Undateable side characters are a heinous addition to a dating game 😭

"The Playboy - F"
Straight to the POINT!!!! 🥰🤗

I'm not a fan of the "older love interest" b/c Otome Protags are usually kids, but as an adult I do enjoy having actual adult love interests in Otome/romance games (Thank you, Stardew Valley)

Imo the appeal of himbos is that, despite the fact that they're not particularly book or street smart (or maybe both), they're often written to be very emotionally intelligent. Their typically beefy/masculine looks that might have intimidated or put off the player are balanced out by a lot of softness! Their warm and sweet version on masculinity is very refreshing and disarms players who aren't into macho characters. It's definitely a taste thing though

Love your art style by the way!

I feel like the undatable side character trope is often made so the creator can launch a spin off dating sim that will have the side character as the love interest and get lots of clicks. A smart tactic honestly.

this video is so insanely real (as someone who is also aroace and plays lotss of dating sims) however. the disrespect to the himbo is diabolical he deserves higher than that

I'm aroace but I love the yandere trope because it's just so interesting. I want to have a peak in the characters brain and understand what's going on in there.

The side character one HITS, especially as a pan girly. What do you mean my hot best friend is off-limits? Let me live wtf.

To be fair to the age gap thing, very many otome game protagonists are like 16-18 years old, which would indeed be problematic for a 30-year-old to be pursuing. At least IRL.

Technically, they're almost or barely old enough to be the MC's father.

HIMBO IN C TIER?!? Jail. Love ur sona tho, ur art style is so cute :)

How about a funny clown who is actually the most traumatized person in a game? I'm talking about you, 707 from mystic messenger!

For the playboy routes, I always end up kind of falling for the rival. I WANT SOMEONE AS OBSESSED WITH ME AS THEY ARE WITH THEM CMON A GIRL CAN DREAM RIGHT. (so yes, I do like yandere routes a lot.)

Aroace myself, and I’ve personally always found dating games kinda boring, only finding a semblance of joy when playing with others
But at the same time, I love stories of romance and ships. I think it has to do with the level of involvement, in dating games you are the MC, in anything else you’re watching the relationship grow, change, and why these two like each other in the first place.
It’s an interesting dichotomy

As someone who plays otome games since i was 9 and now i am 17... I can say... I was always attracted to the bratty tsundere boys 😂❤

You're so real for putting the yandere at S tier

4:46 It is annoying how for people think "mature = broing". He still can have hobbies, show he is obsessed with, genres of books he likes etc.

2:11  BUT  BUTTTT i like the himbo how dare YOU (I LOVE YOUR PERSONA her outfit is so cosy)

I personally really like himbo characters. Not sure how I'd react to dating one IRL, but at least for fantasy characters, they tend to be among my favorites

I've noticed that otome games attract mainly aroace people. First JaidenAnimations, now you.

Your avatar is extremely cute by the way. I like it.

I'm only 8 seconds into the video and already I'm being called out. Also I felt that as someone who is ace playing otome games when I find myself even questioning if I'm aroace.

Edit: Nah it depends on which game you play, Diabolik Lovers with their poster boy Ayato is unhinged. I'd know because I played the first game out of curiosity and now I'm laying limp at the bottom of a pit that is the Diabolik Lovers rabbit hole.