Freezing (manhwa)
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese-Korean manga
series written by Dall-Young Lim
and illustrated by Kwang-Hyun Kim. The former is the author of the manga Black God
and the Korean manhwa Unbalance Unbalance, Zero
, and Aflame Inferno
(who the latter had illustrated). The series revolves around the invasion of Earth by an extraterrestrial force called the Nova, and a special force of genetically engineered young women called Pandoras, and their male partners, called Limiters, who are created to combat them. The story centers on Kazuya Aoi, a Limiter whose late sister was a Pandora, and Satellizer el Bridget, a Pandora with a cold personality who is known as the "Untouchable Queen" for her intense aphephobia
, both enrolled at West Genetics Academy, a special school that trains Pandoras and Limiters alike to fight against the Nova.
Freezing began serialization in Kill Time Communication
's seinen manga magazine Comic Valkyrie
in its March 2007 issue. The first collected volume was released on October 17, 2010, with a total of twelve volumes sold in Japan as of October 27, 2011 under its Valkyrie Comics imprint. On August 12, 2010, an anime adaptation produced by A.C.G.T
was announced, and aired in Japan between January and April 2011 on AT-X
and other channels. The anime is licensed in North America by Funimation Entertainment
, who will be releasing the series in 2012.
A spinoff manga, called , was announced, and began serialization in the November 2011 issue of Comic Valkyrie.
, Kazuya decides to be her friend and Limiter. They are later joined by Lana Linchen, a Pandora from Tibet
in search for her Limiter who believes Kazuya to be her "soulmate", sparking a rivalry with Satellizer. The story follows Kazuya's friendship with Satellizer, the students of the Academy, and Earth's war against the Nova.
and illustrated by Kwang-Hyun Kim, Freezing started serialization in Kill Time Communications' male-oriented Japanese manga magazine Comic Valkyrie
in 2007. The first collected bound volume
was released in October 26, 2007, with a total of twelve volumes sold in Japan as of October 27, 2011 under its Valkyrie Comics imprint. In South Korea, it is published by Haksan Culture Company
and it is serialized in Booking
.
A spinoff series, called , written by Dall-Young Lim and illustrated by Jae-Ho Yoon (known for illustrating the manga The Phantom King), began serialization in the November 2011 issue of Comic Valkyrie, released on September 27, 2011. Serving as a prequel, the story centers on Chiffon Fairchild's first year at West Genetics prior to her becoming Student Council President, and also explains the origin of her title, the "Smiling Monster".
between January 8, 2011 and April 2, 2011. The show aired uncensored in 4:3 format on AT-X, while the airing on Tokyo MX (which began on January 9) and other channels were in 16:9 widescreen format, and heavily censored. Episodes 11 and 12 were pushed back due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
. Six DVD and Blu-ray
volumes were released by Media Factory
between March 23 and August 24, 2011, each volume containing two episodes and an original video animation
called , as well as other bonus material. The anime is licensed in North America by Funimation Entertainment
for simulcasting (in its 16:9 censored format) on their video portal. Funimation later gained additional licensing rights to the series, and it is scheduled for release in 2012 on DVD and Blu-ray.
The opening theme for the series is "Color" by MARiA, a cover of a song from Hatsune Miku
, while the ending theme is by Aika Kobayashi. A CD single containing the two songs was released by Media Factory on February 23, 2011.
show called aired on HiBiKi Radio Station between December 10, 2010 and May 13, 2011 for six episodes. The show is hosted by Izumi Kitta and Aya Uchida, the voices for Cleo Brand and Ticy Phenyl, respectively. Each radio episode features guest voices from the anime series.
An internet video show called began airing on Media Factory's official YouTube
account. The show is hosted by Mamiko Noto
and Kana Hanazawa
, the voices of Satellizer el Bridget and Lana Linchen, respectively, and ran eight episodes between December 10, 2010 and March 10, 2011.
