Why Is Bayonetta Controversial? (Video Essay)

[@scroptels]

As a gender non-comforming guy, from the first cutscene in the first game, i was inmediatly captivated by her freedom to express her sexuality and be a total badass. Even if that may not have been the intention (though i'm pretty sure it was), i can tell that's why so many like her, even i would like to have the confidence she shows. Also i'm not sure how others feel about the new costume in bayonetta 3, but personally i think the gothic lolita costume it's so GOSH DARNED CUTE and I love it!!! Specially when she's dancing she looks so adorable! Like an idol performing for her fans!

[@garfieldkermit]

Honestly though her outfit for b3 is my favorite by a lot, can't wait to play as her again!

[@passionweasel3181]

ok so i know this is a year old but its still perfect but something i wish more people would notice and talk about is how nearly if not her entire design is queer. from the campy concept of hair turning into clothes, her fashion, her flirtatious tone, and one of the ones i feel not many know is her DANCING. vogue is a dance style born in Harlem from underground ballrooms (please research this if you dont know about it its something all queer people should know since it is queer history. vogue is essentially doing a sequence of hyperfeminine poses to usually house music these poses are often inspired by magazine poses like the ones in vogue. now if you saw bayonettas moves and saw what voguing looks like then you can see very clear similarities. but this isnt bayonettas dance style because bayonettas dance style is actually from los angeles and was born in 1970 in lgbt nightclubs, this dance style is called waacking and is similar to vogue but the inspirations are different where waacking takes inspiration from hollywood. when you see lets dance boys and maki mo capping bayonetta youll notice how similar it is to waacking. look at waacking dances and compare them to bayo and maki and youll see that this was her dance style all along. her dancing is a lgbt created dance and i think more people should know this

[@garfieldkermit]

Thank you so much for explaining it so eloquently, I honestly hadn't even recognized bayonetta's dancing is so inspired by waacking, but now you point that out it's actually so obvious! :)

[@alexterieur8813]

Omg just went looking for waacking after reading your comment and wow it’s Bayo dancing spot on ! Thank you for making me more knowledgeable about american queer history!

[@RexytheRexy]

I'm playing it for the first time right now. Five minutes in... if Bayonetta isn't a doll icon, I don't know who is.

[@Esmeyippie]

Something that adds to "Bayonetta's Movements are a performance." And "Bayonetta and Jeanne are dating." Theories is that in performance,actors are often instructed to dance or perform physically their emotions when they become too strong to portray verbally,which makes me think of why Bayonetta was dancing in the fight against Alraune.

[@jonathanphan4864]

as a queer gamer i love love love the discussion of the queerness of bayo!!! she’s a lesbian to me, and the girl downright vogues through her battles, embodies camp and her confidence reminds me of the girls serving in the ballroom scenes, over-the-top and phenomenally so. i loved this video you killed it!

[@Matagu1]

To me she is Hetero because i like the cuteness between her and Loki.

[@SussyPoster69]

But she's not gay in cannon! I understand if you need time to see the and cope

[@jonathanphan4864]

@@SussyPoster69 irdgaf

[@SussyPoster69]

@@jonathanphan4864 then why the hell did you reply

[@jonathanphan4864]

@@SussyPoster69 u replied to a 6 month old comment 😭😭😭 i got the notif

[@Shadowrulzalways]

Hideki Kamiya did confirm, Bayonetta would never shack up with Luka for two reasons: 1. He is a mere annoyance. 2. He is mortal and she is immortal. And this statement has been consistent in Bayonetta 2. On top of that, he basically insults people on Twitter for suggesting the possibility of ship. However, due to Bayonetta 3 taking place in an alternate universe (which spoiler alert; was Brave Cereza the whole time. So the theories were correct), things were different there. So if anyone tries to bring up the ending of Bayonetta 3, I know and if you paid attention to the facts, it still doesn’t change what was established in Bayonetta 1&2.

[@HarperBizzare]

SPOILER! Well, that went out the window. Though to be fair, Kamiya is only the supervising director.

