How do you feel about LIs who still have feelings for someone else?

mhk · Apr 11, 2026

Unlike the 'rival' trope, I'm talking about cases where the woman is out of the picture or has already rejected him. I've noticed that the 'MC looks like his ex/past love' trope is actually pretty common.

I actually don't really like this trope, so I've skipped whole routes because of it lol

But i do understand the appeal of bonding with a character who has that kind of emotional baggage, though.

arilyn · Apr 11, 2026

THIS IS THE WORSTT

It feels like they end up not liking the MC for who they are and instead looks for their past lover instead. I usually try not to play into their routes because I know it'll just break my heart because they truly love someone else. Unless that character finally matures and accepts it then its still a no for me

sumprrson · Apr 11, 2026

I don't think I've ever played a game where that happens, wait doesn't that kinda apply to Laito from DiaLovers? ...Nevermind I don't wanna talk about it

mhk · Apr 11, 2026

sumprrson said:
I don't think I've ever played a game where that happens, wait doesn't that kinda apply to Laito from DiaLovers? ...Nevermind I don't wanna talk about it

If we're using Laito as the standard, pretty much everyone in Diabolik Lovers is... (Just a joke, but they actually kind of fit the description lol

)

sylvenna · Apr 11, 2026

I wouldn't mind if it's done right. I like a little drama and angst.

But I have never come across this kind of LI before. The only one I can think of is Kaina from Olympia Soiree but he's not a LI (I wish!!)

Could you give some examples?

mhk · Apr 11, 2026

sylvenna said:
I wouldn't mind if it's done right. I like a little drama and angst.

But I have never come across this kind of LI before. The only one I can think of is Kaina from Olympia Soiree but he's not a LI (I wish!!)

Could you give some examples?

In Black Wolves Saga , Mejojo and Arles are in love with a woman who looks exactly like the MC. And even though it's a mobile otome game, Obey Me! has those bits where the MC overlaps with the sister, Lilith.

I might be overthinking it lol. maybe it's just because I'm always hunting for dark romance games instead of the fluffy stuff

woodypei · Apr 11, 2026

mhk said:
Welp, looks like I was the only one who thought this trope was common!!! In Black Wolves Saga , Mejojo and Arles are in love with a woman who looks exactly like the MC. And even though it's a mobile otome game, Obey Me! has those bits where the MC overlaps with the sister, Lilith. Then there's this doujin game, Souhan no Idealismo , where a character was in love with the MC's mother—and it just so happens that the MC looks exactly like her.

I might be overthinking it—maybe it's just because I'm always hunting for dark romance games instead of the fluffy stuff. (I've noticed so many characters who turned into yanderes because of some trauma in their past lol )

I don't mind it in

BWS because Mejojo isn't in love with that woman but actually falls in love with MC

luvsubaru · Apr 11, 2026

in my candy love, there's the popular and terrible episode where lysander has an accident and loses his memory. he forgets about the mc in all the routes, but the worst is definitely his route, where he forgets the mc is his girlfriend and... he thinks rosalya, his brother's girlfriend and mc's bestie, is his girlfriend!

and this is still a big deal in the fandom till today; there's always some joke, or complain about lysander liking rosalya, or still not forgetting her even though he's dating the mc.

i think even the game's creator had to make a statement on this?

okita-so-go · Apr 11, 2026

You occasionally encounter characters like that, don't you...?
What's strange is that even though he's still so hung up on his ex-girlfriend, he ultimately falls in love with the protagonist.
Even though he falls in love with the protagonist, I don't think he could ever completely forget someone he cared about so much.
I think it would take years.

YummyYum · Apr 11, 2026

Oh man, this kind of reminds me of Marlin from Harvest Moon: AnWL (the original, not the remake on Switch). Even after you marry him there are some scenes to suggest he still loves Celia. Personally I don't mind if they have feelings at first for someone else, but they better not be bringing it up after the MC and them together. Sometimes it can even be sweet- where the MC kind of helps them get over it, and then they start falling in love with them instead, but if they were to still be pining for that other person, it makes it seem like the MC is second best.

あ～ん · Apr 11, 2026

If it's done right, I'm not against of a little bit of drama! And this part make character grow, if he can see MC as a different person

ninnikuryona · Apr 12, 2026

mhk said:
And even though it's a mobile otome game, Obey Me!

fyi this is not otome!!

rxirie · Apr 12, 2026

auto goodbye on their route lmaoo

crisalt · Apr 12, 2026

not a fan personally, would probably skip

mhk · Apr 12, 2026

ninnikuryona said:
fyi this is not otome!!

