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[MrCookiepants]

So a brief history on Leo. The character was introduced in Tekken 6 back in '07 and there was much debate at the time as to whether Leo was a boy or a girl. Namco said they left Leo's gender intentionally ambiguous so that players who identified with the character could make up their own mind.

However, with Tekken Tag 2 it seemed like Namco decided to officially make Leo female, giving her the birth name "Eleonore Kliesen". Customization options in the game appeared to confirm this.

But now with Tekken 7 right around the corner, the newly released character bio on the game's official site is using male pronouns to refer to Leo.

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.

http://tk7.tekken.com/fighters/leo

Personally, I love Leo's design. I've always thought of the character as a male, but it doesn't matter to me either way. What do you guys think Namco is doing here? Should they have just left the character's gender undefined?

 

[Katori]

I think this is great. And the full name (and underwear choice) doesn't necessarily mean the character is a woman.

More fluid characters are a good idea!

 

[cordy]

This Leo/Yoshimitsu thing might end up being good. I wonder if Leo will train under Yoshi and then after the timeskip Leo will be the new Yoshi.

As for Leo's gender, hey I'm all for it.

 

[The Abominable Snowman]

Gender vs sex likely.

 

[Cert.in.Death]

MeGusta.jpg

 

[Gin-Shiio]

If Leo identifies as a man, that's cool. If Namco's intent is to include a LGBTQ character in the roster of Tekken, I think it is tastefully done and very much appreciated.

 

[Spinosaurus]

Huh, could've sworn they officially revealed Leo as female sometime before the console release of TTT2.

I dig Leo being genderfluid though, so I hope they stick with this.

 

[SomTervo]

Hopefully it is as it seems.

 

[bilas]

I think this is great. And the full name (and underwear choice) doesn't necessarily mean the character is a woman.

More fluid characters are a good idea!

The bra and the boobs means it's a woman..

 

[LukasTaves]

Don't know the char, but from that bikini shot he looks a guy wearing a bikini and not a girl to me.

The design looks good I think.

 

[sixteen-bit]

OP u forgot Leo's other swimwear option

 

[Ivan 3414]

I'm kind of over the secrecy of Leo's gender to be honest. Being gender-fluid is fine but it seems like Namco is just trying to be cheeky rather than making any sort of step towards diversity

 

[pretty done]

The bra and the boobs means it's a woman..

Lots of men have boobs

 

[decisions]

Hmm interesting, could just be that the designers view him as "fluid" in the sense that they can make him male or female for each game.

 

[entremet]

I'm kind of over the secrecy of Leo's gender to be honest. Being gender-fluid is fine but it seems like Namco is just trying to be cheeky rather than making any sort of step towards diversity

Yeah. Kinda seems like they're treating him (her?) like a sideshow than a character honestly.

 

[SquirrelSoup]

I'm not a fan of this, seems like trolling to me. (Or a mistake.)

If they left it ambiguous, that'd be great. If they came out and said he/she was trans or whatever they're going for, great.

But they said she was female. And now they go back on it or something.. ? What.. ? I don't like it.

 

[Dimitri LH]

Hmm, im guessing its just for story purposes, since I dont think many of the other characters know Leo's gender, since Leo is undercover after all.

Not that I mind if Leo represents as a guy (I was on #teamMale anyways lol).

 

[LordKasual]

I don't get it

is this a marketing blunder, or are they acknowledging the character's gender choice?

because i don't remember Leo ever actually referring to herself as a guy OR a girl before. We just learned that she was sexually a female when we could take her clothes off.

so i'm not sure what's happening here. Pretty sure OP is looking deeper into this than it actually is.

 

[7Th]

Leo can wear female and male clothing items in Tekken 7; not swimsuits of any kind, though.

 

[MrCookiepants]

Gender vs sex likely.

You're probably right.

https://youtu.be/LvzFEKWzN8k?t=1m58s

Harada explicitly says that Leo is female here. So it would seem Leo is biologically female, but identifies as male or gender fluid at least.

This is really great for a big name series to have this kind of representation.

 

[True Fire]

To me it seems like Leo is assigned female, but identifies as male.

But does it really matter either way? It's a video game, and in video games creators can change a character's sex/gender just because.

 

[Soulfang]

Most likely reason: the translator just assumed that Leo was male based on the name and added gendered pronouns to that effect.

 

[AAK]

I'm kind of over the secrecy of Leo's gender to be honest. Being gender-fluid is fine but it seems like Namco is just trying to be cheeky rather than making any sort of step towards diversity

This

 

[How About No]

Well that seems pretty cool and I'd almost say...progressive?

 

[Sheentak]

Maybe Leo's gender fluid

 

[A Link to the Past]

Trans man or genderfluid, both are great

 

[MrCookiepants]

OP u forgot Leo's other swimwear option

I never really took much notice of this. Interesting.

 

[Platy]

I get any kind of trans representation with open arms, specially some trans men which gaming as a whole seriously need more.

Even if it is a mistranslation or whatever. Wasn't​a mistranslation that basically made Birdetta trans ?

 

[F0rneus]

Isn't Leo's real name Eleonore? Probably a translation error.

