| Nero | |
|---|---|
| Devil May Cry character | |
&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:NeroDevilMayCry5.png) Nero in Devil May Cry 5 (2019) | |
| First appearance | Devil May Cry 4 (2008) |
| Created by | Bingo Morihashi |
| Designed by | Tatsuya Yoshikawa |
| Voiced by | EN: Johnny Yong Bosch JP: Kaito Ishikawa |
| Motion capture | Johnny Yong Bosch |
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Devil-Human Hybrid |
Nero (Japanese: ネロ) is a character in Devil May Cry, an action-adventure hack and slash video game series by Japanese developer and publisher Capcom. He is the nephew of original Devil May Cry protagonist Dante, and the son of recurring series antagonist Vergil. He first appeared in Devil May Cry 4 as the primary protagonist. Nero, a teenager who works for the Order of the Sword, uses demonic powers inherited from Sparda to hunt demons. Nero returns as the primary protagonist in Devil May Cry 5 to fight the demon king Urizen, a new threat. He has also appeared in printed media related to these two games. He is portrayed in voice acting and motion capture by Johnny Yong Bosch.
Nero was created by Bingo Morihashi and designed by Tatsuya Yoshikawa, who wanted to distinguish him from the veteran series protagonist Dante. Nero is voiced by Johnny Yong Bosch in English and Kaito Ishikawa in Japanese. Director Hideaki Itsuno aimed to make Nero stand out within the narrative despite being younger than most characters and thus would acquire new powers in the process.
Critical reception has been mainly positive; game journalists found that although fans would miss playing as Dante during Nero's debut, his personality and abilities would be equally appealing. His new look and actions in the sequel, Devil May Cry 5, have also been praised by critics that helped to distinguish him from the other playable characters.