Bayonetta: Bloody Fate

Bayonetta: Bloody Fate (Japanese: ベヨネッタ ブラッディフェイト, Hepburn: Beyonetta: Buraddi Feito) is a 2013 anime film produced by Gonzo, based on PlatinumGames' 2009 video game, Bayonetta. The film was directed by Fuminori Kizaki with screenplay by Mitsutaka Hirota.^[1][2]

Bloody Fate was the first piece of Bayonetta media to be voiced in Japanese, as opposed to the first game being voiced exclusively by an English cast. The film was released in Japanese theaters on November 23, 2013 and later released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on February 14, 2014. The film has been licensed in North America by Funimation and the English dub features most of the same voice cast from the game reprising their respective roles. After the positive reception of the film, the Japanese cast of Bloody Fate returned to lend their voices to the characters in Bayonetta 2, as well as the special Wii U edition of the first game in 2014.^[3]

Plot

As an adaption of Bayonetta rather than a direct translation, Bloody Fate's storyline follows the events and characters of the game with some slight changes to locales and specific order and details. After waking from 500 years of slumber at the bottom of a lake with no memory of her life before, the witch Bayonetta embarks on a journey to rediscover her identity and her past. Battling the hordes of angels that stand in her way, Bayonetta's journey takes her to the isolated European town of Vigrid where she is confronted by faces from her past and a mystery regarding the Eyes of the World.

Cast

Production

Bloody Fate was created by the anime studio Gonzo. Ai Yokoyama was responsible for designing the main characters of Bloody Fate based on the original Bayonetta character designs by Mari Shimizaki, who also supervised the project. Hiroya Iijima was in charge of the angel enemy designs, also based on original artwork for the game.

Mai from Avex Entertainment contributed the theme song, entitled "Night, I Stand". Other music for the film was composed by Jun Abe and Masato Kazune, with some additional pieces being provided by reworked versions of tracks from the game.^[5]

For the English-localized version of the film, FUNimation Entertainment contacted Jonathan Klein and Los Angeles-based New Generation Pictures to handle the production and requested that as many video game cast members as possible reprise their roles. Since Bayonetta voice actress Hellena Taylor had relocated back to the UK, Klein recorded her voice separately at The Egg Recording Studio located at Shepperton Studios in Surrey, England.^[6]

Release

Bayonetta: Bloody Fate was released for a limited theatrical run in Japan on the November 23, 2013. The film also received a home video release for DVD and Blu-ray on February 14, 2014.^[7] Madman Entertainment have licensed the film in Australia.^[8] Funimation has licensed the film in North America.^[9]

A manga adaptation illustrated by Mizuki Sakakibara was published in two parts in Kodansha's Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine on November 9, 2013 and December 9, 2013 respectively.^[7]

Reception

Richard Eisenbeis of Kotaku praised the film for its beautiful action and streamlined storyline, calling it "the most 90s movie I have seen in a decade" and "even more over-the-top than the game was."^[10]

References

External links

• Official website(Japanese)
• Bayonetta: Bloody Fate at the Internet Movie Database
• Bayonetta: Bloody Fate (film) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia

Works by Gonzo
Television series	Gate Keepers (2000) Vandread (2000) Samurai Girl: Real Bout High School (2001) Final Fantasy: Unlimited (2001–2002) Hellsing (2001–2002) Vandread: The Second Stage (2001) Full Metal Panic! (2002) Tai Master of Characters (2002) Saikano (2002) Kiddy Grade (2002–2003) Gravion (2002) Digigirl Pop! STRAWBERRY&POP MIX FLAVOR (2003) Kaleido Star (2003–2004) Last Exile (2003) Gad Guard (2003) Peacemaker Kurogane (2003–2004) Chrono Crusade (2003–2004) Gravion Zwei (2004) Ragnarok the Animation (2004) Gantz (2004) Burst Angel (2004) Samurai 7 (2004) Desert Punk (2004–2005) Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo (2004–2005) Basilisk (2005) Speed Grapher (2005) Trinity Blood (2005) Transformers: Cybertron (2005) G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 (2005–2007) SoltyRei (2005–2006) Black Cat (2005–2006) Glass Fleet (2006) Witchblade (2006) Yoshimune (2006) Welcome to the N.H.K. (2006) Red Garden (2006–2007) Pumpkin Scissors (2006–2007) Ani*Kuri15 (animated sequence) (2007–2008) Afro Samurai (2007) Getsumento Heiki Mina (2007) Romeo × Juliet (2007) Bokurano: Ours (2007) Kaze no Stigma (2007) My Bride Is a Mermaid (2007) Dragonaut: The Resonance (2007–2008) Rosario + Vampire (2008) The Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk (2008) S · A: Special A (2008) Blassreiter (2008) Strike Witches (2008) Rosario + Vampire Capu2 (2008) Linebarrels of Iron (2008–2009) The Tower of Druaga: The Sword of Uruk (2009) Saki (2009) Shangri-La (2009) Slap-up Party: Arad Senki (2009) Nyanpire (2011) Last Exile: Fam, The Silver Wing (2011–2012) Ozuma (2012) Leviathan The Last Defense (2013) Dog & Scissors (2013) A Town Where You Live (2013) Blade & Soul (2014) Seiyu's Life! (2015) Aokana: Four Rhythm Across the Blue (2016) Akiba's Trip: The Animation (2017)
Films	Origin: Spirits of the Past (2006) Brave Story (2006) Kiddy Grade -Ignition- (2007) Kiddy Grade -Maelstrom- (2007) Kiddy Grade -Truth Dawn- (2007) Afro Samurai: Resurrection (2009) Bayonetta: Bloody Fate (2013)
OVAs/ONAs	Blue Submarine No. 6 (1998–2000) Melty Lancer THE ANIMATION (1999–2000) Zaion: I Wish You Were Here (2001) Vandread Integral (2001) Gate Keepers 21 (2002–2003) Yukikaze (2002–2005) Vandread Turbulence (2002) Kaleido Star: New Wings Extra Stage (2004) Legend of Phoenix ~Layla Hamilton Monogatari~ (2005) Good da yo! Goood!! (2006) Burst Angel - Episode Zero: Infinity (2007) Strike Witches (2007) Red Garden: Dead Girls (2007) My Bride Is a Mermaid (2008–2009) Copihan (2011) A Town Where You Live (2014)
Video games	Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete (1996) Silhouette Mirage (1997) Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete (1998) Radiant Silvergun (1998) Gensō Suikogaiden (1999–2001) SkyGunner (2001) Suikoden III (2002) BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger (2009) Super Street Fighter IV (2010) BlazBlue: Continuum Shift (2010)
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