In the build-up to Resident Evil Requiem (RE9), game director Koshi Nakanishi has come out to share his thoughts on the design of the iteration’s leading character, Leon S. Kennedy. The seasoned Japanese game developer opened up about the alluring looks of the iconic federal agent in a recent interview, noting that many female employees have worked on his design to make him as captivating as possible.
Resident Evil 9 director comments on Leon S. Kennedy’s design
Koshi Nakanishi has confirmed that the RE9 team has taken special attention while curating Leon S. Kennedy’s look for the latest edition in the Resident Evil franchise.
“We’ve spent quite a lot of time polishing Leon’s visuals. Leon has many fans among Capcom employees, and women in particular were pretty strict when reviewing his design,” the Resident Evil Requiem director stated while speaking with Automation.
Talking about fans’ reaction to Leon S. Kennedy’s design in RE9, Nakanishi noted, “They would point out and comment on even the finest details like the wrinkles on his neck. When I mentioned that story in the past, a female fan told me, ‘The women developers at Capcom did a really good job.’ 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.”
Notably, Capcom unveiled Leon S. Kennedy’s Resident Evil Requiem look in late 2025, after months of teasing and fan speculations.
“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,'” Koshi Nakanishi added. “So, there were more opinions about what he’s like on the inside compared to his looks, and after many discussions, we were able to settle on something that clicked for us. When players see this Leon in the game, hopefully, they will be able to find their own interpretation of him as well.”
Resident Evil Requiem, or RE9, the ninth main game in the fan-favorite video game franchise, is scheduled to come out on February 27, 2026.
Originally reported by Apoorv Rastogi on Mandatory.
