Do you like otome routes that end with the MC and LI having children?

[Daisy Magnus229]

I love every ending, they can just happy together, marriage or have a kid(s). Well, having kids ending is really rare lol

But I remember being baffled by one game where the MC has a kid.... it's in Monochrome Wizard. Only in that game so far I'm conflicted with MC has a kid.

 

[24ku]

I think it could be accepted naturally, depending on the game's setting and culture. I once played a game that featured an ending where the characters have a child. I enjoyed playing it at the time because it offered a happy conclusion that clearly defined the couple's future.

 

[myfrral]

What I can accept is that after the end of the game, the final happy ending is when the male and female protagonists have children, and the family will live a happy and fulfilling life together in the future. But in the process of starting to play games, I don't like having children. I still want to enjoy the exciting plot of the love between the male and female protagonists. I think the plot story about the descendants can be played separately in a separate game.

 

[O cha]

I'd be happy with a route ending at the wedding, but I'm not really into the parenting side of things.

Personally, I see otome games as a form of escapist, idealized romance, so once the story shifts to raising children, it suddenly feels a lot more grounded in real life. I get that having kids and becoming a family can be seen as the next step in a romantic relationship, but for me, it kind of pulls me out of the fantasy.

...I also can't help but think, "Wait... does that mean they weren't using contraception?"

 

[burrascoso]

honestly i dont really like them if the children are not adopted or if its not some sort of found family TT

 

[roz]

That sounds like the typical "and they lived happily ever after..." ending. I don't mind them, but I prefer open endings where the couple stays together and lets the player imagine their future

 

[RoseGold]

I can't say I really enjoy this trope - especially as someone who doesn't want kids irl. It feels like an afterthought most of the time, something that's attached to the ending just because you need it, because obviously for the female lead's happiness to be complete she must become a Mother™, even if she never really expressed any desire to do so in the rest of the story (Of course, this isn't valid for every character/story).
Though, I never really stopped to think about it, but now that you make me noticed I am kind of surprised this kind of ending is rare in otome? I wonder why, since in a lot of other romance media made for women - manga, manhwa, even novels sometimes - it's kind of a given. Manhwa especially, if by the epilogue ML and FL don't have at least two kids, a boy and a girl, who looks exactly like their parents of the same gender but with the palette of their other parent, is it even a romance manhwa lol.

 

[sumprrson]

I absolutely hate any stories, otome or otherwise, where the female characters have children in the end (main reason for reading BL manga, I also hate omegaverse) but I can excuse that if there is a real reason for the main character wanting children, or if they're adopted. Examples:

Diabolik Lovers:
In Diabolik Lovers More Blood, in Azusa's good ending, him and Yui have an orphanage with many children (named after his scars/the kids who bullied him which is a choice...) which is great not only because they're adopted but I think that's also a good ending for him being a good foster parent unlike what happened to him and the others in their orphanage. However, in Diabolik Lovers Dark Fate, I don't like Subaru's good ending, as it made me realize he's kinda the straight fantasy of a woman being with a guy who has trauma from his parents and is fixed by having a good family of his own, and I absolutely hate that. That's actually the main reason why I started liking other characters like Laito, who never has and probably never will have a desire for children. In Azusa's route Yui has a dream where they also have kids but since they are named after his scars they might be adopted and a reference to the previous ending, so I don't mind.

Yoshiwara Higanbana:
This game is great, highly recommend, but anyways the main character is a prostitute, and as such she would only be able to have kids if she was bought out by a rich man (which I hate, again it's a very straight fantasy) or if she fell pregnant by accident, where the baby would be killed or taken away. So her desire for children is more of a desire for a "normal" life. I think she mentions it still in the common route, but then in Akito's ending they do have kids, and I liked their dynamic and think his character development would make him a good husband and father, so I didn't hate that ending. Other than that she mentions something weird in Shigure's route like wanting not to have a kid with him, but to have been the one to give birth to him and maybe make him not crazy? But I actually didn't fully understand due to the game not being translated. Again that's an understandable thing to think in the most tragic route, although still a bit of a "straight" fantasy.

So yeah if I play a "normal" game, like a modern setting or a light-hearted story, I will absolutely hate such endings, but a more complex story that can actually give a reason for having kids other that "they're straight and straight marriage = kids" can work much better. I still would prefer no kids though and if I know the only character I'm interested in has an ending with kids I will not play that game.

 

[motyu]

I generally like those endings, but it depends on the game and the characters. If having a child feels like a natural continuation of their relationship, I find it heartwarming and a satisfying way to show their happy future together. On the other hand, for some stories, I prefer endings that simply imply a shared future or marriage, leaving the rest to the player's imagination.

