Trish (Devil May Cry)

Creation and design

Trish was introduced as the heroine of the first Devil May Cry game, but her long hair proved to be a major headache for the development team. Motion designer Tomoya Othsubo recalled that animating her hairstyle was particularly difficult, especially during the ending sequence. To make her hair move naturally, the designers had to insert multiple joints into each strand, a task Othsubo described as a nightmare. Sawaki Takeyasu, who served as the main artist for the character, noted that Trish was the first human-like figure he had ever created. Her name was taken from Beatrice Portinari, a figure from the Divine Comedy. When asked about the connection between Dante and Trish, director Hideki Kamiya said their relationship went beyond love.

For Devil May Cry 2, character designer Daigo Ikeno explained that the team wanted Trish and the new heroine Lucia to look like they belonged to different races, creating a clear visual contrast. Hiroyuki Nara handled Trish’s inclusion as an unlockable character in that sequel. He borrowed combat moves and elements from Dante’s campaign in the original game to build her gameplay. Nara later apologized to the first game’s team for the poor quality of Devil May Cry 2. He said multiple designers helped shape Trish’s appearance, including the flame effects used in her attacks. Because the sequel received negative feedback from both fans and critics, Nara wanted to redeem himself with Devil May Cry 3. For that title, he reused some of Trish’s design elements for Dante’s new model, though he remained vague about which parts.

Appearances

Trish first appears in Devil May Cry, where she hires Dante to stop Mundus from opening a gate on Mallet Island to conquer the human world. Dante later discovers she is actually Mundus’s servant, and her resemblance to his mother was a trap to lure him to the island for execution. Even after her betrayal is revealed, Dante saves her life. Mundus, deciding Trish is no longer useful, crucifies her to provoke Dante. During the final battle with Mundus, Trish returns and lends Dante her power, allowing him to defeat the demon lord. After this, the two become partners.

In the Devil May Cry 2 novel, an alternate version of Trish from a parallel world serves Mundus. The original Dante tries to convince her to side with demons opposing the Lord of Darkness, but ultimately has to kill her. She appears as a playable character in a bonus mode of Devil May Cry 2, though this section is separate from the main story and she does not appear in the game’s plot. In the anime The Animated Series, Trish mostly works alone, occasionally teaming up with Dante after he invites her back. She first appears when she accidentally fights demon hunter Lady, who initially sees her as an enemy; Dante interrupts the fight, and the two become friends. Trish and Lady help Dante stop a new demon invasion in the anime’s finale.

Trish returns in Devil May Cry 4 to work with Dante again. She disguises herself as Gloria, an executive in the Holy Knights of the Order of Sparda, a religious group that worships Sparda. After the Order’s leader Sanctus gains the ability to summon demons from another dimension, Trish protects the citizens of Fortuna while Dante goes after the enemy. In the epilogue, Lady refuses to pay them, claiming Trish made the situation worse. In Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition, Trish is again a playable character.

In Devil May Cry 5, Trish appears but is not playable. At the start of the game, she, Lady, and Dante are defeated by the Demon King Urizen. Trish and Lady are sealed inside the demons Cavaliere and Artemis respectively; Dante later frees Trish after defeating Cavaliere.

Reception

Critical reception of Trish has been largely favorable. Complex described her as charming and praised her abilities, expressing excitement for her inclusion in Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Her alter ego, Gloria, was noted as one of gaming’s most sexually appealing characters due to her revealing outfit. GamesTM appreciated Trish’s redesign and Gloria in Devil May Cry 4 but was let down by her limited role in the sequel, expecting her to become playable in a future update.

The Inquirer listed Trish and Dante among the most memorable video-game love teams, highlighting how they combine forces to take down enemies. The Official Xbox Magazine found Trish an engaging sidekick to Dante because of her personality. Siliconera considered her techniques unique, pointing out how she sets traps in the arena and how that affects combat. On the other hand, Play criticized Gloria’s look as one of gaming’s most inappropriate costumes, calling it slutty clubbing gear rather than a hunter’s outfit.

Bloody Disgusting, while critical of several aspects of Trish’s debut, was surprised by her remorse after betraying Dante and her eventual decision to join him following her fake death.

Trish’s appearance in Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition was well received. PCMag noted that her moves seemed inspired by her roles in Devil May Cry 2 and Marvel vs. Capcom 3, calling her a very accessible character who is hard to master. Game Informer liked her ability to switch weapons during combat, suggesting that while she may appear simple to use, mastering her full moveset could be so challenging that Vergil might overshadow her. IGN appreciated the balance between her techniques and those of Lady. Game Revolution found her Marvel vs. Capcom 3-inspired moves appealing. GameSpot was less enthusiastic, stating that Trish might be less entertaining than Lady or Vergil. PushSquare gave high praise to her new moves, finding them impressive, especially when compared to her portrayal in Devil May Cry 2.