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00:00Sorry, not open for business yet.
00:04I haven't even picked a name for this joint, and I'm already getting calls.
00:09Welcome to Mojo Plays, and today we're getting stylish as we hack and slash our way through all the hidden
00:14details,
00:15easter eggs, and behind-the-scenes facts about our favorite Demon Slayer and his iconic series.
00:21You know, I'm starting to think this is never gonna end.
00:29Maybe.
00:32You got plenty of time.
00:34Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified about our latest
00:39videos.
00:43A rejected prototype.
00:45You must be the handyman who'll take any dirty job. Am I correct?
00:50Almost. I only take special jobs, if you know what I mean.
00:55It should come as no surprise that one of the coolest action series in gaming started life as something completely
01:01different.
01:02Back in the late 90s, director Hideki Kamiya and his team at Capcom were hard at work on a prototype
01:07for Resident Evil 4.
01:08This early version featured a cocky superhuman hero named Tony Redgrave fighting his way through a gothic castle packed with
01:16horror elements.
01:17But Capcom quickly realized the combat they were building was far too action-heavy for a proper survival horror game.
01:23So, they made the smart call to scrap the Resident Evil plans, rename the character Dante, and spin the whole
01:29thing into an entirely new franchise.
01:32In doing so, they accidentally invented the character action genre and gave us the stylish Demon Hunter we all love.
01:39Sometimes, the best games happen when developers have the guts to walk away from a safe plan.
01:45Are you the human being? The son of Spider-Man who challenges the darkness for this?
01:51Block off, featherface, or you can stick around and find out the hard way.
01:56Familiar face.
01:57Well, the way I figure it, in this business a lot of you don't come.
02:01And if I kill each one that comes, eventually I should hit the jackpot sooner or later.
02:06Ever wonder why Dante and Resident Evil's Leon look eerily similar?
02:11No? Just us?
02:12Well, there's actually a good reason for that.
02:15And it's because the original Devil May Cry prototype shared assets with what eventually became Resident Evil 4.
02:21Dante's early design and body proportions were built directly on Leon's model.
02:26Same face shape, same height, same everything.
02:29When they split the projects apart, that shared foundation stayed in place.
02:33Which is why the two characters still look like long-lost cousins to this day.
02:38It's one of those funny little development quirks that makes you appreciate how intertwined these Capcom series once were.
02:44Without that leftover Leon DNA, Dante might have ended up looking completely different.
02:49And we probably wouldn't love his cocky grin quite as much.
02:53You're not just a very good day, you man.
02:57What are you?
02:59You're not just a very good day, you man.
03:05The Inferno.
03:06You're definitely the powers of Sparta.
03:12Even more so.
03:14The whole Devil May Cry series is one giant love letter to classic literature.
03:19Dante, Virgil, Trish, and even Eva are all named after characters, or the author himself, from Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy.
03:27Capcom didn't stop at just borrowing names either.
03:30They leaned hard into the literary roots to build the entire demon-hunting mythology, complete with demonic packs, family drama,
03:38and trips through hellish realms.
03:40It gives the over-the-top action a surprising amount of depth, and makes the whole universe feel like a
03:46heavy metal opera based on a 14th century poem.
03:49Who knew demon-slaying pizza enthusiasts could be so cultured?
03:54I shouldn't have been the one to fill your dark soul with LIGHT! LIGHT! LIGHT! LIGHT! LIGHT!
04:01Influential Direction.
04:03This guy, Thanos!
04:10Finally! I was getting tired of playing your childish game!
04:13It should come as no surprise that the man who started it all only stuck around for one game.
04:19Hideki Kamiya directed the original Devil May Cry, where he basically created the stylish action genre with its combo system
04:25and style rankings that still define the series today.
04:29After that, he handed the reins over to Hideki Itsuno, who shaped everything from the infamous DMC2 salvage job, all
04:36the way through to the masterpiece that is DMC5.
04:39Kamiya lit the fuse, but Itsuno is the one who kept the fireworks going for two decades.
04:44It's a classic case of the right people being in the right place at the right time to make gaming
04:49history.
04:50I am without a name. I am power absolute.
