Leo Kliesen (レオ・クリーゼン Reo Kurīzen?) is a character from the Tekken fighting game series by Namco. Leo was one of the newcomers first introduced in Tekken 6 and has returned for all subsequent games. Leo is from Germany and uses the fighting style of Baji Quan.
Biography[]
Leo was born to Niklas Kliesen, a world-famous spelunker and archaeologist, and Emma Kliesen, a geneticist who worked first for the Mishima Zaibatsu, and then for G Corporation as a researcher and an executive. Leo’s father disappeared on an expedition when Leo was still a child, but this did not deter Leo from wishing to become a spelunker as well. As well as passing a passion for caving on to Leo, Niklas also taught Leo some fighting.[1]
After their father's disappearance, Leo was raised by their mother, and had a pleasant and uneventful childhood. Leo grew to have a strong sense of justice and became an accomplished martial artist, learning the art of Baji Quan, and also becoming a spelunker as they always dreamed.
Tragedy struck again, however, when Leo was around 19 years old. Their mother, Emma, was killed by an unknown assailant in an incident that was made to look like an accident. Leo was grief-stricken by the murder, but sadness turned to anger when the police ceased their investigation without explanation. Leo began to look into the case alone, and identified Kazuya Mishima as the most likely suspect. Leo made attempts to meet with Kazuya, but his position as leader of G Corporation made it difficult to get an audience with him. Leo discovered that Kazuya would be appearing at the King of Iron Fist Tournament 6, and attended the tournament with the intention of taking revenge against him.[9] Despite this, Leo was unable to confront Kazuya at the tournament.
Leo began delving further into their mother’s past. At some point, they were able to infiltrate a train and discover a computer file detailing work Emma Kliesen had conducted for the Mishima Zaibatsu. Prior to this, Leo had been unaware that their mother had worked for the Zaibatsu, so this information surprised them.[10] When the opportunity arose, Leo entered the King of Iron Fist Tournament 7 with the intention of learning more about the work Emma had done for the Mishima Zaibatsu.[11]
Leo was able to acquire confidential information from G Corporation about Emma's work. Emma had been researching the Devil Gene, and, according to the data Leo found, Kazuya Mishima had sent out orders that key researchers who were no longer needed were to be "taken care of." When the Zaibatsu broadcasted Kazuya in his devil form, Leo surmised that Kazuya must have started the research to try and gain control over this devil power, and then ordered the deaths of all researchers involved when they were no longer of use to him. Leo was enraged by these findings, and close to a breakdown, but remembered their father's patience. Taking heed of that memory, Leo calmed themselves and set out to find more concrete answers.[1]
SPOILERS WARNING This article/section contains spoilers for recent/new content! Read at your own risk! |
One day, Leo received a message telling them to infiltrate G Corp's Insitute for the Study of Prehistoric Civilisation if they wanted answers. The message was signed from their mother, Emma Kliesen, and had been sent on the eve of her death. Leo infiltrated the institude believing that they had nothing to lose even if it turned out to be a trap. While Leo was in the facility, they were apprehended by G Corp forces. However, before they could be detained, their father, Niklas Kliesen, burst into the room and took out the G Corp soldiers. Leo was surprised to find their father alive and, while initially upset, was delighted to be reunited with him. Niklas told Leo that he had Emma's data and would explain everything, and the two left the institute.[12]
Personality[]
Leo has a strong sense of justice, and is quiet,[13] and inquisitively minded.[1] They do not back down from danger and are guided by logic, level-headedness, and patience. Despite this, they feel strong emotion when wronged and confronted by injustice. They were grief stricken by their mother's death, and enraged by the poor police investigation. Their anger again came to the fore when they discovered details about Emma's death, and at one point they were on the verge of a breakdown. Leo's motivation to find the truth though, prevails over all.
Leo is determined and self-sufficient, conducting their own investigations when others fail them. This determination drives Leo to take risks, like sneaking into a train full of armed men from the G Corporation in their Tekken Tag Tournament 2 ending (though this may be uncanonical), and acquiring information from G Corporation at great personal risk in Tekken 8.