[@Shadowrulzalways]

@@HarperBizzare Yes but remember, that wasn’t the OG Bayo. That was Little (Brave) Cereza from Time Displacement. Bayo 3 takes place in an alternate universe. So that was not the OG Bayo or Luka. It was a different version. The OG Bayo’s do show up (which confirms Bayo 1&2 are also separate universes) but they only fused with Cereza temporarily. Eventually they separated because the spell was temporary and both Bayo 1 and Bayo 2 vanished back to their home realities. So what Kamiya said was correct to a tee in terms of Bayo 1&2. Cuz in those games she wouldn’t waist her time with him. Especially in Bayonetta 2. Because she never once takes him seriously and comedically rejects him without a second thought.

[@HarperBizzare]

@@Shadowrulzalways Okay, that I could get behind.

[@isauldron4337]

​@@Shadowrulzalways You sure You paid attention to Bayonetta's character She teases EVERYONE ENZO, RODIN Her enemies Like...

[@Shadowrulzalways]

@@isauldron4337 Oh yeah. I made that clear many times before. She teases but doesn’t flirt romantically. At least, not seriously. That’s just her common demeanor. Her means to an end.

[@Fattybobatty1224]

Amazing video! There’s a lot of times where I feel like there is an element of xenophobia in western critique of problematic elements in Japanese media. So often there’s an unspoken element of “you know what those pervy Japanese are like” underlying the criticism. Also the colonialist element of applying western feminist standards to a culture with its own distinct history of gender oppression, and in turn, a unique expression of feminism. All of that to say, I really like the nuance you handled this video with! Hope it gets algorithm love!

[@garfieldkermit]

Sorry it took so long to get back to you but I really appreciate this feedback as I really tried to not present myself in that xenophobic way which as you mentioned is really prevalent. I'm really glad you enjoyed the video, the one I've just posted goes over some similar topics so I hope you check it out! :)

[@Fattybobatty1224]

@@garfieldkermit awesome, putting it on my watch list now!

[@alexterieur8813]

I love that Bayonetta is not the absolute ideal feminist character, but still remains feministiquely iconic. She’s not a perfect representation of female empowerment but still one of the best there is. We’re getting there

[@ashlewis9567]

Beautiful analysis!! So thoughtful and thorough from every perspective. Thanks for making this

[@garfieldkermit]

Thank you so much I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@CaptainAtria]

I'm asexual and I think Bayonetta is badass and a fantastic role model. She engages with her femininity and sexuality without being forced to dress or act like a man just to seem badass like a lot of Hollywood female representation in the modern era is. Femininity is badass, you don't have to act like a man to be strong or cool

[@garfieldkermit]

I love how many different people vibe with Bayonetta and I still appreciate how unique she is as a game protagonist!

[@moukies]

This was exquisite, sublime, and one hell of a fun time. Top-tier analytical dressing-down of the source material and I thoroughly enjoyed your insight and keen analytical take on the topic. I'm heading over to the sequel to this video right now, but you've absolutely earned a sub as a fellow Bayonetta fan and critique creator. Hope to see more stuff like this in the future from you!

[@garfieldkermit]

Thank you so much! Really appreciate it!

[@BlueMagicite]

Amazing finding this vid, does a great job summarizing the shifts Bayonetta's had in recent years. Really glad you went into detail regarding the growing, and ever growing, queer audience Bayonetta is garnering and the subtext, or straight up text, it has. DMC has this subtext too (thanks thegamingmuse for making a whole vid on this) so it's pretty great seeing it sorta be iterated upon in Bayonetta, the sibling franchise.

[@coleconner9992]

so as someone who recently discovered their trans identity AND first played the bayonetta series at the same time i can say it had a profound impact on me. even as i played through one and two i couldn’t put a finger on how but bayonetta and her command of her own femininity inspired me to own my femininity even more which i didn’t even think was possible for me i’m so happy to see she resonated with other people in a similar way!