04:58Well, no name. I'll be sure to put that on your tombstone.
05:03SEQUEL DISASTER
05:04The Demon Slayer, Dante.
05:17DMC2 was a rushed mess that somehow got saved at the last second.
05:22While the first game was still being localized, a completely different team started work on the sequel and immediately steered
05:28it off course.
05:29The project was in such bad shape that Hideki Itsuno was given only four to five months to finish it.
05:35That breakneck timeline explains the infamous story disconnect, the brooding Silent Dante, and the mixed reception the game still gets.
05:43Yet, that disappointment lit a fire under the developers, directly leading to the much stronger DMC3.
05:50Sometimes the worst entries end up saving the franchise in the long run.
06:03Always one in the chamber.
06:05Ha ha! Time to go to work, guys.
06:15Ebony and Ivory never need reloading for one very simple reason.
06:19Dante makes the bullets himself.
06:21His demonic powers let him generate infinite ammo on the fly, which is why he can spam hundreds of shots
06:27without ever pausing to reload.
06:29Those custom rounds are also far deadlier against demons than normal bullets, giving the Twin Pistols their signature bite.
06:37It's a perfect little detail that fits Dante's half-demon nature perfectly and saves him from ever looking uncool in
06:43the middle of a fight.
06:44Nothing kills the stylish vibe like stopping to reload, right?
06:48Don't you dare say it, Jackpot!
06:56A sticking point.
07:07Dante gets impaled in literally every main game except DMC2, and it's become one of the series' most dramatic running
07:15jokes.
07:16Trish pins him with the Force Edge in the first game.
07:19Virgil runs him through with both Yamato and Rebellion in DMC3, Nero stabs him in DMC4,
07:26and he even stabs himself in DMC5 just to trigger Sin Devil Trigger.
07:30Just half-demon resilience at its most theatrical.
07:33The guy has been turned into a demonic kebab more times than most characters get shot,
07:38yet he just brushes it off like it's another Tuesday.
07:41It's the kind of over-the-top family drama that only Devil May Cry can pull off without feeling completely
07:46ridiculous.
07:47DMC2 somehow dodged the trend, probably because Dante was too busy brooding to get stabbed that time.
07:57Looks like it's your lucky day.
08:01Forever young.
08:17Dante ages way slower than humans thanks to that powerful Sparta bloodline running through his veins.
08:23He's only 19 in Devil May Cry 3, already around 28 or 29 by the time of the first game,
08:30and pushing 45 in DMC5.
08:33Yet he still looks and fights like a guy in his prime.
08:36No dad bod, no creaky joints, just endless pizza-fueled acrobatics and cocky one-liners.
08:41It's the ultimate power fantasy.
08:43The ability to party like you're 20 while technically being old enough to have a midlife crisis.
08:48While the rest of us are out here googling knee braces, Dante's still doing backflips off buildings and slicing demons
08:55in half.
08:56Some guys really do get all the breaks.
08:58I'm more than capable of handling this on my own.
09:02You're gonna need some help.
09:04And someone to keep an eye on you.
09:06Familiar Familiars.
09:08You and I like to exist, so get rid of those demons quick,
09:11cause killing them ain't my stick!
09:13I got your back!
09:14Cause dying is whack!
09:16These Familiars are literal manifestations of Virgil's DMC1 trauma.
09:21Griffin, Shadow, and Nightmare are more than just cool summons,
09:25they're echoes of the exact demons Dante fought in the original game,
09:29pulled straight from Virgil's painful memories while he was trapped as Neo-Angelo.
09:34It's a brilliant bit of storytelling that turns gameplay mechanics into deep character psychology.
09:39Every time V sends out those nightmarish pets,
09:42he's basically fighting his own past.
09:44Capcom snuck in some real emotional weight behind the stylish action,
09:48which makes V feel like more than just a new playable character.
09:52He's a walk-in therapy session with demonic familiars.
09:55Oh, we finally made it out.
09:57That thing was something else, huh?
09:59Best we avoid it if possible.
10:01Especially given my condition.
10:04Poetry Slam.
10:05He who desires but act not breeds pestilence.
10:11So it is written.
10:13DMC5 is packed with William Blake poetry references from start to finish.
