Leo Kliesen

Biography

Leo was born to Niklas Kliesen, a world-renowned caver and archaeologist, and Emma Kliesen, a geneticist who first worked for the Mishima Zaibatsu and then for the G Corporation as a researcher and executive. Leo's father disappeared on an expedition when Leo was still a child, but this did not stop Leo from wanting to become a caver as well. In addition to passing on to Leo a passion for giving, Niklas also taught him how to fight. After his father's disappearance, Leo was raised by his 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 a caver as he always dreamed of. However, tragedy struck again when Leo was around 19 years old. His mother, Emma, ​​was murdered by an unknown assailant. Leo was heartbroken over the murder, but the sadness turned to anger when the police ceased their investigation without explanation. Leo began investigating the case alone and identified Kazuya Mishima as the most likely suspect. Leo attempted to meet with Kazuya, but his position as the leader of the G Corporation made it difficult to secure an audience with him. Leo discovered that Kazuya would be appearing at the 6th King of Iron Fist Tournament and attended the tournament with the intention of getting revenge on him. Despite this, Leo was unable to confront Kazuya at the tournament.

Biography [part 2]

Leo began to delve deeper into his mother's past. At some point, they were able to infiltrate a train and discover a computer file detailing the work Emma Kliesen had done for the Mishima Zaibatsu. Prior to this, Leo was unaware that his mother had worked for the Zaibatsu, so this information came as a surprise to him. 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. Leo was able to acquire confidential information from G Corporation regarding Emma's work. Emma had been researching the Devil Gene, and according to the data Leo found, Kazuya Mishima had sent orders to "take care of key researchers who were no longer needed." When the Zaibatsu transmitted to Kazuya in his devil form, Leo surmised that Kazuya must have begun the research to try and gain control over this devil power, then ordered the deaths of all the researchers involved when they were no longer useful to him. Leo was furious at these findings and on the verge of breaking down, but he remembered his father's patience. Heeding that memory, Leo calmed down and set out to find more concrete answers.

Personality

Leo has a strong sense of justice, and is calm and inquisitive-minded. He does not back down from danger and is guided by logic, common sense, and patience. Despite this, he feels strong emotions when he is wronged and confronted by injustice. He was heartbroken over his mother's death and enraged by the poor police investigation. His anger came to the fore again when they discovered details about Emma's death, and at one point they were on the verge of a nervous breakdown. However, Leo's motivation to find the truth prevails over all. Leo is determined and self-reliant, carrying out his own investigations when others fail. This determination leads Leo to take risks, such as sneaking onto a train full of G Corporation gunmen at the end of Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (though this may not be canon) and acquiring information from the G Corporation at great personal risk in Tekken 8. Leo feels resentment and anger towards G Corporation, and in particular Kazuya Mishima, as he holds them responsible for his mother's death. Leo is shown to be a somewhat anxious fighter, as indicated by his introduction and victory pose: "Just relax. You can do it." and "Phew. That was close." During the Campaign mode in Tekken 6, upon entering G Corporation's Millennium Tower, Alisa Bosconovitch points out to Leo that his heart rate had increased by twenty beats per minute. Reasonably, Leo does not unnecessarily pick fights. Leo also seems to be afraid of monsters; for example, seeing Yoshimitsu in his Tekken 7 character episodes makes Leo cringe in fear. They even go so far as to knee Yoshimitsu in the crotch in an attempt to get away from him at the end of the latter's episode. However, Leo is brave in facing his fears and fights to survive.

Appearance

Leo has short blonde hair with bangs and blue eyes. Leo's appearance closely resembles that of his mother, Emma Kliesen. Leo's outfits mostly retain a gender-neutral appearance. Leo's Tekken 8 costume consists of a bright red coat worn with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows with a high collar, white panels on the front and sides under the arms, and four straps running down the sides and back to hang loosely from the hem of the coat. There are also straps hanging down from the collar, two of them running down the shoulders and hanging loosely from the sleeves, and two more at the front of the collar. Two final straps wrap around the torso to the front of the coat and hang over black fabric forming fasteners over the torso. Each of these straps are fastened with black buckles. Under this, Leo wears a white button-down shirt tucked into blue jeans with a red belt and a black harness over the tops of his thighs. These jeans are tucked into calf-high black boots with red belts around the top of the left boot and the foot of the right boot. With this costume, Leo wears padded fingerless gloves in black, white, and red and a black thread necklace with a long silver pendant.

