| Leo Tanaka | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Neighbours character | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Portrayed by | Tim Kano | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 2016–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 22 September 2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Present; regular | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Jason Herbison | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Leo Tanaka is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Tim Kano. He made his first appearance in the main show during the episode broadcast on 22 September 2016. The character was introduced alongside his twin brother David Tanaka (Takaya Honda), and they arrive in Erinsborough to find their long-lost biological father. Both Kano and Honda auditioned for both Tanaka roles and were later awarded their respective parts. The show's producer Jason Herbison had planned their stories months in advance. The shows writing team meticulously researched the show's history to find a way to introduce the two characters into the show's long-standing Robinson family. Leo and David's search ended in the revelation that the show's villainous character, Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis) was their father.
Leo is characterised as a flirtatious and charming businessman who takes entrepreneurial risks. He is portrayed as both "ruthless and driven", which Kano believed was his character's personality flaw. He thought Leo was an interesting addition to the Neighbours cast because his attitude clashes with the show's moralistic female residents. Leo's stories have focused on business decisions and romance. He arrives in Erinsborough to start a new business. Despite a history in bar management he decides to open a new hostel for backpackers. Romance stories feature a near incestuous relationship with his half-sister Amy Williams (Zoe Cramond) and more prominent relationships with Mishti Sharma (Scarlet Vas) and Terese Willis (Rebekah Elmaloglou).
Other storylines include Leo getting crushed under concrete, feuds with other characters, and Kano filming overseas in London. Leo and Amy's near romance attracted some media attention, with Alex McCarthy from TV Week branding it "awkward" and a Metro reporter viewing it as "gross". In 2019, Kano's management confirmed he would be leaving the serial and he filmed his final scenes in June. Leo's departure aired on 10 September 2019, but he made a guest appearance from 11 December 2019 to 1 January 2020. In April 2021, it was confirmed Kano had reprised his role as a regular and his return scenes began airing from 15 June of that year. His return storyline sees his ex-girlfriend, Britney Barnes (Montana Cox), give birth to Leo's daughter.