Character types in Otome VN

[Cakey]

Hi, I am trying to write a visual novel including tastes of most ladies. I found that in otome games there are a lot of types of people who are basically attractive for just couple of traits that they have. Like glasses, very quiet style of being, being badboy or a kind, frendly one. I know it is just a big simplification but it would really help me if someone gave me a hint how to approach different characters and what exactly is attractive in their personalities. Because a lot of girls may like calm boy not for the reason he is calm but for being loyal or having strong will and that calm boys are actually not very tamed ones. They have their own way to live. I would love to hear what is actually the cherry on top of a cake for the characters you like. I also don't understand whole fuss about unmatured boy. Like the boy that you actually care for like you care for a child and there are no sexual tension between you. Maybe there is a way to implement it in other character? Like the very big desire for man to feel safe. Maybe If he tries to find his safe place in the arm of his loved one he creates the same feeling of care that ladies like in those type of unmatured characters?

I will be very grateful for any reply

[gekiganwing]

Hi, I am trying to write a visual novel including tastes of most ladies... I know it is just a big simplification but it would really help me if someone gave me a hint how to approach different characters and what exactly is attractive in their personalities.

If you're creating a visual novel or a video game with the intention of selling it, then you will need to think carefully about what your audience will like. However, if you are creating freeware, and never intend to sell it, that's different. You can design anything that you want.

Take some time to think about stories, video games, visual novels, and other media that you enjoy. Ask yourself things such as "Why do I like this character?" and "What makes this person compelling?" Take notes.

I think it's fine to describe a character in a few words. You can also use systems such as the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator or D&D character alignments to sum up a character. (I thought about this after looking through the TVTropes page Books on Trope.)

That said, I would advise against thinking of your characters as stereotypes or archetypes. Let's say your characters include an athletic guy and a fashion model. Those short descriptions can help you think about how they will act. However, don't let them be defined *only* by one or two traits. Let them be as complex as you want them to be. What motivates your characters? Who are they when the main character is not around? What makes them distinct individuals? Consider things such as your characters' backgrounds, friends, family, and educational/work history.

I found that in otome games there are a lot of types of people who are basically attractive for just couple of traits that they have. Like glasses, very quiet style of being, being badboy or a kind, frendly one.

This is also common in bishoujo games, aka boy x girl pairings. If you look at the heroines in a story, you can often find a patient friend since childhood character (osanajimi), a standoffish girl that slowly warms up (tsundere), and an older-and-wiser girl. In my opinion, characters are more interesting if there is more to them than their surface, or their role in the love polygon.

[Cakey]

Hi, I am trying to write a visual novel including tastes of most ladies... I know it is just a big simplification but it would really help me if someone gave me a hint how to approach different characters and what exactly is attractive in their personalities.

If you're creating a visual novel or a video game with the intention of selling it, then you will need to think carefully about what your audience will like. However, if you are creating freeware, and never intend to sell it, that's different. You can design anything that you want.

Take some time to think about stories, video games, visual novels, and other media that you enjoy. Ask yourself things such as "Why do I like this character?" and "What makes this person compelling?" Take notes.

I think it's fine to describe a character in a few words. You can also use systems such as the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator or D&D character alignments to sum up a character. (I thought about this after looking through the TVTropes page Books on Trope.)

That said, I would advise against thinking of your characters as stereotypes or archetypes. Let's say your characters include an athletic guy and a fashion model. Those short descriptions can help you think about how they will act. However, don't let them be defined *only* by one or two traits. Let them be as complex as you want them to be. What motivates your characters? Who are they when the main character is not around? What makes them distinct individuals? Consider things such as your characters' backgrounds, friends, family, and educational/work history.

I found that in otome games there are a lot of types of people who are basically attractive for just couple of traits that they have. Like glasses, very quiet style of being, being badboy or a kind, frendly one.

This is also common in bishoujo games, aka boy x girl pairings. If you look at the heroines in a story, you can often find a patient friend since childhood character (osanajimi), a standoffish girl that slowly warms up (tsundere), and an older-and-wiser girl. In my opinion, characters are more interesting if there is more to them than their surface, or their role in the love polygon.

