History Manga / Jackals

''Jackals'' is a {{Manga}}[[note]]Yes really, some mistake it as Manhwa due the artist being Korean, it is only partially drawn in Korea, but the final touches and publication are all in Japan[[/note]] written by ''Shinya Murata'' and drawn by ''Byun-Jin Kim''. It chronicles the life of a [[ProfessionalKiller mercenary]] named Nichol, son of another mercenary, in Friedrichs town of Cicero City, which also houses other mercenaries generally grouped under the titular Jackals and two major gangs, TheMafia-like Gabriella and the Triad-like Tennouren. The story kicks off when Nichol, after finishing one of his jobs, is assaulted by a Gabriella executive and kills him in retaliation, causing the rest of Gabriella to hunt him. However, they are impeded by the ever-growing Tennouren, who just loses their former leader who is swiftly replaced by his genius daughter.

%%* BigBad: Lee Mei Lang. [[spoiler:Actually, it's Franco.]]

''Jackals'' is a {{Manga}}[[note]]Yes really, some mistake it as Manhwa due the artist being Korean, it is only partially drawn in Korea, but the final touches and publication are all in Japan[[/note]] written by ''Shinya Murata'' and drawn by ''Byun-Jin Kim''. It chronicles the life of a [[ProfessionalKiller mercenary]] named Nichol, son of another mercenary, in Friedrichs town of Cicero City, which also houses other mercenaries generally grouped under the titular Jackals and two major gangs, the {{Mafia}}-like Gabriella and the Triad-like Tennouren. The story kicks off when Nichol, after finishing one of his jobs, is assaulted by a Gabriella executive and kills him in retaliation, causing the rest of Gabriella to hunt him. However, they are impeded by the ever-growing Tennouren, who just loses their former leader who is swiftly replaced by his genius daughter.

* MentorOccupationalHazard[=/=]KilledOffForReal: The Don to Isaac, [[spoiler:Isaac to Hans and in a twisted way, Roxy to Nichol.]]
%%* MissingMom: Roxy.

* NeverASelfMadeWoman: So ''deliciously'' subverted it makes the series stand out for this. Not only has pure badass Nichol been trained by his... '''MOTHER''' - you read that right - but also the BigBad is... a WOMAN, and she is even better than her father in her evildoing. [[spoiler:Although she ends up not being the actual BigBad, but nevertheless still a MagnificentBitch.]]

* ActionMom: Roxy.

* ArrogantKungFuGuy
* AxCrazy

* BadassInANiceSuit: Isaac.
* BadassLongcoat: Nichol, Huya and Isaac are prominent cases.

* BigBad: Lee Mei Lang. [[spoiler:Actually, it's Franco.]]
* BloodKnight

* BreakTheCutie[=/=]HarmfulToMinors: Nichol.

* CatFight: Averted. When [[spoiler: Domino and Arshela]] fight, given the nature of both opponents, there's nothing "cute" about their fight.

* ConservationOfNinjutsu

* DarkActionGirl: Roxy, Arshela and Domino.

* DiagonalCut: Too many examples.

* DistressedDamsel: Sheryl.

* EnfantTerrible: Julio Angelo.

* IaijutsuPractitioner: Claude.

* KnifeNut: Julio.

* MenAreTheExpendableGender: While the series doesn't skimp on female characters, none of them [[spoiler: except Roxy and Domino]] die. And none of them ever gets a gruesome, {{gorn}}y death.

* MissingMom: Roxy.

* MrFanservice: Nichol and Huya.

* NeverASelfMadeWoman: So '''''deliciously''''' subverted it makes the series stand out for this. Not only has pure badass Nichol been trained by his... '''MOTHER''' - you read that right - but also the BigBad is... a WOMAN, and she is even better than her father in her evildoing. [[spoiler:Although she ends up not being the actual BigBad, but nevertheless still a MagnificentBitch.]]
* NoIAmBehindYou: Isaac's favorite trick.

* OffWithHisHead: Bye-bye, [[spoiler:[[AssholeVictim Shao!]]]]

