Bayonetta: Bloody Fate

Bayonetta: Blood Fate is an anime released in 2013 and is based on the game of the same name. That being said I know a lot of people are under the impression that films/animes based on video games cannot be good. Ever since becoming a massive fan of the Sengoku Basara series I know better. 

 

The series is a mish mash of ideas that will inspire nostalgia in most viewers familiar with anime. The style of the show is reminiscent of series like Aeon Flux or Cowboy Bebop. The imaging is smooth and sharp, really pulling you in to a more mature vision of the anime format that some might not quite understand given the cartoon-like appeal the more popular anime giants are prone to representing. 

 

I saw a lot of influence or homage in the styles. There were the angels in this series that at some point reminded me an awful lot of Evangelion. One of the powers at Bayonetta’s disposal reminded me of Lucy Heartfilia in Fairy Tail. Even Bayonetta’s first transformation from Nun to badass witch was like a combination of Sailor Moon meets Witchblade. Really, just a lot about the film that reminded me of something else. 

 

The story behind the film, not having ever played the game, was a bit meh for me. There are a lot of minor characters that pop up here and there that never really get fleshed out and plot devices that seem to be held together by the thinnest of threads in order to move the story from point A to point B. Maybe if I had played the game and been a fan this would be a completely different type of review, but then again, if the film can’t exist all on it’s own as a stand alone without prior knowledge what is that saying. 

 

Despite the above mentioned critiques I thought the Blu-ray quality of the film was pretty fantastic. Despite being a darker anime that took place in muted cities, night time settings, and otherworldly locations, the picture maintained a pretty consistent look to it. The angels were amazing looking with a sharp touch to defining every node and carving in their massive creepy faces and structure shots revealed a good amount of detail that didn’t really play a huge part in the storytelling, but I can appreciate that they weren’t muted and left out. 

 

The set comes with both Blu-Ray and DVD and features Commentary, Storyboards and Trailers. Funimation can be pretty light on supplemental material, this being one of those cases, but fans will likely find it appealing just the same.