Yeah I actually know what I like but I am aware that people have different tastes and archetypes, stereotypical characters used in VS that I wouldn't find attractive no matter what are turning on other ladies. I already created plan for my characters but I still have freedom to manipulate them a little to make them more appealing for some ladies. I want to know exactly what people may like in characters who for example insults main character. Is it change their make later? Is it that feeling of being uncertain if he really likes you? Is it that he fights with his own desires and emotions because he don't WANT to like you as much as he does? I don't have dilemmas or flat characters. I want just find traits of some characters which I am missing because they are not appealing for me but are for others.

I am doing free game(probably). I focus on the story and romance between man and woman. My problem is that for me a lot of characters aren't very appealing because of their flatness. In some Voltage games you can choose between so many guys but they are flat as an pancake. I am more interested, what makes people like some archetypes and characters. Are people interested only in how they look or is there some things that are connected with main feature of certain character? Or are there things that are connected with main trait but not exactly it, like I written in first post with the quiet type?

The guys will be physically attractive.

[Klawzie]

I think what most readers respond to is not the trope, but the common qualities of characters with that trope.

For example - the megane (glasses guy).
He's usually cool natured, capable, intelligent, and dependable. These are all positive (or at least neutral) qualities.
Some people like the megane's coolness because they feel safe that he's not going to fly off the handle with them. Some people like his coolness because there's often a way to make him fly off the handle and break his usual cool exterior (which "shows" that you get under his skin or that he's driven past his limits because of his feelings for you). You're not really going to satisfy both camps with the same character. The camp that likes churning his calm waters will be disappointed if he doesn't. The camp that knows they can always count on him to remain calm and collected will be disappointed if they feel like they can no longer count on that.
But not everyone goes for the megane because of the cool exterior. Sometimes they just like guys in glasses and they're happy if the glasses are attached to the genki shouta, the calm stoic, or the wild playboy. In fact, they might want all the characters to have glasses. New glasses. Naked with glasses. Glasses for the heroine too. Glasses on glasses.

Another example - the insulting guy.
Many people go for the "one who insults" (and there are different types who fall under that umbrella) because they want to make him change his tune/clean up his act. It's the challenge of showing him up/humbling him or reforming him. Others go for him just because the chase itself is satisfying. He has standards and isn't eager to roll over and show his belly - so when they conquer him, it's satisfying. Some people hate it when the type cleans up his act. They like realizing when the insults are no longer straight out insults, but endearments in disguise. The pleasure of being the only one who he directs barbs at without sting (no matter how it looks to outsiders) is thrilling. They know the secret. Like the clown fish and the sea anemone, they're safe and protected by what is poison to others. Frankly, some people are just masochists. It's pretty difficult to design a character that appeals to all of these reasons for liking an "insulting" character. A friend of mine hates the "insulting" type, because (and I'm paraphrasing here) - "I have better things to do than be insulted". Me? I like most of them, provided he's done very well. It's a balancing act for me, because I don't particularly like those that roll over at the first pair of doe eyes that come along, nor do I like those who are just pure jerks/sadists who feel better about themselves for hurting others or get off on causing real pain.

For me, the playboy type can be either a real hit or a real miss. And it doesn't even necessarily mean it's because they follow the traits I like. I've run across some playboys that I assumed I'd hate because they're shallow-minded jerks... and then found out they had qualities that made me love them in spite of their faults. (I think the term is "trash babies".) Then I've run across my more preferred, "misunderstood playboys" who pretend they're shallow and heartless but underneath, they run deep... and found out that underneath their trash-strewn surface is just more trash and stagnant water. (It doesn't help that most playboy types are not the favorite of the designers because they often have the worst visual designs ever.)

My rambling point is essentially that no matter what you do, you're not going to appeal to everyone, even if they generally like the type your characters most easily fit in. So just make them fleshed out rather than watered down.

[Cakey]

I think what most readers respond to is not the trope, but the common qualities of characters with that trope.

For example - the megane (glasses guy).
He's usually cool natured, capable, intelligent, and dependable. These are all positive (or at least neutral) qualities.
Some people like the megane's coolness because they feel safe that he's not going to fly off the handle with them. Some people like his coolness because there's often a way to make him fly off the handle and break his usual cool exterior (which "shows" that you get under his skin or that he's driven past his limits because of his feelings for you). You're not really going to satisfy both camps with the same character. The camp that likes churning his calm waters will be disappointed if he doesn't. The camp that knows they can always count on him to remain calm and collected will be disappointed if they feel like they can no longer count on that.
But not everyone goes for the megane because of the cool exterior. Sometimes they just like guys in glasses and they're happy if the glasses are attached to the genki shouta, the calm stoic, or the wild playboy. In fact, they might want all the characters to have glasses. New glasses. Naked with glasses. Glasses for the heroine too. Glasses on glasses.

