Whether you think they’re cliché or overused, tropes make the world go round! Otome games are ripe with tropes, from accidental cohabitation to ridiculous meet cutes to the standard character archetypes, we all have tropes that we love (and hate) from the genre. So, today I wanted to share some of my favorite otome tropes that really set my heart aflutter~
When the LIs Get Flustered by the Heroine
I don’t know about y’all, but there is just something really cute about a calm and collected otome man being reduced to a flustered, sputtering, blushing mess after a bit of playful teasing from his lady love. Absolutely adorable! Maybe I just like when otome guys show their softer, more vulnerable side (or maybe I like teasing them), but there is just something special about their blushing boys that gets my heart racing! Besides it’s only fair that we turn the tables on them every now and again and give them a taste of their own medicine!
Otome Heroines That Make the First Move
Far too often otome heroines are innocent, demure young ladies with very little in the way of romantic experience—the kind of gal who get’s flustered by a bit of hand holding and something as small as a kiss on the cheek is a scandalous affair… But, then there are other otome heroines who aren’t afraid to show their chosen boy just how much they want them. More and more otome heroines are starting to take the initiative in their relationships and I am here for it! Women can get flirty too and I am so glad more of the newer otome games are giving us heroines who aren’t afraid to put the moves on their chosen bae!
Bromance/Family Dynamics Between the LIs
With otome games the main focus is always on the romance, but I love it when a game takes time out to explore more platonic relationships. It really makes a game for me when you see the LIs and the heroine hanging out casually, whether that’s eating dinner together at their secret base or going out for drinks at the local bar—it’s nice to see the cast having fun together. There have been times where I’ve played an otome game where the chemistry between the LIs was actually better than the individual romance *cough* Fashioning Little Miss Lonesome *cough*
Megane Otome LIs
This is no secret… I have made my love of megane men known far and wide and I am not ashamed to say that if there is a megane in an otome game, I will immediately make it my mission to woo them. On a very basic level, I think glasses on a guy is hot, buuuut, if I wanted to dig a bit deeper, I suppose my love of megane characters stem from the fact that they tend to be the mature intellectual love interest in an otome games and those tend to be the types of guys that appeal to me (my growing love of himbos notwithstanding). But, more recently, we’re starting to get megane LIs from different character archetypes—Helvetica from Bustafellows and Eltcreed from Steam Prison lean more towards the flirty LI trope—and I like this shift, since it gives us a bit more variety (I am still waiting for someone to make an otome where all the LIs are megane, PLEASE).
Childhood Friends Romances
I know this is cliché, but childhood friends to lovers romance routes are growing on me. They’re just so cute and wholesome (when done right). Usually otome games are all about two strangers meeting and slowly building a relationship with one another through shared experiences, and that’s fine, but, it’s also nice to see romance blossom between a couple with an established friendship. It just feels more natural to have a romantic relationship that is built on a strong foundation of friendship!
What Are Your Favorite Otome Tropes?
There are tons of otome tropes—some are great and others… not so much—and these are just a handful of my faves. But, I’d love to hear from you all, what are some of your favorite otome tropes? Do you like some of the tropes I mentioned? Let me know your favorite tropes down in the comments!
Childhood friends romances are my favorite!
Agree on all of these, especially megane!
Megane Otome LIs 😍😍💗💗💗💗
I love megane charas!!
And blushing boys. Omg!! They’re adorable indeed
It’s always the Megane boys… 👓
I’m a sucker for childhood romance though I also like tsundere love interests… :3
I don’t know why I love when he wears a Japanese kimono with a huge body
Family dynamics all the way! Found family is my absolute weakness in any genre. I’m currently playing through Code Realize for the first time (2/5 routes done, a third one ongoing) and while the romance is well-written, very touching, and very meaningful from an uncovering-a-specific-character’s-dealio point of view and Cardia-coming-into-her-own point of view, part of me also just want the Lupin gang to go on runaway adventures around the world.
Heroine (or MC regardless of gender) making the first move is a good one as well. Bonus points if the LI is obviously into it, and MC is rewarded or encouraged for being bold (this is one of the reasons why I love flirty LIs. In some games their route is an excuse for sexist posturing, or they come with a fanclub or rival character which gets the shaft, and yikes, but in others pursuing a flirt is occasion for the player to select more assertive options, and have the character respond favourably to attraction or interest. Seeing how some romance media, in the East as well as the West, like to display women as “pure” and innocent to the point of irrealism, playing through these kinds of interaction can be a breath of fresh air).
Aside from that… I’m gonna get cheesy, but I really enjoy the Meaningful Gift or Meaningful Message left to the MC by the LI — especially if not far ahead in the romance. It may be a trinket, a text, whatever, that harps back to either MC’s personality or their history with the LI, and just signifies that the LI has been thinking of them in a particular way. Think some of MysMes’s chats. This is just a cute thing to have in a game (provided that the person making the gesture isn’t a yandere and didn’t get all of their info by stalking MC >>; )
Kent is just so ｋａｗａｉｉ. 💕