Resident Evil Requiem director credits Capcom’s “strict” women for crafting the irresistible design of Leon Kennedy, calling him a “hot uncle” that’s sure to steal hearts.

Resident Evil Requiem’s director, Koshi Nakanishi, credits the talented women at Capcom for Leon Kennedy’s new “hot uncle” look in the upcoming ninth installment of the iconic survival horror series. He notes that Leon has garnered a lot of support within the company, with fans who were “pretty strict” about his appealing older appearance.

In a conversation, Nakanishi emphasizes that Leon is not just “handsome” but also has a “cool personality.” To bring this vision to life, he mentions that “the designers worked really hard… we took a lot of care in refining him to be an ‘ikeoji’.” This term combines “ikemen,” meaning an attractive guy, and “ojisan,” which refers to a middle-aged man.

Beyond his charming stubble and chin dimple, the team ensured he embodies a spicy older man persona. “I hope you’ll also look forward to the dry wit and subtle sarcasm that only an older guy can bring,” Nakanishi adds. The positive reactions to the trailer suggest that Capcom has hit the mark with this design; “the reactions to the trailer on that front have made us happy,” he notes.

Further insights reveal that the women on the team were “strict” in their approach to Leon’s design. “We’ve spent quite a lot of time polishing Leon’s visuals,” Nakanishi explains. “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.”

The feedback on Leon’s design has been overwhelmingly positive, and it seems Capcom is quite pleased with the outcome. “Throughout the development process, Leon was thoroughly refined,” Nakanishi states. “I think we managed to come through with a design that would make anyone’s heart throb.”

Resident Evil Requiem aims to avoid the multi-protagonist issues seen in RE6, with Nakanishi asserting that Grace and Leon pair together seamlessly: “We’re the ‘inventors of sushi’ here.”