Style is what defines the Devil May Cry series. Heck, the games even have a rating for players that is the “Stylish” rank, which is given when the player has a near flawless run in a level. Dante is easily the most stylish character from the series, which is something that sets him apart from other gaming protagonists.
Within each game, you can find quotes by the Son of Sparda that he lays out toward his victims, usually as part of a habit where he verbally burns his opponents before finishing them off. Whatever the situation is, you can be certain Dante will be ready to throw his wide array of catchy one-liners.
10 "Oh, Brother. You Cut Off Your Own Son's Arm, And You Still Lost." - Devil May Cry 5
Vergil is not a joking kind of person, which only makes Dante’s constant jabs annoy him further. In this scene, Dante had been smashed aside by Nero, who then battled his father to make him stop his destructive ways.
Even though Dante was down and out, he still had enough breath in him to annoy Vergil more by pointing out how Vergil’s underhanded tactic of cutting Nero’s devil arm did nothing to help him beat his son. Those words surely would’ve stung Vergil, but that was kind of the point Dante was trying to get across.
9 "Flock Off, Feather-Face" - Devil May Cry
Dante wasn’t as much of a constant smartmouth in the first Devil May Cry as he was later on (or earlier, considering DMC 3 is a prequel), but he did show us for the first time how much of a savage he could be in his confrontation with Griffin.
Here, Dante wasn’t in the mood to fight or listen to the antagonist’s monologue of how Dante was the son of Sparda and told Griffin to “flock off.” The implication of what that meant was obvious to older fans, but it was still very well-hidden to make it appear as a kid-friendly joke too.
8 "Let's Go All The Way To Hell" - Devil May Cry 2
The Devil May Cry 2 version of Dante had little to no personality, easily making it the worst game of the series. Dante would be quiet for the whole game with hardly any input to the story.
At least he made up for it slightly at the very end of the campaign by signing off with this cool one-liner. Having been trapped in the Demon World, Dante had no option but to traverse deeper inside to find a way out. Rather than be hesitant, Dante instead reveled in the possibility to go all the way into Hell. That, too, on a bike.
7 "How About A Kiss For Your Little Brother? Or Better Yet, How About A Kiss From This?" - Devil May Cry 3
Vergil and Dante are twin brothers who act like they might be several decades apart. Vergil is stoic, collected, and calm in all situations; Dante is chaotic, provocative, and flashy. This makes it magic every time the brothers face off.
In terms of onscreen match-ups, this was the first time we got to see these two lock horns, and Dante brought his A-game as far as bravado was concerned. He made it clear that while he liked meeting Vergil after a whole year, he’d much rather make his brother kiss a bullet than exchange pleasantries.
6 "We Are The Sons Of Sparda. Within Each Of Us Lies His Blood. But More Importantly His Soul!" - Devil May Cry 3
When the time calls for it, Dante gets deadly serious—and it is during times like this that we see the wisdom appear out of the immaturity that generally clouds him. After beating Arkham together, Dante and Vergil fought once more, but Dante solidified himself as the good guy.
The world was still under his protection, despite however much Dante liked to show off. And he knew the responsibility that came with his powers, as Dante reminded Vergil that the good part of his soul—the one that came from their father—was telling him to stop the malevolent intentions of his brother.
5 "That’s The Only Kind Of Gift Worth Giving." - Devil May Cry 4
In Devil May Cry 4, one got the idea that Dante knew more about Nero than he was letting on, and that became clear by Devil May Cry 5. In the former part, though, Dante gave us a big hint about Nero’s parentage when he entrusted Yamato to him.
Nero understood the weapon being Dante’s brother’s meant it had a special connection to Dante, but the latter answered back that the only kind of gifts worth giving are the ones that mean the most to you. It was a heartwarming sentiment, especially now that we know Dante had realized Nero was his nephew.
4 "I Should've Been The One To Fill Your Dark Soul With Light!" - Devil May Cry
Okay, if we’re being honest, this line was lame as heck. Even if you were to have the best actors of all time like Meryl Streep or Tom Hanks recite it, they wouldn’t be able to save the scene either.
However, making this an epic quote is how it shattered the slow-paced moment into one that has become legendary for how awkwardly it was placed. The “so bad it’s good” quality has never been more appropriate than it was here, and this scene is still heavily replayed by the fanbase. The voice crack by the actor only adds to how epic it is.
3 "Dude, My Father Wasn't So Hideous. Can't You Tell By Looking At Me?" - Devil May Cry 3
Those who keep true to their personalities in the worst of times are those who pass the test of character. Dante had it way above his paygrade when he was confronted by Arkham in Sparda’s true form, and kept himself level-headed enough to battle the antagonist.
He was apprehensive but had the wherewithal to retain the cockiness that turned the fight psychology in his favor. And here, Dante refused to accept he could be descended from something that looked so revolting; never mind the fact that he was supposed to be fighting for the fate of all humanity at the time. But hey, no one messes with Dante’s looks, that’s for sure.
2 "This Is My Kind Of Rain" - Devil May Cry 3
He’s good-looking, has an awesome bike, and can beat anyone down, and yet Dante still has no luck with the ladies. Case in point was the interaction with a woman called Lady, whom Dante saved by plucking her out from midair when she was plummeting to her death.
He couldn’t read the situation, and Dante instead complimented the weather for raining women for him. All it did was get him shot in the forehead point blank by Lady, but being a demon meant that wasn’t even a scratch for Dante. It did make him swear off of pursuing Lady romantically, though.
1 "Jackpot!" - Devil May Cry 3 & 5
The catchphrase for both Dante and Vergil ended up being a word they only spoke once in Devil May Cry 3. But since it was such a cool word, Jackpot's longevity is without question now. As a nod toward the fans who had desperately wanted Vergil to return for over a decade, the creators had this catchphrase return in Devil May Cry 5.
Fittingly, the word summarizes Dante’s characterization as well, since he’s the kind of guy who you can’t predict and can either mess up completely or spell a win of grand proportions. When mixed with Vergil, one can only expect a jackpot in the making.