10:18V constantly quotes the poet, carries around his book like a security blanket,
10:22and even Nico rocks a tattoo of his lines.
10:25Capcom clearly decided to double down on the series' literary DNA, and it works beautifully.
10:30The heavy metal Demon Hunter franchise somehow feels right at home mixing Blake's romantic poetry
10:36with shotgun blasts and slicing demons.
10:38It just gives the game an extra layer of style that most action titles wouldn't even attempt.
10:43Who else could make quoting 18th century poetry while summoning demons feel completely natural?
10:48You're not the only one who thinks so.
10:51But to win this fight,
10:54we're going to need all the help we can get.
10:57Resident Enemies.
11:09Almost every enemy in the original Devil May Cry is a sneaky Resident Evil reference.
11:14The marionettes act like zombies, the blades are basically hunters,
11:18and those giant bugs feel pulled straight from Ahri's bug-infested labs.
11:22Even Dante and Virgil, as Nilo Angelo, were originally meant to parallel Leon and Wesker.
11:28The whole game was built on the bones of what started as Resident Evil 4,
11:32so these connections make perfect sense.
11:34It's interesting to see how Capcom took horror assets and turned them into stylish action fodder.
11:40What began as survival horror leftovers became the foundation for an entirely new genre.
11:49You're right. I'm his son, Dante.
11:53Sweet dreams.
11:55Classic homage.
11:56Even as a child, I had powers.
11:59There's demonic blood in me.
12:02That's strength.
12:05You were the first one to know about my inventions.
12:08Looks like I'm getting closer.
12:10Almost everything about Dante's personality was inspired by a 70s manga antihero.
12:16Hideki Kamiya modeled the son of Sparta's red coat, cocky attitude, and endless one-liners
12:21after Cobra from Space Adventure Cobra.
12:24The only real change?
12:25They swapped the cigars and hard drinking for pizza and strawberry sundaes
12:29to keep things semi-family-friendly.
12:31Well, as family-friendly as demon-slaying can get, anyways.
12:34It's the perfect blend of cool, sarcastic rebel with a heart of gold that makes Dante so magnetic.
12:40Without that manga DNA, we might have ended up with a brooding, silent protagonist
12:44instead of the wise-cracking pizza addict we all love.
12:47Sometimes the best characters are just beloved troublemakers borrowed from another medium
12:51and given a demonic upgrade.
12:54Let's not forget, though, the Underworld's evil is still alive.
12:58They will someday return.
13:00Job Security
13:07Reuben Langdon has basically defined Dante for a full two decades.
13:12He has voiced the character and provided the motion capture since Devil May Cry 3,
13:16turning him into the acrobatic, wise-cracking icon we all know and love.
13:20Every cocky taunt, every stylish flip, and every dramatic pose carries Langdon's performance DNA.
13:26It's rare for an actor to own a role so completely across multiple games
13:30and generations, but thanks to him, Dante feels like a living, breathing legend
13:35who's been annoying demons, and us, in the best possible way for 20-plus years.
13:41I see.
13:43Thanks.
13:45You still piss me off, though.
13:48Colder Than Ice
13:49The Frosts in DMC1 have ice below absolute zero.
13:54The game's lore literally states that their ice is colder than the coldest possible temperature
13:59in physics.
14:00It's an absurdly cool, pun intended, demon fact that shows how over-the-top the Devil May Cry
14:06universe really is.
14:07These icy enemies aren't just chilly, they're breaking the laws of thermal dynamics while trying
14:13to kill you.
14:14It's the kind of ridiculous, science-defying detail that makes the series so much fun.
14:18Only in this franchise would demons casually ignore basic physics just to look more threatening.
14:24Mission accomplished.
14:26Dammit!
14:27You guys totally wrecked my shop!
14:29And I haven't even named it yet!
14:33You're gonna pay for that.
14:35Ever since DMC1, the devs have cleverly hidden the mission numbers in each mission's opening
14:40cinematic.
14:41And some of them are really quite cleverly hidden.
14:43Whether it's a pizza box for Mission 1 or some other sneaky background detail, Capcom
14:49has been hiding the mission number in plain sight since day one.
