Gajeel Redfox
From Fairy Tail
Gajeel Redfox is a supporting character in Fairy Tail, the Iron Dragon Slayer, a former Phantom Lord enforcer who attacked Fairy Tail and then joined it, becoming one of the guild's most reliable protectors and Levy's unlikely partner. He is voiced by Wataru Hatano in Japanese and David Wald in English.
About Gajeel Redfox
The Iron Dragon Slayer, raised by the dragon Metalicana. Gajeel begins as Fairy Tail's enemy, the Phantom Lord wizard who wrecked their guildhall and attacked their members, then joins Fairy Tail himself to atone and find his place. Gruff, pierced and secretly fond of singing badly on stage, he becomes one of the guild's toughest front-line fighters and finds an unexpected bond with Levy, one of the very people he once hurt.
Appearance
Gajeel is a tall, powerfully built man with long, wild black hair, red eyes and a face full of iron studs, piercings across his eyebrows, nose and chin that are part of his look and, given his magic, possibly functional. He wears dark, rough clothes, gloves and boots, with the black Fairy Tail mark on his left shoulder. His arms can transform mid-fight into iron clubs, blades and dragon scales of steel. Off duty he is sometimes found with a guitar, performing songs nobody asked for.
Personality
Gajeel growls first and explains himself later, if he bothers explaining at all. He joined the guild he once attacked and didn't bother getting any less abrasive about it. He just points the menace in better directions now: the worst jobs, the rear guard, the fights nobody else wants. Affection doesn't come naturally to him, so it comes out sideways, in actions, the way a cat leaves something on your doorstep. Look at where he ends up standing in a crisis. Right next to Levy McGarden, the girl he hurt worst in his Phantom Lord days. That's not an accident. That's a man paying a debt the only way he knows how.
Background & Story
Gajeel was raised by the iron dragon Metalicana, who taught him Iron Dragon Slayer Magic and vanished on the same day as all dragons. The orphan drifted into Phantom Lord, where he became its most feared wizard, the man sent to provoke war with Fairy Tail, who crucified Levy's team and destroyed the guild hall. After Phantom Lord's defeat he was homeless again until Makarov, astonishingly, invited him in. Gajeel's road from double agent doing penance to Fairy Tail's iron wall runs through every major war that follows, and his nose for secrets eventually makes him the guild's unlikely investigator.
Powers & Abilities
- Iron Dragon Slayer Magic: Dragon magic of iron and steel, Gajeel hardens his skin into scales, reshapes his limbs into iron weapons, breathes roaring storms of metal shards and eats iron to refuel.
- Iron Dragon's Club and Sword: His arms transform into massive iron pillars and serrated blades, switching between bludgeon and edge mid-swing.
- Iron Shadow Dragon Mode: After eating Rogue's shadows, Gajeel can merge with darkness itself, slipping through shade and striking from inside it.
- Steel Dragon Slayer Magic: By consuming carbon-rich materials he upgrades his iron to true steel, hardening beyond his normal limits.
Key Relationships
- Natsu Dragneel: A fellow Dragon Slayer and instant rival, the two compete at everything, including having cats.
- Juvia Lockser: A fellow Phantom Lord defector who understands his past; they look out for each other.
- Makarov Dreyar: The master who offered a beaten enemy a home, Gajeel repays that mercy for the rest of his life.
Quick Answers
What magic does Gajeel Redfox use?
Iron Dragon Slayer Magic, taught by the dragon Metalicana. He eats iron, armours his body in steel scales and turns his limbs into iron weapons.
Who voices Gajeel Redfox?
Wataru Hatano voices Gajeel in Japanese, and David Wald voices him in the English dub.
Was Gajeel a villain in Fairy Tail?
He began as Phantom Lord's ace and the man who attacked Fairy Tail's guild hall. After Phantom Lord fell, Makarov invited him to join Fairy Tail, and he became one of its most loyal members.
