure time, his nervousness and clumsiness often betray this composed facade. In combat situations, however, he becomes quite different, sharing with Akane a largely cool-headed and laid-back demeanor. He is almost always smiling during fights and appears confident in his and Akane's skills, never panicking even against powerful opponents like the Traitors.
Despite his generally relaxed nature in battle, Clay is formal and respectful toward his peers and seniors, never hesitating to offer help when needed. He cares deeply for the people around him, becoming worried when others might be in trouble and often intervening without hesitation. While he attempts to appear calm and informal, such as when casually introducing himself to the NOT trio with a simple "Yo," he is actually more emphatic and emotionally expressive than Akane. This is particularly evident after the witch Shaula kills Sid Barrett, as Clay becomes deeply concerned for Anya Hepburn's safety and for everyone at the DWMA involved in the battle against Shaula.
Clay possesses impressive analytical skills, which have earned him praise even from a three-star meister like Sid Barrett, who told Clay that his analytical abilities were highly valued within the DWMA-CIA. His research skills prove instrumental in narrowing down the identity of the Traitors' leader to Shaula Gorgon, contributing significantly to locating and eventually defeating her. He is also skilled at tracking patterns of attacks on Death City and anticipating ominous signs, such as when he noticed that Traitor attacks had slowed down, potentially foreshadowing that Shaula was planning a new assault.
However, Clay's observational and analytical abilities have limitations. He lacks the same level of constant observance as Akane, tending to be more gullible and taking circumstances at face value. For example, he genuinely believes Akane's suggestion that the two of them should dress as witches for Halloween to go trick-or-treating and hunt witches. He also admits that he cannot tell whether the coffee at Master's Café is good or not, having assumed the shop would be poorly run simply because it hires part-time DWMA students. Most notably, when Shaula was right in front of him disguised as a vendor before the Halloween Death Festival, Clay failed to spot her, though this may be because he had never seen her face-to-face before and was relying on a police sketch.
Clay's nervousness and enthusiasm can be easily heightened, which makes it more difficult for him to think of alibis, remain undercover, and focus on tasks. When he becomes enthusiastic about working at Deathbucks and gets changed into his waiter uniform, Akane jokingly calls him simple-minded. His high energy often causes him to misspeak, and Akane describes him as smart but not very quick on his feet. Clay is frequently surprised by how well Akane can improvise successful alibis that do not seem convincing to Clay himself, as well as how Akane can observe nearby objects to use as cover stories, such as a box of donuts to excuse a visit to Sid's anti-witch headquarters. In contrast, Clay tends to sweat and struggle to speak when put on the spot.
His tendency to speak before thinking can lead him to overcomplicate simple topics, such as creating an overly complex flowchart of their friends' relationships as a cover story for his and Akane's undercover security detail on Anya. It can also cause him to make inadvertent insults, such as when he offends Tsugumi by commenting that it is rare for a weapon to have two meisters, not realizing how his words might affect the indecisive girl. When overwhelmed by such social difficulties, Clay can become so flustered that he forgets how he caused the problems in the first place, feeling deeply humiliated and apologetic.
Clay's primary role in the story is as one of the undercover bodyguards assigned to protect Anya Hepburn, who is secretly Princess Anastasia Yngling. Along with his partner Akane, he infiltrates the NOT class to secretly watch over her while appearing to be ordinary freshman students. The pair also work part-time at a café alongside the main trio of Tsugumi Harudori, Meme Tatane, and Anya herself.
The relationship between Clay and Akane forms the core of his character. The two are almost always observed together, and their different personalities actually allow them to complement each other effectively. Akane remains the more assertive and pragmatic of the two, often using Clay as an excuse for various circumstances such as their money problems or unexpected absences, much to Clay's chagrin. While Clay is analytical and sometimes inflexible, trying to follow DWMA rules absolutely, the calm and observant Akane balances him by being flexible and willing to change plans as circumstances demand. However, despite their bickering and occasional pranks on each other, the two share a calm friendship and demonstrate strong confidence in each other's abilities. They achieve strong soul resonance, allowing Akane to wield Clay effectively in combat.
