Dante (Devil May Cry)

Concept and influences

Dante debuted in a game originally intended as part of Capcom's Resident Evil franchise. Series creator Hideki Kamiya rewrote the story, taking inspiration from the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. The character was originally conceived as a Western policeman and was initially named Tony Redgrave, a reference to Resident Evil's Chris Redfield. Yuichiro Hiraki, known for designing characters for The King of Fighters, worked on Dante's motion capture, characterization, and fighting style after joining Capcom from SNK in the late 1990s.

Kamiya gave designer Tsuchibayashi freedom when creating Dante's look, though some concept art was rejected. Tsuchibayashi produced the 3D model based on other staff members' clothing and an unclear relationship between Dante and Trish. The Devil Trigger form posed difficulties, requiring many sketches to decide on wings and facial changes. An alternate outfit featuring an older Dante was developed, which the designer felt made Dante look more like Vergil.

Hideaki Itsuno stated that for Devil May Cry 5, Dante was influenced by mecha anime from Itsuno's youth, particularly in the character's family conflict and power displays. Kamiya described Dante as someone you would want to go out drinking with, who would pull mischievous jokes rather than show off. Kamiya's keywords for Dante were 'composure' and 'ambiance.'

Characteristics

Dante works as a mercenary and private investigator specializing in paranormal cases, particularly demon-slaying. He has silverish white hair, icy blue eyes, and a muscular build, typically wearing a red duster or trench coat. His arsenal includes twin semi-automatic handguns named Ebony and Ivory, which never need reloading, and various swords such as Rebellion and Force Edge, as well as Devil Arms created from defeated demons. The guns were handmade by gunsmith Nell Goldstein, with 'For Tony Redgrave, By .45 Art Warks' inscribed on them.

As a half-demon, Dante possesses superhuman strength, agility, stamina, reflexes, coordination, and near-invulnerability. He can enter a Devil Trigger state that enhances his strength and speed, regenerates health, and grants abilities like flight with his melee weapon. Dante is the son of Sparda and the twin brother of Vergil; after their mother Eva was killed by demons, Dante became committed to hunting them. He is confident and often taunts enemies, and is frequently depicted eating pizza.

Appearances

In the original Devil May Cry, Dante is hired by Trish to prevent the return of the devil king Mundus, but Trish is actually working for Mundus. Dante defeats the mind-controlled Vergil, who appears as Nelo Angelo, and later spares Trish after she tries to kill him. With Trish's help, he defeats Mundus, and they become partners in his business, renamed Devil Never Cry. In Devil May Cry 2, Dante helps Lucia defeat the demonic businessman Arius and is trapped in the demon world after closing a gate. Devil May Cry 3, a prequel, features a younger, cockier Dante who is drawn out by Vergil. Dante meets Lady, who is hunting her father Arkham. Inspired by Lady's courage, Dante continues his business with purpose, claims the Force Edge, and renames his shop Devil May Cry after a comment Lady made.

Reception

Dante's popularity led to speculation about his inclusion as downloadable content in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate after Capcom released ports of the series on Nintendo Switch. Director Hideaki Itsuno discussed the possibility, noting that Cloud Strife had been added despite Final Fantasy VII not being on Nintendo consoles. Dante was added as a Mii Fighter costume in 2021, which caused outcry among fans on Twitter. In a 2024 Capcom poll, Dante was voted the company's most popular character.

For Devil May Cry 5, Capcom produced replica jackets as limited editions in Japan, and Sony used Dante's image to promote pizza. Hideki Kamiya stated he was approached about including Bayonetta in Project X Zone 2 but refused, wanting Bayonetta and Dante to meet on his own terms; he later regretted this decision and would support Bayonetta's inclusion in a potential Project X Zone 3. Video game publications have described Dante as one of the best video game characters, with Game Informer calling him 'one of the most bad-ass characters around.'

GamesRadar+ noted that despite multiple characterizations, he is always enjoyable to play. Meristation credited Kamiya's design and characterization for Dante's iconic status in hack and slash games.