By Austin Wood /
6. Dante - Devil May Cry
Although his persona has drifted disconcertingly close to the blasé angst you would expect from a JRPG side character, Capcom's hack-and-slash poster child began as a veritable male Bayonetta. Every bit as sexualised and haughty, Dante can also go pound for pound in the combo contest. In stark contrast to your garden-variety musclehead, Dante's character is a more refined approach to the ludicrously overpowered. His iconic sword and dual handguns act as a motif, a symbol of an impending and often protracted ass-kicking. The red cloak and white hair, too, are rooted in poignancy - anything to up the cool factor (above PS2 action competitor Kratos). Quite frankly, they may have gone too far; Dante couldn't even fit in one series and had to invade both Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. If nothing else though, you can't argue with a man who strolls leisurely around with a greatsword driven through his midsection.