Leon's "Personality Shift" Explained

[News Bot]

*drum roll*

Localization.

In the actual BH4 script written by Mikami, Leon's personality is much closer to his BH2 personality. He is serious and mission-orientated, cracking very few jokes and generally not talking very much at all. His Smarmy McCockface personality in the RE4 localization was added by the translator, Shinsaku Ohara. Who, like Mikami himself, is a pretty awful, awful writer. The reason Leon is more serious in Degeneration and beyond is because Shinsaku Ohara no longer works on translating the series (thankfully) and other translators kept Leon's personality intact (while fucking up other things). For example, when Hunnigan says she was worried about him after several hours without contact, Leon replies "Don't you mean lonely?" in the English script. In Japanese, he simply says: "...Sorry." His "Monsters. Guess after this there'll be one less to worry about." line in English is simply "Another monster?" in Japanese. I think the only line intact is "Your right hand comes off?".

Basically, if you understand Japanese and English and are playing the Japanese version of the game, the subtitles do not match up with the spoken English dialogue. This is true for every game in the series, but when a character's entire personality is completely different, something is fucked up.

Ada is also less... whatever she is in the Japanese script, and is much more withdrawn and mysterious. She spends little time actually talking to Leon, deflecting everything he says and ending every last one of their conversations with "See you.", even when Leon is mid-question. Closer to her BH2 personality. Expect her personality to be quite a bit different in BH6 compared to her portrayal in BH4.

Saddler also isn't some U.S. hating terrorist. In fact, there are no actual terrorism or even U.S. hating references. This was all added by Ohara, who I suppose wanted to try being a topical political commentator. For example, in the first meeting with Saddler, rather than "No longer will the United States think they can police the world forever", he actually says "The United States is just right for demonstrating my power to the world". The terrorism line with Salazar is not there in general.


BH4's localization is still one of the better ones in the series. However, this is only because Mikami's original scriptwriting was shit to begin with and there wasn't a lot of plot for the translator to fuck up. Just dialogue.

[shanemurphy]

So Leon's personality was changed to appeal more to the kick ass, smart mouthed hero? When he actually was not like that in the original Japanese material?

[News Bot]

So Leon's personality was changed to appeal more to the kick ass, smart mouthed hero? When he actually was not like that in the original Japanese material?

Yes. Basically the case with every problem related to the characters/plot that the series has ever had.

[geluda]

Nice overview! Doesn't surprise me in the least to be honest, Western entertainment is full of cliches people like to follow...

[shanemurphy]

They seriously need to come to a common ground with the Japanese and English translations, Resident Evil 4 had such a serious tone with the gore, visuals and atmosphere, they really did not need to have Leon crack so many jokes or at least tone them down.

[[STARS]TyranT]

How is Leon's first interaction with Ada in the Japanese? Does he jump straight into talking about Wesker as per the English version or is it more subdued?

[News Bot]

How is Leon's first interaction with Ada in the Japanese? Does he jump straight into talking about Wesker as per the English version or is it more subdued?

The English leaves out the fact that Leon already knew Ada was alive and heard a rumor that she joined Wesker's organization. So, in Japanese, it's fairly reasonable why he just jumps into questioning her. He already knows what she's been up to. But in English, there's no explanation for why he doesn't seem to care.

[[STARS]TyranT]

Ah so when does Leon find out about Ada still being alive then? Is it mentioned in the Japanese script or supplemental material?

[shanemurphy]

Yea, I could imagine Leon and Ada's first confrontation in RE4 being more like Leon and Sherrys in RE6. More surprise and more emotion and care in his voice.

[alinhoalisson]

So Leon has gone EMO just because people couldn't translate stuff right?

[News Bot]

So Leon has gone EMO just because people couldn't translate stuff right?

No, the opposite. Leon became a joker because people couldn't translate stuff right. Leon isn't "emo". He is dedicated and serious. Just because he's not a smarmy, cocky bastard does not mean he cuts himself at night.

Ah so when does Leon find out about Ada still being alive then? Is it mentioned in the Japanese script or supplemental material?

He knows she's alive because he sees her when she drops him the rocket launcher to destroy the Tyrant in BH2. As for when he hears the rumor about her joining Wesker's organization, it's not specified, just sometime before the events of BH4.

[Vector]

So all my hatred for Leon's douchiness in RE4 was undeserved? Sorry, bro. I don't know how else to offer my apologies. I don't have any money or anything. But...


...got gum.

[alinhoalisson]

No, the opposite. Leon became a joker because people couldn't translate stuff right. Leon isn't "emo". He is dedicated and serious. Just because he's not a smarmy, cocky bastard does not mean he cuts himself at night.

By "dedicated and serious". You mean "I'm with the same serious face for the whole Degeneration movie"?
If that's so, then I believe he's an emo, because he hardly has shown any emotions at all.

[alexdz]

By "dedicated and serious". You mean "I'm with the same serious face for the whole Degeneration movie"?
If that's so, then I believe he's an emo, because he hardly has shown any emotions at all.

That's not emo, being more serious is not emo, that's how half of the action heroes from movies, games and comics act. And if anything, Degeneration's translation is less wrong in Leon's portrait than RE4.

[News Bot]

By "dedicated and serious". You mean "I'm with the same serious face for the whole Degeneration movie"?
If that's so, then I believe he's an emo, because he hardly has shown any emotions at all.

You do realize that "emo" is short for "emotional", right? It has nothing to do with not showing emotions. Leon is serious, just as an agent who has seen people get torn apart would be.

[Det. Beauregard]

Thanks for the info.

It really does suck, though, that Leon's most entertaining personality was the result of a localization fuck-up. And I thought Chris was boring until I saw Leon in Degeneration...

As for when he hears the rumor about her joining Wesker's organization, it's not specified, just sometime before the events of BH4.

Perhaps around the time of Operation Javier? Wasn't there a file in Darkside Chronicles that hinted toward Ada's (Asian woman) involvement in the BOW market or something? Might be another localization screw-up, though.

[geluda]

So what about RE6, do you feel his true personality is intact?

[Gradon]

Emo is short for emotional. If he was emotionless in Degeneration then how can you apply the emo tag?
In all seriousness, way to fuck up a great character. I hate some localizing efforts that completely change the original intentions from the developers of characters/scripts/the whole game...

EDIT: Woah, didn't realize so many posts were posted before my post. Sorry.

[alinhoalisson]

You do realize that "emo" is short for "emotional", right? It has nothing to do with not showing emotions. Leon is serious, just as an agent who has seen people get torn apart would be.

I do realize that. I just call him emo just because of that, the whole president crying scene and his bieber haircut.

EDIT

Emo for me is "I don't care about life..."
Just that.

[News Bot]

Perhaps around the time of Operation Javier? Wasn't there a file in Darkside Chronicles that hinted toward Ada's (Asian woman) involvement in the BOW market or something? Might be another localization screw-up, though.

You guessed right. It's another localization screw-up. The person mentioned in those two files is neither male nor female, they're just "the Asian". Wesker also claims that they are an Umbrella spy, which he wouldn't do if it was Ada (who works for him).

Hilariously, the localization refers to the Asian as both male and female in each file. But hey, the localizations are consistent amirite?