 

[The12thGripper]

Lots of men have boobs

Lots? I think you mean every man has breasts. Men don't have breasts like the ones in the swimsuit picture with that kind of build though.

 

[Prototype Viktor]

Leo can wear female and male clothing items in Tekken 7; not swimsuits of any kind, though.

wait a second clothes have gender?

 

[The Lone Dragon]

I'm kind of over the secrecy of Leo's gender to be honest. Being gender-fluid is fine but it seems like Namco is just trying to be cheeky rather than making any sort of step towards diversity

I agree.

She was already referred to as female by the head producer himself in the past, as the video linked above demonstrates:

https://youtu.be/LvzFEKWzN8k?t=1m58s

If they suddenly go back on that, then it doesn't feel as authentic.

 

[MrCookiepants]

Isn't Leo's real name Eleonore? Probably a translation error.

Doubt it's an error. Leo is highlighted when you click on "male" characters.

http://tk7.tekken.com/fighters

 

[LordKasual]

You're probably right.

https://youtu.be/LvzFEKWzN8k?t=1m58s

Harada explicitly says that Leo is female here. So it would seem Leo is biologically female, but identifies as male or gender fluid at least.

This is really great for a big name series to have this kind of representation.

Leo has said or implied none of this though

so this is very likely a translation error, she looks like a dude. People are reading too deeply into this.

 

[MoonsaultSlayer]

wait a second clothes have gender?

I get why people would say this, but if a man identified as a woman and proceeds to wear "feminine" clothing, I can understand why there'd still be a distinction between "male" and "female" clothing sections.

 

[What did he mean by this?]

Tekken to Tekkim.

Genderfluid is fun.

 

[SquirrelSoup]

Doubt it's an error. Leo is highlighted when you click on "male" characters.

http://tk7.tekken.com/fighters

That bit seems to have other errors in it. Gigas is not male. Akuma is non-human but Eliza is not.

 

[cordy]

Yoshi's comments about Leo are interesting too.

Waiting for Yoshimitsu in the gloom was a charming young martial artist. Yoshimitsu couldn't say for sure, but he thought he seemed a little "tense...". Though his looks were enchanting, he also seemed dangerous, so Yoshimitsu braced himself for battle.

 

[Toni]

Tekken to anti-gender fluid people

 

[LordKasual]

I get why people would say this

I don't. it's silly because everyone knows that you know that clothing is created with gender in mind.

it's better to just say "Clothes aren't necessarily restricted to gender" and not dance around the implication, just so you can have the chance to drop some knowledge bombs as if it's something everyone on earth already knows is an established subversion. Needlessly hostile.

 

[MoonsaultSlayer]

Yoshi's comments about Leo are interesting too.

Is this in their bios? I can't wait for sonething like this to be explored in the side character story missions.

 

[OmegaDL50]

Leo has said or implied none of this though

so this is very likely a translation error, she looks like a dude. People are reading too deeply into this.

Except for the fact that Leo's "birth name" is in fact mentioned in-game and isn't some outside reference from Harada or the fanbase.

 

[MrCookiepants]

That bit seems to have other errors in it. Gigas is not male. Akuma is non-human but Eliza is not.

I mean Gigas doesn't show up under anything, lol. Akuma is a demon, not human. Just like Devil Jin. Eliza isn't a demon so I guess that makes her female.

All seems very intentional to me.

Yoshi's comments about Leo are interesting too.

Where is this from?

Edit: nvm lol

 

[cordy]

Is this in their bios? I can't wait for sonething like this to be explored in the side character story missions.

Yeah Leo's bio mentions someone who's 99% sure to be Yoshi while Yoshi's bio matches up with Leos. So far from all the character bios, they're really tying in a lot of character stories like Law/Feng, Drag/MRaven, Nina/Steve, it's great.

I spent the last 15 minutes running through everyone's bio on the main page and thinking of how it'll play out lol.

 

[Eolz]

The website seems full of errors.
Inb4 intern that never played those games.

 

[TriAceJP]

Hi, Leo main here.

Leo uses male custom clothing so is set in the male side of the roster.

Leo has never mentioned anything to do with their sex.

 

[7Th]

wait a second clothes have gender?

There are some clothing items that only guys can wear and there are some clothing items that only girls can wear, yes.

 

[akira28]

You're probably right.

https://youtu.be/LvzFEKWzN8k?t=1m58s

Harada explicitly says that Leo is female here. So it would seem Leo is biologically female, but identifies as male or gender fluid at least.

This is really great for a big name series to have this kind of representation.

this does seem like a kind of cool and forward looking way to do it. by just doing it. making them gender fluid and letting the players catch up. That would be cool if game producers were progressive like that.

 

[SquirrelSoup]

I mean Gigas doesn't show up under anything, lol. Akuma is a demon, not human. Just like Devil Jin. Eliza isn't a demon so I guess that makes her female.

All seems very intentional to me.

Look at Akuma, he's under 'male' and 'non-human'. Eliza isn't human, she's a vampire. So that bit is wrong for sure.

 

[mao2]

Leo is prettier than Xiaoyu.