Jack Neylon is a member of Rod Ross’s mafia organization in the series Death Note, known for briefly owning the Death Note and being forced into a deadly “eye deal” with the Shinigami Shidoh.
He is a technically skilled but often mistreated subordinate whose actions inadvertently reveal Mello’s hideout to Light Yagami.
Name: Jack Neylon
Real Name: Kal Snyder
Gender: Male
Date of Birth: 23 February 1973 (anime: 23 February 1976)
Age: 36
Height: 168 cm
Weight: 50 kg
Blood Type: AB
Affiliation: Rod Ross’s mafia group
Occupation: Mafia member, involved in drug and weapons smuggling
First Appearance Context: Member of the mafia faction that allies with Mello
Voice Actor (Anime): Takashi Matsuyama
Jack is not a low-level disposable thug, but he is still treated poorly by both his boss Rod Ross and Mello.
They casually give him orders that shorten his lifespan, showing little concern for his wellbeing.
He has a surprisingly “girlish” or soft side, with a fondness for the novel Anne of Green Gables, which stands in contrast to his mafia lifestyle.
At the same time, he strongly dislikes Mello, resenting how the newcomer quickly takes command of the organization.
Jack is intelligent and resourceful, especially with computers and information systems.
He is calm enough to tap into the United States president’s communication line and casually remark that it is “easier than expected.”
Even after gaining the Shinigami Eyes, which should improve his vision dramatically, Jack continues to wear glasses.
This detail is never fully explained and becomes one of his quirks.
Jack’s standout skill is his strength with IT and hacking-related tasks.
He frequently works with computers and is able to connect to extremely high-level targets like the president’s line without appearing overly stressed.
His Shinigami Eyes, gained through a deal with Shidoh, allow him to see people’s names and remaining lifespans above their heads.
This makes him an extremely valuable asset to the mafia, both as a spotter and as a tool to identify enemies.
Despite these abilities, Jack remains under heavy control and suspicion from his own side.
He is often restrained and ordered around, rather than trusted as a true right-hand man.
Rod Ross
Rod Ross is Jack’s boss in the mafia organization.
Jack has been part of Rod’s group since around 1987, indicating a long-standing affiliation and relative seniority.
Rod pressures Jack into performing the Shinigami Eye deal by threatening him.
He even promises that Jack will become his right-hand man if he accepts, but this promise is never honored in practice.
During the later raid on the mafia hideout, Rod has Jack handcuffed behind his back.
Rod forces Jack to read the names of the attackers using his Shinigami Eyes, showing that he values Jack’s ability but not his autonomy.
Mello
Mello is the mastermind who temporarily joins forces with Rod Ross’s mafia to obtain the Death Note.
Jack dislikes Mello, in part because Mello, as a newcomer, immediately takes charge and starts giving life-threatening orders.
It is on Mello’s orders that Jack is forced to make the Shinigami Eye deal with Shidoh.
Jack is understandably reluctant, fearing the loss of half his remaining lifespan, but Mello’s pressure and Rod’s threats give him no real choice.
Jack’s hatred toward Mello is tied to this coercion and to Mello’s cold, utilitarian attitude.
However, Jack is still compelled to obey, making their relationship tense and one-sided.
Shidoh
Shidoh is the Shinigami who originally owned the Death Note that ends up in the hands of the mafia.
When the mafia obtains the notebook in 2009, Jack accidentally becomes its owner, which brings Shidoh into direct contact with him.
Shidoh’s need to retrieve his notebook leads to Jack learning about the Shinigami Eyes.
Mello quickly seizes on this and orders Jack to negotiate the eye deal, sacrificing half of Jack’s remaining lifespan.
The deal goes through, and Jack gains the Shinigami Eyes under Shidoh’s supervision.
Shidoh, however, is more concerned with his notebook than with Jack’s fate.
Light Yagami and Misa Amane
To Light Yagami, Jack is both a threat and an opportunity.
As a Shinigami Eye user in the enemy camp, Jack could reveal critical information about Light and his allies.
At the same time, Jack becomes an important lead for Light to discover Mello’s base of operations.
Because Misa Amane also has the Shinigami Eyes, she can see Jack’s name and follow clues that lead to the mafia’s hideout.
Under the influence of the Death Note, Jack is unknowingly manipulated by Light.
He ends up passing on information that reveals the location of the mafia headquarters, sealing the fate of his own group.
Jack first becomes important in 2009 when the mafia, following Mello’s plan, manages to acquire a Death Note.
By coincidence, Jack is the one who gains ownership, which makes him the key contact for Shidoh.
Once the Shinigami appears, Mello forces Jack into the Shinigami Eye deal, trading half of his lifespan.
Despite this sacrifice, Jack continues to be treated roughly, with little respect or concern from the mafia leadership.
When the mafia hideout is later under threat, Jack is restrained with his hands cuffed behind his back.
He is used as a “living sensor,” ordered to read off the names of any intruders with his Shinigami Eyes.
At some point, Jack secretly passes information about the hideout location to Misa Amane.
This betrayal is likely discovered, which explains why his freedom becomes heavily restricted and why he is tightly controlled with handcuffs.
The presence of an Eye user on the mafia side becomes a double-edged sword.
Jack is a powerful weapon for the mafia, but he also becomes a vital clue for Light Yagami, allowing Light’s side to finally pinpoint Mello’s base.
Ultimately, Jack is written into the Death Note by Light and dies of a heart attack.
According to the notebook’s instructions, he dies on 10 November 2009, at the same time as Rod Ross and most of the other mafia members.
Jack has been arrested four times on suspicion of drug trafficking and weapons smuggling.
In every case, he was released due to insufficient evidence or by paying high bail, avoiding long-term imprisonment.
He joined Rod Ross’s mafia around 1987 and has remained active in the organization ever since.
His long career suggests he is experienced in criminal operations, even if he is not at the very top of the hierarchy.
Despite having a relatively strong position compared to low-level henchmen, Jack is still expendable in the eyes of his superiors.
They are willing to gamble with his life as long as it benefits their plans.
Jack’s combination of mafia work, IT skill, and surprisingly gentle tastes makes him stand out among the criminals around him.
His love of Anne of Green Gables and his apparent dislike of Mello add an almost comedic contrast to the otherwise dark world he inhabits.
His Shinigami Eyes and continued use of glasses create a small but memorable visual gag.
Viewers are left wondering why someone with supernatural vision still insists on wearing ordinary spectacles.
Jack’s story is ultimately tragic.
He sacrifices half his lifespan, is exploited by his allies, manipulated by his enemies, and dies according to the will of the Death Note he once owned.
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