The following is a list of story arcs from Freezing: Zero.
Main Arcs[]
Chiffon Fairchild Arc[]
- Main article: Freezing First Chronicles
- Main article: Chiffon Fairchild Arc
A monster is born.
To be added
Kazuha Aoi Arc[]
- Main article: Kazuha Aoi Arc
Kazuha Aoi, the inventor of the High End Skills.
The first official arc of Freezing Zero elaborates on Kazuha Aoi's time as a student at West Genetics upon her initial enrollment. The manga begins in a snowy setting, with several Pandora already wounded and strewn across the ice during the 8th Nova Clash. Yu-Mi Kim, Elize Schmitz, and Shion Nayfield of the Numbers are portrayed clearly exhausted while facing the Type S Nova, a Nova type previously unknown. Just as Yu-Mi is about to be killed, Kazuha Aoi appears and deflects the Nova's attack. She tells the Pandora that while the Type-S is a new threat, she has a solution for it. Kazuha is next depicted as performing the skills Accel Turn and Tempest Turn; High End Skills that no one else has used before. Yu-Mi is awed by it and thinks back to the first day they met.
The manga shifts back to the first day of Yu-Mi's 3rd year at Genetics. She and Elize are outside when a newly arrived Kazuha runs into Yu-Mi The characters introduce themselves, and the senior Pandora learn that Kazuha is the granddaughter of Aoi Gengo.
In the year 2053, a young Scarlett Ohara and Gengo Aoi observe Gengo's 10 year-old granddaughter Kazuha going through some Pandora training exercises. The scene then shifts to the L. Bridget estate during the year 2022, where a young Gengo and a military commander convenes with a then 18 year-old Howard L. Bridget to discuss the creation of a super-soldier project to fight the Nova threat. Two projects, codenamed Valkyrie and Pandora, were proposed, and Project Pandora was selected.
The time then returns to the year 2060, Yu-Mi, Elize and Shion Nayfield are shown discussing the second-year winner of the spring carnival, Mi-Ryung Baek, and how she would be a good addition to the Numbers. Kazuha then shows up and announces that she would be taking the place of the second-year winner, much to the ire of Yu-Mi who slaps her.
It is revealed that Kazuha Aoi is the only Pandora cadet allowed to live off-campus, and she commutes from her home with her brother, Kazuya whom she adores. Meanwhile, East Genetics and West Genetics come together for their annual training session and Saeko Kotou is revealed to be #1 in her year at East Genetics. Saeko, after failing to reach #1 in her freshman year, transferred from West Genetics to East Genetics, and she has a confrontation with Mi-Ryung, who challenges Saeko to a duel. Kazuha overhears and comments that personal duels between Pandora are against the rules.
Yu-Mi Kim and Elize Schmitz meet Kazuha Aoi at the Aoi siblings' home. It is revealed that the Aoi siblings left their grandfather's house for independence, and they live off Kazuha's stipend for being a Pandora cadet. Being a Pandora cadet was also the only way that their grandfather, Dr. Aoi Gengo would let them leave. After hearing Kazuha's brief story, Yu-Mi apologizes and Kazuha accepts, but she then informs them of Mi-Ryung and Saeko impending duel. The trio go to the room that houses a dummy Nova where Saeko and Mi-Ryung decide to have their battle. Yu-Mi agrees not to interfere and she watches Mi-Ryung defeat Saeko.
While Mi-Ryung Baek is conversing with Yu-Mi Kim following her victory, Saeko Kotou counter-attacks, and misses, hitting the control panel for the Type-F simulacrum Nova, sending it out of control. Yu-Mi sends Elize to warn the rest of the Academy and Sister Margaret while she Mi-Ryung, and Saeko handle the fake beast. Saeko does not listen to Yu-Mi's instructions and acts on her own instead of in concert with Mi-Ryung. After Yu-Mi rescues Saeko, she reprimands her for not being a team player. Yu-Mi is then knocked out by the simulacrum. Saeko and Mi-Ryung face the simulacrum alone and together. Kazuha Aoi, having been ordered by Yu-Mi to not interfere, takes action because Yu-Mi is out of commission. She takes out the dummy Nova single-handedly and introduces the first ever public use of the High End Skills, and showing everyone a very large and unheard of number of Stigmata activating on her back.
