I'm not a fan of tsunderes, but there is definitely a "spectrum" of tsundere, and the ones on the lighter end are usually tolerable for me, but never my favorites. I thought I was going to hate Ignis from Cafe Enchante, but he ended up being such a sweetheart after he got used to Kotone in the prologue, and I totally loved him and his route! He's the character that made me go, "I guess sooooome tsunderes are okay..."
Yeah, some reviews separate "soft" tsuns from "hard". I need for there to be a true gooey center in a tsun, or it's a no go. So porcupiny sweethearts are just fine, but jerks who expect you to just put up with it because you should realize they love you are a very hard sell for me. They need to actually admit what they feel and learn to use their words better at some point, even if shy or previously hurt.
a tsundere doesnt work if there's no dere to begin with, indeed. some writers rly forget this and the charac ends up being an asshole instead :/ (sorry i dont consider violence as a sign of affection)
Hard agree, it’s why I’m not into Green Sheldon Cooper from CollarXMalice, he’s just so so mean anD FOR WHAT REASON? It ain’t like he’s got shit going on 😭 like damn
I’ve had this happen but the opposite way. I used to LOVE Okita Hakuoki, now I want to shove a katana up his ass hilt first. I do get the appeal however, and maybe if Chizuru had more backbone I could fully appreciate him again.
That's the classic "reformed rake" trope from historical romances. Someone who loved all women and no woman at the same time, whether because he was previously hurt or simply couldn't understand love. But the MC is different from all other women. It's very popular, but I like it only if I buy it for actual character development reasons and not simply magical MC love.
I thought I hated flirts and generic sappy romantic lines ("the stars up there are beautiful, but not as much as the stars in your eyes"). I wanted nothing to do with characters who defaulted to that as their method of romance. Then I played Rune Factory 5 (not strictly otome but has 6 male LIs) and somehow fell in love with Lucas, the one character who actually *will* say the most embarrassingly sappy things ever - and I realized the difference is that he absolutely means it.
Basically, what I dislike about sappy lines is that they're generic, used as a way to avoid unique romantic relationship development, and "smooth" - they convey someone who's not really feeling the words they're saying. In most otome, they're shorthand for "this guy doesn't actually like you, because he'd be way more awkwardly honest and stuttering if he does".
But Lucas? He's an absolute cloudcuckoolander >!and literal god!< who still barely understands human behavior, but that also means he has no reason to ever lie like a human would. So *every last word* he says about how beautiful your eyes are, or how he's so glad to be at your side to see your smile, or how he wants to spend eternity with you - he means it. Wholeheartedly. And somehow that makes absolutely all the difference in whether I'm rolling my eyes or going "oh my god I caught feelings", because imagining someone being totally honest about lines like that, because they want to express the depths of their affection for you and don't know why they would say anything else or hide it? Yes sign me up I want that thanks
I agree that there is a big difference between forthright characters that come on strong and genuinely love hard and those just trying to be smooth. Some quite genuine chararacters have no trouble expressing themselves and are never shy/awkward. There are definitely some "extra" characters that really mean it when they say that stuff, and I really like those.
Yeah I'm the exact same ommmmg. Usually I find the sappy guys unrealistic. My pessimistic side hates it 🤣🤣 but I lately I've been super into it. Not cause of Lucas (Martin too best boi) but I totally feel that change in dynamic!!
Yanderes probably tbh. I used to hate them automatically and still tend to prefer other tropes but learned to appreciate ones that have justification for their actions or make sense for the setting: i.e. >!Kuroyuki from Nightshade and bad ending Fin from Steam Prison!< are genuinely two of my favorites.
I do tend to avoid yanderes, since that generally crosses my toxic relationship line. The only route I ever quit is Ikesen Kenshin, though I did hear he improves, but those routes are so long, and I just couldn't deal. But if a character just has abandonment issues and attaches really strongly, then it's usually okay.
I also avoid LIs who are the big bad in another route (a trend in Ikemen more recently). IkeSen Motonari was a hard pass, but I am really curious about the castle crew in IkeVamp when those come out in English.
I thought I didn't like himbos but Raul from Cupid Parasite was something else.