Clay's relationships with the NOT trio are characterized by protectiveness and occasional bemusement. He is slightly protective of Tsugumi Harudori, Meme Tatane, and Anya Hepburn, often worrying about how they will manage at the DWMA. He tries to intervene when conflicts arise and expresses concern when they are in danger. The girls recognize Clay as a capable weapon for Akane, though they are amused by his nervous behavior, particularly when he becomes clumsy while working as a waiter. At one point, Clay claimed to be attracted to Tsugumi, but this was revealed to be a poorly thought-out cover story he invented to hide his and Akane's role as bodyguards, not an actual romantic interest.
As the story progresses, particularly after Sid's death at the hands of Shaula, Clay's development becomes more pronounced. His grief and guilt over not being able to save Sid compromise his usual reasoning, making him more impatient and terse, especially with Anya when she refuses to follow instructions to leave Death City for her safety. He expresses frustration that he could not save Sid and takes offense when Anya suggests he and Akane feel no grief over the loss. Despite his emotional struggles, Clay tries to remain reasonable, focused on protecting Anya even if that means defying her wishes. Eventually, his shared desire for vengeance against Shaula motivates him, along with Akane, to ignore orders and return to Death City to assist in confronting the witch.
In terms of abilities, Clay is a Demon Weapon capable of fully transforming between his human form and his weapon form at will. His full weapon transformation is the Demon Great Sword, an elegantly crafted and slender great sword featuring a solid black blade surrounded by a narrow white cutting edge. The sword has an unusual hilt consisting of a completely smooth cylindrical handle attached by two small diamonds that form its guard. The tip of this sword is incredibly sharp, requiring only the slightest pressure to pierce human flesh.
Clay also possesses the Art of Self Defense, making him a capable combatant even in his human form. In the anime adaptation, he is shown fending off Traitors in close combat by partially transforming his arm into the blade of his sword to defend against other bladed weapons. Additionally, Clay maintains excellent physical conditioning, able to run the track within nearly four seconds of Akane, with Sid referring to both of them as being at the top of the NOT class.
Physically, Clay is relatively tall and slender, noticeably older than most of his freshman classmates, appearing to be around sixteen to eighteen years old. He has spiky, light-colored hair. His typical attire as a NOT student consists of black trousers, a white shirt left unbuttoned at the collar, and a black tie adorned with a small Shinigami mask icon near its tip. This formal dress can give him the appearance of an upperclassman rather than a freshman. In contrast to his partner Akane, who often wears a full suit with his tie properly fastened, Clay maintains a more relaxed and informal look with his collar unbuttoned and tie loosened. During a part-time job at a Death City café, he wears the establishment's uniform of a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves, a black bow tie, a dark waistcoat, and a black apron.
Clay's personality presents a fascinating contrast between his professional aspirations and his natural tendencies. He tries very hard to present himself as a capable and calm member of the EAT Central Intelligence unit, but in his leisure time, his nervousness and clumsiness often betray this composed facade. In combat situations, however, he becomes quite different, sharing with Akane a largely cool-headed and laid-back demeanor. He is almost always smiling during fights and appears confident in his and Akane's skills, never panicking even against powerful opponents like the Traitors.
Despite his generally relaxed nature in battle, Clay is formal and respectful toward his peers and seniors, never hesitating to offer help when needed. He cares deeply for the people around him, becoming worried when others might be in trouble and often intervening without hesitation. While he attempts to appear calm and informal, such as when casually introducing himself to the NOT trio with a simple "Yo," he is actually more emphatic and emotionally expressive than Akane. This is particularly evident after the witch Shaula kills Sid Barrett, as Clay becomes deeply concerned for Anya Hepburn's safety and for everyone at the DWMA involved in the battle against Shaula.
Clay possesses impressive analytical skills, which have earned him praise even from a three-star meister like Sid Barrett, who told Clay that his analytical abilities were highly valued within the DWMA-CIA. His research skills prove instrumental in narrowing down the identity of the Traitors' leader to Shaula Gorgon, contributing significantly to locating and eventually defeating her. He is also skilled at tracking patterns of attacks on Death City and anticipating ominous signs, such as when he noticed that Traitor attacks had slowed down, potentially foreshadowing that Shaula was planning a new assault.
However, Clay's observational and analytical abilities have limitations. He lacks the same level of constant observance as Akane, tending to be more gullible and taking circumstances at face value. For example, he genuinely believes Akane's suggestion that the two of them should dress as witches for Halloween to go trick-or-treating and hunt witches. He also admits that he cannot tell whether the coffee at Master's Café is good or not, having assumed the shop would be poorly run simply because it hires part-time DWMA students. Most notably, when Shaula was right in front of him disguised as a vendor before the Halloween Death Festival, Clay failed to spot her, though this may be because he had never seen her face-to-face before and was relying on a police sketch.