Another example - the insulting guy.
Many people go for the "one who insults" (and there are different types who fall under that umbrella) because they want to make him change his tune/clean up his act. It's the challenge of showing him up/humbling him or reforming him. Others go for him just because the chase itself is satisfying. He has standards and isn't eager to roll over and show his belly - so when they conquer him, it's satisfying. Some people hate it when the type cleans up his act. They like realizing when the insults are no longer straight out insults, but endearments in disguise. The pleasure of being the only one who he directs barbs at without sting (no matter how it looks to outsiders) is thrilling. They know the secret. Like the clown fish and the sea anemone, they're safe and protected by what is poison to others. Frankly, some people are just masochists. It's pretty difficult to design a character that appeals to all of these reasons for liking an "insulting" character. A friend of mine hates the "insulting" type, because (and I'm paraphrasing here) - "I have better things to do than be insulted". Me? I like most of them, provided he's done very well. It's a balancing act for me, because I don't particularly like those that roll over at the first pair of doe eyes that come along, nor do I like those who are just pure jerks/sadists who feel better about themselves for hurting others or get off on causing real pain.

For me, the playboy type can be either a real hit or a real miss. And it doesn't even necessarily mean it's because they follow the traits I like. I've run across some playboys that I assumed I'd hate because they're shallow-minded jerks... and then found out they had qualities that made me love them in spite of their faults. (I think the term is "trash babies".) Then I've run across my more preferred, "misunderstood playboys" who pretend they're shallow and heartless but underneath, they run deep... and found out that underneath their trash-strewn surface is just more trash and stagnant water. (It doesn't help that most playboy types are not the favorite of the designers because they often have the worst visual designs ever.)

My rambling point is essentially that no matter what you do, you're not going to appeal to everyone, even if they generally like the type your characters most easily fit in. So just make them fleshed out rather than watered down.

Very useful Thanks!

Could you explain the boy/ little boy type to me? I always have problem with understanding their attractivnes in the others eyes.

[MoonByte]

The little boy type is making use of the shota-lolita complex.
Some people have a strong protective need in them and love to act motherly to their loved ones. Since most games often advocate characters that more or less take care of themselves (especially when the romanceable characters are male), the shota/lolita allows the excuse to be as doting as wanted. They are the cute characters with big eyes that the player can baby, often the story also includes something like the hint/promise that they are simply one or two years younger than the MC and once they hit puberty properly, they will turn into a absolute beauty.
Of course, for some it is simply a fetish (shotacon and lolicon are literally about doing the deed with young children, there is definitely an audience for it, especially since drawn "child pornography" is way more accepted/acceptebal than actual stuff that damages children).
Shotas are a bit difficult to get, since it might also make people shy away from a game because it could stirr a controversy, depending on how young the character looks.


A thing you may want to try out and consider is the VN "Ristorante Amore" (its free and somewhere around here). They take three male archetypes (the overexcited buddy, the french romantic and the overambitous tsundere) and actually play them very smart (if you finished the game, you know what I mean), even analyzing the character types.

But as was stated above, if you go commercial, look up commercial games and what types of characters they have.
If it's free, then you can just look around and put stuff in and be as stereotypical or unstereotypical as you want, since you will certainly find someone that plays it either way.
A female version (but most of the characters work also when converted to male) with lots of variety would be HuniePop. If one ignores the erotica and Candy Crush antics, then you can see a total of nine or ten very different character types. You have the mature and the young sexy person (as in experienced and simply flirty), you got the calm spiritual person (hippie?), the sport fanatic, the geek, the tsundere, etc etc.
They are played VERY straight, but getting as much input as possible is always good research

[Klawzie]

I almost never enjoy the "shouta"/younger character route, so I'm not really going to be good at explaining why they're appealing to those who like them. I gather that Moonbyte's reasoning is correct for many players, though.

For me, the only "shouta" type characters I like are those who are serious/responsible. (Heisuke from Hakuouki won me over and I'm really looking forward to playing Scarlet's route in OzMafia based on how he appears in the other routes I've played so far. Honey from Ouran High School Host Club rides the line - it's an act, but it's an act he enjoys.)