Leo feels resentment and anger towards the G Corporation, and in particular towards Kazuya Mishima, since they consider them responsible for the death of their mother.
Leo is shown to be somewhat of an anxious fighter, as indicated by their intro and win fighting pose: "Just relax. You can do it." and "Phew. That was a close one". During Scenario Campaign in Tekken 6, upon entering the G Corporation, Millennium Tower, Alisa Bosconovitch points out to Leo that their heart rate had increased by twenty beats per minute. Reasonable, Leo does not seek a fight unnecessarily.
Leo also appears to be afraid of monsters, for example, seeing Yoshimitsu in their Tekken 7 character episodes, causes Leo to flinch in fear. They even go as far as to knee Yoshimitsu in the crotch in attempt to get away from him in the latter's episode ending. However, Leo is brave in facing their fears and fighting for survival.
Outfits[]
- Main article: Leo Kliesen/Outfits
Story[]
Tekken 6[]
Official Strategy Guide
Leo was part of a very talented family. His* father was a world-famous spelunker, while his mother served as a G Corporation executive. Although Leo's father disappeared during an expedition when Leo was a child, Leo still wanted to follow in the family tradition and become a spelunker.
Leo possessed a strong sense of character, thanks to a proper upbringing. Life was pleasant and relatively uneventful until one fateful day, when Leo's mother was killed by an unknown assailant. Depressed and filled with grief, Leo became incensed when the police called-off their investigation quickly and without explanation. Leo vowed to find the truth.
During Leo's own investigation, the G Corporation's Kazuya Mishima materialized as a person of interest. The G Corporation was popularized at the time as a world hero, making it difficult to get close to Kazuya, and it looked as though Leo's quest had reached an insurmountable impasse. It was at this time that news of the Mishima Zaibatsu-sponsored The King of Iron Fist Tournament began to spread. Leo learned that Kazuya Mishima was scheduled to appear in person at the event. Realizing that this may be the only chance to take revenge against Kazuya, Leo decided to enter the contest.[9]
*Leo has no official gender, but some English localizations of profiles and in-game text apply gendered pronouns to them.
Prologue
Leo is the child of a world-famous spelunker and a G Corporation female executive.
Although Leo's father went missing during an expedition many years ago. It did not stop the youngster's desire to become a spelunker as well. Guided by the warmth of a single parent, the quiet youth grew to become an upstanding citizen, possessing a strong sense of justice.
However, their happy days together ended when Leo's mother was murdered by an unknown killer.
Leo was stricken with grief and shut out the rest of the world, but when the police ceased their investigation without explanation, despair changed to anger. Leo vowed to find the truth without help.
During the investigation, eventually the name Kazuya Mishima of the G Corporation came up. Suspecting his connection with the murder, Leo attempted to meet with the man. However, with Kazuya's newfound status as a world hero through the actions of the G Corporation. It was impossible to get within his proximity.
It was then that news spread of the Mishima Zaibatsu holding The King of Iron Fist Tournament 6. Leo found out that Kazuya Mishima was to appear in person at the tournament. Deciding that this may be the only chance to take revenge, Leo enters the tournament.[13]
Ending Description
Leo pays a visit to Emma Kliesen's grave and finds a letter reading 'Dear Leo.' Leo reads it and then turns around suddenly to find no one standing there. The camera pans over Leo's face then points up.
Tekken 7[]
Official Website Profile (English)
Born to a world-famous spelunker father, who went missing when Leo was still a child, and a mother who worked for the G Corp before her untimely demise, Leo searches for the reason behind their mysterious disappearances.[14]
Prologue
Leo entered the King of Iron Fist Tournament in the hope of uncovering more about his* deceased mother, who had been a researcher for the Mishima Zaibatsu. When Leo learned that his battle arena was to be a Zaibatsu-owned dojo, he couldn't believe his luck.
However, when he got there, the dojo was in ruins. The moonlight poured in through holes in the walls and roof, illuminating the floor with an eerie beauty. A short while later, a strange, floating silhouette appeared, and slowly glided toward Leo.
The silhouette held a sword in its left hand that rotated at a mind-bending speed. What the hell was this thing? It looked like some kind of a flying squid or octopus! Was it a demon...?