Arnett McMillan Arc[]
- Main article: Arnett McMillan Arc
Arnett decides to become a Pandora.
Arnett McMillan is on the verge of turning 14, the entrance age for Chevalier Genetics Academies. She is travelling with her father, Keith to San Francisco where the Chevalier have a base. On the way, they pick up two lewd hitchhikers, glasses-girl Cynthia and topless Kate, whom Arnett initially does not trust but slowly warms up to them. When they arrive at San Francisco, Keith celebrates Arnett's birthday at a restaurant, and he reveals to Arnett that she has 80% compatibility with Stigmata, something Arnett already knew. They two proceed to argue and Arnett explains that she doesn't want to become a Pandora because she doesn't want to leave her father alone.
Arnett and her father travel on from the motel, where Arnett thinks Kate and Cynthia are lesbians, as she catches them in bed together naked. In order to support himself in anticipation for Arnett leaving to become a Pandora, Keith makes an illegal business deal, leading hijackers to attempt to take Keith's truck, and blow it off the road with an RPG. Keith is rescued from falling off a cliffside trapped in the truck when it is revealed that the two hitchhikers are actually US Chevalier Pandoras Kate Avelli and Cynthia Ruth. Seeing these two women save her father as Pandora, Arnett is convinced to become one as well.
Elizabeth Mably Arc[]
- Main article: Elizabeth Mably Arc
Elizabeth, displaying her determination by helping her comrades.
Elizabeth Mably is introduced, first in her loving family home, with her family. Then it shifts to the pre-Genetics training camp that prepares Pandora-candidates-select (pseudo-Pandora) prior to stigma implantation. It shows how hard boot camp is, and reduces the cadet candidates to number designations, and not names, with no deference given to the social status the girls had prior to entry, or their relative immaturity. It shows that Elizabeth is willing to stand up to authority if it treats girls badly, and get punished for it. Elizabeth is revealed to be part of the 28th Genetics Welcome Group, and part of the third platoon of that group. Her boot sergeant is the Korean Chevalier Park Se Mi, a draconian instructor.
As Boot Camp continues, Second Lieutenant Park singles out recruit Elizabeth Mably for special intense attention. A failure for any individual Pandora candidate select is a failure for the entire training platoon, so Mably's mistakes get extra training for all. It also gets her special additional lessons. During the night Elizabeth is called by Park to walk across the field 40 times while carrying a large bag of rocks on her back as a means to teach Elizabeth to shelve her pride. However, Elizabeth successfully walks the forty laps by morning not allowing any of them to fall out. Elizabeth promptly collapses at Park's feet at the end of the exercise and Park privately applauds Elizabeth's determination and endurance.
In the last week of Elizabeth's boot camp, she and her team are assigned to plant bombs in some rubble underwater as they would do if a Nova arrived at sea. The four teams of three execute their mission by Elizabeth's friend Rachel briefly passes out and become caught between some metal pipes. Elizabeth struggles to save her, leading Park to put on her scuba gear and save her cadets. Park is caught in the impact of the explosion but survives unscathed due to her enhanced Pandora Body. Boot camp then ends but after graduation, Park does no see off her team. Elizabeth searches for her and overhears a brief story of Park's team dying in the 8th Nova Clash, which spurned her draconian teaching style to ensure that her cadets are prepared for the harshness of battle. She regularly receives hate mail from her former students but she takes it as a sign that they are alive and well. Elizabeth promises to write to Park as well with tremendous hatred to show that she too is alive and well.
28th Class Arc[]
- Main article: 28th Class Arc
The 28th Generation meets prior to the Spring Carnival.
In 2063, the Freshman Class of West Genetics, part of the 28th Generation of Genetics Pandora, are gathered in an auditorium, welcomed by Sister Margaret. When the freshman are being analysed for the compatibility with Stigmata, the proud Arnett McMillan and Attia Simmons are at the verge of a confrontation until they are stopped by a calm Elizabeth Mably, whose Stigmata compatibility is the best in her class.
Arnett is shown missing her father, and her room-mate in a diminutive Creo Brand, who comments on Arnett's recluse after offering her a burger. Arnett gets upset thinking that Creo is another rick girl looking down on her, but Creo reveals that she is truly from poverty, having come from an orphanage.
