To learn more about designing this character, I sat down with Platinum Games Character Designer Mari Shimazaki to discuss Bayonetta's concept.
Character designs start at the drawing table.
GameSpy: She's described as a witch, but she doesn't look much like a wicked old crone riding around on a broomstick. Can you tell me about her particular brand of witchcraft?
Mari Shimazaki, Character Designer, Platinum Games: I'm familiar with the popular witch that you describe, the old lady with green skin and riding on a broomstick. But do gamers really want to see a witch like that? Probably not. They want to see a younger, fresher, beautiful witch, and that's what we had in mind with her current design.
She's more fully clothed than many videogame characters, but that can vary during gameplay.
GameSpy: You've shown the different revisions and stages that Bayonetta has undergone during the design process. Was there something particularly challenging about finalizing the character design after coming up with that original concept?
Mari Shimazaki: Yes, it was very difficult, it was a very long and hard process. Because Bayonetta is a videogame character, we wanted to create a character that would display well in games, so you could see her actions clearly. Kamiya-san [Game Director Hideki Kamiya] and I really liked the first concept, and we weren't satisfied with all the other concepts we came up with over a year, so we went back to that original idea.
Bayonetta is a tall, slender action heroine... or is it villain?
GameSpy: Do you feel that this character design will appeal to females as much as it does to males that find glasses and tight leather sexy?
Mari Shimazaki: So far I've received rave reviews from female fans as well, so I'm hoping that we're going to satisfy female gamers as well.
That hair seems like it would be very difficult to maintain.
GameSpy: Sexuality is a prominent design element behind the Bayonetta character, from her sexy strut to her disappearing clothing, and so on. How do you feel about designing such a provocative character?
Mari Shimazaki: I'm very happy with her, I had a lot of fun in the process of designing such a sexy character. I had lots of discussions with Kamiya-san regarding what he feels is sexy from a guy's point of view, and what he'd want from the character. [laughs]
Kamiya-san's personal tastes are more in line with Jeanne than Bayonetta.
GameSpy: Interesting you bring that up, as it's been said that the Bayonetta character, from the glasses to her other attributes, those are defined by what Kamiya-san likes, what he finds attractive. If the shoe were on the other foot, and you were making a character based on what you find attractive, what would that character be like?
Mari Shimazaki: Actually, Bayonetta would be my preference as well. I find Bayonetta to be a very attractive character. Kamiya-san looks at her more like the female design appropriate for the role of lead character in the game. Kamiya-san's personal preference is actually closer to Bayonetta's rival character, Jeanne. One thing that Kamiya-san does love on a personal level is Bayonetta's glasses.GameSpy: Action game players, I presume, are predominantly male. How do you feel that those players will react to the character? With videogame characters, many players dream of "being the hero." Will they instead dream of "being with" this hero?
Mari Shimazaki: Of course, from my perspective, being female, I see myself as Bayonetta when I'm playing the game. Conversely, when I play action games with a male lead, I don't think that I'm fighting "with" him. I still think of myself as him; I'm a guy when I'm playing those games.GameSpy: So is the idea of making a character that players can self-identify with unnecessary?
Mari Shimazaki: That's a hard question. As I said before, when I play a male character, I become that character. While some players may like to identify with the characters that they play, I'm sure that gamers out there are also fine without doing so.
