Since its release in 2001, the combat sequences in the Devil May Cry series have received critical acclaim. Even after 22 years from release, fans fondly talk about the multiple combos they have to execute to win a fight. And in the center of all those combos is the main protagonist of the series Dante.

Making his debut in the 2001 title, the half-human, half-demon mercenary is one of the highest-rated protagonists of all time. However, fans would be surprised to know Dante was inspired by two Japanese comic book characters.

Devil May Cry creator shares the inspiration for creating Dante

A freshly discovered excerpt from 2001’s Electronic Gaming Monthly interview with designer Hideki Kamiya revealed some key facts about Dante’s origin. Kamiya said, “As for the main character Dante, I was strongly influenced by a Japanese comic-book character named Cobra.”

The character’s never-say-die attitude in the face of danger impressed Kamiya greatly. However, Cobra was not the only influence on Kamiya; he was also influenced by another Japanese comic-book character.

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“I also referred to a character in another Japanese comic JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure. His name is Joseph Joestar and he’s the main hero of the comic’s second chapter,” Kamiya shared. Interestingly, Capcom, the developer of Devil May Cry also has Jojo’s Bizzare Adventure under its hood. Along with this connection, multiple references to comic book characters are present in the Devil May Cry series.

Multiple references to the Japanese comic book character found in the Capcom title

The love shown by Kamiya for Jojo’s Bizzare Adventure was evident in the first entry of the Devil May Cry series. Kars rising up near the finale of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 2: Battle Attitude influenced the moment when Dante acquires his main weapon, Alastor, in Devil May Cry 1.

Furthermore, Dante’s victory animation using Gilgamesh in the Devil May Cry 4 pachinko machine is also a reference to Jotaro in Stand Proud. And the sequences of both animation was quite similar too.

However, fans believe Dante is iconic in his own right too. The series has garnered a lot of praise through the years for its intricate storyline and combat sequences. With Devil May Cry 5 coming out on March 2019, fans are eagerly awaiting Capcom to announce the next entry in the series.

What are your thoughts on Hideki Kamiya drawing inspiration from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Cobra for creating Dante? Let us know in the comments section below.

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