14:52It's such a small developer wink that most players never notice it on their first playthrough.
14:57These little touches show how much personality the team poured into the series right from
15:01the beginning.
15:02Even after all these years, finding them still feels like getting a private high-five from
15:06the developers.
15:10Well, that was quick.
15:12The Airy Easy
15:23DMC5's newcomer V might seem underpowered compared to his counterparts, but he was deliberately
15:28designed to be easy style.
15:30Hideki Yitsuno made sure that playing as V lets you rack up those sweet SSS ranks almost
15:35effortlessly so new players would instantly fall in love with him.
15:39They used the same clever trick they pulled with Nero back in DMC4.
15:43It's a smart move that lowers the barrier without dumbing down the core experience.
15:47Newcomers get to feel like stylish badasses right away, while veterans can still push for
15:52perfect ranks.
15:54Thanks to this thoughtful design, V became an instant fan favorite instead of another
15:58frustrating newcomer.
15:59Turns out, the best way to welcome people into a hardcore series is to let them look cool
16:04while they learn the ropes.
16:19DMC5 quietly nods to the 2013 DMC reboot in a couple of cool ways.
16:25Nico burning a cigarette into a demon's face mirrors a moment from one of DMC's trailers,
16:30and V's white hair when he enters Devil Trigger is another subtle bridge between the two
16:34timelines.
16:46Capcom didn't make a big deal about it, but these little references show they're at peace
16:50with the reboot's legacy.
16:52It's a classy move that acknowledges the past without forcing it down anyone's throat.
16:56Even when fans were divided, the developers still found ways to weave both versions of
17:01the legend together.
17:02And for the record, DMC gets far more hatred than it deserves.
17:07Please?
17:08I helped you back there.
17:11I didn't ask for your help.
17:25Dante's Dr. Faust hat dance in DMC5 will be familiar to anyone with even a passing knowledge
17:30about the King of Pop.
17:32The entire sequence is an unapologetic MJ tribute, complete with the moonwalk, hat tricks,
17:37and smooth choreography that feels straight out of Thriller.
17:40It's ridiculous, over-the-top, and absolutely perfect for Dante.
17:44In the middle of a demon apocalypse, he still finds time to pull off the smoothest dance
17:49moves this side of the Neverland Ranch.
17:51Only in Devil May Cry would a magical hat become an excuse for one of the most entertaining
17:55easter eggs in the series.
17:57Respect where respect is due, Dante knows how to moonwalk on demons, and we all had the same
18:02reaction as Nico watching Dante's performance.
18:25As the worst-kept secret in the entire series, Dante has a clear love for music.
18:31He shreds in the guitar-shaped devil arm Nevin in DMC3 and has drum kits and guitars scattered
18:37all over his office.
18:38His hyper-demonic reflexes apparently make him an absolute god on any instrument he picks
18:43up.
18:44The guy doesn't just hunt demons, he could probably headline a festival while doing it
18:48if he felt like it.
18:49It also fits his personality perfectly.
18:52Cocky, flashy, and always ready to show off.
18:55While most heroes get epic swords, Dante gets legendary weapons that double as sick musical
19:00instruments.
19:01Some people really do have all the talent.
19:04I can already tell.
19:06Looks like this is gonna be one hell of a party!
19:09Just a cool girl.
19:11Despite much fan speculation over the years, the iconic female silhouette in the DMC shop
19:16logo isn't Trish.
19:18Kamiya himself finally confirmed after 20 plus years that she's just a cool girl.
19:23Not Trish or any other specific character.
19:26Fans had been theorizing and arguing about it for decades, only to find out that it was
19:31never that deep.
19:32It's the ultimate developer troll that kept the community guessing for generations.
19:36Sometimes, the simplest answer really is the right one, even if it took 20 years and countless
19:42forum threads to get there.
19:43The mystery is finally solved, and the cool girl remains cool.
19:48Stockpiled Arsenal
19:58Ever wonder what Dante does with all those awesome weapons he collects throughout the
20:02years?
20:02According to the official CD drama lore, weapons like Alastor, Agni, and Ruta, and several other
20:08relics, are tucked away in the back closet of his shop.