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series written by Dall-Young Lim
Dall-Young Lim
Lim Dall-Young is a South Korean author known for scripting the manhwa Unbalance Unbalance and the Japanese manga Black God and Freezing. He is the founder of Artlim Media, which was established in 1999...
and illustrated by Kwang-Hyun Kim. The former is the author of the manga Black God
Black God (manga)
is a Japanese-Korean manga series written by Dall-Young Lim and illustrated by Sung-Woo Park. Square Enix publishes the manga in Japan's bi-monthly seinen magazine Young Gangan. The story is initially set in modern day Tokyo, then changes to the island of Okinawa in the middle of the story. The...
and the Korean manhwa Unbalance Unbalance, Zero
Zero (manhwa)
Zero is a Korean manhwa written by Dall-Young Lim and illustrated by Park Sung-woo Based on a popular series of Korean eroge of the same title. The manhwa was serialized into 69 chapters. The individual chapters were published into 10 bound volumes by Daiwon C.I...
, and Aflame Inferno
Aflame Inferno
Aflame Inferno is a manhwa written and created by Lim Dall-young; and illustrated by Kim Kwang-hyun.-Story:...
(who the latter had illustrated). The series revolves around the invasion of Earth by an extraterrestrial force called the Nova, and a special force of genetically engineered young women called Pandoras, and their male partners, called Limiters, who are created to combat them. The story centers on Kazuya Aoi, a Limiter whose late sister was a Pandora, and Satellizer el Bridget, a Pandora with a cold personality who is known as the "Untouchable Queen" for her intense aphephobia
Fear of being touched
The fear of being touched is a rare specific phobia that involves the fear of touching or of being touched...
, both enrolled at West Genetics Academy, a special school that trains Pandoras and Limiters alike to fight against the Nova.
Freezing began serialization in Kill Time Communication
Kill Time Communication
is a Japanese publishing company focused on adult material, such as light novels, artbooks, adult magazines, manga. The company was established in November 1995...
's seinen manga magazine Comic Valkyrie
Comic Valkyrie
is a Japanese science fiction and fantasy seinen manga magazine published by Kill Time Communication. Its target readership is males between their teens and thirties. The first volume was released on July 25, 2006, and ran in bimonthly volumes until it switched to monthly publication, starting with...
in its March 2007 issue. The first collected volume was released on October 17, 2010, with a total of twelve volumes sold in Japan as of October 27, 2011 under its Valkyrie Comics imprint. On August 12, 2010, an anime adaptation produced by A.C.G.T
A.C.G.T
A・C・G・T is a Japanese animation production company, founded in 2001. It has been involved in the development of many series, predominantly contributing to other studios and adapting works based on light novels and manga. It is a subsidiary of OB Planning, who handles executive production on many of...
was announced, and aired in Japan between January and April 2011 on AT-X
AT-X (company)
is a Japanese anime television network owned by . AT-X, Inc. was founded on June 26, 2000 as a subsidiary of TV Tokyo Medianet, which, in turn, is a subsidiary of TV Tokyo. Its headquarters are in Minato, Tokyo. AT-X network broadcasts anime via satellite and cable since December 24, 1997.AT-X is...
and other channels. The anime is licensed in North America by Funimation Entertainment
Funimation Entertainment
Funimation is an American entertainment company. Originally founded in 1994 by Gen Fukunaga, the company became a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation on May 11, 2005...
, who will be releasing the series in 2012.
A spinoff manga, called , was announced, and began serialization in the November 2011 issue of Comic Valkyrie.
Plot
Set in a slightly futuristic world, Earth has been invaded and is at war with aliens from another dimension called the Nova. In order to counter them, Pandoras and Limiters, genetically modified girls with super fighting skills and their male partners who use special "freezing" powers to limit their opponent's mobility, are made to fight against the Nova. The series focuses on Kazuya Aoi, a Limiter whose late sister was a Pandora, and Satellizer el Bridget, a powerful Pandora with a cold personality, both who are enrolled at the West Genetics Academy, one of the many academies where Pandoras and Limiters are trained. In spite of the warnings of all his friends about Satellizer, who has intense aphephobiaFear of being touched
The fear of being touched is a rare specific phobia that involves the fear of touching or of being touched...
, Kazuya decides to be her friend and Limiter. They are later joined by Lana Linchen, a Pandora from Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
in search for her Limiter who believes Kazuya to be her "soulmate", sparking a rivalry with Satellizer. The story follows Kazuya's friendship with Satellizer, the students of the Academy, and Earth's war against the Nova.
