Jack Frost (manhwa)

Plot

Jack Frost  follows the story of Noh-A Joo, the new student at Amityville High School . Things start off rather poorly for Noah-A as soon as it comes to life. Caught in an interschool war between vampires , monsters , and other creatures, she must quickly learn what her role is as “mirror image,” and how to handle the mysterious Jack Frost.

What is known about Amityville; There have been 13 wars / classes, only Jack survived the latest. There are 4 districts North, East, South, West, and north is smallest. The combined population of the 4 districts is equal to a country in the living world. Those who are coming back from the karmic cycle of death and rebirth, thus, death is truly final with no hope of any reincarnation or afterlife.

Characters

Noh-A Joo

Noha-A Joo is a new student at Amityville High School. She is known as a “mirror-image”; a person who has died but becomes immortal. Her blood has the ability to heal wounds. Noh-A is excited to learn that she is a mirror image, and does not show any signs of unhappiness at her new role in Amityville. She is quite naive and manages, somehow, to get her head cut off several times, usually by Jack.

Jack Frost

Jack Frost is a sinister and mysterious student. He is able to inflict and withstand large amounts of damage, and is shown to be a skilled and legendary fighter. Jack declares himself to be both strong in Amityville and the death incarnate that nothing can kill. Helmina has stated that he is able to be killed, and then just smile.

He appears to be in a certain relationship to Noh-A, who also bears the same name. He was asked by Helmina to protect the mirror image, and even to ‘take her as a lover’, though he declines, still wearing his smile. Jack declares that the mirror image is just a tool and, in the English version, says she should be concerned with her “home work.” Noh-A nicknames him Nasty-Smile or Smirky, due to not knowing his name in the first few scenes. His smile seems too wide for his face. It seems to be respectful, but slightly indifferently, Helmina and treats everyone else as inferior.

An interesting point is his full length coat, which is torn and shredded at the edges. This appears to heal its body when it is injured as well as rebuild itself. Also, his weaponry is his lightning fast reactions, and also blades and armored gauntlets which appear from his lower arms. In Violence 14 it is revealed that the coat is called “Devil Thread” and “One Piece of the Immortalizer” Ji-Hon

Hansen

Hansen is the Head Counselor of the West District. He originally went to the North District to kill Jack, but was defeated and joined the North District afterwards. Hansen wields a gun with a cross emblazoned on it that fires silver bullets, which he says is the only weapon able to kill a vampire zombie gold return to a zombie or human. He claims to be very much about vampires because he was saved from one. When he first joined the North District, Hansen was assigned to perform cleaning and maintenance, although he was not very apt.

According to Hansen himself, he likes to watch with his long hair and voluptuous body, to which Helmina fits the bill.

Helmina

Helmina is a tall woman and Head of the North District. She seems to know secrets about Jack and often acts sadistically towards him and others. She is shown to have a huge flower garden growing on the grave of students.

Jin

Jin is the Nurse of the North District and the first person Noh-A befriends after being beheaded. Jin is the only teacher to be replaced after a few years ago. She shows the ability to hack into the school. She has a calm and quiet demeanor, is very efficient with her work and is able to “repair” almost any injury.

Avid

Avid, also known as “Blood Pirate Avid”, is a treasure-hunting vampire. Avid came from the South District to drink Noh-A, but soon after seeks Jack’s blood. Avid bites Jack and briefly checks him using fear, but Jack breaks through the commands and decapitates him. Afterward, Avid is still alive and a black wings sprout from his eyepatch, flying him away.

Lucy

Lucy used to be a meal under the control of Avid but was saved by Hansen. She is neither a living object nor human. She follows Hansen’s every day, but clings to him constantly.

Chief Teacher

The skeletal remains of a teacher brought to life by Helmina. He wears a black, hooded cloak and is often seen sweeping the floor with a broom.

Reception

Jack Frost  has received mixed reviews among Western critics.  PopCultureShock’s  Ken Haley graded  Jack Frost  with a B-, praising the illustrations as “slick and stylish”, but criticizing the characters as being “almost all one-note”.  ^[2]  Snow Wildsmith of  School Library Journal  reviewed the chapter Placed in Yen Press ‘ s  Yen More  magazine  ^[3]  She criticised it did HAVING not “much plot to tie it together,” and que la “combination of fan service and gruesome beheadings “made reading” uncomfortable “.  ^[3]

See also

• List of Jack Frost chapters

References