Dead or Alive creator slags off Bayonetta

By Ellie Gibson Published 9 June, 2009

But reckons Natal is "completely awesome".

Tomonobu Itagaki, the creator of the Dead or Alive series, has taken a pop at rival Hideki Kamiya and his new game, Bayonetta.

"If I made a similar game as a game I made in the company I quit, people would say, "What an idiot, can't he make anything else?" Well, that is more or less the opinion I have for, uh, that Bayo-something game," Itagaki told 1UP.

Bayonetta, you may recall, stars a sexy lady who beats people up with her hair. And shoes. "Covered in hair, is she?" said Itagaki. "I dunno, Mr. Kamiya must have a lot going through his head. Well, in any case, I would first recommend laser eye surgery. I'm sure he's not that strapped for cash, right?"

Itagaki had kinder words to say about Project Natal, which he got to try out at E3 and described as "completely awesome".

"It's an absolutely revolutionary device that increases the freedom of game design by like, a hundred, or maybe more like a thousand times," he said.

"I got to play with it, and I can tell you it will definitely lead to some great games. It has no latency in motion recognition, so I'm convinced that the guys behind that tech are complete geniuses."

But what about Itagaki's next project? Will it feature tits, arse and Aerosmith, like his other greatest hits?

"Although I could argue, 'What's wrong with women being sexy!' I have to admit I've gotten pretty tired of that. A lot of people are making those recently. I'll gladly let them take over for me," he joshed.

"I have to apologise to my fans, but since I won't be making Dead or Alive games I won't be using Aerosmith's music anymore. I want to send the deepest gratitude to Aerosmith and Steven Tyler. The power I needed to make DOA came from Aerosmith and the movie Armageddon."

Eurogamer, for the record, is powered by the music of So Solid Crew and the movie Working Girl.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (41) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • muscleblade #1 3 years ago

    He didnt like DMC4 either and thats awesome. On par with NG2 imo. Sorry Itagaki.

  • Gearskin #2 3 years ago

    I thought DMC4 was way better than NG2. And Bayonetta looks pretty damn amazing, even if the concept is very weird.

  • Ranger101 #3 3 years ago

    21 seconds to go.

  • Domovoi #4 3 years ago

    Awful. Awful. Kitsch.

  • kangarootoo #5 3 years ago

    How bizarre.

  • Wastelander #6 3 years ago

    DMC4 and NG2 were both shite.

    Bring on Bullet Wit... I mean 'Bayonetta'

  • menage #7 3 years ago

    Bayonetta looks more awesome than everything he did combined. Fuck him.

    And he should get eye surgery. Team Ninja's art direction was plastic god awful.
    Edited by 1 at 09/06/09 @ 10:03

  • Darren #8 3 years ago

    I thought Ninja Gaiden 2 was average compared with the superb original but Devil May Cry 4 was brilliant fun, so tongue in cheek and over the top with top-notch production values. The difficulty was just right and I loved every second of it on the PS3.

    I'm not sure about Bayonetta though... looks OK from the gameplay footage but it could go either way and be utterly average or worst like NG2 or as brilliant as DMC4... time will tell I guess.

  • penhalion #9 3 years ago

    @Darren

    How the frak do I beat that cult leader when I'm fighting him inside the giant statue? He keeps running away and then starts to go crazy on my ass when I get his health to about half way!

    Give me some tacktics man!

  • skillian #10 3 years ago

    "I have to apologise to my fans, but since I won't be making Dead or Alive games I won't be using Aerosmith's music anymore. I want to send the deepest gratitude to Aerosmith and Steven Tyler. The power I needed to make DOA came from Aerosmith and the movie Armageddon."

    It's like reading The Onion.

  • Darren #11 3 years ago

    @penhalion - I know which bit you mean but it's been almost a year since I did that section. If you check out this walkthrough with helpful videos then that should help you though:

    http://ww w.mahalo.com/devil-may-cry-4-wa...

  • menage #12 3 years ago

    @penhalion

    That's the second time you fight him right. I just jumped/slashed him I think. Airborne attacks so to speak.

  • ParanoidZombie #13 3 years ago

    I think NG2 is a superb sequel, and I hate DMC4 like poison. Opinions, opinions...
    @penhalion: use holy water when he rushes you, it works flawlessly even on DMD difficulty. Stupid game.
    Edited by 1 at 09/06/09 @ 10:56

  • Domovoi #14 3 years ago

    @skillian: No kidding. I always wondered why Japanese style games don't appeal to me, and now I know. The power of Steven Tyler is to blame.

  • Negotiator #15 3 years ago

    Dead or alive creator thinks Natal is incredible, and he is right.

  • hello2u #16 3 years ago

    NG2 was miles better than DMC4 even though it had bugs, though he does speak a lot of truth in the interview.

    "If I made a similar game as a game I made in the company I quit, people would say, "What an idiot, can't he make anything else?"

    Though I think future Team Ninja games will suck after he went & quite a few other members of staff.
    Edited by 1 at 09/06/09 @ 11:11

  • RexRunti #17 3 years ago

    To me Bayonetta looks like a cross between Ninja Gaiden and Devil May Cry which is good. I always preferred the Ninja Gaidens though.

