How Bayonetta the witch conjured loyal LGBTQ+ fans

Bayonetta’s first appearance is a tall and slim woman wearing a traditional nun’s habit. But within minutes this outfit is ripped off her body as she moans, and a toe-tapping, sped-up electronic remix of “Fly Me to the Moon” plays. It turns out she’s a witch whose signature outfit includes a tight latex bodysuit and cat-eye glasses that make her look like the world’s hottest librarian. She punches and kicks hard, then she twists her body to impossible positions like the splits. Then she fires bullets out of her heels, spinning her legs like a helicopter. When she’s done, she’ll top it all off by blowing a kiss (if we’re lucky).

Bayonetta is a true icon of LGBTQ+ culture thanks to her flamboyant and dramatic scenes. This scene feels characteristic of many moments throughout the series, establishing Bayonetta’s flair, hyper-femininity, and unabashed confidence, and lending both her and the series a sort of campiness often popular with LGBTQ+ fans. Since the franchise’s debut in 2009, Bayonetta has become an icon to queer fans, many of whom are eagerly anticipating Bayonetta 3, which will reveal more of the beguiling witch’s story.

“I’ve been obsessed with Bayonetta since I saw the commercials for the first game in middle school,” said Ty Galiz-Rowe. “Aside from her being a gigantic, gregarious woman with gun high heels, she was also a character with big breasts who, while obviously an object of desire, was also the main character with her own game and her own narrative, who also wasn’t villain-adjacent like Ivy Valentine,” he said.

Image: PlatinumGames/Sega

Galiz-Rowe likened Bayonetta with real-life queer icons such as Lady Gaga and Madonna. Whether it’s her regular latex suit or special outfits, like a super short, puffy pink dress inspired by Princess Peach, Bayonetta shares an over-the-top fashion sense similar to that of a stage performer.

And while it’s not canon, fans have accepted Bayonetta as a member of the queer community, shipping her with her best friend, Jeanne. The first game is more about their rivalry than the second. Bayonetta 2Bayo literally goes to hell to rescue Jeanne. Creator Hideki Kamiya has even given interviews where he’s referred to Bayo and Jeanne being a couple. Additionally, BayonettaMari Shimazaki is a character designer and has created art for the characters together, depicted as lovers.

But it’s more than Bayo having a theatrical style similar to real-life queer icons, or possibly being a lesbian herself. She is portrayed as an exemplary transgressive hero, who can face the literal angels in heaven. Bayonetta is rich in Christian storytelling and iconography. Bayonetta lives in a world in which the followers of light (which basically stand in for the church) have supposedly defeated all witches. Bayonetta rebels against the harsh and punitive heaven. She chooses to follow her heart and uncovers her true identity, despite all those trying to keep it secret.

In a culture where many LGBTQ+ people have been persecuted or marginalized by Christian faith traditions, Bayonetta’s crusade against the divine can resonate with certain queer fans.

Image: PlatinumGames/Sega

“Bayonetta was ostracized at birth by her religious upbringing, and it was only far into her adulthood, moving away from an unsafe home to an urban sprawl, that she was finally able to give herself a new name, embrace her identity, and surround herself with supportive peers who’ve also faced similar hardship,” Christopher Blanco told Polygon via Twitter. “But even then, she’s still hounded everyday by folks (angels) who want to hurt her for being herself.”

Many of Bayo’s queer fans have ultimately chosen to embrace and interpret her design as empowering, while also acknowledging the broader context of her character. Bayonetta is a dual-worlder in an industry that historically depicted male characters using a wide range of tropes and marginalized women. Bayonetta’s character conforms to the beauty standards, which makes her a target of stereotypical masculine gaze. She’s tall and slender. Big boobs, big ass. She walks with her hips in a bouncy fashion. But she also embodies empowerment — she’s this powerful woman who isn’t afraid to stand up for herself and the other women in her life. Both of these realities are real to fans.

“It’s not a secret that Kamiya designed Bayo the way he did because he’s actively horny for librarian types, but that doesn’t change the way she made me feel as a teen trying to cope with the way my own body was sexualized by others,” Galiz-Rowe said. “Bayo’s design is probably rooted in a lot of sexism, but she’s also cool as fuck and the standard-bearer for camp in mainstream video games.”