Vellian Crowler

Infobox animanga character
name = Vellian Crowler
series = Yu-Gi-Oh! GX


caption = Dr. Vellian Crowler
first = Anime: "Yu-Gi-Oh! GX" Episode 1
Manga: "Yu-Gi-Oh! GX" Chapter 1
last =
creator =
voiced by = Hiroshi Shimizu (Japanese)
Sean Schemmel (English)
alias =
age = 36 at his debut; currently 39
born = Unknown
relatives = Unknown

Vellian Crowler, Ph.D., known as nihongo|Cronos de Medici|クロノス・デ・メディチ|Kuronosu de Medichi in the original Japanese language version, is a fictional character in the "Yu-Gi-Oh! GX" anime and manga series. His name in the Japanese version is derived from the names of Chronos, the personification of time in Greek mythology, and the Medici family. In the English version, Crowler is voiced by Sean Schemmel, while Hiroshi Shimizu takes the role in the Japanese version.

Initially scheming and underhanded in attempting to expel duelists like protagonist Jaden, Crowler grows throughout the series to appreciate all his students and in turn be respected for his noble actions. He is also pompous and effeminate, in that he dresses like a woman.

Character design

Crowler's character design was overseen by Kenichi Hara. [cite web|title=Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters GX Televising Data|work=|url=http://www5f.biglobe.ne.jp/~flying-in-the-sky/on-air-data.htm|accessdate=2007-03-15] His usual outfit consists of the a more regal variation on the standard Obelisk Blue uniform, complete with gold trimmings and ruffled pink collar, shoulders, upper chest, and sleeves. His blonde hair is sectioned in two layers, with the layer furthest from his face tightly-bound in a ponytail, and he also wears crescent-shaped earrings. He carries an Academy-issued Duel Disk known as a "Duel Coat," worn horizontally across his torso, which has a motion sensor that automatically ejects cards from his deck when he is ready to draw.

Biography

In the timeline of the "Yu-Gi-Oh! GX" anime, Crowler is the professor of the Obelisk Blue dormitory at Duel Academy. His main goal in the first year is to force low-performing students out of the school. After Jaden Yuki defeats him during the entrance exams, he tries as hard as he can to get Jaden kicked out of the Duel Academy, but fails miserably. Notable schemes include making Chazz Princeton duel Jaden with "unbeatable combos," and placing a fake love letter in Syrus Truesdale's locker (which he mistook for Jaden's) to catch him peeping in the girl's bathing facility. ["Yu-Gi-Oh! GX". Episode #3. October 20, 2004.]

During the second year, while Chancellor Sheppard is away, Crowler takes over his position at Duel Academy alongside Vice-Chancellor Bonaparte. ["Yu-Gi-Oh! GX". Episode #53. October 5, 2005.] For much of the season, the two devise schemes to market Duel Academy, but often argue over what methods should be employed to do so. Bonaparte resorts commonly to attacks, physical or otherwise, on Slifer Red, which he sees as a stain on the school's image, prompting Crowler to step in and defend the dorm on multiple occasions.

After Sheppard returns to his duties, Crowler and Bonaparte, thinking themselves to be fired on account of one of the Chancellor's angry outbursts over their bickering, attempt to find new jobs with Industrial Illusions. ["Yu-Gi-Oh! GX". Episode #92. July 5, 2006.] Maximillion Pegasus agrees to open discussions on the matter, provided they can defeat him in a Triangle Duel. Although they lose to Pegasus, Sheppard states that it was all a big misunderstanding, and that they were never fired in the first place.

During third season he becomes school ghoul under the influence of Marcel-Yubel. He returns back to Duel Academy with the rest but then is taken with Jaden and the rest to another alternate dimension to save Jesse. He is accidentally taken in to the dimension but stays alive throughout the whole time and in the end returns with everyone back to the academy. In the fourth season, Bonaparte departs back to France with his son Marcel, and Crowler is promoted to Vice-Chancellor. When Crowler realizes that Jaden's class is graduating, he initially becomes depressed and forces them to fail their classes, but he eventually learns to let go, satisfied with the changes that both he and the graduating class have gone through over the years.

Crowler's clothing and hair have lead some to call him "Miss" in the English version. He dislikes Lyman Banner's cat, Pharaoh, as he worries about catching rabies when the feline licks him. In the Japanese version, Cronos speaks with an Italian accent, often yelling such phrases as "Mamma mia!" and "Buongiorno," and ending the majority of his sentences with "(na) no ne" ("is it not so?"). In the English version, Crowler has a vague British accent, though he still has an appreciation for Italian culture. He calls Slifer students, Jaden in particular, "Slifer slackers" (in the Japanese version, Cronos calls Osiris students "Dropout boys").

Deck

Crowler plays an Ancient Gear (nihongo|Dark Medieval|暗黒の中世|Ankoku no Chyūsei in the original Japanese language version) deck composed largely, as namesake implies, of Ancient Gear (nihongo|Antique Gear|古代の機械 (アンティーク・ギア)|Anteīku Gia in the original Japanese language version) cards. The majority of his monsters have the ability to prevent an opponent from activating Spell and Trap Cards until the end of the Damage Step. Crowler often employs various methods to speed up the summoning of his signature card, "Ancient Gear Golem", such as summoning (then subsequently sacrificing) the Trojan Horse card, whose special ability allows it to be counted as a double sacrifice whenever Crowler summons a high-level Earth-attribute monster. His strongest monster is the Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem which requires one Ancient Gear Golem and two other Ancient Gear monsters, when its destroyed you can special summon one Ancient Gear Golem from the graveyard.

References