Basic data

Full Name Leo Kliesen Known as Seeker of Truth (TK8) Status Viva Fighting Style Baji Quan Nationality Germany Height 178cm (TK8) Weight 58 kg (TK8) Eyes Light blue Hair Blond Tastes His parents Exploration Fresh air Coffee Dislikes Kazuya Mishima G Corporation Jin Kazama (before TK8) Big cities Species Human Gender Ambiguous Age 19 (TK6-TK7) 20 (TK8) Occupation Speleologist Hobbies Speleology Family Niklas Kliesen (father) Emma Kliesen (mother)

History

Tekken 6 Official Strategy Guide Leo was part of a very talented family. His father was a world-famous caver, while his mother served as an executive at the G Corporation. Although Leo's father disappeared during an expedition when Leo was a child, Leo still wanted to follow the family tradition and become a caver. Leo possessed a strong sense of character thanks to a proper upbringing. Life was pleasant and relatively peaceful until one fateful day, when Leo's mother was murdered by an unknown assailant. Depressed and grief-stricken, Leo was enraged when the police called off their investigation quickly and without explanation. Leo vowed to find the truth. During Leo's own investigation, Kazuya Mishima of the G Corporation materialized as a person of interest. The G Corporation was at the time popularized as a world hero, making it difficult to get close to Kazuya, and it seemed that the search for Leo had reached an insurmountable dead end. It was at this time that news of The King of Iron Fist Tournament sponsored by the Mishima Zaibatsu began to spread. Leo learned that Kazuya Mishima was scheduled to appear in person at the event. Realizing that this might be the only chance to get revenge on Kazuya, Leo decided to enter the contest. *Leo has no official gender, but some English localizations of profiles and in-game text apply gendered pronouns to them.

Story part 2

Prologue Leo is the son of a world-famous caver and a G Corporation executive. Although Leo's father disappeared during an expedition many years ago, this did not stop the young man from wanting to become a caver as well. Guided by the warmth of a single father, the quiet young man grew up to become an upstanding citizen, with a strong sense of justice. However, their happy days together ended when Leo's mother was murdered by an unknown assassin. Leo was left heartbroken and ostracized from the rest of the world, but when the police ceased their investigation without explanation, despair turned to anger. Leo vowed to find the truth single-handedly. During the investigation, the name of Kazuya Mishima of the G Corporation eventually surfaced. Suspecting his connection to 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 close to him. It was then that news spread that the Mishima Zaibatsu was holding the 6th King of Iron Fist Tournament. Leo discovered that Kazuya Mishima was going to appear in person at the tournament. Leo decides that this may be his only chance for revenge and enters the tournament. Final description Leo visits Emma Kliesen's grave and finds a letter that says "Dear Leo." Leo reads it and then suddenly turns around to find no one standing there. The camera pans across Leo's face and then points up.

Story part 3

Tekken 7 Official Website Profile (English) Born to a world-famous caver father who disappeared when Leo was still a child and a mother who worked for G Corp before her untimely demise, Leo searches for the reason behind her mysterious disappearances. Prologue Leo entered the King of Iron Fist Tournament in hopes of finding out more about his deceased mother, who had been a researcher for the Mishima Zaibatsu. When Leo learned that his battlefield would be a dojo owned by the Zaibatsu, he couldn't believe his luck. However, when he got there, the dojo was in ruins. Moonlight streamed through the holes in the walls and ceiling, illuminating the floor with an eerie beauty. Soon after, a strange floating silhouette appeared and slowly glided towards Leo. The silhouette held a sword in its left hand that was spinning at a mind-blowing speed. What the hell was this? It looked like some kind of flying squid or octopus! Was it a demon...? Then Leo finally realized: this strange creature was his opponent. Cautiously, he prepared to fight. *Leo has no official gender, but some English localizations of profiles and in-game text apply gendered pronouns to them. Final description After defeating Yoshimitsu, Leo ponders what exactly it is. Crouching down, Leo touches one of Yoshimitsu's tentacles and immediately jumps back in shock as it begins to writhe. Remembering the mission, Leo bids Yoshimitsu farewell and leaves.

History part 4

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 on genetic research. With a father versed in martial arts and an inquisitive-minded mother, Leo uses these inherited skills to set out to find the truth behind the mysterious circumstances of Emma Kliesen's death a year earlier. Risking his life and limb, Leo obtains confidential information from G Corp that Emma Kliesen had been researching the Devil Gene there. From this information, Leo also learns that Kazuya Mishima had sent orders to "take care of key researchers who were no longer needed." Around the same time, the Mishima Zaibatsu announces that Kazuya Mishima, the mastermind behind G Corp, is himself a devil. At that moment, the puzzle pieces fall into place for Leo. Kazuya must have initiated the research so that he could control the devil's power and then killed Leo's mother when she was no longer useful. Filled with rage, Leo is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. But suddenly, the words of Leo's father, who had disappeared many years ago, ring in Leo's ears. "Listen, Leo. Like a lost coin, the truth is only found when your heart is calm and open." Yes. Relax. That's all it takes. Spurred on by these words, Leo sets off on another journey in search of more concrete answers. Character Episode Prologue While investigating the death of his mother Emma, ​​Leo miraculously managed to reunite with his long-lost father, Niklas Kliesen. Niklas, a world-renowned archaeologist, had narrowly escaped from one of the Mishima Zaibatsu's excavation sites and had been on the run from them ever since.

