Leo Akaba

Leo Akaba or Reo Akaba, also commonly known as the Professor, is a character in the Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V anime, the father of Ray, and then later husband of Henrietta and father of Declan, though he abandoned his second family before the adoption of Riley. Originally a resident of the Original Dimension, he is responsible for masterminding the Duel Academy's attacks on the Xyz Dimension to complete the Arc Area Project and Revival Zero. Due to his position and machinations, he is the primary antagonist of the series.

Appearance
Leo Akaba is a middle-aged tan-skinned bald man with light blue eyes. He wears a purple colored militaristic outfit with several black buttons which resembles the outfit of Vellian Crowler, a purple cape with a black ending, and a pair of gray boots. He also has a black belt with a red line which both end in a button on the front, and what appear to be red circular strings across his chest with a pair of black gloves on his hands. His perhaps most noticeable traits are the armored plate at the left side of his head with what appears to be a red circular lens, and pronounced blood vessels on the top of his head.

In his youth, Leo had a full head of dark gray hair, and wore a light blue flannel shirt with gray slack pants. When he performed experiments on Duel Monsters, he wore a lab coat.

Personality
Before traveling to the Fusion Dimension he was inventive and benevolent expressing a desire to use the ARC System to innovate Dueling. He also considered Yusho to be a friend. However at a later point he seems to be heartless enough to abandon his home and family, seen when he forcefully sent Declan back to Paradise City, and malicious enough to commit genocide on the Xyz Dimension and during the Obelisk Force attacks on the Standard Dimension (and the Synchro Dimension). He is pragmatic; he does not punish his subordinates for their failures in contrast to his former subordinate Jean-Michel Roger.

He appears to have charisma and excellent leadership skills, as apparently everybody at Duel Academy obeys him and finds it extremely difficult to betray him (though not without exception). The only times he has authorized force has been with Yuri, Dennis, and Barrett's missions to capture Celina and her dimensional counterparts. Unlike many people in Duel Academy, Leo does not enjoy harming others and take pleasure in others suffering. He was shown to be visibly annoyed when The Doktor used Parasite Monsters to brainwash the bracelet girls and reacted in horror when Yuri ruthlessly sealed Alexis Rhodes into a card.

During his confrontation with Yusho, Declan, and Riley, Leo showed that he is a very serious man, and feels guilt after he inadvertently caused the sundering of the Original Dimension. Nonetheless despite his remorse his fixation with reviving his daughter Ray causes him to believe his attacks on the other dimensions are justified regardless of the suffering and maltreatment he engendered onto innocents.

Etymology
"零" ("rei") means "zero" or "nothing", while "王" ("ō") means "king". The normal reading of Leo's name would be "Reiō"; however, it is read as "Reo" instead, so Reo's name is pronounced exactly like "Leo" in Japanese.

His dub name comes from his Japanese Name: Leo/Lion is mostly known as "king of beasts". In addition, his name can be separated into "Le' 0" which means "the zero", both linking to his Japanese Name.

History
Leo was a resident of the Original Dimension and a professor developing new possibilities with the ARC System. He then decided to use Duel Monsters with it and found out the compatibility between them were perfect. After studying the monsters, Leo was able to give them mass and was praised all over the world for leading Dueling into a new era. However, a Duelist named Zarc started Dueling in a violent manner and declared his desire to destroy the entire world, surprising Leo. He watched as Zarc attacked everyone with his four dragons and escaped the stadium with his daughter. He heard her say that the monsters are angry at him and remembered these words: Duel Monster cards have souls. He watched Zarc fused with his four dragons to become Supreme Dragon King Zarc and was shocked that they became one.

While Supreme Dragon King Zarc destroyed the city, Leo created four cards with natural energy to seal him away. When he was about to go battle Zarc, Ray took the cards from him so he couldn't sacrifice himself. He chased after her and from behind a barrier saw Ray using the cards to split her and Supreme Dragon King Zarc. He then found himself in a strange town where there wasn't any Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz Summonings but standard Duels. He tried to touch the monster but his hand went through it and learned it was Solid Vision. With no memory of his former life, Leo began to recreate the ARC System due to the knowledge left in is brain's subconscious.

Leo then met with Yusho Sakaki and showed him the ARC System, which gave Thunder Kid mass. He told Yusho about how you can't fantasize about Dueling with it. The two joined forces and developed the ARC System.

Leo was the original founder of Leo Corporation, as well as Leo Institute of Dueling. At some point, he scanned his memories to figure out why he had a memory of the future. As his memories returned bit by bit, Leo began to obsess with the thought of Ray living somewhere in the Four Dimensions. One day, he left for the Fusion Dimension without telling anyone in his family to search for Ray, thereby abandoning the company. He took control of Duel Academy and used it as a frontline base to enact his plan to unite the Four Dimensions into one supreme world.

When Leo first met Celina, he decided to scan Celina's memories for any traces of Ray’s memories due to the resemblance and bracelet, but found nothing. When Leo started to worry about it, he remembered that Ray's shadow split into four with Zarc and the world and thought what she was divided and sent to each of the Four Dimensions. He then created the Arc Area Project and Revival Zero for purpose of restoring his daughter and the United World.