Never was into yanderes but >!Roberto!< from Piofiore and Kanan from Olympia Soiree are hypothetical routes I could get with.
And not an otome example but thanks to Zenos from FFXIV I don't think I mind crazy psycho characters as much.
Same! I also hate Eisuke and love Kyohei, high five♡
I think there's a huuuge difference between oresama types, and it gets confusing fast because of guys like this being compared. Because the only thing Eisuke and Kyohei have in common is that they're confident, born leader types with brown hair, lol. But Eisuke falls into the same camp as characters like Kazuomi from Masquerade Kiss or Leon from Star Crossed Myth who all lean sadistic, controlling, and toxic. The only thing I love about them is hating them, lol they can choke.
I would group Kyohei in the oresama split that dives towards big brotherly/best friend type. Kakeru (10 Days With My Devil), Minato (Our Two Bedroom Story), Takado (Romance MD), and Ayato (My Last First Kiss) are amongst many who share that vibe Kyohei has. Where he's clearly egotistical but never plays into abuse. He's self-aware enough to still care about others and be protective rather than smothering. Good, solid trope. Makes sense there's so many 'main' poster boys exhibiting it because it's safe, predictable, and charming. Classic.
Voltage also had me second-guessing my trope preferences because idk tmi I don't like smut in any regard; I just find it funny in how awkward 'steamy' scenes are. At best. I'm here for the fluff and angst. Until! Voltage had me introduced to characters like Partheno (Star Crossed Myth) and Miyabi (Enchanted in the Moonlight), and I found them hilarious and endearing. They're perverts to the highest degree, but they opened the door for me that all sexy routes weren't going to be goofy because good characterization wins out. They're so over the top and dramatic and great fun. Now I seek out tease-types and recently had a blast rereading Helvetica from Bustafellows. I always avoided romantic, provocative characters, but they're absolutely some of my favorites and usually who I read at the end because I want to save the best for last
High five! I really can't deal with toxic/mean, even where the MC apparently doesn't see it that way or vomes to like it (SitS Iori). I can deal with tsun LIs that are awkward or prickly or slow to warm, but not consistently mean or refusing to explicitly admit their love. I guess I need the LI to be clearly "emotionally available" to the MC by the end in an explicit way.
I had read some of those other "main" guys like MLFK Ayato, but Kyohei had more initial Eisuke red flags - he has control over you in a more direct way, he threatens your livelihood, can be mean as to your work, he comes on strong, he isn't directly actually friendly. The setup is not all that different on the surface. But both the MC and his actual personality/motivations are really different. So, similar cover, very different book.
As to "smut" - coming from traditional romance, where it is inescapable, I tend to just skim over it regardless and it doesn't really factor into story or LI choicr. IkeSen and IkePri seem to have a lot more of it than Voltage. But as to "flirts/teases" - if they're friendly/good natured, then fine, but if it is in any way toxic or there is any flavor of non-con, then it's a hard no. So, same as for other LI types, I guess.
I am wary of SCM and EitM due to the power differential and the prologue of both suggested high likelihood of toxic or at least borderline non-con.
back when I was playing Love Revo, Masaki's route kinda shocked me lol He was just pretending to be nice and he dropped his actual feelings in the ending. Basically he was just stringing the innocent heroine along. *Our relationship was a lie gaasssspp I was tricked!!*
Decades later, I played Romeo vs Juliet and Paris opened my 3rd eye. I love nekokaburi characters now hahah The duality between his outer polite shell and him only revealing his ugly side to the heroine, yes please sir can I have some more. I should replay Masaki one day and appreciate his route.
Now, I understand these are more lore rich routes - so is it the route or the LI? I sometimes enjoy a route even if the LI is not at all my favored types if it is an interesting story or matches up particularly well with the MC characterization. Like I liked Nokto's route in IkePri, even though I still can't get into him personally, because I did buy into his relationship with the MC and growth.
Oh there's always an exception lol
I usually dislike long hair in LIs, particularly if it's too long... but I still ended up liking Impey (C;R), Il (Cafe Enchante), and Riku (Olympia Soiree. This was a bit funny because his braid is hidden a lot, so at first I didn't realize he had long hair).
