What's your opinion on otome games that feature routes based on real people?
- Thread starter lst
- Start date
- Feb 24, 2026
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I find it interesting and educational since you can learn more about who these people were and, depending on the case, even about their culture. In the case of Hakuoki, when i first played the game I had no idea what Shinsengumi was or that the characters were inspired by existing samurai; I just thought it was all ficcional and a well written story. I only realized it when I watched Rurouni Kenshin and noticed some familiar names. When I researched the names without adding the anime or game tittle, that's when I ended up going down the rabbit hole XD
- Sep 1, 2025
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So by this logic, the romancing colonel sanders game is perfectly fine.I guess it depends on the status of the real person? If it's like an artistic re-telling like Hakuoki where the characters are based on the historical real people, let's go with the flow and enjoy that route~
However if the character is based off a (currently) living person... uhhh I'll probably have to turn off my logic switch to enjoy that
- Apr 1, 2026
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I think this is my thought process as well. I don't mind the historical VNs that have real-life counterparts, but the closer you get to the present it becomes a bit weirder? Like, historical king LI is okay, but a game where you date pewdiepie or something would creep me out (using this example because I've seen it in fanfiction)
- Mar 17, 2017
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Ooh. I just remembered, that Asagao Academy: Normal Boots Club exists. I, to be honest, know almost nothing about this people, buuut for someone it can be reeealyy cringe.
- Dec 13, 2013
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When the setting is close to the present day, I tend to picture real historical figures rather than fictional characters, and I sometimes feel a little guilty about turning those people into game characters.
Like in *Meiji Tokyo Renka*, for example.
Like in *Meiji Tokyo Renka*, for example.
- Jul 5, 2024
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I honestly don't mind! I always think it's interesting to learn more while playing a game I like such as the fate games and series. I just like being in different time periods in otome games sometimes too and when we have more historical elements in it then it makes it even more fun.
- Oct 1, 2025
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It doesn't bother me as long as the person they're based on hasn't recently passed away; that makes me feel really strange. In fact, I laugh at myself a lot because whenever I hear the names of the main characters from the Sengoku era, they immediately appear in my mind with the designs from Shall We Date: Ninja Love 
- Jul 16, 2021
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I would not like it if I died and in 50 years they made media where you could date me and my personality is a far cry from what I originally am. I always have this lingering thing when consuming such media, but I don't judge others who play them. I just have some problems because I feel like aside from Otome, they do some big identity erasure from how these people truly were and it boogles my mind on how some people go visit these resting sites of said person, mourning and fangirling over them, NOT because of who they truly were, but because of some game.
I just don't see why the creators of said media can't go," Oh hey our character was inspired by so-and-so". I feel like morally there just has to be something a bit off with it, but I'm not going to go out of my way about it.
I just don't see why the creators of said media can't go," Oh hey our character was inspired by so-and-so". I feel like morally there just has to be something a bit off with it, but I'm not going to go out of my way about it.
- Jan 4, 2026
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- Jan 29, 2022
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I think it only works for me for people who lived before the 20th century. I consider historical works set in the 20th century either as inspiration or based on fictional characters. However, if the character is based on a (currently) living person, I probably won't play it.
- Sep 18, 2023
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It's interesting for me, but aaa there's one character who was based on real person that i hated not because of character but because of the real person 
- Aug 30, 2024
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damn who?:0there's one character who was based on real person that i hated not because of character but because of the real person
- Sep 18, 2023
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- May 6, 2021
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It's a little bit weird, not gonna lie, but in the end I choose to ignore it and separate the character from the real-life person. With Hakuoki, I learnt a bit about the Shinsengumi, even if not all of it was accurate (vampires lol). Liar-soft also did this in some VNs, but in those cases the characters didn't even resemble their real-life counterparts, so you can just treat them as characters who happen to share their names.
- Aug 2, 2022
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It's a bit of a mixed bag for me because I dislike it when I can too accurately predict how a plot will go if writers follow the true history too much. I don't want to be like, "Oh, he died just like he did in real life…" (ㆆ_ㆆ)
I understand that this is the draw of it for some people, but I'd much prefer them to take the character and just go wild with the interpretation rather than following events almost exactly.
I understand that this is the draw of it for some people, but I'd much prefer them to take the character and just go wild with the interpretation rather than following events almost exactly.
- Mar 12, 2017
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It's a lot of fun!
Maybe it's because I'm not very knowledgeable about history? Sometimes I even find myself re-reading actual historical accounts.
I get really excited when I come across a scenario that matches up with history.
On the flip side, when it comes to historical figures whose fates I already know, I love it when the story takes a different turn—especially when it subverts my expectations of "Well, this is how it's going to end, right?"
Maybe it's because I'm not very knowledgeable about history? Sometimes I even find myself re-reading actual historical accounts.
I get really excited when I come across a scenario that matches up with history.
On the flip side, when it comes to historical figures whose fates I already know, I love it when the story takes a different turn—especially when it subverts my expectations of "Well, this is how it's going to end, right?"
- Aug 23, 2023
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It doesn't make a difference to me. Since I'm not familiar with their background or history, they feel like any other fictional character.