General
- Girls who have been genetically modified to be able to utilize Stigmata, which endow them with incredible speed and strength. They are capable of materializing their own unique weapons called , made with a special material called which is activated through their Stigmata. The Volt Texture heightens and improves a Pandora's senses such as hearing and eyesight, and allows them to make quick clothing changes or repair any damaged clothes. They also have the ability to regenerate lost limbs, though this shortens their lifespan due to rapid cell growth.
- The male partner of a Pandora, whose primary role is to neutralize the freezing field emitted by a Nova so that their Pandora may attack them. Limiters also have the secondary ability to generate their own Freezing field which can be used to restrain other targets, including low-level Novas. In order to use these abilities, Limiters must be implanted with one of their Pandora's stigmata, allowing them to synchronize their senses. In order to ensure better compatibility and synchronization between Limiters and Pandoras, a Limiter is always younger in age.
- A special tissue created by reverse-engineering from Nova cell cultures, which gives superhuman powers to Pandoras and Limiters. Usually these tissues are implanted into the user's back, but some individuals, like the Aoi siblings, possess a high quantity of Stigmata tissue inside their bodies, giving them special abilities beyond the norm. This is known as a . Due to the fact that Stigmata came from the Nova, there is a chance it can take over its user and turn them into a Nova as well.
- A ceremony in which a Pandora officially acknowledges a Limiter as her partner, giving him her Stigmata to be implanted and creating the bond known as an Ereinbar Set. This is usually done in the form of a , where a Pandora invites her chosen Limiter to her room to perform it.
- When a Pandora and Limiter synchronize their brain waves to allow the Limiter to use his Freezing abilities and ultimately, increase their fighting strength. This can only be achieved if the pair performs a baptism.
- Inter-dimensional aliens that are invading Earth. Usually they have attacked Earth in intervals of around eight years, but the most recent attacks have been more frequent. Two types of Nova have appeared in the series so far: the Type-R Novas ("R" standing for "Resolver"), and the Type-S Novas ("S" standing for "Supreme"). They have the ability to "freeze" anything within its radius, and only by attacking the core (which must be exposed first) can they be defeated. They recently exhibited the ability to fire a high-powered energy beam from its core, as well as the ability to absorb a Pandora and turning them into Nova-human hybrids under their control.
- The Evolution Pandoras are candidates from the E-Pandora Plan, an experimental project formulated to expand the Pandora program to people with limited Stigmata compatibility. The E-Pandoras are quite different from regular Pandoras in terms of background, being orphans, homeless girls, or child-slaves, all placed into the program as expendable subjects. After an embarrassing exhibition match involving the regular and E-Pandoras showcased the vast difference in power, the controlling administrators authorized drugging the E-Pandoras to get immediate results. The drugs raise their capabilities to normal Pandora levels, at the cost of rapidly losing control of their Stigmata.
Skills and abilities
- A powered-up form used by higher-ranking Pandoras. In the manga, Pandora Mode takes form of a powered armored suitPowered exoskeletonA powered exoskeleton, also known as powered armor, or exoframe, is a powered mobile machine consisting primarily of an exoskeleton-like framework worn by a person and a power supply that supplies at least part of the activation-energy for limb movement.Powered exoskeletons are designed to assist...
while in the anime, the Pandora have physical changes (silvery-white hair, yellow eyes, and blue rings around their wrists and ankles). Despite the differences, in both versions Pandoras in Pandora Mode gain increased strength and power as well as having the ability to move in the opponents' Freezing grid without aid from a Limiter. The Pandora's Volt Weapon also gains an upgrade while in this state, turning it into a that is powerful enough to defeat low-level Novas. Also, it has been stated that Pandoras are forbidden to use Pandora Mode other than in actual combat with a Nova. Despite its advantages, the downside of Pandora Mode is that Pandoras can only maintain it for three minutes and once the time limit is over, the Pandora will return to her normal but in a severely weakened state, which leaves her vulnerable to attacks.
