Japanese Indie Otome You Can Play in English

In the last few years otome games have been booming in the West, with tons of great titles making their English language debut! We’ve gone from one or two games to year to 10 or more! It’s truly a great time to be an otome gamer. But, with all the big name titles from Otomate and Broccoli making their way to the West, it’s easy to miss out on some of the smaller indie Japanese otome releases!

These quirky, fun, and short otome titles are just as enjoyable if not more so than their mainstream counterparts. So, I wanted to spotlight a few of the Japanese indie otome games that are available in English!

---

I Love You! (Suki Da!) – Shiohara Shinogi

Follow the antics of a strong-headed female protagonist through her school days in I Love You!, a visual novel otome game where you could meet and date some good boys depending on the choices you make! 

Take the lead in the relationship and live an unforgettable school festival with your friends, or even your future boyfriend. What fun moments will ensue? Who will you choose in the end?

---

Dormitory Love – Hase im Haus

Set in a student dormitory in Tokyo, this game follows the story of Jun Minase, who suddenly finds herself working as the dorm manager for a group of international students.

With six love interests to choose from, there’s someone for everyone. You can pursue the calm and serious German, Felix, or the selfish yet charming femboy Frenchman, Guillaume. Alternatively, you might fall for the star basketball player from the United States, Josh, or the enigmatic and mysterious Chinese student, Ling. Perhaps you’ll be drawn to the gentle and carefree Russian photographer, Sasha, or the cynical British nerd, Sean.

As you guide Jun through the spring and summer seasons, you’ll experience a variety of seasonal events, including cherry blossom viewing, a hot spring trip, visits to a water park, and a summer festival, all while building your own love story with one of the six unique characters. Along the way, you’ll laugh, cry, and experience all the ups and downs of romance.

---

Guardian Goddess – SHIONO

The heroine with a mysterious past gets a job in a store in the underworld. A male doll will help her with this work. But perhaps they’ve met before.

---

My Dear Love – H9O6

MY DEAR☆LOVE is a crossover between visual novel and stat-raising simulation game, inspired by classic titles in the genre such as the Princess Maker series and shoujo manga series such as Baby & Me (Aka-chan to Boku) and Aishiteruze Baby. You play as high school girl Megumi Takahashi (first name renameable) who takes on the task of taking care of kindergartener Katsuya, the little boy nephew of her crush, Atsuya Suzuki!

---

Childhood Friend – Hase im Haus

Honoka, the sweet and clingy heroine, has always been close to her older brother figure, Kai (big Bro Onii). One night, she visits Kai, who is busy preparing for his university entrance exams. Despite being brushed off due to his study commitments, Honoka is determined to get his attention. As the story unfolds, glimpses of their shared past and moments that test their bond as childhood friends are revealed, filled with heart-fluttering scenes.

---

Melty Amethyst – Miniature fleur

*Melty Amethyst is set to release October 1, 2024!

The main heroine went to Tokyo because she admired her older sister, who worked here as a model.
She spends her days working part-time at a convenience store.
She likes working with her fellow friends though, something is missing from her life…
One day, a new friend rushes into her life.

---

There’s no such thing as a harem – Rage

This is a romance game that starts with a lazy princess trying to build a harem.
Try to visit different places in the castle and bond with them in order to recruit them into your harem.
Though, eventually, you may get involved in something suspicious or get into a lot of trouble…

---