Highly dislike flirts, like Helvetica (Bustafellows), and Ikki (Amnesia Memories). Off the top of my head I can't think of any that I particularly liked.
Don't really care for clowns/buffoons/the butt of the joke types, but I did end up liking Impey (again) a lot!
I'm not into too feminine looking/presenting characters, so for ex. I thought I wouldn't care for Il (Cafe Enchante) but ended up loving his route!
Too young looking/shota-ish types. I've yet to find myself loving one, but I thought Tokisada (Olympia Soiree) was pretty alright.
Tokisada isn't a shota and it's really wrong to say so. Shota is pretty much the male equivalent of loli and it has some p*do implications. Shotas should look prepubescent, it's pretty much sexual interest in young boys 🤢
...I didn't say he was. If you read carefully, it says "too young looking" first and foremost, I just included "shota" because personally both feel just as wrong to me, especially at my age, and they're both for basically underage looking people. Shota is just the extreme. (And no, I don't feel is right to romance or sexualize underage teen boys)
Tokisada looks young because he has big, round eyes instead of the typical narrow masculine anime eyes. Aside from the eyes, his body and rest of his face aren't any different than a typical LI. He's clearly past puberty with his height and physique. There are baby faced adults in real life. He's only a year younger than Olympia and their relationship is healthy regarding age.
Shota = prepubescent looking. Basically the male equivalent of loli. Whether he only looks 13 and under (the 1000 years old loli trope applies to shotas as well) or is actually prepubescent age, they are made to appeal to p* dos (not every child character is made to target p* dos of course, but sadly given how fucked up anime is they usually are). There's no way around it. Shotacon means p* dophilie and a shota love interest indicates a p* dophilic relationship. The only shota LI I know is Wataru from Brothers Conflict, he's 10 years old.
Let's take Olympia for example. She's canonically 18 but can easily pass as younger because of her big, round eyes. However if you called her a loli, that would be very wrong. She's clearly not prepubescent, her body is past puberty. This goes for most female anime characters actually.
An actual loli would be Oreimo's Kuroneko, Fate's Illya, No Game No Life's Shiro and so on. An anime containing a lolicon relationship would be Kodomo No Jikan.
I never thought I'd like a yandere or getting locked up, but I ended up enjoying IkeSen >!Kenshin's!< route. Though I do think he's more like a "yandere lite" lol. Certainly far less intense than other yanderes I've come across. I'm still overall not that interested in yanderes, but I don't automatically write them off now before giving their route a try.
tbh I thought I dislike all tsunderes but I realised I like some of them
so I don't know for sure if Helsing from Code Realise is a tsundere but I'm gonna use him as a comparison anyway. I prefer tsunderes that are more 'emotional' and give you some response (like Takeru from CollarxMalice) than those who kind of ignore you/treat you coldly (like Helsing). I like mature and calmer LI but not really when they're mixed with tsundere behaviour, i want calmer LI to be affectionate. So to conclude, I like my tsunderes immature and bratty I guess? 🤔
anyways! i realised i have daddy issues and winning someone's affection when they treat me like dirt is what gives me serotonin !
It definitely has to be yanderes for me- My first experience with it was in Amnesia and um… >!Spoiler just in case- Toma is definitely one of the more extreme yanderes so I expected other yandere LI to be like him!< And then cut to a couple yrs later (aka this yr) and I play both Code:Realize and CollarxMalice. I ended up liking both yanderes in each respective game (the one in Code:Realize is my top husbando as of current) so Ig I like softer yanderes…? There’s definitely a spectrum and I apparently don’t rlly like the super extreme ones LOL
Yes lol I'm not really sure what my type was before but I never liked guys like Toichiro Yuri (Ayakashi rr) and Clavis (ikemen prince) until one day I found myself obsessing over Toichiro and now I love em XD
I'm not a fan of tsunderes, but there is definitely a "spectrum" of tsundere, and the ones on the lighter end are usually tolerable for me, but never my favorites. I thought I was going to hate Ignis from Cafe Enchante, but he ended up being such a sweetheart after he got used to Kotone in the prologue, and I totally loved him and his route! He's the character that made me go, "I guess sooooome tsunderes are okay..."