Then it finally dawned on Leo: This bizarre creature was his opponent. Cautiously, he prepared to fight.[11]
*Leo has no official gender, but some English localizations of profiles and in-game text apply gendered pronouns to them.
Ending Description
After defeating Yoshimitsu, Leo ponders as to what he is exactly. Bending down, Leo pokes at one of Yoshimitsu's tentacles and immediately jumps back in shock when it starts to squirm. Remembering the mission, Leo bids Yoshimitsu farewell and leaves.
Tekken 8[]
Official Website Profile (Japanese; US English)
Leo is a Bajiquan user born to Niklas Kliesen, a world-renowned archaeologist, and Emma Kliesen, an authority in genetic research.
With a father versed in martial arts and an inquisitively minded mother, Leo uses these inherited skills to set off on a hunt for the truth behind the mysterious circumstances of Emma Kliesen's death one year prior.
Risking life and limb, Leo obtains confidential data from G Corp that Emma Kliesen had been researching the devil gene there. From this data, Leo also learns that Kazuya Mishima had sent out orders that key researchers who were no longer needed were to be "taken care of."
Around the same time, the Mishima Zaibatsu announces that Kazuya Mishima, the mastermind behind G Corp, is himself a devil. In this moment, the puzzle pieces fall into place for Leo. Kazuya must have initiated the research so he could gain control over the devil's power, and then killed Leo's mother when she was no longer of use.
Full of rage, Leo is on the verge of a breakdown. But suddenly, the words of Leo's father, who had gone missing many years ago, echo in Leo's ears. "Listen, Leo. Like a lost coin, the truth is only found when your heart is calm and open."
Yes. Just relax. That's all it takes. Spurred by these words, Leo sets out on another journey in search of more concrete answers.[1]
Character Episode Prologue
While investigating the death of mother Emma, Leo miraculously managed to reunite with long-lost father, Niklas Kliesen.
A world-renowned archaeologist, Niklas had narrowly escaped from one of the Mishima Zaibatsu's excavation sites, and had been on the run from them ever since.
Fortunately, Leo heard the news of The King of Iron Fist Tournament that would decide the new head of the Mishima Zaibatsu.
As the head of the organization, Leo's father's safety could be secured and they could remain together; so Leo decided to join the tournament.
"Wait for me, Father. I'll win it all, I swear to you!"
Ending Description
After winning the King of Iron Fist Tournament, Leo goes spelunking with Niklas in the ruins to search for treasure. To Leo's surprise, a ruin they and their father visit also has Azazel's mural. They discover a crystal resembling the ones shown on Azazel's body, and Niklas attempts to take a selfie with it in a silly manner. However, when grabbing a piece of the crystal by accident, Niklas activates a booby trap that locks the doors shut. Leo and Niklas make a run for it as a spiked crystal boulder begins rolling towards them. When they see the light at the end of the ruins, Leo fires a grappling hook to that end and grabs Niklas, which makes him drop the crystal, and the two scream as they manage to barely escape the boulder.
Summary of In-Game Events
Leo, alongside their father, Niklas, was requested by Lee Chaolan to aid in Jin's quest to regain his Devil abilities. Once aboard Yggdrasil's flying boat, Leo requested to spar with Jin in order to understand his current circumstances. Later, Leo and their father met with Lee, Jin, Lars Alexandersson, Alisa Bosconovitch, and Reina to discuss Niklas' findings in regards to Azazel and the Devil Gene. Niklas shares that it is a strong emotion that allows Devil Gene wielders to access the powers initially granted to them by Azazel, and while Kazuya's desire for power is what gave him the ability to hone his own Devil Gene, Leo expresses that they felt none of this desire from Jin. Instead, they felt a warmth from Jin, and saw no reason to lump him in with Kazuya.
Leo later joined Niklas, Lars, Alisa, Lee, and Reina to discuss Kazuya's new strength after he had defeated and absorbed Azazel. They surmise that if Jin could attain a power to purify or control the Devil Gene, then he would be able to defeat Kazuya. Leo then joined Yggdrasil's forces in defending Yakushima against G Corporation's assault on the island as Kazuya attempted to find Jin. They met with Azucena on the battlefield, who was currently working alongside Kazuya, and recognized her as the owner of Ortiz Farm. Azucena explained that she intended to achieve world peace via extending the sales of her coffee brand while working for G Corp before attacking a confused Leo.