20:12He just never uses them anymore.
20:14After all these years of collecting legendary demon-slaying gear, Dante has basically turned
20:19his Devil May Cry office into a supernatural trophy room.
20:22It's a fun reminder that even the most stylish demon hunter has a sentimental side.
20:27While he's out twirling fancy new swords, his old favorites are gathering dust like forgotten
20:31guitars in a rock star's garage.
20:33Some weapons are just too legendary to throw away, even when you've moved on to shinier toys.
20:39But on one condition.
20:41What is it?
20:42Name it!
20:42No talking!
20:47Fair enough.
20:48Mysterious Origins
20:50My grandmother is Nell Goldstein, the gunsmith that made all your fancy weapons that you got
20:57strapped back there.
21:02Yeah, there she is!
21:03The origins of Dante's classic Ebony and Ivory's creator lore has changed so many times over
21:09the years, we doubt even Dante remembers how he got them anymore.
21:13First, it was said that Dante made the twin pistols himself.
21:16Then the story shifted to an unnamed friend crafting them.
21:20Later, the novels claimed that it was Nell Goldstein, Nico's grandma.
21:24And finally, DMC5 confirmed Nell as the gunsmith once and for all.
21:29Capcom kept retconning the details across games, novels, and other media.
21:33It's the kind of long-running lore shuffle that only long-time fans notice, but it shows
21:38how much the team kept tweaking the world even after launch.
21:41In the end, it doesn't really matter who built them, as long as Dante can keep dual-wielding
21:46those infinite ammo beauties like the stylish slacker that he is.
21:50My grandmother was called the .45 caliber virtuoso, legendary gunsmith.
21:56I hope to be like her someday, an artist and a lethal artisan.
22:01Quick Time Overload
22:15DMC1 gameplay was almost completely different from the genre-defining Pioneer we ended up with.
22:20Early prototypes planned to include a bunch of QTEs, but time constraints killed the idea
22:26before they made it into the final game.
22:28Thank goodness they did, because the series might have gone in a very different and much
22:33more frustrating direction.
22:34Instead of stopping the flow every few minutes for button prompts, we got pure, uninterrupted,
22:39stylish action that still feels incredible today.
22:42It's one of those rare cases where technical limitations actually saved a game from bad
22:46design choices.
22:47There's nothing wrong with a well-placed Quick Time event, but they don't have any place
22:51within the DMC series.
22:54Goodbye.
22:55And when you do come back, give my regards to my son, will ya?
22:59Devil Triggered
23:09Devil May Cry inspired countless imitators, but Bayonetta from DMC creator Hideki Kamiya
23:15is understandably absolutely loaded with Devil May Cry love letters.
23:19From the iconic Let's Rock Baby line to the Team Little Angels credit instead of Team Little
23:25Devils, the references keep coming.
23:27There's even a character named Antonio Redgrave.
23:30On top of that, the gameplay itself pulls straight from Kamiya's original stylish action
23:35vision.
23:35It's basically one massive thank you note from one genre-defining director to the series
23:40he helped create.
23:41Rather than just serving as a spiritual successor, Bayonetta acts as a proud relative, flaunting
23:46the lessons it picked up from the family legacy.
23:58Hail to the King
24:06Who do you think is the most popular character in all of Capcom's video game library?
24:12Just like us, you probably immediately thought of Leon, but you'd be wrong.
24:17In the 2024 Capcom Super Elections, Dante beat out every Resident Evil and Street Fighter
24:23icon combined.
24:24After 25 years, the Son of Sparta is still sitting on the throne.
24:29It's a massive statement considering the competition included legends like Leon, Ryu, and Chun-Li.
24:35Dante's perfect mix of cocky attitude, pizza obsession, and demon-slaying swagger has kept him
24:40at the top for a quarter of a century.
24:42Some characters peak and fade.
24:44Others, like Dante, just keep getting cooler with age.
24:48Long live the King.
24:49Don't you dare say it, cat-bots!
24:56What's your favorite little-known fact about Dante, and what's your all-time favorite Devil May
25:01Cry game?
25:02Share your picks in the comments.
25:04Did you enjoy this video?
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