* RazorWind [=/=] SwordBeam: Claude, in tune with his [[IaijutsuPractitioner iaijutsu]]. If he ever unsheathes his sword, OhCrap.

* RevolversAreJustBetter: Richard, The Bolt.

* TheyCallHimSword: Nichol's and Huya's nicknames come from their respective weapons, Alligator and Requiem respectively

* TortureTechnician: Domino.

* WhipItGood: Arshela.
* WorthyOpponent: Nichol and Huya.
* WouldHurtAChild: Oh no, we're totally NOT going to show a woman kill an innocent child, this is just SO wrong... oh wait... Did [[spoiler: Roxy]] just bisect this 7 year-old child???
* YouAreInCommandNow:[[spoiler:Isaac to Hans.]]

* AnimalMotifs: Several characters have an animal theme, such as Alligators for Nichol, snakes for Arshela and bats for Franco.

** Reading ''Jackals'' after something like ''Manga/{{Arachnid}}'' or ''Manga/KillingBites'' can be rather weird, indeed. The chapter titles aren't quotes, there's no animal trivia narration every chapter, little supernatural elements, no {{camp}} and it's a coherent story with over two distinct arcs told in under 60 chapters rather than one big arc [[WebcomicTime that lasts forever]].

** Poor Nichol once became one [[spoiler:during the night her mother was 'killed']].
** [[spoiler:Roxy herself becomes one for Sheryl.]]

* IHaveYouNowMyPretty: Shao to Sheryl. [[spoiler:This eventually ends when a very badly wounded Roxy decides [[OffWithHisHead enough's enough.]]]]

** Reading ''Jackals'' after something like ''Manga/{{Arachnid}}'' or ''Manga/KillingBites'' can be rather weird, indeed. The chapter titles aren't quotes, there's no animal trivia narration every chapter, no {{camp}} and it's a coherent story with over two distinct arcs told in under 60 chapters rather than one big arc [[WebcomicTime that lasts forever]].

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Reading ''Jackals'' after something like ''Manga/{{Arachnid}}'' or ''Manga/KillingBites'' can be rather weird, indeed. The chapter titles aren't quotes, there's no animal trivia narration every chapter, no {{camp}} and it's a coherent story with over two distinct arcs told in under 60 chapters rather than one big arc [[WebcomicTime that lasts forever]].

* GunsAreWorthless: Nichol often faces gunfire without fear while using his Alligator as a shield. There are aversions to this, however. At one point a martial artist laments teaching soldiers how to fight couldn't save them from firearms and indeed, two of the biggest badasses in the setting are ultimately killed by gunfire.

* ButNowIMustGo: [[spoiler:After his ultimate battle against Huya ends in a draw, Nichol disappears into the world. He only briefly returns to [[RetiredBadass plant his Alligator next to Roxy's grave]], still without greeting anyone.]]

* LeftHanging: There are many questions left unanswered at the end of the series. And although ''Arachnid'' is supposed to be a StealthSequel it doesn't explain much of anything that happened in the time gap between the two stories.

'''Jackals''' is a {{Manga}}[[note]]Yes really, some mistake it as Manhwa due the artist being Korean, it is only partially drawn in Korea, but the final touches and publication are all in Japan[[/note]] written by ''Shinya Murata'' and drawn by ''Byun-Jin Kim''. It chronicles the life of a [[ProfessionalKiller mercenary]] named Nichol, son of another mercenary, in Friedrichs town of Cicero City, which also houses other mercenaries generally grouped under the titular Jackals and two major gangs, the {{Mafia}}-like Gabriella and the Triad-like Tennouren. The story kicks off when Nichol, after finishing one of his jobs, is assaulted by a Gabriella executive and kills him in retaliation, causing the rest of Gabriella to hunt him. However, they are impeded by the ever-growing Tennouren, who just loses their former leader who is swiftly replaced by his genius daughter.

* {{BFS}}: Nichol's Alligator and Huya's Requiem. Isaac's claymore may also count.