- One of the two developed by Kazuha Aoi which increases a Pandora's speed, allowing for quick evasive maneuvers and high-speed attacks. Variations include (with and without intervals), , and , which are used by higher-ranking Pandoras. Some weaknesses for the Accel Turn is that the Pandora is left open for counterattack if she is not quick enough and the lag time between turns; if a Pandora's lag time between turns is too long, she can easily be stopped by a Pandora of greater skill. Satellizer, Arnett, and Cassie are well-known users of this technique, with Cassie being the most skilled.
- A High-End Skill which allows a Pandora to create four copies of herself and attack simultaneously from all angles. Cleo and Ingrid, as well as Lana and Charles, are proficient users of this technique with Charles being the most advanced, being able to create up to ten copies of herself with this technique.
- A rare power displayed by very few Pandora that enhances the Pandora's abilities. By unlocking the in their Stigmata, they draw out more of their potential and it increases their healing rate. However, as noted by Lana, it is a double-edged sword to the user's body. So far, the only known users of this skill are Lana and Satellizer.
- Nova Forms are Pandora/Nova human hybrids as a result of a Pandora's Stigmata going berserk, infecting and turning its host into one, or if a Pandora is assimilated by a Nova and infected with a Nova Stigmata. Nova Forms are dangerous foes due to the fact the Pandoras have no control over their bodies and are acting on their Nova instincts. Not only do they possess both skills of Pandoras and Novas (Nova-like armor, the ability to perform Freezing, and using High-End Skills), but also new skills like turning their arms into weapons and the ability to fire a high-powered energy beam. Nova Forms are the reason why there is a limit on how many Stigmatas can be implanted into a Pandora to reduce the risk of going berserk. Their existences was a highly-kept secret at Genetics until the 10th Nova Clash when the Nova assimilated a group of Pandoras and infected them with their own Stigmatas. While Nova Forms that were infected by the Nova can be returned to normal by destroying their Nova Stigmatas, those who turn into Nova Form as a result of their Stigmata going berserk are not so lucky, as they can never revert to their original form (Kazuha Aoi, for example, during the 8th Nova Clash). However, the only exception is Satellizer, for she is the only known Pandora to have turned into a Nova Form and returned back to normal thanks to Kazuya.
Genetics and Chevalier
- A special school that specializes in training Pandoras and Limiters alike to combat against the Nova. There are multipule Genetics branches all over the world, including two in Japan: East Genetics and West Genetics, both located in their respective regions.
- An elite unit of Pandoras who serve under the military. A Pandora with exceptional skills can join the Chevalier if she is a fourth-year student. Their headquarters is located in the Grand CanyonGrand CanyonThe Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States...
, with Marks Spencer being their leader.
- A monitored all-out battle royaleBattle Royalethumb|260px|Cover of the 2009 expanded edition, ISBN 978-1-4215-2772-3 is a 1999 Japanese novel written by Koushun Takami. The story tells of schoolchildren who are forced to fight each other to the death....
event to determine top-ranking Pandoras. Any battles conducted after the Carnival is done do not change a Pandora's rank. This event helps the higher-ups for battle research and when they must fight the Nova with as little casualties as possible.
- A project developed by Scarlett Ohara to create a new generation of Pandoras without the need to be genetically compatible to have a Stigmata implanted. The project was recently approved by the Chevaliers following the 10th Nova Clash and the need for more Pandoras for future Nova Clashes. However, the project is not without controversy, as throughout the globe the project is seen as human experimentation with questions on whether the process of turning a normal person into a Pandora is safe or not.
Manga
Written by Korean manwha creator Dall-Young LimDall-Young Lim
Lim Dall-Young is a South Korean author known for scripting the manhwa Unbalance Unbalance and the Japanese manga Black God and Freezing. He is the founder of Artlim Media, which was established in 1999...
and illustrated by Kwang-Hyun Kim, Freezing started serialization in Kill Time Communications' male-oriented Japanese manga magazine Comic Valkyrie
Comic Valkyrie
is a Japanese science fiction and fantasy seinen manga magazine published by Kill Time Communication. Its target readership is males between their teens and thirties. The first volume was released on July 25, 2006, and ran in bimonthly volumes until it switched to monthly publication, starting with...
in 2007. The first collected bound volume
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
was released in October 26, 2007, with a total of twelve volumes sold in Japan as of October 27, 2011 under its Valkyrie Comics imprint. In South Korea, it is published by Haksan Culture Company
Haksan Culture Company
Haksan Culture Company , a subsidiary of Daewon Media, is a South Korean publisher, famous for its large selections of domestic and imported comics and light novels. It was established in Seoul, in 1995.-Publishing:Magazines...
and it is serialized in Booking
Booking (comics)
Booking is a monthly manhwa anthology published by the South Korean Haksanpub.-Currently running manhwa titles:*Aflame Inferno*Freezing*Jack Frost*Witchcraft Troops*Street Jam*Yongbi Bulpae Oejeon*The Phantom King*Beast 9...