After Leo and Azucena battle, Azucena asked Leo how they knew of her. Leo responded that there "isn't a single coffee lover out there who hasn't heard of [Azucena]", to which Azucena responded with joy that she had successfully found another coffee enthusiast. Azucena then correctly guessed that Leo was from Germany, and decided to ship her newest product directly to them before jogging off into the fray. Leo remained where they were, wondering what it was Azucena was truly after.
In the good ending, Leo is shown exploring a cave, following behind their father.
Other Appearances[]
Tekken Tag Tournament 2[]
Profile
Born to a world-famous spelunker father, who went missing when Leo was still a child, and a mother who worked for the G Corp before her untimely demise, Leo searches for the reason behind their mysterious disappearances.[15]
Ending Description
Leo is seen on a train that seems to belong to G Corporation. Leo sneaks in and reads from a computer that Emma Kliesen was once a supervisor for the Mishima Zaibatsu's Devil Gene program. The cells of the devil gene merge together with a normal person's cells, so the Mishima Zaibatsu created a synthetic strand to use. The program was cancelled after numerous test subject fatalities. Emma had also reported the "death" of NT01. Suddenly, while Leo is saving the information onto a USB, the computer's owner arms himself and goes back into his cabin. Leo manages to get back on the train's roof only to be surrounded by three armed men. Swearing to find their mother's murderers, Leo jumps out of the train and fires a grappling hook that lands on a ledge, allowing them to swing to safety.
- Jaycee
- Michelle Chang
- Ling Xiaoyu
- Feng Wei
- Lei Wulong
- Emilie de Rochefort
- Marshall Law
- Forest Law
- Wang Jinrei
- Kazuya Mishima
- Eddy Gordo
Tekken Revolution[]
Leo appeared as an unlockable character in the now defunct game Tekken Revolution.
Online Tekken Comic[]
Leo appears as a servant of Lili who in reality is only trying to gain the trust of Mr. Rochefort in an attempt to become his successor to gain resources to fight the G Corporation and avenge his mother. He learnt Bajiquan specifically for this purpose. Unlike in the games, Leo is explicitly portrayed as a male in the comic.
Tekken (Mobile)[]
Leo appeared as an unlockable character in the now defunct game Tekken (Mobile). Leo could be unlocked by playing the featured act entitled "It was me, Leo!" in the update of Tekken (Mobile) Version 0.6.
Gameplay[]
Leo is defined by a balanced gameplay and is good at just about everything, with many fast, strong combos and multi-hit, stunning blows that strike high and low. Leo is also very safe having moves with little lag or recovery in between. Many of the attacks, however, are linear and predictable, so Leo is prone to be sidestepped. Leo also has a reversal with a larger than average window than most character's reversals. This reversal however deals damage only when it is used against kicks and only parries the opponent when used against punches.
Fighting Style[]
Leo practices Baji Quan, a Chinese martial art famous for its powerful elbow strikes, arm/fist strikes, hip checks and strikes with the shoulder, delivered with explosive, short-range power.
This style, mixed with other Chinese martial arts and Pro-Wrestling, is also practiced by Julia Chang and Michelle Chang. Leo, however, is the first Tekken character to practice this style alone, in its purest form.
Moves[]
- Leo Kliesen/Tekken 6 Movelist
- Leo Kliesen/Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Movelist
- Leo Kliesen/Tekken 7 Movelist
- Leo Kliesen/Tekken 8 Movelist
Quotes[]
Character Relationships[]
- Emma Kliesen - Leo's mother. Emma raised Leo on her own after Niklas disappeared while spelunking.
- Niklas Kliesen - Leo's father. Leo looked up to him and aspired to be like him - becoming a spelunker and a martial artist.
- Kazuya Mishima - Killed Leo's mother, Leo seeks to bring Kazuya to justice.