[@ultimax10doesgaming48]

I know this comment is 7 months later, but Bayonetta 3 will still have the wicked weave clothing removal in the game, there's now a toggle called "Naieve Angel Mode" which keeps all of Bayo's clothes on like in the first trailer.

[@garfieldkermit]

I'm so annoyed i didnt guess this since it makes so much sense to give people the option!

[@porkymars9522]

Great video! Bayonetta is a great series and your takes and your searching seems very well done

[@garfieldkermit]

Thank you im glad you liked it! :)

[@apricotenvy]

I can’t believe this had so few views! amazing video and I can’t wait to see what else you do

[@gustavoluna6250]

I can't believe I'm 25 snd this video is the very first time I've ever heard the words "Queer-gaze" 😭 that really made me feel seen in a way I truly never thought I needed. Thank u!

[@eepyJay]

So many “ah-hah!” moments while watching! Thanks a lot for making this video.

[@payalmoese5099]

Honestly, I get why people view her as a power symbol, but I still don't like it. Every power I can think of is still some hot babe. When a manly female character appears, she's still atractive. Every unatractive woman in media I can think of is used as a punching bag. I seriously can't think of a single one who's been treated with respect. Sure, there are a lot of male power characters who are also sexual, but it hardly takes over their character and even if it did, there are still plenty who are not at al sexual nor are they supposed to be appealing. In the mean time we got ¨cool girl¨ or ¨this body is mine and I'm gonna use it¨ For me this conversation only continues when the ¨sexual characters are so empowering¨ side of feminism starts to see that even if they are the villains, they are still there. I can understand that side as much as possible, but this isn't a conversation until they listen to us as well. As a woman, I never feel empowered by these overtly sexual characters, I'm just uncomfertable. You will also never see this flavor of empowered woman in a body that man aren't vocal about finding atractive. I see no differnce between Bayonetta and a character like Poison Ivy appart that she's the hero now. Eventhough we all know that ads up to jack in fiction. Edit: I thought of a character, Ursala. How could I forget about this absolute icon

[@garfieldkermit]

I really wish i mentioned in the video how it is frustrating that there is a preconception that everyone should be happy with what bayonetta represents and just the need for more variety and diversity for women, especially protagonists in gaming. Like I can agree with the people who do find bayonetta empowering, but for people like you who don't it must be incredibly tiring having so few characters in games that you feel like you see yourself in!

[@ObliterationLove]

Amazing video! Great work and analysis! Thank you

[@garfieldkermit]

Thank you I'm hoping to post my next video soon!

[@crypt2niite]

immediately ran to this video after watching the one on bayo 3, good vids!

[@pablosilva6932]

8:58 Hard disagree. If Anita Sarkeesian goes out of her way to make a video criticizing a video game she hadn't played(something she loves doing) what she says can absolutely be discredited. Obviously harrassing someone is wrong, but let's not act like Sarkeesian is a victim

[@tattoocutiegal7629]

She is a victim. She was one of the main targets of a harassment campaign and received a slew of rape and death threats simply because she expressed an opinion that people didn't like; you could say she was a victim of "cancel culture."

[@jeremy123577]

Not going lie I reason I check out the first bayonetta was because of the combos but also the fact that she was tall and wore glasses

[@definitelyhooman7939]

As an asexual woman, I think of Bayonetta as the female equivalent of James Bond. It may be occassionally problematic and its important to acknowledge that, but it's ultimately a female power fantasy where you get be cool, suave and sexy. It's stylish beyond compare, utterly ridiculous in the best way possible, and personally, it will always have a spot within my heart

[@m.y.m.y]

