How Capcom Turned Resident Evil Requiem's Leon S. Kennedy Into A "Hot Uncle"

When Leon S. Kennedy appeared in the December 2025 trailer for Resident Evil Requiem, many fans commented on his aged appearance. According to the game's director, Koshi Nakanishi, this was a deliberate and detailed process, heavily influenced by the female staff at Capcom.

In a discussion with Automaton, Nakanishi explained that the team spent a significant amount of time refining Leon's visuals.

"We've spent quite a lot of time polishing Leon's visuals," Nakanishi stated.

"Leon has many fans among Capcom employees, and women in particular were pretty strict when reviewing his design. They would point out and comment on even the finest details like the wrinkles on his neck."

This attention to detail was not just about aging the character, but about creating a specific "hot uncle" or "ikeoji" look that has resonated with fans. The design process was iterative, with Leon's appearance changing over the course of development. "Throughout the development process, Leon was thoroughly refined, and I think we managed to come through with a design that would make anyone's heart throb," Nakanishi added.

The input from the staff went beyond just physical appearance. Nakanishi also mentioned that there were many discussions about Leon's personality and how his nearly 30-year history of fighting bio-terrorism would have shaped him. "Every staff member had their own interpretation of Leon’s 30-year-long history, so they would tell me things like, ‘Leon would definitely not act like that in this kind of situation,’" the director recalled.

"After many discussions, we were able to settle on something that clicked for us."

Releasing next February, Resident Evil Requiem will feature two playable protagonists — Leon S. Kennedy and brand-new character Grace Ashcroft. But according to the game’s director, the initial plan didn’t include two main heroes. It appears Ada Wong will not be in the game.

Resident Evil Requiem Director Koshi Nakanishi explained that the team decided to focus on a different narrative thread than the one left at the end of Resident Evil Village, which featured Chris Redfield. While Chris is not the main character, the game will feature two protagonists: the returning Leon S. Kennedy and a new character, Grace Ashcroft, who is the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft from Resident Evil Outbreak.