Lady (Devil May Cry)

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Lady
Devil May Cry character
Lady as seen in her Devil May Cry 5 appearance
First appearanceDevil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening (2005)
Created byBingo Morihashi
Designed byDaigo Ikeno (Devil May Cry 3)
Tatsuya Yoshikawa (Devil May Cry 4, Devil May Cry 5)
Voiced by
Motion captureStephanie Cheeva (Devil May Cry 3)
Laura Napoli (Devil May Cry 4)
Agnes Olech (Devil May Cry 5)
In-universe information
Full nameLady (née Mary)
FamilyArkham (father)

Lady (Japanese: レディ, Hepburn: Redi), born Mary, is a character in Devil May Cry, an action-adventure hack and slash video game series created by Japanese developer and publisher Capcom. She was introduced in the 2005 title Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening, as a demon hunter on a mission to avenge her mother's death at the hands of her father, Arkham. She is also present as a playable character in the sequel Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition (2015). Since her introduction, Lady has appeared in the series' various anime and manga releases, supporting the protagonist Dante, to whom she often provides support and employment.

The character was created by Bingo Morihashi alongside two other designers. Her appearance was based on Russian singer Julia Volkova,[citation needed] and was specifically designed with several traits to distinguish her from other heroines in the franchise. While Lady does not play a major role in Devil May Cry 4 (2008), her design in that game was reworked to be more attractive, since the sequel takes place almost a decade after her introduction, when she was underage. Multiple actors have provided her voice in her numerous appearances, including Kari Wahlgren and Kate Higgins, while Fumiko Orikasa voices the character in Japanese versions of the games.

Critical reception to Lady has been positive. Various gaming publications have liked her role in the overall story of the franchise, and praised her debut as a playable character in Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition due to her unique movements. She has been listed as one of the best heroines in video gaming history, and her addition to the anime spin-off series has also been acclaimed.

Creation and design[edit]

Lady's appearance was based on Julia Volkova, a member of defunct Russian band t.A.T.u.

Lady's appearance was based on Russian singer Julia Volkova.[citation needed] While the character's designers sought to have her portrayed as a capable fighter, she was dressed in a school uniform in order to appeal to casual gamers; Daigo Ikeno tried to off-set the immature outfit by using oversized weaponry. With regard to cutscenes, Ikeno asked staff to make her look like a skilled fighter by utilizing sudden, unexpected martial arts movements and having the character make quick use of her guns during peak stances of those movements; her motion-capture actress found it difficult to replicate these moves.[1] Bingo Morihashi said that he originally intended for Lady to be older than series protagonist Dante, but director Hideaki Itsuno refused to agree to this, believing Japanese players would prefer the character younger. Her appearance was finalized late in Devil May Cry 3's development, though Morihashi wrote her story and dialogue with a clear visual in mind. To distinguish her from previous heroines in the franchise, Lady was given black hair. Another contrast with Trish and Lucia was the fact she was highly skilled at fighting demons. The team felt former heroines were too generic.[2]

Her relationship with her father Arkham represents one of the key themes of Devil May Cry 3: familial conflict, with Dante also being in conflict with his brother Vergil. Itsuno said he did not like the idea of Lady killing Arkham, as he believed a child should never kill their parent. Morihashi wanted this scene in the final product, along with Dante defeating Vergil, as themes of the game. To balance this, Morihashi wrote a scene leading up to Arkham's death, where Lady said that Arkham was her responsibility.[3]

For Devil May Cry 4, Lady was redesigned to look like a businesswoman. The main character designer added sunglasses to hide her eyes of different colors, while expanding on her sex appeal to make players notice she was older than in Devil May Cry 3. This sex appeal required adjusting cutscenes in the game. However, multiple ideas were rejected by staff on the grounds that they were too explicit, although her final model was still approved despite being more erotic. Although Lady only appeared in a few cutscenes in the game, the staff had multiple discussions about her redesign; one concept artist said he spent more time designing Lady than Kyrie, the main heroine of the game. Like Dante, Lady's age was kept ambiguous, though the designers wanted both characters to look more attractive than in previous titles.[4]

Lady's popularity once made Capcom staff think about designing a spin-off game centered around her, but this was not pursued.[5] Originally, the character was set to be included as an alternate skin in Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition, but Itsuno feared a negative backlash, and decided to retain her original moves and instead make Lady a playable character. To accommodate her inclusion, certain bosses were redesigned on her campaign mode. In 2015, Itsuno referred to Lady as his favorite character from Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition, based on how different her play style is when compared to the others. Itsuno further described her as "definitely [a] cool enough and strong enough character."[6]

Appearances[edit]

Fumiko Orikasa voices Lady in Japanese.

