I've probably said this 100 times now, but Leon's gentle nature is so attractive. He's so careful and intentional when comforting or reassuring people. I love him.
⭐️ How Leon Kennedy Became One of Gaming's Most Popular Characters.
In 2026, Leon S. Kennedy ranked 6th among Japan's favorite video game characters in Famitsu's massive 40th Anniversary Survey. For a character from a survival horror franchise, that's an extraordinary achievement, especially considering that the only names above him were industry icons such as Mario, Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart, Kirby, and Link.
☝️But Leon's rise to the top didn't happen overnight.
One of the earliest indicators of his popularity in major Japanese polls dates back to 2010, when he placed 31st among all video game characters in a Famitsu reader survey. Even at the time, that was a remarkable result for a protagonist from a survival horror series.
His standing continued to grow in 2011. In the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition, Leon was included in a ranking of the greatest video game characters of all time, placing 36th worldwide.
🙂 The next major turning point came during the era of Resident Evil remakes. Following the release of Resident Evil 2 (2019), Leon experienced a new surge in popularity. Numerous gaming outlets noted that the reimagined version of the character resonated strongly with modern audiences, while discussions about Leon began extending far beyond the Resident Evil community itself.
🤟 The real breakthrough came in 2023 with the release of Resident Evil 4 (2023). To celebrate the launch, Famitsu conducted a dedicated Resident Evil character poll, and the results were overwhelming.
Leon was voted the most popular Resident Evil character of all time, receiving 2,637 votes. For comparison:
▪︎ Jill Valentine: 1,675 votes
▪︎ Chris Redfield: 1,530 votes
▪︎ Ada Wong: 1,019 votes
▪︎ Claire Redfield: 858 votes
In other words, Leon finished nearly a thousand votes ahead of his closest competitor, making it a clear lead in one of the largest Resident Evil fan polls.
By that point, the character had already appeared in Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 4, Resident Evil 6, multiple CGI films, and had spent decades as one of Capcom's most recognizable characters. Many journalists and fans attributed his enduring popularity to the fact that Leon had become the leading figure in several of the franchise's most successful and influential entries.
🗓️ Then came 2026.
In Famitsu's nationwide 40th anniversary survey, Leon climbed from 31st place in 2010 to 6th place among all video game characters in Japan. That's a jump of 25 positions over the course of fifteen years.
Even more impressive, Leon was the only Resident Evil character to reach the Top 10, finishing ahead of iconic gaming figures such as Pikachu, Kazuma Kiryu from Yakuza, and Joker from Persona 5.
Based on the results of major polls over the last decade, he has become one of the most recognizable and beloved characters in gaming as a whole, and his popularity continues to grow nearly three decades after his debut in Resident Evil 2.
read somewhere that this is pretty close to what cas engraved on dean’s ribs in enochian and even if it isn’t this is too hilarious i choose to believe is real