Speaking of, Ouran High School Host Club is an interesting series to study for the anime-style romantic tropes and characters that subvert them. They flat out discuss using the tropes with the attempts to be effective at making those susceptible to them respond favorably. It's a little meta in that way. (I stopped reading the series eventually because of what happens when the MC suddenly notices feelings, but I'm really curious as to how some of the characters' stories ended up, so I might have to give it another shot.)

[morg]

I only have one tip- avoid the flirty stereotype. they're always the least favourite in VNs somehow, and I've seen quite a few games who host polls where their flirty guy ends up scoring least. It's all very simply because nobody likes a random guy suddenly going up to you with creepy compliments.

[lmlangley]

I think there's a reason tropes exist, so while I don't think you should never use them, I think you have to be really measured with them if you want to create an engaging experience. While yes, there are people who confirm to these types -- let's say the shy geeky type, for example -- I think the mistake a lot of VNs make is that there seems to be no explanation for why they are that way or if there is it's shrouded in a mystery that, let's be honest, no one cares about.

If someone is going to be shy and geeky, then there should be a reason for that. Maybe they're super ambitious and working towards a really prestigious academic position or maybe they just genuinely want to be left alone. That's okay! As long as there's a motive for a character acting a particular way, I think that there is no reason that they wouldn't work and the player wouldn't like them.

I think creating layered personalities is what makes characters attractive. After all, if after you date someone for the first time you find out that they're basically exactly what it says on the tin and nothing else, it's a little... off-putting. But I also don't think it's necessary to go overboard with motives, it can be understated if it's well done.

[ringmasterxred]

I only have one tip- avoid the flirty stereotype. they're always the least favourite in VNs somehow, and I've seen quite a few games who host polls where their flirty guy ends up scoring least. It's all very simply because nobody likes a random guy suddenly going up to you with creepy compliments.

Weird, I've actually seen the exact opposite in polls and fandoms, haha! Especially with commercial games.

And I agree with the others, it's not the trope but rather the associated qualities or behaviors that are endearing.

As someone whose favorite type is the flirt, I think the thing behind liking flirty characters is that... It's like, you're the special one. Out of everyone they may have dated or flirted with, they ended up falling for you and being sincere and baring their true soul to only you. It's kind of similar to the insulting character or the bad boy character in that way. Alternatively, they may be flirty, but in a more respectful and gentlemanly way that shows their sincerity. Or it can be presented as how they show kindness or affection for friends or loved ones in general.

a la Haruhi from Ouran, another popular type is the "natural" type, often blended with the childhood friend role. People often like this character because they are genuinely nice and fun and almost always has a realistic friends-to-lovers story. They're the character who actually, you know, exists in reality and is attainable.

My least favorite type personally is the yandere (outwardly sweet but unnervingly obsessive, possessive, and jealous; "If I can't have you, no one can"), which more often than turns out abusive. But, there are a lot of people out there who seem to find the basic concept attractive or intriguing - that they desire you that much.

[Xandra]

As someone whose favorite type is the flirt, I think the thing behind liking flirty characters is that... It's like, you're the special one. Out of everyone they may have dated or flirted with, they ended up falling for you and being sincere and baring their true soul to only you. It's kind of similar to the insulting character or the bad boy character in that way. Alternatively, they may be flirty, but in a more respectful and gentlemanly way that shows their sincerity. Or it can be presented as how they show kindness or affection for friends or loved ones in general.

THIS. I definitely gravitate toward the flirt characters for this very reason. There's something satisfying about getting the womanizer to settle down with me. xD This type of character tends to be divisive, for sure, but they have their fair share of fans who will defend them to the death so I wouldn't discount them.

I think a lot of us definitely have that one "type" we go for, lol. But in general, I think it's more the approach taken with individual characters that matters more than the tropes. For example, I have mixed feelings on yanderes. I find them incredibly entertaining if things are played for laughs or it seems the game isn't taking itself too seriously (see: Shuu from Hatoful Boyfriend). But I hate when there's an abusive or controlling angle, made worse when it's played off as being acceptable in the end because he just "loves you that much." Run the other way.

If a character is interesting and well-written, I'm probably gonna enjoy their route no matter what, even if they're not the type I'd normally go for. I think it's best to focus on building strong characters first without worrying too much about adherence to common tropes, or avoidance of tropes.

