Vellian Crowler

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vellian Crowler (Cronos de Medici)
Appears in	Yu-Gi-Oh! (Duel Monsters) GX
Debut	Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Episode 1
Birthday	Unknown
Deck	Ancient Gear / Dark Medieval
Sign	Unknown
Age	35 at debut; currently 37
Height	Unknown
Weight	Unknown
Blood type	Unknown
Favorite food	Unknown
Least favorite food	Unknown
Status at debut	Obelisk Blue professor
Relations	Unknown
Seiyū	Hiroshi Shimizu
Voice actor(s)	Sean Schemmel

Dr. Vellian Crowler, known in Japan as Cronos de Medici (クロノス・デ・メディチ, Kuronosu de Medichi^?); sometimes spelt Chronos de Medici, is a fictional character in the anime series Yu-Gi-Oh! GX (Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters GX in Japan) and the manga series of the same name. 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 expell duelists like protagonist Jaden, Crowler grows throughout the series to appreciate all his students and in turn be respected for his noble actions.

1 Character design
2 Fictional character biography
3 Deck
4 References

[edit] Character design

Crowler's design incorporates multiple layers of clothing and a wide range of expressions. Depicted here is the duelist in full regalia from front, side, and rear alongside views of his head from different angles.

Crowler's character design was overseen by Kenichi Hara.^[1] 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.

[edit] Fictional character biography

Crowler is the professor of the Obelisk Blue dormitory at Duel Academy (Duel Academia). His main goal in the first year is to force low-performing students out of the school. After Jaden Yuki (Judai 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 (Jun Manjoume) duel Jaden with "unbeatable combos," and placing a fake love letter in Syrus Truesdale's (Sho Marufuji) locker (which he mistook for Jaden's) to catch him peeping in the girl's bathing facility.^[2]

During the second year, while Chancellor Sheppard (Samejima) is away, Crowler takes over his position at Duel Academy alongside Vice-Chancellor Bonaparte (Napoleon).^[3] 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 (Osiris Red), which he sees as a stain on the school's image, prompting Crowler to step in and defend the dorm on multiple occasions. In the Japanese version, Napoleon addresses Cronos as "temporary principal" to insult his feigning position.

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.^[4] Maximillion Pegasus (Pegasus J. Crawford) 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.

Crowler's clothing and hair have lead some to call him "Miss" in the English version. Whenever someone tries to figure out Crowler's gender, he gets angry and prefers to be called "Doctor," claiming to have a Ph.D. in dueling.^[5] He dislikes Lyman Banner's (Daitokuji) cat, Pharaoh, as he worries about catching rabies when the feline licks him.

In the Japanese version, Cronos speaks with a thick, almost stereotypical 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").

[edit] Deck

Crowler plays an Ancient Gear (暗黒の中世, Ankoku no Chyūsei^?, Dark Medieval in the Japanese version) deck, composed largely, as namesake implies, of Ancient Gear (古代の機械 (アンティーク・ギア), Anteīku Gia^?, Antique Gear in the Japanese 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.