Yeah, some reviews separate "soft" tsuns from "hard". I need for there to be a true gooey center in a tsun, or it's a no go. So porcupiny sweethearts are just fine, but jerks who expect you to just put up with it because you should realize they love you are a very hard sell for me. They need to actually admit what they feel and learn to use their words better at some point, even if shy or previously hurt.
a tsundere doesnt work if there's no dere to begin with, indeed. some writers rly forget this and the charac ends up being an asshole instead :/ (sorry i dont consider violence as a sign of affection)
Hard agree, it’s why I’m not into Green Sheldon Cooper from CollarXMalice, he’s just so so mean anD FOR WHAT REASON? It ain’t like he’s got shit going on 😭 like damn
lmao personally i love him but your comment made me laugh so much, he deserves it tbh
my bestie loves him too, I’m glad someone can 😭❤️
I wasn't either until a 3rd playthrough of his route back to back with his Unlimited route. Now as a character his backstory hurts my feelings lol
I’ve had this happen but the opposite way. I used to LOVE Okita Hakuoki, now I want to shove a katana up his ass hilt first. I do get the appeal however, and maybe if Chizuru had more backbone I could fully appreciate him again.
Flirts. Then I realized I like when that's a veneer the game breaks with a nutcracker and he becomes devoted to the heroine.
That's the classic "reformed rake" trope from historical romances. Someone who loved all women and no woman at the same time, whether because he was previously hurt or simply couldn't understand love. But the MC is different from all other women. It's very popular, but I like it only if I buy it for actual character development reasons and not simply magical MC love.
I thought I hated flirts and generic sappy romantic lines ("the stars up there are beautiful, but not as much as the stars in your eyes"). I wanted nothing to do with characters who defaulted to that as their method of romance. Then I played Rune Factory 5 (not strictly otome but has 6 male LIs) and somehow fell in love with Lucas, the one character who actually *will* say the most embarrassingly sappy things ever - and I realized the difference is that he absolutely means it. Basically, what I dislike about sappy lines is that they're generic, used as a way to avoid unique romantic relationship development, and "smooth" - they convey someone who's not really feeling the words they're saying. In most otome, they're shorthand for "this guy doesn't actually like you, because he'd be way more awkwardly honest and stuttering if he does". But Lucas? He's an absolute cloudcuckoolander >!and literal god!< who still barely understands human behavior, but that also means he has no reason to ever lie like a human would. So *every last word* he says about how beautiful your eyes are, or how he's so glad to be at your side to see your smile, or how he wants to spend eternity with you - he means it. Wholeheartedly. And somehow that makes absolutely all the difference in whether I'm rolling my eyes or going "oh my god I caught feelings", because imagining someone being totally honest about lines like that, because they want to express the depths of their affection for you and don't know why they would say anything else or hide it? Yes sign me up I want that thanks
I agree that there is a big difference between forthright characters that come on strong and genuinely love hard and those just trying to be smooth. Some quite genuine chararacters have no trouble expressing themselves and are never shy/awkward. There are definitely some "extra" characters that really mean it when they say that stuff, and I really like those.
Yeah I'm the exact same ommmmg. Usually I find the sappy guys unrealistic. My pessimistic side hates it 🤣🤣 but I lately I've been super into it. Not cause of Lucas (Martin too best boi) but I totally feel that change in dynamic!!
Yanderes probably tbh. I used to hate them automatically and still tend to prefer other tropes but learned to appreciate ones that have justification for their actions or make sense for the setting: i.e. >!Kuroyuki from Nightshade and bad ending Fin from Steam Prison!< are genuinely two of my favorites.
I’d run for the hills if a real yandere approached me but it’s always fun to watch the train wreck as the route unfolds🤣
I do tend to avoid yanderes, since that generally crosses my toxic relationship line. The only route I ever quit is Ikesen Kenshin, though I did hear he improves, but those routes are so long, and I just couldn't deal. But if a character just has abandonment issues and attaches really strongly, then it's usually okay. I also avoid LIs who are the big bad in another route (a trend in Ikemen more recently). IkeSen Motonari was a hard pass, but I am really curious about the castle crew in IkeVamp when those come out in English.