[Mello-Knight]

I agree with the two above me, I definitely wouldn't write off the flirty character. After all, most people are probably playing an otome game in hopes of getting some male attention. They bring some spiciness to the table. In my opinion, the flirty character is a must-have within the cast!

I think it's fine to have some tropes, so long as they have an interesting background, an explanation for what they're that way, etc. Ikki from Amnesia comes to mind. He was handled really well and kept you guessing "Does he really love me? Why is he flirting with other girls if so?" and learning his story was very rewarding. Ringmaster described it perfectly, honestly.

There's a reason tropes and stereotypes exist--because that's what sells. Aside from the flirty character, I'm always on the lookout for the "tsundere" or the insulting character, as it was described. I love melting their icy heart and making them love me. >:3

[Mammon]

I think that men that play otomes, like me, will not like the flirty type because we cannot place ourselves in their shoes. If we would, we wouldn't be playing VNs I wouldn't know about what women like in that regard. However, just going from the four main types might not be a good idea, but making all the guys feel the same is even worse. Find a way to make them differ from each other noticeable without falling back on 'one's a tsundere who hates you and another one is a flirt etc.'.

In games it probably comes down to the writer's interest in the characters and their ability to make these characters stand out. It's not just making the character likeable but also giving them events that work for them and having a sense of liking to the characters yourself. Especially if the writer just added a few tropes and filled those in, there's probably one character that they liked most and will have the most of their preference. Characters that are just added tropes or LI's added to a plot that doesn't have a need for them can be rather undeveloped as a result.

The best solution, according to me at least, is to make any character that feels shoehorned in to complete the trope set or for a few plot-relevant moments either completely non-relevant/not a LI, or to make the protagonist seem to dislike them more than the audience does. Sympathy points made Rachel of P&Y a more endurable character than she'd be in normal circumstances, simply because my protag gave her a harsher treatment than she deserved.

[Xandra]

I think that men that play otomes, like me, will not like the flirty type because we cannot place ourselves in their shoes. If we would, we wouldn't be playing VNs I wouldn't know about what women like in that regard. However, just going from the four main types might not be a good idea, but making all the guys feel the same is even worse. Find a way to make them differ from each other noticeable without falling back on 'one's a tsundere who hates you and another one is a flirt etc.'.

That makes sense! Reactions to my resident flirty character from males have ranged from "BRO!" to "He's way to arrogant" with very little in-between. It seems some guys will look up to alpa male characters, and some will detest them, so yeah they're definitely polarizing. When I reverse things, I don't really relate to the overly flirty female characters as well either since that's just not my personality. But I can always appreciate a character that is much different than me so long as they're written well.

The best solution, according to me at least, is to make any character that feels shoehorned in to complete the trope set or for a few plot-relevant moments either completely non-relevant/not a LI, or to make the protagonist seem to dislike them more than the audience does. Sympathy points made Rachel of P&Y a more endurable character than she'd be in normal circumstances, simply because my protag gave her a harsher treatment than she deserved.

I actually get really frustrated when I love a certain character and the protagonist dislikes them too strongly. xD I'm like, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU GIRL JUST FALL FOR HIM ALREADY. Very frustrating. To avoid this, I'd give the player the freedom to determine how the protagonist feels about each character as much as possible. That doesn't mean making the protagonist a bland, blank slate. It just means giving the player a set of options any time the protagonist runs the risk of becoming too opinionated one way or another without the player's say.

[Mammon]

I actually get really frustrated when I love a certain character and the protagonist dislikes them too strongly. xD I'm like, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU GIRL JUST FALL FOR HIM ALREADY. Very frustrating. To avoid this, I'd give the player the freedom to determine how the protagonist feels about each character as much as possible. That doesn't mean making the protagonist a bland, blank slate. It just means giving the player a set of options any time the protagonist runs the risk of becoming too opinionated one way or another without the player's say.

Yes, we wouldn't want the reader to get frustrated by the protagonist's opinion of a likeable guy/girl and thus elevate that character's likeablity even further. There's no way that such a method would make people argue even stronger for them to be best Waifu or anything *cough* Re:Zero *cough*.

I know it's a mean thing to do to an audience, but not giving them the respectable attitude they like is an effective way to make them care about a character even more and feel more accomplished when the protagonist finally pays attention to that character.