- Yoshimitsu - Leo's opponent in Tekken 7. Yoshimitsu's squid-like appearance and eccentric behavior is shown to unnerve Leo.
- Azucena Ortiz - Both share a love of coffee and have a special intro. In Tekken 8 story mode, Leo expresses that they are a big fan of Azucena's products, though is stunned at Azucena's amoral stance on the war.
- Lars Alexandersson - Their ally in Tekken 8. Leo and their father aid Lars by sharing information they unearthed during an archaeological expedition.
- Lee Chaolan - Their ally in Tekken 8.
- Alisa Bosconovitch - Their ally in Tekken 8.
- Jin Kazama - Leo fought Jin in Tekken 8 after expressing anger at his crimes. After sparring, Leo sensed Jin to have no malevolent intent and agreed to ally with his cause against Kazuya.
- Asuka Kazama - Leo's friend in the Online Tekken Comic (non-canon). Canonically, they become allies who aid Jin against Kazuya in Tekken 8.
- Emilie de Rochefort - Leo is Lili's bodyguard in the Online Tekken Comic (non-canon). Canonically, they become allies who aid Jin against Kazuya in Tekken 8.
Trivia[]
General:
- There has been a lot of debate concerning Leo's gender which has always been presented as ambiguous in the Tekken games. Katsuhiro Harada stated during the Cologne premiere of Tekken: Blood Vengeance that Leo was originally a female character, named Eleonore Kliesen (エレオノール・クリーゼン).[16] He has later clarified on numerous occasions that this was only an initial concept, and that later Leo was changed to be gender neutral.[17]
- Harada was apparently concerned with Leo's gender ambiguity translating properly to different languages.[18] In the original, Japanese texts, Leo is often referred to either by name or by gender-neutral terms.
- Harada has clarified through a tweet that Leo is not interested in gender classifications, stating simply that "Leo is Leo".[19]
- Despite Harada's public statement, English localizations of Leo's story refer to Leo occasionally as male and categorize Leo to be with male characters.
- Leo's creation as gender ambiguous was to create a character that was popular with male and female audiences, regardless of gender. Despite this, however, Leo's outfits and customization lean more traditionally masculine with every game appearance.
- Leo is ranked #22 in ugo.com's The 25 Most Androgynous Video Game Characters.
- Leo can equip both male and female accessories in Tekken 6 and Tekken Tag Tournament 2, while in Tekken 7 they can equip mostly male accessories.
- In the non-canonical Online Tekken Comic, Leo is portrayed as a male. Presumably this was due to the fact that at the time of the adaptation's release, the character's identity had not yet been fully established canonically. In most video game appearances, Leo is only occasionally seen or thought to be male.
- Leo can equip a sledgehammer which is a male item, but Leo also can have pigtail hair bases which is usually for female fighters only. Also, Leo's animation through continue, next round, Scenario Campaign dialogue, and how Leo stands and runs during Scenario Campaign gameplay are those of male characters.
- In the Scenario Campaign, however, both Heihachi and Anna refer to Leo as a "boy", most likely due to Leo's main appearance.
- Wang also calls Leo "Sonny", for the same reason as above.
- Leo cannot be attacked by Anna and Nina's Bitch Slaps, which is usable against females; but by Heihachi's Headbutt Carnival (f,F+1+4), which is usable against males.
- In the Tekken 6 Limited Edition Art Book's Designers' Sketches, Leo is under the Male Characters section.
- Leo is one of the few characters who face Kazuya Mishima in the Arena mode.
- Leo is the only character introduced in Tekken 6 that does not have a unique crouch animation.
- The motion capture for several of Leo's attacks was supervised by Tetsuya Hattori of the Kaimon Kensha, a Chinese Martial Arts group based in Japan, who also helped supervise motion capture in the Dead or Alive series.
- Despite speaking English in the game, Leo will speak German before facing Kuma in Kuma's Scenario Campaign stage.
- In the first trailer for Tekken 6, Leo notably had some grunts that were later cut in the released version.[20]
- Leo now speaks in their native language, German, voiced by male voice actor Philipp Zieschang. Thus, Leo's voice sounds more masculine or tomboyish with a deeper pitch.
