Bayonetta/Unused Animations

This is a sub-page of Bayonetta.

This article is a work in progress. ...Well, all the articles here are, in a way. But this one moreso, and the article may contain incomplete information and editor's notes.

To do: et0024.dat has Bayonetta's prototype holding animations. It is either "PL00_R1_ET0024CATCH" at animation ID 383, or "PL00_R1_GM0020CATCH" (gm0020 is the prototype motorcycle) at ID 385. Shuraba (and likely Jeanne's equivalent, Angel Slayer, as well) has an unused animation. According to Hideki Kamiya, said animation has the sword's hilt open when the weapon is fully charged, making the pulsating heart inside it fully visible. According to Kamiya, the animation is still in the game and was simply forgotten to be reconnected to the other animations when animations were readjusted. Confirm if the end of Fortitudo's animation for defeating the player ("PL00_R1_DM_EM0100CATCH" at ID 429) can be seen in-game. Confirm if one of Sapientia's animations for eating the player during its dive attack ("PL00_R1_DM_EM0400CATCH" at ID 433) can be triggered in-game.

Bayonetta's player model has quite a few animations that were scrapped during development, but remain in the final game's data. The names for each animation below are sourced from the debug symbols found in the May 24, 2009 prototype. The IDs under each name can be used with the BayoHook trainer's Move Swap feature to load the animation.

Weapons

PL00_R1_WHIPPULLWALL

• Animation ID: 125

Early in development, the player was able to use Kulshedra to latch onto a surface and pull themself toward it, like a grappling hook. The animation and functionality for this mechanic still exist in the game. When Bayonetta makes contact with the wall, the Witch Walk sound effect plays.

Torture Attacks

The enemies in these demonstrations are using their typical damage animations, and as such, any of their animations should not be considered part of the unused Torture Attack.

PL00_R1_EM0050CATCHATK

• Animation ID: 287

An unused Torture Attack for Fairness and Fearless, where Bayonetta appears to ride on their back as they attempt to buck her off. There are "success" and "fail" animations that trigger depending on how quickly the button prompt is pressed. Triggering the "success" state requires noticeably faster button mashing than the final game's Torture Attacks.

Succeeding	Failing

PL00_R1_EM0050CATCHBOMB

• Animation ID: 288

Another unused Torture Attack for Fairness and Fearless. The camera focuses on Bayonetta as she reaches behind her and procures an item of some sort-- likely bombs, given the name. She proceeds to pelt the Angel with them.

PL00_R1_EM0000CATCHATK

• Animation ID: 294

The "Fallen Angel Buster" Torture Attack demonstrated in the 2007 prototype. The confetti effect has been retained, even though it goes unused in the final game.

PL00_R1_EM0000WALLCATCHATK

• Animation ID: 319

Bayonetta surfs on the back of an Affinity as they are both propelled across the floor.

PL00_R1_EM0000CELLCATCHATK

• Animation ID: 320

Bayonetta wraps her limbs around an Affinity's neck, then flips backwards as the camera spins.

Unused

PL00_R1_SURF and PL00_R1_AIRPLANE

• Animation IDs: 388 and 389

In these two animations, Bayonetta is locked into her idle pose as she accelerates forward at high speed. In Kamiya's Bayonetta Developer Commentary video series, he states that it was planned for Bayonetta to steal a jet once she arrived on Isla del Sol. This is likely what the "AIRPLANE" animation was intended for.

The "SURF" animation's purpose is unknown, but it may be a remnant of the scrapped lava surfing section.

An interesting, undocumented behavior occurs if the animation for flying upon the missile during the Isla del Sol shoot-'em-up section is swapped with the "AIRPLANE" animation. If the player touches the water while in the "AIRPLANE" state, they will automatically transition to the "SURF" state. (Since both animations are identical, the ID value must be monitored to see this change.)

Thus, it can be assumed that if the player crashed into the water while piloting the airplane, they could continue to progress by surfing atop debris (perhaps similar to the Sapientia boss battle).