    To be fair he isn't really slagging off Bayonetta more saying it's like a sterotype of his games. Also his slagging off of DMC was more having a go at the guy who made one of them who said "there hasn't been a good game like DMC since it was made".

    Call me sentimental but I really miss the sexually harrissing, sun glasses wearing freak.

  • ChadSexington #18 3 years ago

    "Eurogamer, for the record, is powered by the music of So Solid Crew and the movie Working Girl."

    Ellie, you're a comedy genius.

    I've always thought Itakagi was a twat and this just cements that opinion of him, but I wish he would just shut up. He harps on about how rubbish other people's games are and how amazing his are, but he's hardly got a great (or very varied) track record has he? His whole thing is probably just an act, but still, he's starting to sound like an American.

  • TeRm0z #19 3 years ago

    A guy getting his power from Armageddon? Get a grip..

  • Dillinger #20 3 years ago

    spot the shill in this thread

  • Squaregod #21 3 years ago

    i have to say the same about Itagaki and his DoA with shaking tits and buts. all series are like clones to me =/

  • Doctor_What #22 3 years ago

    DMC still has yet to allure me. I played all through 1 and 2 with not much pleasure, constantly waiting for the 'any minute now this will be amazing' moment. I tried 4 for several hours but haven't gone back to it. With that in mind, it's not surprising that I don't really give a damn about Bayonetta, which looks like it was designed for horny 13 year old boys with a crush on a librarian.

  • oxymoron #23 3 years ago

    I would so like to deepthroat Melanie Griffiths.

  • jiveguy #24 3 years ago

    Are you not worried that you may choke?

  • Quint2020 #25 3 years ago

    DMC4 is not on par with NG2, it was really not at all fun.

  • mega7ech #26 3 years ago

    Oh he does make me laugh that Itagaki! He's like one of the those camp villans from the early batman films!
    "Aerosmith powers me" - LOL! You gotta love it!

  • des #27 3 years ago

    Itagaki :bow

  • Gearskin #28 3 years ago

    Bayonetta looks better than both. By several miles.

  • riz23 #29 3 years ago

    Itagaki-san you are priceless. With your leopard skin teddy boy suit and cigarettes. I am a worthless dog who cannot complete your games yet you entertain me nevertheless. Thank you for existing in the dull dull world of games development.

  • Xerx3s #30 3 years ago

    A little birdy tells me that ms is funding his next game.

  • Solvalou #31 3 years ago

    If Itagaki could reincarnate seventy hundred times on this earth, he would still not be able to accomplish anything even close to Okami.

    Also, if he speaks well of Natal, I become doubtful of it.
    Edited by 1 at 09/06/09 @ 16:08

  • HermitArcader #32 3 years ago

    Post deleted at 09:17:39 22-12-2011

  • Alkeno #33 3 years ago

    DMC4 was my first DMC... I had been willing ot play a game in the series for years, it's a brilliant game but it's not my type. I ended up playing over 100 hours trying to get any good at it, but it was useless, I'm crap and ended hating Capcom. When I realised I just didn't have the skill to get an S on every stage in normal difficulty I just quit. The same with most achievements... they are just a few gallaxies away from my skills. Sadly its my fault, not the game's. I'm of no use with high-speed games and have always been. That is also why I just don't like most multiplayer shooters.

    Bayonetta is more of the same, surely a good game, but not for me. Making the player a nude goth hottie covered in hair is just weird, but sets the ground for serious fan service and cut-scene 'erotism' for teenagers. So it will sell alright.

    Mr. Itagaki is an ass, by the way, I just wished he made more games and spoke less. The same goes to Kojima and the rest of the bunch in the "we are gods from above, player" club. They are already taking too long to join scientology or better, create their own religion...

  • sizusizu #34 3 years ago

    I think Itagaki lives in his own little world where is self-importance is greatly exagerated. He is the Japanese version of Dave Perry.



  • drumbaby #35 3 years ago

    Just when I was starting to feel sorry for this job-losing chimp....

  • HermitArcader #36 3 years ago

    Post deleted at 09:17:39 22-12-2011

  • XdarXideX #37 3 years ago

    As much as I love DOA, I cant stand Itagaki. Opinion based purely on his comments and ridiculous leather jacket and sun glasses combo...

  • Mr_Git #38 3 years ago

    Why do people listen to this crusty cum-sock?

  • YourMessageHere #39 3 years ago

    A female protagonist character might harm sales? Curious idea.

  • davisorle #40 3 years ago

    "But what about Itagaki's next project? Will it feature tits, arse and Aerosmith, like his other greatest hits? "

    LMFAO Ellie. 2 thumbs up for this one and the "third" just since its the point as a bonus.. lol

    Seriously, the dude there has no fear for whatever comes out of his mouth. Love it. I am accused of it daily in my life so its fun seeing it from others too :) lol Yet.. I cant help it.. Power to make DOA from that movie? Oo wtf were you thinking? I've had sex with Static-X in the background and yet I knew it wasnt hardcore enough and you create beat em up tittles with Armagedon? ffs. Im done reading articles for today after this. lol

    Have fun all.

  • Razorus #41 3 years ago

    Hahaha, that was a funny article. I love Itagaki-san; he's freakin' crazy!
    I also cussed the shit out of Tekken once.
    Imagine a Ninja Gaiden Natal game lol. How many obese players will embarrass themselves pretending to be ninjas.