Clay's nervousness and enthusiasm can be easily heightened, which makes it more difficult for him to think of alibis, remain undercover, and focus on tasks. When he becomes enthusiastic about working at Deathbucks and gets changed into his waiter uniform, Akane jokingly calls him simple-minded. His high energy often causes him to misspeak, and Akane describes him as smart but not very quick on his feet. Clay is frequently surprised by how well Akane can improvise successful alibis that do not seem convincing to Clay himself, as well as how Akane can observe nearby objects to use as cover stories, such as a box of donuts to excuse a visit to Sid's anti-witch headquarters. In contrast, Clay tends to sweat and struggle to speak when put on the spot.
His tendency to speak before thinking can lead him to overcomplicate simple topics, such as creating an overly complex flowchart of their friends' relationships as a cover story for his and Akane's undercover security detail on Anya. It can also cause him to make inadvertent insults, such as when he offends Tsugumi by commenting that it is rare for a weapon to have two meisters, not realizing how his words might affect the indecisive girl. When overwhelmed by such social difficulties, Clay can become so flustered that he forgets how he caused the problems in the first place, feeling deeply humiliated and apologetic.
Clay's primary role in the story is as one of the undercover bodyguards assigned to protect Anya Hepburn, who is secretly Princess Anastasia Yngling. Along with his partner Akane, he infiltrates the NOT class to secretly watch over her while appearing to be ordinary freshman students. The pair also work part-time at a café alongside the main trio of Tsugumi Harudori, Meme Tatane, and Anya herself.
The relationship between Clay and Akane forms the core of his character. The two are almost always observed together, and their different personalities actually allow them to complement each other effectively. Akane remains the more assertive and pragmatic of the two, often using Clay as an excuse for various circumstances such as their money problems or unexpected absences, much to Clay's chagrin. While Clay is analytical and sometimes inflexible, trying to follow DWMA rules absolutely, the calm and observant Akane balances him by being flexible and willing to change plans as circumstances demand. However, despite their bickering and occasional pranks on each other, the two share a calm friendship and demonstrate strong confidence in each other's abilities. They achieve strong soul resonance, allowing Akane to wield Clay effectively in combat.
Clay's relationships with the NOT trio are characterized by protectiveness and occasional bemusement. He is slightly protective of Tsugumi Harudori, Meme Tatane, and Anya Hepburn, often worrying about how they will manage at the DWMA. He tries to intervene when conflicts arise and expresses concern when they are in danger. The girls recognize Clay as a capable weapon for Akane, though they are amused by his nervous behavior, particularly when he becomes clumsy while working as a waiter. At one point, Clay claimed to be attracted to Tsugumi, but this was revealed to be a poorly thought-out cover story he invented to hide his and Akane's role as bodyguards, not an actual romantic interest.
As the story progresses, particularly after Sid's death at the hands of Shaula, Clay's development becomes more pronounced. His grief and guilt over not being able to save Sid compromise his usual reasoning, making him more impatient and terse, especially with Anya when she refuses to follow instructions to leave Death City for her safety. He expresses frustration that he could not save Sid and takes offense when Anya suggests he and Akane feel no grief over the loss. Despite his emotional struggles, Clay tries to remain reasonable, focused on protecting Anya even if that means defying her wishes. Eventually, his shared desire for vengeance against Shaula motivates him, along with Akane, to ignore orders and return to Death City to assist in confronting the witch.
In terms of abilities, Clay is a Demon Weapon capable of fully transforming between his human form and his weapon form at will. His full weapon transformation is the Demon Great Sword, an elegantly crafted and slender great sword featuring a solid black blade surrounded by a narrow white cutting edge. The sword has an unusual hilt consisting of a completely smooth cylindrical handle attached by two small diamonds that form its guard. The tip of this sword is incredibly sharp, requiring only the slightest pressure to pierce human flesh.
Clay also possesses the Art of Self Defense, making him a capable combatant even in his human form. In the anime adaptation, he is shown fending off Traitors in close combat by partially transforming his arm into the blade of his sword to defend against other bladed weapons. Additionally, Clay maintains excellent physical conditioning, able to run the track within nearly four seconds of Akane, with Sid referring to both of them as being at the top of the NOT class.