When Sister Margaret instructs Yu-Mi Kim to begin the Volt Weapon training for the Freshman Pandora, Arnett is able to deploy her Volt Weapon Scythe Machina for the first time. when she is done practicing, Marin Maxwell greets Arnett, trying to be friendly, but but she is turned down immediately. Outside of the training facility, Arnett is approached by Attia Simmons, who apologizes for her actions earlier. However, Arnett soon treats Attia's apology as an insult, and are about to cut each other with their Volt Weapons, until they are stopped by Marin.
The arc cuts to a flashback of Arnett's six weeks of basic training before becoming a Pandora. She is the best in her group and the second best is a quiet girl, Dolly Parnell, who is hated by her peers due to her sister allegedly abandoning her platoon during the 8th Nova Clash. Regardless Arnett shows Dolly kindness, and they become good friends, causing her to be alienated and bullied by her peers as well. During the last week of their training, a storm is getting stronger, causing a land slide to threaten a civilian area that they need to stop with some trees. All of Arnett's platoon, despite many's reservation, help hold a tree to divert the land slide. However, when the situation becomes more dangerous, all the girls except Dolly and Arnett abandon their post in fear. When a powerful wave hits and both girls are taken by the waters. Arnett is shown fatigued, but she safely gets out of the water. She desperately searches for Dolly and screams her name but does not get a response. Dolly had died, but in her sacrifice her family name was restored.
The Freshman Spring Carnival is held in the rain, and Arnett is the first to earn points when she cuts off one of her classmate's arms. The overseers of the even are impressed by Arnett's prodigious ability. Meanwhile, Attia Simmons defeats one of her classmates as well. Arnett watched and jumped down from a building to engage in the small Pandora. Arnett's Scythe Machina clashes with Attia's Elegant Destroyer to a stalemate, but when the rain clears, Arnett cuts off Attia's fingers. Arnett then locks her blade onto Attia's neck when Elizabeth arrives to stop the fight. Elizabeth and Arnett have the most amount of points and their battle will decide the winner of the Carnival. Their duel results in Elizabeth burning Arnett with a laser at close range with her satellite Volt Weapon to earn the top spot in her class.
Arnett secures second place after her defeat while Miyabi Kannazuki placed third in her class. Arnett is patched up after her defeat and the Genetics students gossip about her as the Carnival's psychopath. An injured Marin Maxwell sits by Arnett McMillan and encourages her to make friends since being alone is not fun. Elizabeth goes to the pool where she thanked by Attia for saving her life. They talk about Elizabeth's Volt Weapon and then Arnett's time at training camp when Dolly passed. They both agree that Dolly the supposed actions of Dolly's older sister should not have had anything to do with Dolly herself especially on the battlefield. Later, Arnett remains reclusive when some of her upperclassmen call to her. Elizabeth rushes to the girls and helps them with their small task, hoping they will forgive Arnett. The Swiss Pandora is shown sitting alone along some steps, clearly lonely and she misses her father. Some junior girls come by and take Arnett's hologram picture of her father. They identify Arnett as the second place winner of the Carnival and ask her to come with them.
The girls go to a warehouse, and Arnett does not want to waste time, knowing they want to fight. Arnett summons her weapon and attacks, but her freshman powers are useless against upperclassmen. They proceed to beat up Arnett and Elizabeth finds them before it can get worse. Elizabeth tries to use her family name to save Arnett, but she gets beat up too. Arnett and Elizabeth are then saved by the two girls Elizabeth helped earlier.
Arnett and Elizabeth sit along the steps where Arnett was looking at her father. Arnett does not want to thank Elizabeth, but Arnett is handed the picture she wanted to badly. Sharing a heart-to-heart, Elizabeth says that every organization has its rules and there will always be people who misuse them. But Elizabeth promises to rise to the top where she will be the one who makes the rules. With this, Arnett begins to respect Elizabeth and promises Elizabeth that she'll be there to make sure the English Pandora does not slip up, something Elizabeth happily allows.
