Crescent Grizzly

"So, you are the famous Maverick Hunter... I never expected to see you... What an honor."

- Grizzly Slash

Grizzly Slash, known as Crescent Grizzly (クレッセント・グリズリー) in Japan, is a grizzly bear-based Reploid from Mega Man X5.

He is a weapons broker that sells illegal weapons from his secret warehouse in northern Russia. Grizzly happened to have a Crystal Ball in his possession, a part necessary for the Enigma laser cannon. Despite selling weapons, he seems to not like violence, saying that he is just a weapons dealer and that both Mavericks and Maverick Hunters are the same, too violent and overconfident. When the Maverick Hunters reached his warehouse to take the Crystal Ball, he was infected by the Sigma Virus and was starting to become a Maverick, wanting to die in a fight before he fully turned into one.

If the player encounters Grizzly with Zero, he seems to have a grudge against him because of unknown past events, saying to Zero that "seeing you re-opens old wounds...", to which Zero responds "you should have that looked after."

Strategy
He attacks by throwing three small crescent shots from his clawed hand and jumping. When a third of his energy is depleted he will burrow, appearing at times to attack: using his hand as a drill when appearing from the floor, slashing when appearing from the walls, or dropping down onto the player from the ceiling. After two-thirds of his energy is gone he will stop burrowing and use giant crescent attacks. Some walkthroughs recommend defeating him first as he can be easily dealt with using default weapons. His weakness is Spike Ball if playing as X or Twin Dream if playing as Zero.

Data
Nickname: 暴走アイアンクロー (Bousou Iron Claw, Berserk Iron Claw)

Stage enemies

 * Sub bosses: "Shishimaru Dump"
 * Hover Gunner
 * Mad Drill
 * Mad Taxi
 * Rollin' Gear
 * Spiky Mk-II

Powers and Abilities

 * Crescent Shot: Fires three small crescent shots from his hand
 * Drill Arm: Uses his drill to dig into the ground and attack from different locations with it
 * Crescent Claw: Takes a huge horizontal swipe with his claws after emerging from the back wall
 * Mega Crescent Shot: Fires two enormous crescents from his hand (one high and one low)

When playing as X
If needing the Crystal Ball= Grizzly Slash: So, you are the famous Maverick Hunter... I never expected to see you... What an honor. X: We have no time to fight you. Just give me the Crystal Ball... Grizzly Slash: The virus is already taking control of me... Soon I'll become one of the Mavericks... We are destined to fight anyway... Fight me while I'm still conscious! I don't want to waste you when the Virus has taken control! X: I understand your situation, but we don't have time! Please understand! We're dealing with the fate of the entire Earth. We can't waste time fighting you... Grizzly Slash: Everything is meant to be... No one can escape their destiny... I'm sure you know that, too. Besides, this is part of your mission, isn't it? Now! Fight me, Maverick Hunter! Without needing the Crystal Ball= Grizzly Slash: So, you're the famous Maverick Hunter... I never expected to see you... What an honor. I don't understand why you bother coming here in this situation, but... As you can see, I'm already infected by the virus... Soon, I'll become one of the Mavericks... Anyway, we are destined to fight. I want to fight you while I'm still conscious! Come on, fight me now, Maverick Hunter!

When playing as Zero
If needing the Crystal Ball= Grizzly Slash: Zero! Seeing you re-opens old wounds... Zero: You should have that looked after. I don't have time for small talk. Give me the Crystal Ball... Grizzly Slash: Why don't you do what you usually do, and force me to? You used to be a Maverick, right? That's what I heard. And, you destroyed Sigma, didn't you? Zero: What, that old story...? If you dare to try and fight me, then I accept your challenge anytime, anywhere. Grizzly Slash: Hunters and Sigma are very similar. Very aggressive and overconfident. Zero: What? We're nothing like that scum! Grizzly Slash: Oh yes, you are... I'm just an arms dealer... But you... You destroy anyone who stands against you. Now I'm going to make you pay for what you did to me, Maverick Hunter! Without needing the Crystal Ball= Grizzly Slash: Zero! Seeing you re-opens old wounds... Hey, you look depressed... What, did you make a mistake, or something? Even the Hunter who destroyed Sigma makes mistakes! Ha ha ha! Zero: Your childish antics grow tiring. If you dare to fight me, then I accept your challenge: Anytime, anywhere. Grizzly Slash: I'll make you pay for what you did to me, Maverick Hunter! 

Production Notes
Developer Comments Actually, he started off as a pig. (grin) I wanted to make him a largish boss, so I'd established him as a pig with poison gas, but I was worried over how ethical poison gas would be as a weapon [Cultural impact: Remember that subway incident?], so I scrapped that idea. (sweat) He's the first boss, but I wanted him to be big and impressive, but all bark and no bite, so I got some feedback from my seniors here and decided to make him a bear. The instant I decided on a bear, I easily figured out his attack methods and name.

Designer Comments He's a bear and a drill besides. (His red hand transforms.) Working from that, there was no way he couldn't look powerful. That's why I tried emphasizing his drill arm by painting it red. Being that he's a Japanese bear [lit., "Ring-around-the-Moon bear"], I was lost as to how to work in the moon marking, but I eventually inserted it as part of the structure around his neck.

I drew Grizzly to look like a construction foreman; the kind of guy you'd want to call "Boss!" He has heavy machinery on one hand, and has a neck like a log from working out. -Haruki Suetsugu, Mega Man X Official Complete Works, 2009

Trivia

 * His weapon, the C-Shot, is a possible homage to Quick Man's weapon the Quick Boomerang from Mega Man 2. X fires yellow boomerangs, and Zero's spin slash forms a large crescent silhouette.


 * Grizzly Slash makes a cameo appearance in the Rockman Zero manga.


 * Coincidentally, his base appears to be in Russia; the bear is considered a symbol of Russia.


 * The second part of Grizzly Slash's American name is an homage to Saul "Slash" Hudson, former lead guitarist of Guns N' Roses.