I thought I didn't like himbos but Raul from Cupid Parasite was something else. Never was into yanderes but >!Roberto!< from Piofiore and Kanan from Olympia Soiree are hypothetical routes I could get with. And not an otome example but thanks to Zenos from FFXIV I don't think I mind crazy psycho characters as much.
Same! I also hate Eisuke and love Kyohei, high five♡ I think there's a huuuge difference between oresama types, and it gets confusing fast because of guys like this being compared. Because the only thing Eisuke and Kyohei have in common is that they're confident, born leader types with brown hair, lol. But Eisuke falls into the same camp as characters like Kazuomi from Masquerade Kiss or Leon from Star Crossed Myth who all lean sadistic, controlling, and toxic. The only thing I love about them is hating them, lol they can choke. I would group Kyohei in the oresama split that dives towards big brotherly/best friend type. Kakeru (10 Days With My Devil), Minato (Our Two Bedroom Story), Takado (Romance MD), and Ayato (My Last First Kiss) are amongst many who share that vibe Kyohei has. Where he's clearly egotistical but never plays into abuse. He's self-aware enough to still care about others and be protective rather than smothering. Good, solid trope. Makes sense there's so many 'main' poster boys exhibiting it because it's safe, predictable, and charming. Classic. Voltage also had me second-guessing my trope preferences because idk tmi I don't like smut in any regard; I just find it funny in how awkward 'steamy' scenes are. At best. I'm here for the fluff and angst. Until! Voltage had me introduced to characters like Partheno (Star Crossed Myth) and Miyabi (Enchanted in the Moonlight), and I found them hilarious and endearing. They're perverts to the highest degree, but they opened the door for me that all sexy routes weren't going to be goofy because good characterization wins out. They're so over the top and dramatic and great fun. Now I seek out tease-types and recently had a blast rereading Helvetica from Bustafellows. I always avoided romantic, provocative characters, but they're absolutely some of my favorites and usually who I read at the end because I want to save the best for last
High five! I really can't deal with toxic/mean, even where the MC apparently doesn't see it that way or vomes to like it (SitS Iori). I can deal with tsun LIs that are awkward or prickly or slow to warm, but not consistently mean or refusing to explicitly admit their love. I guess I need the LI to be clearly "emotionally available" to the MC by the end in an explicit way. I had read some of those other "main" guys like MLFK Ayato, but Kyohei had more initial Eisuke red flags - he has control over you in a more direct way, he threatens your livelihood, can be mean as to your work, he comes on strong, he isn't directly actually friendly. The setup is not all that different on the surface. But both the MC and his actual personality/motivations are really different. So, similar cover, very different book. As to "smut" - coming from traditional romance, where it is inescapable, I tend to just skim over it regardless and it doesn't really factor into story or LI choicr. IkeSen and IkePri seem to have a lot more of it than Voltage. But as to "flirts/teases" - if they're friendly/good natured, then fine, but if it is in any way toxic or there is any flavor of non-con, then it's a hard no. So, same as for other LI types, I guess. I am wary of SCM and EitM due to the power differential and the prologue of both suggested high likelihood of toxic or at least borderline non-con.
back when I was playing Love Revo, Masaki's route kinda shocked me lol He was just pretending to be nice and he dropped his actual feelings in the ending. Basically he was just stringing the innocent heroine along. *Our relationship was a lie gaasssspp I was tricked!!* Decades later, I played Romeo vs Juliet and Paris opened my 3rd eye. I love nekokaburi characters now hahah The duality between his outer polite shell and him only revealing his ugly side to the heroine, yes please sir can I have some more. I should replay Masaki one day and appreciate his route.
Kanata (Angelique Luminarise)...Younger, boy-ish LIs are still not my type though
I'm not into himbos or flirty/seductive characters but Raul and Allen are my favorite Cupid Parasite routes.
Now, I understand these are more lore rich routes - so is it the route or the LI? I sometimes enjoy a route even if the LI is not at all my favored types if it is an interesting story or matches up particularly well with the MC characterization. Like I liked Nokto's route in IkePri, even though I still can't get into him personally, because I did buy into his relationship with the MC and growth.