In the last act of the arc, Ingrid Bernstein is frustrated that a Pandora as strong as Miyabi is out hunting potential Limiters instead of making herself stronger. Ingrid shares her frustration with Elizabeth, who believes Miyabi has simply given up upon the arrival of the "insurmountable wall" known as Chiffon Fairchild. Later, Ingrid goes to the simulation center to practice for the next Carnival. Miyabi walks in seeing her train and the two have a verbal spat that leaves Ingrid irritated especially as Miyabi skips class. When Ingrid requests to see Miyabi's supposed strength, the Japanese cadet proves herself by besting the simulation with a perfect score despite seemingly putting in little effort.
Ingrid then voices her anger toward Marin, who believes that with effort, Ingrid will be able to defeat Miyabi. Ingrid shouts that she's put in all of the effort but she will never be as strong as the people with talent. Marin's blunt response about Ingrid's inferiority complex causes Ingrid to end her friendship with Marin and retreat to Elizabeth's room. Throwing a hissy-fit, Ingrid hates how Marin treated her. However, Elizabeth believes that Marin had a right to say the things she said. Ingrid starts screaming and Elizabeth finds it best to wait until the next day to prove her point.
The following day, Elizabeth escorts Ingrid to the recovery center where Elizabeth as Ingrid discover that Marin's body can barely keep up with the training required to be a Pandora, and regenerative treatment is not very effective due to her limited Stigmata and her weak compatibility with them.
Ingrid reflects on Marin's situation. She was wrong to complain to Marin, but she cannot forgive how Miyabi acts. She eventually encounters Miyabi training, putting in her own level of effort. She battles against ten Pandora holograms at max. speed, Level 10. She defeats four of the holograms, but the six others over power her and she screams. Ingrid recalls Elizabeth's words about one's acceptable level of effort, which includes Miyabi.
Ingrid seeks advice from her classmates before returning to the simulation center to battle the holograms at level 5, but she cannot pass. Not giving up, Ingrid returns to the simulation center one more time and after pushing herself, she finally completes the training in under five minutes to pass the simulation. Marin walks in clapping for Ingrid, happy her friendly kick-in-the-butt did some good for Ingrid. Marin is happily impressed and Ingrid begins crying apologizing for her rudeness and happy she felt some of Marin's pain. Marin gives her a smile and hopes they'll return to being room-mates.
Amelia Evans Arc[]
- Main article: Amelia Evans Arc
Brother and Sister.
In 2064, Amelia Evans takes care of her brother Luke working several jobs to the point of exhaustion since her parents abandoned Luke due to his illness. Luke is trying to attend a top institution on a scholarship by passing a test in order to get a job and pull him and his sister our of poverty. Though Luke performs exceptionally on the test, being accepted into the school, he only manages second place and thus does not receive the scholarship. Amelia, however, is determined to get her brother to attend the school by getting a loan from the bank. To Amelia's dismay, she is rejected by every bank and flees from an old man when he aims to exchange money for sex. Following this episode, Amelia returns home to find her bother's illness getting more severe. A doctor informs her that he'll need a highly expensive surgery that Amelia cannot hope to pay.
Distraught, Amelia agrees to the conditions of a loan shark she found off a flier. Amelia is taken to a hospital, where she is given a standard check-up, and she passes for something called the E-Pandora Project, which is explained to her by a member of the Chevalier. For her brother, Amelia accepts the conditions to join the project and she immediately leaves for the Alaska Research Facility.
Upon arrival, Amelia is immediately trained brutally under Second Lieutenant Claugel, but she passes her compatibility exam. Claugel, however, is cruel and when Amelia expects a little praise for passing her test, she is reduced to tears and aims to prove herself in an tournament to decide the leader of the E-Pandora.
Though Amelia has reservations about actually hurting another person, she participates in the tournament but first watches her fellow E-Pandora, Jina Purpleton win her opening match with shocking brutality. Amelia wins her opening match as well and advances to the finals against Jina, whom she defeats after a close and bloody battle. Jina isn't too upset about the defeat and befriends Amelia. Jina enourages Amelia to thank Second Lieutenant Claugel for pushing her so hard. Amelia does thank her trainer, who tries to remain detached but appreciates Amelia's gratitude. Amelia salutes Claugel one last time.
