Bayonetta (character)

This article is about the character. For the video game series, see Bayonetta. For the first game in the series, see Bayonetta (video game).
Bayonetta
Bayonetta character
Bayonetta posing
Bayonetta in Bayonetta 2
First gameBayonetta (2009)
Created byHideki Kamiya
Designed byMari Shimazaki
Voiced by
  • Hellena Taylor (Bayonetta, Bayonetta 2, Anarchy Reigns, Bloody Fate, Super Smash Bros. series)[1]
  • Jennifer Hale (Bayonetta 3)[2]
  • Joy Jillian (young, Bayonetta, Bloody Fate)[3]
  • Angeli Wall (young, Bayonetta 3, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon)[4]
  • Atsuko Tanaka (Bayonetta series, Bloody Fate, Super Smash Bros. series)[1]
  • Miyuki Sawashiro (young, Bayonetta, Bloody Fate, Bayonetta 3, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon)[3][5]
Motion captureStephanie Sheh (young, Bayonetta)[6]
Portrayed byPenny Drake (promotion)[7]
In-universe information
OriginVigrid
NationalityEuropean

Bayonetta (Japanese: ベヨネッタ, Hepburn: Beyonetta), born Cereza (Japanese: セレッサ, Hepburn: Seressa), is the titular character and main protagonist of the Bayonetta video game series developed by PlatinumGames. She was created by Hideki Kamiya and designed by Mari Shimazaki. Hellena Taylor voiced the character in English for the first two games and several appearances outside the series from 2009 to 2018, while Jennifer Hale voiced her in Bayonetta 3 (2022). She was voiced by Atsuko Tanaka in Japanese.

Bayonetta is one of only two surviving Umbra Witches, being the child of a Witch and a Lumen Sage. During the events of the first game, she goes in search of her forgotten past, heading for her old home of Vigrid and fighting the angelic forces of Paradiso on the way. In Bayonetta 2, she becomes a demon hunter confronting her own literal demons. She appears as a guest character in other games such as Anarchy Reigns, The Wonderful 101, the Super Smash Bros. series, and Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2.

Reception of the character has been positive overall, with the common point of praise being her highly feminine image, which makes her both stand out among female characters in video games and go against several set conventions.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference BtVAbayonetta was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference B3voice was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b "Behind the Voice Actors - Voice of Cereza". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on February 3, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  4. ^ PlatinumGames. Bayonetta 3. Nintendo. Scene: Closing credits, Voices (English).
  5. ^ PlatinumGames. Bayonetta 3. Nintendo. Scene: Closing credits, Voices (Japanese).
  6. ^ "Stephanie Sheh". stephaniesheh.com. Archived from the original on 2017-07-19. Retrieved 2017-08-14.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference usatoday-e3model was invoked but never defined (see the help page).