| Crono | |
|---|---|
| Chrono character | |
 Crono as designed by Akira Toriyama | |
| First game | Chrono Trigger |
| Created by | Masato Kato |
| Designed by | Akira Toriyama |
Crono, known as Chrono (Japanese: クロノ, Hepburn: Kurono) in Japan, is a fictional character in the Chrono series of video games by Square and the series' namesake. He has appeared in two games, starring as the protagonist in the 1995 role-playing game Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross, where he makes a brief appearance. Crono is a silent swordsman protagonist who uses facial expressions to communicate. During a party in his hometown, Crono finds himself on a quest to protect Princess Marle. Though he is successful, the main character finds himself on a major quest to protect the world from a giant creature known as Lavos that will destroy the world in the future. Reunited with Marle and new allies, Crono goes on multiple quests to save the world.
Crono's design was originally created by Chrono Trigger's story planner, Masato Kato, and finalized by Akira Toriyama. While his design did not change much throughout the game's development, Kato's idea to kill the protagonist resulted in negative feedback from Square higher-ups for being too dark for the story, and thus Crono became able to revive. Since his appearance in Chrono Trigger, Crono has received generally positive reception and has gained a strong fan following. He has been praised as a likable blank canvas for the player to project themselves onto, and his death scene in Chrono Trigger is considered by critics to be one of gaming's most memorable moments.