Sister Margaret Arc[]
- Main article: Sister Margaret Arc
Margaret leading Pandora during the 6th Nova Clash
First Lieutenant Margaret Lindman leads a team of Pandora during training, and she proves to be an inspiration to team though Margaret is generally unresponsive to the praise. Due to her fine work, Margaret is offered a position as Chevalier instructor after her tour of duty ended, but Margaret is uncertain as her traums from the 5th Nova Clash battle was still haunting her.
When Margaret has a nightmare of said battle, she's awakened by Second Lieutenant Lendy Ryan. Margaret asks Lendy why she became a Pandora, and isn't impressed by the answer. When she learned Lendy's compatibility rate was thirty-seven percent, which earned her two Stigmata, the veteran claimed Lendy could gain a third if she trained hard enough. But she could also resign because she could die at any moment. Lendy thinks about it for a moment, and declares Margaret was trying to teach her she had to be strong-willed, Margaret looked sideways, believing her subordinate had missed her point entirely.
Later, all the Pandora on base are gathered together in the auditorium, for the demonstration of the recently-developed Pandora Mode. Later, leader of the Pandora Mode Project, Jenny Moral briefly meets with Margaret, Lendy, and First Lieutenant Huley Snycher, selecting them for to be the first to fully test the Pandora Mode upgrades. Margaret decides that the project will be her last before she announces her retirement.
Later that night, the sirens go off, beginning the 6th Nova Clash. The Pandora are deployed to the site of a Type-F Nova after the initial frontline military keep back the monster. The Pandora aim to attack the Novas' base until it toppled over enough to expose its core, but their enemy unleashed a Freezing field, reducing their movement by fifty percent. Soon, a storm of deadly shards kill many on the frontline. The Pandora subsequently activate Pandora Mode, but it's not enough and several soldiers flee in terror only to be killed regardless before Margaret's horrified eyes.
The First Lieutenant then remembered what her pastor relayed, that the Nova Clashes were God's way of punishing mankind for its arrogance. But when Lendy risks her life to save Margaret, the elite Chevalier pushes her own limits and crushes the Novas' core with one single blow after her allies clear a path for her.
Margaret suffers from sigma necrosis following the battle, and she can no longer serve as a Pandora. She is confined to a wheelchair, and while she must now officially retire as Pandora, Margaret tells Moral of her plans to teach in Genetics.
Cassie Lockheart Arc[]
- Main article: Cassie Lockheart Arc
A troubled and angry Cassie.
In her Junior year, Cassie Lockheart stands as one of the strongest Pandora of her generation, as well as the strongest Pandora of East Genetics. Despite her skills and reputation, Cassie is privately unhappy being a Pandora and detests the praise heaped upon her. While hanging out with friends June and Nina, Cassie encounters Satellizer L. Bridget for the first time and feels a kinship with her, assuming she too was forced to become a Pandora.
During a training simulation, Cassie effortlessly defeats her opponents, prompting her superiors to saddle her with a specially created course. In the midst of her depression, Cassie is called to put a stop to Satellizer's rampage, which was caused by a Limiter named Levon Brooks. Although hoping for a peaceful resolution, Cassie is unexpectedly forced to fight seriously as a result of Satellizer's surprising skills. The battle between the two continues and Satellizer explains her wish to live free even at the cost of her own life. Although eventually victorious, Cassie is deeply shaken by Satellizer's determination and her own resolves as a Pandora weakens even further.
Lab 13 Arc[]
- Main article: Lab 13 Arc
Chiffon escapes from Lab 13.
In 2023, Lab 13's efforts to create anti-Nova supersoldiers is in full swing. Head researcher Gengo Aoi relays progress to financial backer Howard L. Bridget and the two discuss usable results. Upon returning, Gengo is alerted by Dr. Wina to the awakening and development of Legendary Pandora #5, Chiffon. Although cautious, the two scientists note that Chiffon truly does resemble a human.
The project continues, with the Legendary Pandora training their skills and Gengo developing further uses for the Stigmata. Eventually, Wina grows weary of using human test subjects, and is admonished by Gengo. Deeply hurt, Wina lashes out against Chiffon, deriding her as an emotionless doll. Taking matters into her own hands, Wina confronts Gengo with a gun, but is killed by Legendary Pandora #3, Windy May. Unaware of what truly happened, Chiffon confronts Windy and escapes Lab 13 in a rage.
