“Don’t Take Off the Glasses”: Publisher Wanted to Remove Bayonetta’s Iconic Design Detail from the Game

To mark the 16th anniversary of the series’ debut, Kamiya reflected on the challenges faced during the development of PlatinumGames’ flagship title.

During a discussion on X, a fan asked Kamiya to confirm a line from an old interview about the heroine’s signature eyewear. The line “Bayonetta’s glasses are like her underwear” is often attributed to Kamiya, but that attribution is incorrect. The remark was actually made by animation director Yuji Shimomura, who oversaw the cutscenes. Kamiya said he nevertheless fully supported Shimomura’s sentiment and insisted the glasses remain part of the design despite pressure from the publisher.

“When we were working on Bayonetta, our clients asked us to remove her glasses, and I kept turning their requests down. But it’s also true that one day Mr. Shimomura, who produced the cinematics, said: ‘Bayonetta’s glasses are like her underwear—absolutely do not take them off,'” Kamiya said.

Lead character designer Mari Shimazaki added that Kamiya always required every version of a Bayonetta sketch to include a glasses option. “When I was making drafts, he would appear and whisper, ‘Why not give her glasses?’ so I got into the habit of keeping a layer with the glasses ready in my sketches. Even though the process of finalizing the design could be difficult, I always kept that glasses layer prepared,” she explained.

The glasses were not merely decorative: Kamiya explained they function as a kind of mask, shielding the heroine from a world that pursues her past. He also said he had plans to reveal more of the reasons why Bayonetta never removes them.

Source: iXBT.games