One day, he and Celina met Yuri and told him of his crucial role in the Arc Area Project.

Eventually, Declan stumbled into Duel Academy through a teleportation device intending to confront Leo about abandoning his family, but Leo caught up to him. Celina, who was attempting to escape with Declan's aid, complained to Leo about being stuck at Duel Academy while her comrades were preparing to attack the Xyz Dimension, but he refused to add her to the vanguard squad. Declan also protested that Leo had abandoned Leo Corporation, to which Leo asked him if he had crossed dimensions just to find him, confusing Declan even further. The Obelisk Force troops apprehended Celina, and Leo told her that he would definitely find her and bring her back to Duel Academy, regardless of where she ran. He then used a wristwatch-like device to send Declan back to Standard, but not before telling him about the Fusion Dimension and about him using Duel Academy to help him bring the worlds together.

Arc League Championship
Leo was first mentioned by Shay when Declan first confronts him. Both Shay and Declan consider Leo their enemy, with Declan insisting he is preparing Duelists to confront and defeat Leo.

When Declan and Shay were watching the Duel between Yuto, Sora Perse, and Yuya Sakaki, Yuto revealed that Duel Academy invaded the Xyz Dimension. Declan stated that this was due to Leo Akaba's ambition. After Sora was transported back to Duel Academy within the Fusion Dimension, Leo was watching over a machine absorbing cards into itself. At the time, he was informed by the aide that the forced return program activated once Sora revealed his mission to their enemies within the Standard Dimension. However, Leo clarified that the Standard Dimension was not their enemy and that investigating Sora's memories would explain the situation. After doing so, he informed Yuri about Zuzu Boyle's existence, claiming that she might be the fourth piece that he was looking for. Because of this, he ordered Yuri to bring Zuzu to Duel Academy.

When Sora asked Leo directly to let him return to Standard, Leo granted his request, under the conditions that Obelisk Force would accompany him and that he would retrieve Celina and bring her back to Duel Academy.

Friendship Cup Finals
After hearing Dennis' report that Zuzu and Celina were in the Synchro Dimension's City, Leo gave Barrett a new mission to go to the Synchro Dimension with the Obelisk Force and capture Zuzu and Celina. He also informed him that Yuri would also come to the Synchro Dimension.

Heartland City
After Mamoru sent a report about Pendulum Summoning being used in the Xyz Dimension, Leo sent Gloria and Grace Tyler to Heartland City to help defeat the Lancers. As a precaution he also sent the Obelisk Force as backup in case the Tyler sisters lost. After Leo received Celina's report that she had captured Zuzu, he mused that it was time for Yusho Sakaki to learn the truth, while he watched Yusho arrive at Duel Academy with The Doktor.

As Doktor monitored how his "" made Rin follow his orders, Leo recognized his results but warned him that Rin and her counterparts are important to the Arc Area Project and not to be harmed. He then looked over to the other monitor to see Yusho and Alexis Rhodes. When Sanders contacted him about the Lancers landing on the island's north side, Leo told him to carry out the mission according to the plan and take Yuya Sakaki down. Leo watched Shay and Kite argue over Lulu's sanity while listening to the Doktor wondering if the siblings bond could beat the Professor's will, and merely watched as the Doktor ran to do more improvements after Shay defeated Lulu. He watched the Duel between Alexis and Yuri, but was horrified at Yuri's wish to seal everyone in all dimensions into cards to prove he's the strongest, evening standing up when Yuri sealed Alexis into a card. He then watched Yuya Dueled Lulu and noticed something when Yuya told Lulu he was Yuto. He then stood up in surprise when Yuya turned into Yuto and wondered if the second personality in Yuya was something else. He was informed by the Doktor that he captured Yuya and had his students bring in Declan, Riley, and Yusho, telling the latter he's been waiting for him.

Duel Academy
He saw Riley, wondering who he was and told Yusho he wasn't a genius since the ARC System was just reproduced from existing technology. He revealed to them that it was developed in the United World and asked them why the only difference between the Four Dimensions were the Summoning methods. He then revealed how the United World had all of them and the ARC System was already put to practical use there. He wanted to give new possibilities and create a ARC System that was more vivid, lively, and flexible. He then used Duel Monsters with it and found out there were perfectly compatible but unintentionally opened Pandora's Box. His research brought forth powerful monsters with mass and was praised as the person for leading Dueling into a new era. But the technology led the world to ruin due to the people's frenzy and the appearance of Zarc. He also revealed how Zarc evolved Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz with their finest dragons and stood at the top of the Dueling world. Then, when the people celebrated that day, Zarc declared he'll the world and Summoned his four dragons to attack everyone. He then remembered how Duel Monsters had souls, which appeared in the worst possible way by giving them real bodies, thereby materializing their anger. Since they a body made from Solid Vision, normal weapons had no affect on them and had begun to take revenge. He told them how the four dragons swallowed Zarc's and became the Ultimate Monster: Supreme Dragon King Zarc. The only thing that could fight Zarc, who had godlike power was a Duelist just as strong. Leo felt responsible for creating that demon and couldn't afford to give up, even if it meant sacrificing himself to save his world. When Declan called it a myth to calm Riley, Leo angrily told him it did, since took place in front of his eyes and that world would enter its final moments because of Supreme Dragon King Zarc.