- Leo has got two swimsuits: a bikini revealing Leo's cleavage, giving a more feminine look, and the surfer swimsuit that gives Leo a masculine look, flat-chested and looking like pectorals.
- Leo's ending continues on from their main character story in Tekken 6 and contains details that correlate to the canonical games. As such, despite Tekken Tag Tournament 2 being a non-canonical game, Leo is one of the few characters whose ending are canonically followed through Tekken 7.
- It is likely the letter Leo saw from Tekken 6 ending contained one of G Corporation’s train addresses where the information relating Emma’s past researches being preserved there.
- Leo’s ending is chronologically followed by Steve’s ending, to further an evidence relating to Emma’s past involvements prior to joining G Corp.
Tekken 7 and Tekken 7: Fated Retribution:
- One of Leo's victory lines, "Lucky me", which was carried over from Tekken 6, is now said by Leo in their native tongue: "Ich Glücklicher". In German, this line roughly translates to "I'm a lucky [guy]", implying that Leo refers to themself using masculine phrasing.
- It should be noted, however, that it is impossible to translate the "lucky" part of the line to German in a gender-neutral manner, thus making the line difficult to translate precisely without additional words for clarification.
- The voice line was also directly carried over from the German localization of Tekken 6, in which Leo speaks English. At that time, it was assumed that the translators did not know about Leo's gender ambiguity and Leo distinctively referring to themselves as male is likely a simple localization oversight.
- In Tekken 7, Leo was removed from all "Tekken Girls" related products and images, though not from the female character line-up.
- Leo has a unique facial hair customization item, most likely to go with their Musketeer/Buccaneer outfit.
- On the Tekken 7 official site, Leo is listed under both male and female fighters.
- Prior to the official reveal, Leo was among the characters that were in the roster leak in July 2023.
- Leo's ending in this game was inspired by the "Boulder Chase" scene in Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark. This is the second time this scene has been referenced in the games, with the first being in Leo's Tekken 6 prologue.
- Most characters (besides King, Yoshimitsu, Kuma, and Panda) can be customized to have a short version of Leo's hairstyle.
Other:
- In Tekken (Mobile), where Leo is one of the unlockable characters, there is an act entitled “It was me, Leo!”. This title is a reference to a famous line said by Jojo's Bizarre Adventure antagonist, Dio Brando.
Gallery[]
- Main article: Leo Kliesen/Gallery
References[]
- ^ a b c d e Tekken 8 Official Japanese Website Profile; Tekken 8 Official US English Website Profile
- ^ a b c Leo's dialogue in the Scenario Campaign
- ^ a b In-game Tekken 8 profile
- ^ Harada PD & Yonemori P Talk Show in NAMCO Nipponbashi TEKKEN Museum See also trivia section for further details
- ^ Katsuhiro Harada Twitter post about Leo
- ^ https://www.tekken-official.jp/tk6br/characters/leo.html
- ^ See Jun Kazama's Tekken 8 Official Japanese Website Profile, which states that Ogre's attack took place 'seven years ago'. The Tekken 3 story write up states that this attack happened four years prior to the events of Tekken 3.
- ^ Katsuhiro Harada @Harada_TEKKEN, Twitter, 4:21 PM Jun 13, 2024. Note that information is not stated in-game and only comes from a database of information provided by series developer Katsuhiro Harada.
- ^ a b Tekken 6 Official Strategy Guide, Brady Games (2009), p.194; transcribed on Tekken Zaibatsu.
- ^ Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Leo Ending Cutscene.
- ^ a b Tekken 7 Character Prologue.
- ^ Tekken 8: Unforgotten Echoes Story Mode, A Serendipitous Reunion.
- ^ a b Tekken 6 In-Game Prologue.
- ^ Tekken 7 Official English Website Profile.
- ^ Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Wii U profile.
- ^ Harada's statement about Leo at Tekken BV Event
- ^ http://www.twitlonger.com/show/na1kdv
- ^ Wikipedia:Characters of the Tekken series#Leo Kliesen
- ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20211005134606/https://twitter.com/Harada_TEKKEN/status/1445384736654991361
- ^ https://youtu.be/ZRrab_Kqlxc?t=90