.
A spinoff series, called , written by Dall-Young Lim and illustrated by Jae-Ho Yoon (known for illustrating the manga The Phantom King), began serialization in the November 2011 issue of Comic Valkyrie, released on September 27, 2011. Serving as a prequel, the story centers on Chiffon Fairchild's first year at West Genetics prior to her becoming Student Council President, and also explains the origin of her title, the "Smiling Monster".
Anime
An anime adaptation produced by A.C.G.T. aired on AT-XAT-X (company)
is a Japanese anime television network owned by . AT-X, Inc. was founded on June 26, 2000 as a subsidiary of TV Tokyo Medianet, which, in turn, is a subsidiary of TV Tokyo. Its headquarters are in Minato, Tokyo. AT-X network broadcasts anime via satellite and cable since December 24, 1997.AT-X is...
between January 8, 2011 and April 2, 2011. The show aired uncensored in 4:3 format on AT-X, while the airing on Tokyo MX (which began on January 9) and other channels were in 16:9 widescreen format, and heavily censored. Episodes 11 and 12 were pushed back due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
. Six DVD and Blu-ray
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
volumes were released by Media Factory
Media Factory
is a Japanese publisher. It was founded on December 1, 1986, and its headquarters are situated in Shibuya, Tokyo. It is a subsidiary of Recruit Co., Ltd...
between March 23 and August 24, 2011, each volume containing two episodes and an original video animation
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
called , as well as other bonus material. The anime is licensed in North America by Funimation Entertainment
Funimation Entertainment
Funimation is an American entertainment company. Originally founded in 1994 by Gen Fukunaga, the company became a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation on May 11, 2005...
for simulcasting (in its 16:9 censored format) on their video portal. Funimation later gained additional licensing rights to the series, and it is scheduled for release in 2012 on DVD and Blu-ray.
The opening theme for the series is "Color" by MARiA, a cover of a song from Hatsune Miku
Hatsune Miku
is a singing synthesizer application with a female persona, developed by Crypton Future Media. It uses Yamaha Corporation's Vocaloid 2 synthesizing technology. The name of the character comes from a fusion of the Japanese for , and future , referring to her position as the first of Crypton's...
, while the ending theme is by Aika Kobayashi. A CD single containing the two songs was released by Media Factory on February 23, 2011.
Other media
An internet radioInternet radio
Internet radio is an audio service transmitted via the Internet...
show called aired on HiBiKi Radio Station between December 10, 2010 and May 13, 2011 for six episodes. The show is hosted by Izumi Kitta and Aya Uchida, the voices for Cleo Brand and Ticy Phenyl, respectively. Each radio episode features guest voices from the anime series.
An internet video show called began airing on Media Factory's official YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
account. The show is hosted by Mamiko Noto
Mamiko Noto
is a Japanese voice actress working under Office Osawa. She was born in the city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa, and graduated from Hokuriku Gakuen Senior High School.-Voice:...
and Kana Hanazawa
Kana Hanazawa
a voice actress represented by Office Osawa talent agency. She is notable for voice acting leading roles for a number of anime television shows and other anime-related media in Japan.-Anime voice roles:Leading roles in bold2003...
, the voices of Satellizer el Bridget and Lana Linchen, respectively, and ran eight episodes between December 10, 2010 and March 10, 2011.
External links
- Freezing at Comic ValkyrieComic Valkyrieis a Japanese science fiction and fantasy seinen manga magazine published by Kill Time Communication. Its target readership is males between their teens and thirties. The first volume was released on July 25, 2006, and ran in bimonthly volumes until it switched to monthly publication, starting with...
- Freezing: First Chronicle at Comic Valkyrie
- Official anime website