When Yusho questioned him about Zarc, Leo told him how the four dragons were responsible for combining into that monster and when it split, the world did as well for each summoning method. He was then contacted by a Duel Academy member who told him that Yuya escaped from the Doktor's lab, surprising him. He then told the Doktor to bring the girls as fast as he can and saw Yuya enter his inner chambers. As Yusho tried to convince him not to involve the children and tell him the full story, Leo told Yuya he's finally gotten this far and told Yusho that Yuya isn't his son. When Yuya told him to give Zuzu back, Leo told him, he's trying to bring back the truth. Zuzu and her counterparts then appeared behind him in tubes and was told by the Doktor that is ready. When the Doktor wanted to deal with Yuya, Leo thought he couldn't win and listened to him express confidence in his work. When the Doktor told him that they should be sharing a similar curiosity in confronting challenging research as fellow researchers, Leo turned him into a card due the Doktor's dangerous thinking and his own past curiosity that caused the Supreme Dragon King's birth.

When Yuya tried to run to Zuzu, Leo blocked his path and told everyone how he created four cards that could defeat Supreme Dragon King Zarc but were stolen by his daughter Ray, who used them herself to prevent Leo from sacrificing himself. When she defeated Zarc, he was sent to a strange town where only standard Duels happened and recreated the ARC System while meeting Yusho around that time. He revealed that the devil also divided into four due to Ray's sacrifice and became aware of it due to his memories coming back. He then obsessed with the possibility that Ray must be somewhere in the Four Dimensions. When Declan revealed why he was looking his father, Leo stated how he came to the Fusion Dimension and told him he didn't go to Duel Academy for a war of aggression. He believed in Ray's survival and found it in Duel Academy, which was Celina due to her spitting image and bracelet. However, she didn't have Ray's memories and remembered that Ray's shadow spilt into four when the Supreme Dragon King divided. He then thought that what if Ray was also divided in each of the Four Dimensions. He then revealed that the girls are reincarnations of Ray and plans to revive her, using the Arc Area Project for that purpose. He then revealed ARC-V to everyone, which will bring back the fifth dimension and Ray completing Revival Zero. He asked Declan to lend his power to defeat Yuya because he is the reincarnation of Zarc and Ray sacrificed and spilt herself to defeat him. He then revealed how Yuya merged with Yuto and increased in power, saying they have to bury that destructive power to prevent the devil's revival. When Declan refused to help him and follow his beliefs with Yuya, Leo told him that belief will bring about a ruined world and challenged them to a Duel.

Ray Akaba
Leo has shown complete devotion and love for his daughter Ray having placed her above all others (including his second family). He is determined at all costs to bring her back with Revival Zero no matter what.

Zarc
Leo absolutely hated Zarc and refers to him as a "Devil". He blames himself for causing Zarc's rampage and is devoted to ensure he will not revive once the Four Dimensions are merged.

Declan Akaba
Leo appears to be apathetic to his son as Declan asserted his father would not ransom him if he were kidnapped. Declan is shown to have a deep grudge towards Leo for neglecting him and his mother and created the Lancers to fight against him. He also displayed a hatred for his father's ambition due to the suffering he and his army have caused, and for abandoning his family.

However, after revealing the truth about the Four Dimensions and his plans to revive Ray, Leo asked his son to help him destroy Yuya in order to prevent Zarc's revival, and was infuriated when Declan rejected the offer.

Celina
Celina is shown to be annoyed the fact that Leo doesn't allow her to go to the front lines and forces her to stay in Duel Academy. Leo is shown to be interested in Celina's unknown ability and Celina is often trying to impress Leo so that he can allow her to join the war with her comrades.

It was later revealed that Leo's confinement of Celina is due to her being one of Ray's reincarnations.

Yuri
Yuri is shown to be Leo's most trusted student, as it is seen he entrusted him to capture Zuzu and her counterparts knowing how he will handle the situation carefully and is confident in his abilities. In return Yuri is very loyal to him and will carry out his orders without question. However, despite this, even he was greatly disturbed with Yuri's sociopathic behavior.

Sora Perse
Leo appears to trust Sora as much as he trusts Yuri, and when Sora requested to return to the Standard Dimension, Leo allowed him to go and ordered him to return Celina to Duel Academy. Unlike Yuri, Sora ignores his orders in favor of his more personal goals, tracking down Shay instead of Celina, and eventually betrayed him.

Yusho Sakaki
According to Yusho they apparently had a fruitful professional relationship due to their collaboration in developing Action Duels and the ARC System.

Yuya Sakaki
Leo despises Yuya due to him being one of Zarc's reincarnations. Out of all of Zarc's reincarnations, he feels threatened by Yuya the most as he has already absorbed Yuto. He wants to destroy Yuya at all costs to prevent Zarc's return before continuing with Revival Zero.