Hi I thought I'd put forward what I've noticed on the running (and very likely correct) theory that Enzo is based visually upon French actor Jean Reno.

Now the most common comparision that is made is between Enzo and Reno's character Leon in Leon/The Professional, perhaps due to some similiarity between Enzo's glasses and Leon's circular sunglasses (people seem to make personality comparisions too but I'll focus on visual as it's what Iv'e more explore).

There are certainly some references to Leon throughout Hotman including Enzo taking the pseudonym Leon when he becomes a male escort in volume 5 and wearing what appears to be a promotional t-shirt for the film on the cover/chapter art for Volume 6.

However the most pure visual inspiration for Enzo actually comes from an earlier Jean Reno film.

I was watching the trailer for an earlier film by Luc Besson (who directed Leon/The Professional and used Jean Reno in all of his films up to and including Leon) called Big Blue (alas it was only the trailer and not the film since in my country many world directors, including Besson and John Woo, are represented primarily if not only by their later American works and in the case of Besson Leon and The Big Blue are not currently available on DVD (My copy of Leon was imported)).

Anyway in this trailer I spotted Reno wearing circular glasses and looking much like our favourite Health food loving art teacher.

Coincidence in appearance perhaps, well a little research revealed more to the story, Reno's character in the film was named ....... Enzo!

further research (ok this part was the result of me checking wikipedia and IMDB as I typed the rest of this study into the chat box) reveals that the Hotman Manga actually began some time before "The Professional" was screened in Japan.

Ultimate conclusions that I would make is that the Mangaka took the basic visual design of Enzo from Jean Reno's Enzo Moliniari (himself based upon diver Enzo Maiorca)and later incorporated references to Reno as Leon (and perhaps more subtle references to earlier and later characters by Reno).

Anyway now you have what could possibly the whole story in Enzo Furiya's relationship to Jean Reno.

Anyone who finds references to other Reno characters (or particularly interesting references to Enzo Molianiari or Leon) please post away I'll be happy to hear of them