The ''Manga/{{Arachnid}}'' manga later written by Murata stars an {{expy}} of a character from this story and is [[ProductionThrowback vaguely implied]] to be in the same setting.

* AbsurdlySharpBlade

* AlwaysSaveTheGirl: Nichol.
* AnimalMotifs: Alligators for Nichol, snakes for Arshela and bats for Franco.

* {{BFS}}: Nichol's Alligator and Huya's Requiem. Isaac's claymore may also count.

* DarkSkinnedBlond: Nichol and Roxy.
** Subverted in the case of Nichol, whose hair is paper-white instead of blond.
** It's the same trope though.

* [[spoiler:DiedStandingUp: Isaac.]]

* [[spoiler:DyingMomentOfAwesome: Roxy is very badly injured in her fight with her son, enough so that he's convinced he killed her. She then marches up who knows how many flights of stairs just in time to do a BigDamnHeroes for Sheryl via [[KarmicDeath decapitating]] [[AssholeVictim Shao the Decapitator]]. She then proceeds to HumanShield Sheryl from Franco's machineguns long enough for Nichol and Huya to get the drop on Franco and his guards. BADASS, THY NAME IS ROXY.]]

* [[spoiler:FakeDefector: Cornelio. He is always a Gabriellan, but when Tennouren takes over Gabriella thanks to Franco's betrayal, he pretends to side with Tennouren until he reveals to Arshela he's always been a Gabriellan, after goading her to kill him with Domino to atone for the 'betrayal'.]]

* HumanShield: Poor Nichol once became one [[spoiler:during the night her mother was 'killed']].

* [[spoiler:KarmicDeath: Huya cuts Franco into pieces. Shao the Decapitator is decapitated by Roxy while molesting Sheryl in front of Nichol. Roxy dies after protecting Sheryl for the sake of her son Nichol.]]

* [[spoiler:MamaBear: Roxy knows just how much Sheryl means to Nichol and so uses the last of her life to protect her when Franco and Shao try to use her as leverage against Nichol.]]
* LeftHanging: [[spoiler: There are many questions left unanswered at the end of the series.]]
* MenAreTheExpendableGender: While the series doesn't skimp on female characters, none of them, [[spoiler: except Roxy]], die. And none of them ever gets a gruesome, {{gorn}}y death.

* NeverASelfMadeWoman: So '''''deliciously''''' subverted it makes the series stand out for this. Not only has pure badass Nichol been trained by his... '''MOTHER''' - you read that right - but also the BigBad is... a WOMAN, and she is even better than her father in her evildoing. [[spoiler:Although she ends up not being tha actual BigBad, but nevertheless still a MagnificentBitch.]]

* [[spoiler:TooDumbToLive: Shao really isn't good at figuring out when he should or shouldn't KickTheDog.]]

* [[spoiler:[[TurnOutLikeHisFather Turn Out Like His Mother]]: Roxy laments this with her son Nichol while dying.]]

* CombatMedic: Inoue used to be a doctor during times of war. And since he's also BadAss...

* NeverASelfMadeWoman: So '''''deliciously''''' subverted it makes the series stand out for this. Not only has pure {{Badass}} Nichol been trained by his... '''MOTHER''' - you read that right - but also the BigBad is... a WOMAN, and she is even better than her father in her evildoing. [[spoiler:Although she ends up not being tha actual BigBad, but nevertheless still a MagnificentBitch.]]

* [[LittleMissBadass Little Mister Badass]]: Little Nichol is FULL of surprises.

* {{Badass}}: Pretty much every combatant who has more than three chapters worth of screen time qualifies.
** BadassGrandpa: Inoue. [[spoiler:Literally since he's the step-father of Nichol's mom, Roxy.]]
** BadassInANiceSuit: Isaac.
** BadassLongcoat: Nichol, Huya and Isaac are prominent cases.
** [[LittleMissBadass Little Mister Badass]]: Little Nichol is FULL of surprises.

* {{Expy}}: More than one person has seen the resemblance between Nichol and K' from the VideoGame/KingOfFighters games.

** Although, Nichol's hair is much closer to white than blond.