Leon status as the most popular character in the Resident Evil franchise is like a valid no debate. After all, there are so many reasons that make this character so famous than other characters.
Now that we’ve discussed how much fans love Ada Wong, it’s time to find out what makes Leon S. Kennedy a famous, phenomenal, and fan-favorite character. Let’s start the discussion right now.
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Why Leon S. Kennedy is a popular Resident Evil character
1. Leon’s Background and Appearance Are More Human
We certainly know that Chris Redfield is a character who has been super stiff since the first Resident Evil game. That’s because of Chris’ background as a former member of the air force. So at the beginning of his appearance, this character seemed to be perfect with his burly body and calm nature.
Leon is no different. The first time Capcom introduced him in Resdient Evil 2, Leon was still a rookie cop who was new to the field. He is much younger than Chris so he is still a little naive at the beginning of his appearance.
Shinji Mikami has also said that the reason for making Leon’s character is as a counterpart to Chris Redfield and as much as possible made relate to the player. Both from appearance and also the traits he has.
2. Frequently Appears in Capcom’s Side Projects
Capcom itself does not only focus on the Resident Evil franchise for game consoles. Several times, they also released films and animated series whose stories were always related to the in-game story.
Of course, to attract viewers, Capcom must include characters that they feel can make a lot of money, one of which is Leon. Leon has appeared in at least 3 films and 1 Resident Evil animated series. Unlike Chris Redfield, who has only appeared once in the animated film, Resident Evil: Vendetta.
Not that Chris is an unpopular character, but to make their movies sell, Capcom at least needs characters that are familiar to fans. After all, the hype of Chris and Leon’s appearance in Resident Evil 6 and Vendetta was also big, right?
3. The Success of Resident Evil 4
We can’t deny this third fact either. Resident Evil 4 is still the most successful Resident Evil series of all time. Since Leon is the main character in the fourth series, of course most of the surge in popularity of the character is also thanks to the game.
If the Resident Evil 4 game flopped, it is not impossible if the popularity of Leon is not as great as it is now. Yes, maybe Capcom will still appear frequently in future projects. But the hype generated may not be very big.
4. Easy to Give Fan Service
The fan service we’re referring to here is that Leon’s character is very easy to steer towards romance elements. During his appearance, Leon often confronts the heroine in Resident Evil.
In Resident Evil 2, 4, and 6, Capcom often paired a number of women with Leon. Such as Ada Wong, Claire Redfield, Ingrid Hannigan, Ashley Graham, Shen May, Angela Miller, and Helena Harper.
Three of them (Ada, Claire, and Hannigan) are the characters that Leon interacts with the most. In fact, the Leon-Ada relationship is often debated and discussed among fans.
Those are some of the reasons why Leon is the most popular character in Resident Evil games. If you think, what are the reasons why Leon is a popular character? Comment below.