 

[adlo]

If it feels like a natural progression of the MC and LI's relationship then yeah, sure why not! If the kids feel like afterthoughts then I just choose to ignore them, the game's ending anyways lol I'm not sure how I would feel if the children are integral to the story though, I have yet to play a route like that. I think it would be interesting but also not my cup of tea unless they have to take care of a child that's not theirs by blood

 

[Mutamento]

Oh no, I really find this ending hard to accept. I personally don't like children, so even in games, I'm a bit resistant to endings involving having children, even if it's just briefly mentioned. Undeniably, this is happiness for some, but I'm definitely an exception.

 

[Karoliuxx]

I like them, though it is pretty rare in major otome games and when it does happen in is at the very end. I really enjoyed the stories in Finally in love again with main character falling pregnant, having chilren, and the opposite thing, the struglle of not being able to conceive and acceptance of the fact that you don't need children to be happy.

 

[VoltageIncEnthusiast]

I don't mind games with routes that end in parenthood, but I don't actively go looking for those, if that makes sense. I'm okay with the MC and LI not having children at the end, but if it happens, it happens, and that's okay with me, too.

 

[Shiori413]

Now that I think about it, other than one route, I don't actually think I've encountered this enough to have a strong opinion.... But eeehhhh I don't think I'm a fan? Just on instinct, I don't see a lot of romances working out to a point where they would have children... But maybe I'm just jaded lol. Anyone have any Lis where it seems to work well please give me recs!

 

[MarietaStay]

I've never played an otome where the MC and LI had a child at the end, but I think a scene or story arc like that could show the characters in a positive light and add depth to their relationship. So I'm not opposed to it.

 

[scorpies]

I want to add that I think a route with child raising with the Li (be it something that happens in main plot or like a fan disk) would be a great setup for characters to understand each other better and form new dynamics if that is the right word.

Bc when you are raising a child with someone it's not just about the kid but also about your partner. The person you've first met is not one on one with the person you're calling the parent of your child. I don't think I can explain this properly but there are so many things to explore, like you have to depend to each other about some stuff bc it's not just one person's duty. But reaching for help - helping in the right way are not easy things even normally so obvi it's even more complicated when it involves a new human being that makes things not go as planned. I know people don't like the miscommunication trope but it can really be on point here.

And it's not easy, it's a new experience, the MC and li would both teach each other stuff on the way and I think that would be beautiful but that might be bc I enjoy family stories myself so I understand if you find it boring lol.

And there's even more, an Li might not be ready for a child, MC herself might not be ready for a child, the child might in danger bc of some reason so they'll have to be in hide or something, characters might suffocate under expectations and need the assuring of the other etc.

What I wanted to say is (lol) the child doesn't need to be in the focus, something that idk steals the light from the couple but something that add new depths to their relationship. Plus it would be something different.

And I'm not really into the "and they had perfect children AND they were both perfect parents" endings. Idk it feels fake to me. Prob bc of me though. It's okay to like those stuff, after all a warm nice family ending is satisfying, heartwarming etc.

 

[kamilya5]

I've never played an otome game with endings like these before, but I don't think I'll mind them

 

[Liiiii]

I don't really mind, but it must make sense with the themes of the route. For example, if the route focused on the topic of forming a new family together because both were very lonely or had unhealthy families before, then I think that's a very fitting ending. However, it doesn't suit characters who are mentally unstable at the end of their route. They need more time to solve their problems first before they should have children.

 

[sky1]

For me, I really appreciate it when the actual ending is too vague or abrupt. Having a kid is like a clear confirmation that they got a real HE and are officially settled down together. I especially need this if the route was full of angst! Otherwise, as long as it happens naturally and makes sense, I don't mind it at all.

 

[Ainee]

I don't mind it of it makes sense for the story and the route,the romance part is the one I actually care about

 

[bingtianxueyi]

To be honest, I don't like it. I don't think having a child is a wonderful thing. Having a child tends to increase the frequency of arguments between spouses.

 

[Flowerr]

I think it's cute if they just appear in the ending/near the ending, because it will feel like a happy ending! But I probably would not prefer it halfway through the game as it might affect the story

 

[nerim-w]

It wont kill a game for me but it wont give me the "omg, so sweet and cute" reaction alot of games expect from us when they add it. I personally am not a fan of kids nor do I find them cute. As heartless as it may sound id much rather live a peaceful life with my husband than focus on raising a child, sorry yall

 

[Hayate Sasa]

If it fits the story, I'll accept it as a plausible ending, but if it's tacked on abruptly as a clichéd portrayal of happiness, it feels trite.
I don't want such a major life event as having a child to be portrayed so casually.

 

[crisalt]

I prefer it being a choice, if you want to see a happy ending with or without children.