Lady is a freelance demon hunter, who is highly skilled in acrobatics and armed close quarters combat. She also has a signature weapon: the Kalina-Ann, a customized missile launcher similar to MANPADS. She was born Mary, later renouncing that name after her father Arkham murdered her mother in a ritual to obtain demonic power, an act which drove Mary to psychosis and obsessive vengeance. She first appears in Devil May Cry 3 as an antagonist to Dante, who eventually assumes her mission to stop her father's plans to destroy the world,[7] and decides to take her place upon finding her exhausted.[8] When Lady refuses to identify herself to Dante, he replies, "Whatever, lady!"[9] After Dante and his brother defeat Arkham, Lady formalizes her name in the game's denouement, telling her father that "Mary" is dead, before shooting him.[10] At the end of the game, it is revealed that it was she who coined the phrase "Devil May Cry". She said it while trying to console Dante over the loss of his brother. Dante then used it as the name for his shop.[11][12]

She appears in Devil May Cry: The Animated Series as a solo demon hunter who sometimes calls on Dante for help.[13] She has a cameo appearance in Devil May Cry 4, asking Dante and Trish for help in defeating the Order of the Sword, which has been creating their own weapons: Devil Arms.[14] In the epilogue, she gives only a small amount of money to the duo as reward for dismantling the organization, while blaming them for generating chaos on the mission.[15] In a special edition of the fourth game, she and Trish replaces Nero and Dante respectively in their own episode, whereas Lady's gameplay heavily focus on her firearms. She is also present in Devil May Cry 5 but unplayable.[16] In the game's story, Lady, Trish and Dante are defeated by the Demon King Urizen and she is placed inside a demon until Nero rescues her.[17][18]

In the Devil May Cry 3 manga, Lady makes a brief appearance a year before the events of the game.[19] She also appears as an assistance character in Project X Zone.[20] Her design from Devil May Cry 4 also appears in the game Monster Hunter Frontier G.[21] In the musical Devil May Cry: The Live Hacker, Lady was portrayed by Naomi Majima.[22]

Kari Wahlgren voiced Lady in Devil May Cry 3 and Devil May Cry 4, with Kate Higgins taking over the role since Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition. Stephanie Cheeva provided Lady's motion capture in Devil May Cry 3; Laura Napoli did so in Devil May Cry 4. Melissa Davis voiced her in the English version of The Animated Series. Fumiko Orikasa voiced Lady in The Animated Series, Special Edition of the fourth game, Devil May Cry 5, and Project X Zone.[23] Capcom staff praised Orikasa, who said her work in the anime was challenging and Lady's appeal comes from her cool fighting appearance and her dynamic with Lady during their fight.[24][25] Orikasa describes Lady as coldhearted but still enjoyed her role in the series.[26]

Reception[edit]

Critical response to Lady has been positive. GamesRadar praised her role in Devil May Cry 3, highlighting how she stood out from the rest of the cast, and how she clashes with both Dante and Vergil.[27] Similarly, Engadget commended the execution and handling of her plot on Devil May Cry 3, and how Dante ends up helping Lady to get revenge on her father.[28] GameSpy shared similar feelings, stating that Lady and the rest of the cast were better written than the characters from the first two Devil May Cry games.[29] Complex additionally found her a more likable sidekick to Dante than Trish based on her backstory and fighting style.[30] In 2009, IGN listed her as the seventh best gaming heroine due to her characterization and the impact her actions have had on the overall franchise.[31] GamesRadar also noted the impact Lady made to Devil May Cry series, by coming up with the franchise's title during her first appearance.[32] The same site also described 'Lady' as being one of the worst character names in gaming.[33] PortalPlay Game listed her as the third most sexually appealing character in gaming.[34] Before the release of Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, Play listed Lady as a character they wanted to see in the cast, believing Capcom "underused" her.[35]