Exhausted, Chiffon is eventually taken in by a young woman named Aureriel Fairchild. The two bond and Chiffon learns what it means to have emotions and to truly smile. Back at the lab, Gengo is reprimanded by a suspicious Chevalier council and warned to that if he does not find Chiffon, they will send the army in to do so. Out of options, Gengo requests that his friend Alfred Hughes buy time and he dispatches Legendary Pandora #4, Lucy, to find the wayward Chiffon.
On a night time stroll, Aureriel explains her family history to Chiffon, who grows suspicious of her friend's recent behavior. The two are suddenly interrupted by Lucy, who has managed to track her sister down. She demands they return to Lab 13, and a duel between sisters commences. Lucy manages to gain the upper hand, but Chiffon refuses to back down. The two are stopped by Aureriel, who explains that their human emotions are definitely something Gengo wanted them to have. Tragically, she is then killed by a Chevalier sniper. Dying, Aureriel reminds Chiffon to always smile no matter how hard things may seem. Enraged, Chiffon slaughters the kill-squad to the last man.
In 2063, Chiffon prepares to enter West Genetics and braces herself for the coming adventures.
Warriors of Valhalla Arc[]
- Main article: Warriors of Valhalla Arc
The Valkyries
In 2063, the Chevalier decides to further research into the Stigmata left behind by the late Kazuha Aoi. Angered, Gengo begins to gather members of his top-secret Valkyrie Project. Accompanied by strongest Pandora Su-Na Lee, the two travel to England to recruit Christine Barnett. Although her father, Edward Barnett, is reluctant to agree Christine proves herself to be excited by the idea. As a fan of Gengo and Pandora in general, Christine eagerly wishes to gain a similar level of strength. Before joining, she challenges Su-Na Lee to a spar. Having been annoyed by Christine's level of familiarity with Gengo, Su-Na agrees. As expected, Christine is hopelessly outmatched. After winning, Su-Na gloats that fighting Nova will be even more brutal.
The pair then travel to Italy. While having dinner together, Gengo and Su-Na meet Tiziana Caldani, a former Pandora. Gengo soon becomes intrigued by the young waitress, much to Su-Na's chagrin. Afterwards, the two leave and banter with one another about their encounter with Tiziana. They eventually come across the young woman in question being accosted by her boss. Su-Na steps in and saves her, with Gengo following up that her determination is impressive. He explains his Valkyrie Project and offers her a position in it. Tiziana tearfully agrees. The doctor and his bodyguard next head to Germany.
Once there they encounter Angela Franca, a weapons developer of Genetics Panzer. Gengo is revealed to have contracted them to develope a new version of Maria Lancelot's Volt Weapon. Shocked, Su-Na expresses skepticism. Angela challenges her to a friendly spar, revealing herself to be Valkyrie Franka Porsche. The spar commences, and Su-Na is greatly impressed by the new weapon's abilities. Having found the next Valkyrie, Gengo and Su-Na head to Japan. Once there, Gengo recruits the niece of his son, Ouka Tenjouin to the Valkyries. Gathering all members at West Genetics, he explains the goal of Project Valkyrie and introduces the final member of the squad, Lucy Renault.
The Valkyries begin their training with Injection Stigmata together. On a mission to the Grand Canyon, Valkyrie Instructor Su-Na explains that the leader of the squad will soon be chosen, causing many member to vie for leadership. The group is suddenly attacked by a Nova and crash. The Valkyries attempt to regroup, but discover that Su-Na is injured and cannot lead them. In the face of the Nova's attacks, Ouka, Franka, and Christine eventually lose heart. Tiziana galvanizes them when she declares that they must not allow fear to control them, or else they will never surpass the Pandora. Working together, Ouka leads the group to victory. They are surprised to find that the Nova was actually a Dummy the whole time.
Back at the base, Gengo congratulates and promotes all members of the team to full-fledged Valkyries. Afterwards, the team discuss their training and Ouka promises to cherish her time with the Valkyries. They are interrupted by Su-Na who accidentally prompts the girls to argue over the forgotten leadership position.
Tibet Arc[]
- Main article: Tibet Arc
To be added