I understand that the official genre of Obey Me! is a otome sim game. On the official Japanese website, it states: "イケメン悪魔7兄弟との魅力的な恋愛ドラマストーリーであなたも乙女ゲーム「Obey Me!」を体験しよう！" Furthermore, it is explicitly labeled as an "Anime Otome Sim" in English.

I referred to it as an Otome game because that is how the company markets it. If there are other specific criteria or reasons why it might not be considered an Otome game, I respect that perspective, but I believe my usage of the term is not incorrect!
:akazukin_sweat:

koko36 · Apr 12, 2026

Honestly, this trope is such a headache! (T.T) I totally get the "instant skip" energy because who wants to feel like a placeholder? The whole "you look exactly like my ex/mother" thing feels less like a romance and more like a therapy session I didn't sign up for°
I'm with @arlyn it's so heartbreaking when they aren't looking at you, they're just chasing a ghost.

I mean i love a good yandere or a character with heavy trauma, but "still in love with an ex" is just the wrong kind of baggage! Give me all the angst, just leave the exes at the door ~

ninnikuryona · Apr 12, 2026

mhk said:
I referred to it as an Otome game because that is how the company markets it.

the thing is that people, both en and jp, have been telling them for years that they market it wrong! its extremely important to differentiate between genres, because if you just shove anything under the "otome" label, the genre will just vanish..^^;;
a3 global version was also marketed as otome, yet there is literally zero romance, and the game only survives because of yaoi fanservice. just for context!!;;

mhk · Apr 12, 2026

ninnikuryona said:
the thing is that people, both en and jp, have been telling them for years that they market it wrong! its extremely important to differentiate between genres, because if you just shove anything under the "otome" label, the genre will just vanish..^^;;
a3 global version was also marketed as otome, yet there is literally zero romance, and the game only survives because of yaoi fanservice. just for context!!;;

oh, I see! I haven't played Obey Me! at all lately, so I had no idea there were such criticisms

I wasn't trying to pick a fight with you; I was just explaining why I called it an otome game. I also agree that games lacking romance or those marketed as Yaoi don't really count as otome games. Thanks for letting me know!

Winteriris · Apr 12, 2026

Nooope Instant skip! The only way I'd play it is if its a dead lover their pining after, tho I haven't really played/seen any with this tropes

fr4pp3cinn · Apr 12, 2026

I don't really mind it unless the LI brings it up the whole route, which happens more often than not lmao
I do like drama, and seeing the LI learn to fall in love again can be very cute, especially if the game shows his grief well!

Actually liked the way Alma's route in Bad Apple Wars handled that trope (even if I ended up disliking the ending lol)

ryuntsai · Apr 12, 2026

I cant, hahahah
It remembered me ''Inuyasha'', Kikyo is his first love, altho Kagome looks ''similar'' to Kikyo or to be more specific, is her reincarnation, they are still not the same person...
I like more Kikyo.. idk ....

AND LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KAMISAMA KISS, Tomoe loves Yujiki, but almost at the end of the story, we noticed that what he loved, is the Nanami who went to the past and pretended to be Yujiki. SO, SINCE THE BEGINNING AND THE END, he only loved the same person, same spirit, same personality.

So, standing in the perspective of a player i guess? i cannot handle a LIs who fall in love to the heroine just because she looks ''similar'' to his past true love. I prefer stories similar to kamisama kiss, where the LI always loved the same person, even though they looked different.

mizumachi · Apr 12, 2026

It gives me the ick unfortunately, I don't mind if the LI has had previous relationships but if he's still hung up and the route is mainly based around that, I instantly clock out LOL

similarly i have this issue with otomes that focus on past lives and being reincarnated into a different person. I like when the boys look at the mc as the person she is, not the person she was

kotohabaki · Apr 12, 2026

Depends on the execution... If the writing cannot establish the MC well, then I'd just feel weird completing the route.

There's a BL game I played where the LI is a widower, but the MC kinda gave him the strength to move on and fulfills the LI with a new hope. Which is great :D

miomiokie · Apr 12, 2026

I'm on the team of "it depends on the writing", but honestly its SO RARE for it to be done right, so I give it a chance but still usually get the ick. I'm a shoujo manga gal, and they really don't do it in a way that feels satisfying at all even though the trope is overused so much...

MsPollyPocky · Apr 12, 2026

Also agree that it depends on the writing! If it feels like the authors are being lazy / relying on easy drama between the love interests by bringing it up to stir up tension or make a dramatic scene, then no, it's not worth it. But if it's done well, even if dramatic, I think it's fun - though I do love some angst lol

How do you feel about LIs who still have feelings for someone else?

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