Despite enjoying Lady's redesign in Devil May Cry 4, GamesTM was disappointed by the brevity of her appearance in the game.[36] In their review of Special Edition, Hobby Consolas praised Lady's fighting style, although they noted it was the most difficult to master of any character in the game.[37] Destructoid said she was a unique character in the game, because she is human who does not possess any demonic powers like the rest of the cast, which made mastering her fighting style entertaining.[38] PC Magazine expressed a similar sentiment, based on how her skills contrast to those of the rest of the playable characters.[39] While also finding her enjoyable to play, IGN believed that Vergil's mechanics made him more appealing and overshadowed both Trish and Lady.[40] Game Informer was afraid Lady would "feel too gimmicky", but ended up liking her dynamic style.[41]

While reviewing the anime series, DVDTalk said they liked the interactions between Dante, Lady and Trish, to the point where the reviewer expected to see more of these, rather than stories focused on Dante fighting different enemies.[42] GroundReport felt Lady and Trish were foils to Dante and compared them to the main characters from the manga and anime series GetBackers, due to the financial issues Dante faces despite him often receiving jobs from Lady.[43] Fandom Post appreciated her addition to the cast; they liked the variety her character brought to the anime, as well as how she stands out in an episode fighting Trish over a misunderstanding where they end up becoming friends. The writer also enjoyed her role in following episodes, most notably the finale.[44] Anime News Network lamented the fact that Lady only makes brief appearances in the anime, but said they found her English voice acting charming.[45] UK Anime Network also liked her role in the anime, praising the way her fights are displayed.[46] Hyper had mixed thoughts about the episode where Lady meets Trish through a fight but compared the style of the two female characters to the franchise The Matrix because of how stylish they both are.[47]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Devil May Cry: 3142 Graphic Arts. Capcom, Udon Entertainment. 2015. p. 206. ISBN 978-1927925485.
  2. ^ Capcom, Devil May Cry, p. 209.
  3. ^ Capcom, Devil May Cry, p. 211.
  4. ^ Capcom, Devil May Cry, p. 217–218.
  5. ^ Mielke, James (31 January 2008). "Devil May Cry 4 Preview for 360 from 1UP.com". 1UP.com. IGN. Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  6. ^ Ramsay, Randolph (26 June 2015). "Devil May Cry's Future Isn't Tied to How Well Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition Sells". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  7. ^ "Demon's Legacy: Lady," Game Informer 179 (March 2008): 113.
  8. ^ Capcom. Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening. Capcom. Dante: I'll take care of him. / Lady: Why do you care so much? / Dante: This whole business started with my father sealing the entrance between the two worlds. And now, my brother is trying to break that spell and turn everything into demonville. This is my family matter. Quite frankly, at first, I didn't give a damn. But because of you, I know what's important now. I know what I need to do.
  9. ^ Capcom. Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening. Capcom. Dante: You're right. So tell me, what's your name? / Lady: I don't have a name. / Dante: Oh, then what should I call you? / Lady: I don't care. Whatever you want. / Dante: Whatever, lady. I'll leave this to you, because I don't want to miss the party.
  10. ^ Capcom. Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening. Capcom. Lady: Mary died a long time ago. My name is Lady.
  11. ^ Capcom. Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening. Capcom. Lady: Are you crying? Dante: It's only the rain. Lady: The rain already stopped. Dante: Devils never cry. Lady: I see. Maybe somewhere out there even a devil may cry when he loses a loved one. Don't you think? Dante: Maybe.
  12. ^ Capcom. Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening. Capcom. Lady: Oh, speaking of a kind devil, he finally decided on a name for his shop. It took him quite a while to pick one. Want to know the name? Devil May Cry.
  13. ^ "Highway Star". Devil May Cry: The Animated Series. Madhouse. 21 June 2007.
  14. ^ Capcom. Devil May Cry 4. Capcom. Lady: The story goes that Sparda served as the feudal lord of the city long ago. The people who live there today take these legends as truth and worship him... Just like a god. / Dante: They worship a demon as a god? / Lady: Peaceful worship can't be condemned, but the real problem is the Order. Lately they've been running amok, catching demons and have even butted in on some of my jobs. / Dante: Maybe they're starting a zoo. / Lady: Not just demons. They've also been targeting Devil Arms, like the ones you have. / Dante: OK then, a museum. So what?
  15. ^ Capcom. Devil May Cry 4. Capcom. Trish: If it was a lifesaver gig then don't you think we deserve a little more? You call this sincerity? / Lady: More? Was it not your fault that things escalated to the level that they did? Bringing Sparda into the spotlight?