Im taking major issue with the whole framing of male gaze in this video. I feel like you are confusing the game being 'produced' with the male gaze and the game being 'observed' with the male gaze. I think its pretty obvious that this game was "produced with the male gaze" in mind. The producer was even quoted as being quite misogynistic. However, that can be true while also having people of queer/fem identities playing(observing) the game and taking what they appreciate from the game. Beyond that, saying we shouldn't use "the male gaze" to analyze media, is something I disagree with when we live in a male driven society. Saying we shouldn't do that or not everyone is a Cis Het Man, doesn't discount the use of "the male gaze" to combat the patriarchy by exploring how media is being created specifically by or for men. Terms like this evolve over time and imo it makes more sense to see how we use "the male gaze" today versus how it was initially proposed years ago, to decide to discount the use of the term. I agree it is heavily used in modern conversations, but I do not think that fact degrades the usefulness that it can have. On the contrary, I think it creates a new, more useful definition of "the male gaze". People that aren't cis het men can combat the control on media narratives by using it to discredit different media for being too mainstream(mainstream coming from the patriarchal society we undeniably live in). (I use the male gaze in a similar way most people that "overuse it" use it; the same way I would use critical race theory to analyze certain systems and culture(in this case media/a video game) through a specific lens(race or cis het males' interests)) I also think that we use the term "the male gaze" to mean 'the cis het male gaze' which is the way it should be used imo to prevent trans/gay men from getting lumped in(because unfortunately they are not being represented by society when the 'male gaze' would be overly present) idk tho, maybe a year ago the terms meant something else. Wish I would have seen this when it came out originally. I LOVE Bayonetta as I am a trans woman and love super strong women that are also hyper feminine. Thanks for the thought provoking video!🥰

[@garfieldkermit]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video, and I wish I was a bit clearer in the male gaze section. My frustration was mainly focused on how oversaturated its use is when discussing bayonetta in the earlier games, like everyone was talking about straight men's views on Bayonetta and it was tiring. But the male gaze as a concept is still definitely useful and worth considering, but what I was trying to point out was that this shouldn't be the only lens used! Hope that cleared it up, but if I missed something let me know! :)

[@Ttyumbra]

Hey, maybe another word will emerge from it. I mean, SJW is just the beta version of the word "woke," so maybe not now to describe all cis heterosexual men because they are similar, not the same. I wouldn’t put a black man in the same category as a white person in terms of how they view women in a video. Similarly, how the news portrays black people committing crimes, twerking, or being skilled in sex while people think that’s what they do or are, is not necessarily true, we have people in all shades do these things. Like, we know how a college dorm fraternity is mostly white in a lot of colleges in America, with tons of parties, being sexual, drinking, and freely promiscuous. It’s important to at least consider how a particular race may enjoy a game because we may end up with more discrimination instead of inclusion, kinda like how issues faced by people of color get ignored even in a freeing group, like a starving child in Africa.

[@cyberpunkca]

“bayo is giving ace lesbian vibes” - me and aro/ace

[@Awesomemelon.]

this is awesome and amazing

[@kikyo8520]

I know this is old, but I do find Bayonetta as an empowering woman to look up to, and while I agree with everything else....there were those uh....questionable scenes between her and Rodin in the secret fights. The ONE time Bayo gets her ass handed to her if you don't dodge correctly and it's implied that Bayo got....uh...*ahem ahem*, I was like "WAHHH!! O.O".

[@CN3891]

She is the feminine aspect with a conscience, which we don’t see from any of the feminist elements nowadays. Edit to add: Dante would kick her ass.

[@carringtonpageiv6210]

on my first play through I found myself shouting and getting quite rilled up playing Bayonetta because I really enjoyed her hyper sexualization and EXTREMELY camp and unhinged scenarios. My favorite being when the body double angels from the first game making a very lewd introduction by getting a magical orb from her AHEM. I understood why the 2nd Bayonetta was less out there, but dang that really made me enjoy the first one especially.

[@schlockfather]

For me, it ain't as good as God Hand, but nothing really is.

[@ryanoates9334]

also yeah nope she loses clothes in 3 LMAO

[@ryanoates9334]

this video should just be called: why people suck and why people are oversensitive

[@kjtj397]

Bunch of raging sjws bashing on the queen

[@ShikiKairagi]

Oof

[@teh0wnz0r76]

u literally invented all gay "subtext" in ur head

[@javaghay]

That’s so gay subtext of you