Story part 5

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 guaranteed and they could stay together; so Leo decided to join the tournament. "Wait for me, father. I will win everything, I swear!" Final description After winning the King of Iron Fist Tournament, Leo goes spelunking with Niklas into the ruins in search of treasure. They discover a crystal, and Niklas attempts to take a selfie with it. However, upon grabbing a piece of crystal, Niklas triggers a booby trap that closes the doors. Leo and Niklas flee as a spiked crystal rock begins to roll towards them. When they see light at the end of the ruins, Leo fires a grappling hook towards that end and grabs Niklas, causing him to drop the crystal, and the two scream as they narrowly escape the rock. Summary of game events Lee Chaolan asked Leo, along with his father, Niklas, to assist in Jin's quest to regain his devilish abilities. Once aboard Yggdrasil's seaplane, Leo requested to train with Jin in order to understand his current circumstances. Later, Leo and his father met with Lee, Jin, Lars Alexandersson, Alisa Bosconovitch, and Reina to discuss Niklas' findings regarding Azazel and the Devil Gene. Niklas shares that it is a strong emotion that allows the Devil Gene's 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 group him with Kazuya.

Story part 6

Later, Leo joined Niklas, Lars, Alisa, Lee, and Reina to discuss Kazuya's newfound strength after he had defeated and absorbed Azazel. They surmised that if Jin could gain the power to purify or control the Devil Gene, then he would be able to defeat Kazuya. Leo then joined Yggdrasil's forces to defend Yakushima against G Corp's assault on the island while Kazuya attempted to find Jin. They encountered 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 by expanding the sales of her coffee brand while working for G Corp before attacking a confused Leo. After the battle between Leo and Azucena, Azucena asked Leo how they knew about her. Leo replied that "there isn't a single coffee lover who hasn't heard of [Azucena]", to which Azucena happily replied that she had successfully found another coffee enthusiast. Azucena then correctly guessed that Leo was from Germany and decided to send them her newest product directly before jumping into the fray. Leo remained where they were, wondering what Azucena was really after. In the good ending, Leo is shown exploring a cave, following his father.

Fighting Style

Leo practices Baji Quan, a Chinese martial art famous for its powerful elbow, arm or fist strikes, hip controls and shoulder strikes, delivered with explosive, close-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.

Relations

Emma Kliesen: Leo's mother. Emma raised Leo alone after Niklas disappeared while caving. Niklas Kliesen: Leo's father. Leo admired him and aspired to be like him: to become a caver and martial artist. Kazuya Mishima: He 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 make Leo nervous. Azucena Ortiz: They both share a love of coffee and have a special introduction. In Tekken 8's story mode, Leo expresses that he is a big fan of Azucena's products, though he is surprised by Azucena's amoral stance on war. Lars Alexandersson: His ally in Tekken 8. Leo and his father help Lars by sharing information they discovered during an archaeological expedition. Lee Chaolan: his ally in Tekken 8. Alisa Bosconovitch: his ally in Tekken 8. Jin Kazama: Leo fought Jin in Tekken 8 after expressing anger at his crimes. After training, Leo felt that Jin had no malicious intentions and agreed to ally himself with his cause against Kazuya. Asuka Kazama: Leo's friend in the Online Tekken Comic (non-canon). Canonically, they become allies who help Jin against Kazuya in Tekken 8. Emilie de Rochefort: Leo is Lili's bodyguard in the Online Tekken Comic (non-canonical). Canonically, they become allies who help Jin against Kazuya in Tekken 8.

Curiosities

There has been much debate over 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. He later clarified on numerous occasions that this was just an early concept, and that Leo was later changed to be gender-neutral. Harada was apparently concerned that Leo's gender ambiguity would translate correctly into different languages. In the original Japanese texts, Leo is often referred to by his name or by gender-neutral terms. Despite Harada's public statement, English localizations of Leo's story occasionally refer to Leo as male and categorize Leo as being with male characters. The creation of Leo as an ambiguous gender was to create a character that would be popular with both male and female audiences, regardless of gender. However, despite this, Leo's outfits and customization become more traditionally masculine with each appearance in the game. Leo is ranked #22 on ugo.com's Top 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 he can equip mainly male accessories. In the non-canonical Tekken Online Comic, Leo is portrayed as a man. This was presumably due to the fact that at the time of the adaptation's release, the character's identity had not yet been fully canonically established. In most video game appearances, Leo is only occasionally seen or believed to be a man. Harada clarified again in October 2021 that Leo is not interested in gender classifications, stating simply that "Leo is Leo."