  16. ^ "Devil May Cry 5 Shows Off Trish, Lady, V, And Nero's Mega Buster". Siliconera. 20 September 2018. Archived from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  17. ^ Capcom. Devil May Cry 5. Capcom. Lady: Trish... she... she was captured. I remember that. But I don't know what happened to Dante.
  18. ^ Capcom. Devil May Cry 5. Capcom. Urizen: I have plans for the both of you. You will exist to give me strength. How fortunate to serve such divine purpose."
  19. ^ Chayamachi, Suguro (2006). Devil May Cry 3. Vol. 2. TokyoPop. ISBN 978-1598165586.
  20. ^ "First Look At Lady And Rindou In Project X Edge". Siliconera. Curse, Inc. 20 July 2012. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  21. ^ "Monster Hunter Frontier G Is Getting More Stylish With Devil May Cry Costumes". Siliconera. Curse, Inc. 11 December 2013. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  22. ^ "Devil May Cry: The Live Hacker Reveals Cast Members in Costume". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 24 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  23. ^ "Voice of Lady". Behind the Voice Actors. Archived from the original on 13 August 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  24. ^ "「レディ役の声優は折笠富美子さん！かわいさの中に力強さがあり、とても聞き心地のいい声です。」伊津野ディレクター" [The voice actor of Lady is Fumiko Orikasa!] (in Japanese). Twitter. 8 April 2015. Archived from the original on 21 August 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  25. ^ "2007年6月より放送が開始されるアニメ『デビル メイ クライ』アフレコレポート！" [Anime "Devil May Cry" drama will start broadcasting from June 2007!]. Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. 25 April 2007. Archived from the original on 29 July 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  26. ^ "アフレコ取材キャストコメント". DMC. Archived from the original on 25 October 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  27. ^ "Devil May Cry 3". GamesRadar+. Future. 28 July 2004. Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  28. ^ Doee, Mark (4 February 2008). "Devil May Cry: a series retrospective - part III". Engadget. Verizon Communications. Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  29. ^ Lopez, Miguel (1 March 2005). "Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening". GameSpy. IGN. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  30. ^ "The 25 Best Looking Sideline Chicks in Games". Complex. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  31. ^ "The Wednesday 10: Gaming Heroines". IGN. 8 July 2009. Archived from the original on 26 July 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  32. ^ "Project X Zone roster: Meet all 60 playable characters". GamesRadar+. Future. 24 January 2013. Archived from the original on 14 August 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  33. ^ "The 50 most gloriously stupid character names in gaming" (Press release). GamesRadar. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
  34. ^ "TOP 100 – As Personagens mais gatas dos games" [Top 100 - The sexiest game characters] (in Portuguese). PortalPlay Game. Archived from the original on 24 January 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  35. ^ "Marvel Vs Capcom Wishlist: Part 1 of 20". Play. Imagine Publishing. 10 May 2010. ISSN 1747-7859. Archived from the original on 6 November 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  36. ^ "Ladies' Night". GamesTM (15). Future Publishing: 113. 2008. ISSN 1478-5889.
  37. ^ Abadie, Borja (3 July 2015). "Análisis de Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition" ["Analysis of Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition"] (in Spanish). Hobby Consolas. Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  38. ^ Carter, Chris (23 June 2015). "Review: Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition". Destructoid. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  39. ^ Zamora, Gabriel (14 July 2015). "Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition (for PC)". PC Magazine. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  40. ^ Otero, Juse (23 June 2015). "Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition". IGN. Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  41. ^ Juba, Joe (22 June 2015). "Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition". Game Informer. Archived from the original on 28 July 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  42. ^ Douglass Jr., Todd (25 August 2009). "Devil May Cry: The Complete Series Box Set (Blu-ray)". DVDTalk. Archived from the original on 7 July 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  43. ^ "Anime Review of Devil May Cry 3". GroundReport. 14 October 2007. Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  44. ^ Homer, Chris (14 September 2017). "Devil May Cry Complete Collection UK Anime DVD Review". Fandom Post. Archived from the original on 7 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  45. ^ Chapman, Jacob (17 February 2010). "Devil May Cry DVD - Complete Box Set". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 8 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  46. ^ Leathers, Kevin. "Devil May Cry". UK Anime Network. Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  47. ^ "Movies & Anime". Hyper. No. 9. Next Publishing Pty Ltd. 2007. p. 62. ISSN 1320-7458.
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