Bayonetta character designer shares new artwork to celebrate the franchise’s 15th anniversary

Somehow, its already been 15 years since the Bayonetta franchise burst onto the scene. Who knew this character would not only make its way to Nintendo platforms, but also become a big part of Nintendo in general? From no Nintendo release in sight to Bayonetta in Smash Bros. and Nintendo publishing multiple mainline entries, it’s been a wild ride for the franchise since the start.

In honor of the 15th anniversary of Bayonetta, character designer Mari Shimazaki put together the gorgeous artwork you see above, which features multiple takes on the titular character. Shimazaki also shared some thoughts on the anniversary, which you can read in full below.

Congratulations on the 15th anniversary of Bayonetta and the 2nd anniversary of Bayonetta 3! Sorry it’s a WIP drawing, I drew it in between work. I wanted to make a soft and beautiful picture, but before I knew it, the contrast had become too extreme. I wanted to use the red, blue, and purple symbolic colors of 1, 2, and 3. I didn’t have enough time, so I’ll finish it before the 15th anniversary. – Mari Shimazaki