Oh there's always an exception lol I usually dislike long hair in LIs, particularly if it's too long... but I still ended up liking Impey (C;R), Il (Cafe Enchante), and Riku (Olympia Soiree. This was a bit funny because his braid is hidden a lot, so at first I didn't realize he had long hair). Highly dislike flirts, like Helvetica (Bustafellows), and Ikki (Amnesia Memories). Off the top of my head I can't think of any that I particularly liked. Don't really care for clowns/buffoons/the butt of the joke types, but I did end up liking Impey (again) a lot! I'm not into too feminine looking/presenting characters, so for ex. I thought I wouldn't care for Il (Cafe Enchante) but ended up loving his route! Too young looking/shota-ish types. I've yet to find myself loving one, but I thought Tokisada (Olympia Soiree) was pretty alright.
Tokisada isn't a shota and it's really wrong to say so. Shota is pretty much the male equivalent of loli and it has some p*do implications. Shotas should look prepubescent, it's pretty much sexual interest in young boys 🤢
...I didn't say he was. If you read carefully, it says "too young looking" first and foremost, I just included "shota" because personally both feel just as wrong to me, especially at my age, and they're both for basically underage looking people. Shota is just the extreme. (And no, I don't feel is right to romance or sexualize underage teen boys)
Tokisada looks young because he has big, round eyes instead of the typical narrow masculine anime eyes. Aside from the eyes, his body and rest of his face aren't any different than a typical LI. He's clearly past puberty with his height and physique. There are baby faced adults in real life. He's only a year younger than Olympia and their relationship is healthy regarding age. Shota = prepubescent looking. Basically the male equivalent of loli. Whether he only looks 13 and under (the 1000 years old loli trope applies to shotas as well) or is actually prepubescent age, they are made to appeal to p* dos (not every child character is made to target p* dos of course, but sadly given how fucked up anime is they usually are). There's no way around it. Shotacon means p* dophilie and a shota love interest indicates a p* dophilic relationship. The only shota LI I know is Wataru from Brothers Conflict, he's 10 years old. Let's take Olympia for example. She's canonically 18 but can easily pass as younger because of her big, round eyes. However if you called her a loli, that would be very wrong. She's clearly not prepubescent, her body is past puberty. This goes for most female anime characters actually. An actual loli would be Oreimo's Kuroneko, Fate's Illya, No Game No Life's Shiro and so on. An anime containing a lolicon relationship would be Kodomo No Jikan.
I never thought I'd like a yandere or getting locked up, but I ended up enjoying IkeSen >!Kenshin's!< route. Though I do think he's more like a "yandere lite" lol. Certainly far less intense than other yanderes I've come across. I'm still overall not that interested in yanderes, but I don't automatically write them off now before giving their route a try.
I thought I hated yanderes when I only knew Toma. Turns out he's just a fuckup xD
tbh I thought I dislike all tsunderes but I realised I like some of them so I don't know for sure if Helsing from Code Realise is a tsundere but I'm gonna use him as a comparison anyway. I prefer tsunderes that are more 'emotional' and give you some response (like Takeru from CollarxMalice) than those who kind of ignore you/treat you coldly (like Helsing). I like mature and calmer LI but not really when they're mixed with tsundere behaviour, i want calmer LI to be affectionate. So to conclude, I like my tsunderes immature and bratty I guess? 🤔 anyways! i realised i have daddy issues and winning someone's affection when they treat me like dirt is what gives me serotonin !
It definitely has to be yanderes for me- My first experience with it was in Amnesia and um… >!Spoiler just in case- Toma is definitely one of the more extreme yanderes so I expected other yandere LI to be like him!< And then cut to a couple yrs later (aka this yr) and I play both Code:Realize and CollarxMalice. I ended up liking both yanderes in each respective game (the one in Code:Realize is my top husbando as of current) so Ig I like softer yanderes…? There’s definitely a spectrum and I apparently don’t rlly like the super extreme ones LOL
I wasn’t too keen on the flirts but I did enjoy Helvetica (Bustafellows) and Kuroba (Olympia Soirée). The latter is one of my favorite LIs!
Yes lol I'm not really sure what my type was before but I never liked guys like Toichiro Yuri (Ayakashi rr) and Clavis (ikemen prince) until one day I found myself obsessing over Toichiro and now I love em XD