Blair Flannigan

Infobox animanga character
name = Blair Flannigan
series = Yu-Gi-Oh! GX


caption = Blair Flannigan
first = "Yu-Gi-Oh! GX" Episode 20
last =
creator =
voiced by = Eri Sendai (Japanese)
Lisa Ortiz (English)
alias =
age = English version: 8 at her debut; currently 11
Japanese version: Approximately 10 at her debut; currently 14
born = Date Unknown
relatives = Unknown

Blair Flannigan, known as nihongo|Rei Saotome|早乙女レイ|Saotome Rei in the original Japanese language version, is a fictional character in the "Yu-Gi-Oh! GX" anime series. Her surname in the Japanese version is derived from the name of Ranma Saotome, protagonist of the "Ranma ½" franchise, as a joke about her disguising herself as a boy (Ranma was cursed to transform into a girl whenever doused with cold water). In the English version, Blair is voiced by Lisa Ortiz, while Eri Sendai takes the role in the Japanese version.

Initially a minor character appearing in a stand-alone episode during the first season, Blair joins the central cast at the beginning of the third after proving her worth as a duelist.

Biography

In the timeline of the "Yu-Gi-Oh! GX" anime, Blair was a transfer student who entered Duel Academy during the first year disguised as a boy. She was placed in the Slifer Red dormitory, and guided by Jaden Yuki, Syrus Truesdale, and Chumley Huffington. Behind her guise, Blair intended to get closer to Zane Truesdale, on whom she had a crush. While sneaking around Zane's room in Obelisk Blue, she was caught by Jaden, who discovered her secret and pursued her on the matter late at night after the confrontation. The two dueled, and although Blair was defeated, she finally received the opportunity to meet with Zane. Although flattered by her affections, he turned her down, telling her to go home. Being a second grade (fifth grade in the Japanese version) elementary student, she was forced to leave the school on the technicality that she was too young to stay. As she departed, her feelings shifted from Zane to Jaden. ["Yu-Gi-Oh! GX". Episode #20. February 16, 2005.]

During the second year, Blair returned in another disguise near the end of the GX tournament and challenged Zane following his "rebirth," but he declined. She instead dueled with Chazz Princeton to claim the champion title of the tournament and officially enter Slifer Red. Despite overwhelming improvement in her skills that allow her to push him into a corner, Chazz is able to claim victory in the end. At that time, an integral part of Blair's personality becomes clearer. Her love interests are constantly changing, as evidenced by her brief admiration of Chazz, which is quickly replaced once more by her infatuation with Jaden. ["Yu-Gi-Oh! GX". Episode #104. September 27, 2006.]

Even though she lost to Chazz, Blair is admitted to Slifer Red. ["Yu-Gi-Oh! GX". Episode #105. October 4, 2006.] She commandeers the duelist's room, forcing Chazz to bunk with Jaden, and also begins a friendship with Marcel. After Duel Academy arrives in an alternate dimension, a possessed Marcel injures Blair. However, with medicine Jaden fetches from the Gecko submarine, she promptly recovers. ["Yu-Gi-Oh! GX". Episode #124. February 21, 2007.] Blair then assists Vice-Chancellor Bonaparte and Jaden in pursuing Marcel, and remains behind at Duel Academy after the students escape from and re-enter the different dimension. As of Season Four, Blair has moved to Obelisk Blue and is roommates with Alexis Rhodes. When Jaden opened the note after his duel with Yugi, her last meassge to Jaden is to remember her.

In the English version, Blair takes on a Brooklyn accent beginning with her reappearance at the second season's conclusion. In the original version of the series, she refers to herself with "boku"," a word for "I" typically spoken by young males, though its use by females is not unheard of.

Deck

Blair originally played a Maiden in Love deck, themed on the eponymous monster and her ability to distribute "Maiden Counters" to an opponent's monsters as means of controlling them to do her bidding. As of the second year, she plays an Egg deck, which charts the aging of monsters like "Mystic Egg" through their individual stages of growth.

References