Bayonetta (character)

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Character
Name: Bayonetta, born Cereza
Occupation:
Relationships:
Fandom: Bayonetta
Other:
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Bayonetta is the titular protagonist of the Bayonetta video game series.

Canon

Reception and discussion

While Bayonetta the character is considered iconic, her titular game series isn't especially widely played. More fans are familiar with Bayonetta through her appearance in Super Smash Bros.

Many fans were surprised that Bayonetta joined the playable fighters of Super Smash Bros., and—possibly as a nod to this likely anticipated reaction—the narrator of her announcement trailer sounds surprised himself. While Bayonetta had been a popular request for an addition to the roster (placing first in Europe and within the top five in the U.S., according to an official Nintendo poll), many fans expressed strong doubt that the developers would agree to her inclusion, as her behavior and reputation are very suggestive compared to the rest of the fighters in a game marketed toward general audiences. Overall, the Smash community has received Bayonetta positively as a character; however, some have reacted negatively to her as a playable unit, complaining that her moveset is too overpowered, outclassing the roster to the point that other playable characters aren't competitively viable.

Bayonetta has been both praised and criticized for her sexual/sexualized presentation. Some criticize the character's creators and fans for encouraging the sexualization and objectification of a female character in ways that similarly prominent male characters are not. However some praise Bayonetta for being active and confident in sexuality instead of passive and objectified; and then some criticize the use of Bayonetta as a shield (or "motte" in a motte-and-bailey fallacy to claim that all sexualization of female characters is or can be empowering, even when detractors complain that sexualization doesn't suit or empower many female characters, and that Bayonetta isn't representative of the way that most female characters are sexualized.

Fanon and tropes

Series creator Hideki Kamiya reportedly expressed disdain for fan-made Bayonetta R18 dojinshi—due to portraying Bayonetta as shy and submissive, while he believes that she should be portrayed as confident and dominant.[1] Apparently, many fan creators have taken Kamiya's message to heart, and have since portrayed Bayonetta accordingly confident and dominant in their works.

In fan works, Bayonetta has been portrayed as behaving motherly toward other Smash characters, including Kirby, Ness, and particularly Lucas (who has trauma relating to the loss of his mother), and Joker. This fanon likely stems from one of her taunt quotes—"If you need to learn how to talk to a lady, ask your mum." Mom!Bayonetta may be popular due to the humorous juxtaposition of Bayonetta's playful, sexualized persona with the behavior of a fiercely caring mother-hen archetype.

Due to shared characteristics (short dark hair, fair skin, glasses, affinity for guns, black outfits), many fan works portray Bayonetta as the mother of fellow Smash fighter Joker.[2] Memes referring to Bayonetta as Joker's mother started as early as the day after the announcement of Joker joining Smash.[3] Within these works, Joker is often portrayed as a young man embarrassed to be seen and treated as a child accompanied by his mother. Kirby may join their "family" in his Bayonetta form or Joker form, playing the role of Bayonetta's younger child.

Shipping

In the Bayonetta series, Bayonetta is most popularly paired with her childhood friend turned enemy turned friend and fellow Witch, Jeanne. She otherwise tends to be paired with her friend Luka Redgrave.

Bayonetta is popular in crossover ships,[4] possibly due to the fact that Bayonetta may be considered something of a cult hit, meaning that popular culture is more familiar with the character Bayonetta herself than the video game series from which she hails. Perhaps her most popular crossover ship is with another iconic Kamiya protagonist—Dante, the face of the Devil May Cry series. After Bayonetta was announced for Super Smash Bros., she joined the crossover video game's colorful shipping field.

TikTok

Recently a trend on the TikTok app brought the character Bayonetta into vogue due to the character's characteristics that coincide with the "Siren Office" archetype. Several users of the platform -- whether White or POC people -- have made videos where they apply makeup in a similar way to different characters from different media that are considered "Siren Office", including but not limited to Bayonetta.

The glasses she wears are also being dubbed "Bayonetta glasses" in her honor, with several Tiktokers using the phrase when participating in the trend.

Example fan works

Art

External Links

References

  1. ^ https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/2000121-anime-and-manga-other-titles/60821018
  2. ^ Know Your Meme. Bayonetta as Joker's Mom. (Accessed December 2020.)
  3. ^ https://twitter.com/MyutoEve/status/1070901792052035590?s=20
  4. ^ https://phantomstatistician.tumblr.com/post/626709055672549376/fandom-bayonetta-sample-size-217-stories-source
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