Do you self-insert while playing otomes?

[murasetowa]

if i'm SUPER into an LI then i self insert a lot but it also depends on how relatable i find the MC too a lot of the time... if the MC is a lot different than me, i overthink "how would the LI feel/react if i did xyz thing differently? how much would this change the plot?". i also find it hard to self insert if i really like the MC as she is and her personal dynamic with the LI

 

[Ainee]

I would, after all it's me who wants to fall in love, not watch someone else fall in love. So if the heroine's personality is very different from mine and hard to project onto, it really cuts down on the appeal.

 

[keicha4166]

Yes, I usually self-insert when I play. When I'm enjoying the romance with a character, I find it hard to get as invested if I'm viewing it from a third-person perspective.

 

[エブリン]

I like self-insert but the only game that makes me feel that way is Mystic Messenger. Perhaps it's because, besides the choices, MC doesn't say anything much, whereas in other otome games, MC talks a lot, making me feel like she's being herself, not me, but I don't hate that either.

 

[shishy]

No, I just can't. I like to keep myself as separated as possible from the game I am playing, mostly because I just can't relate to how MC acts, so treating MC as their own person helps me a lot with immersion.

That's probably why I prefer BLs to otomes. MC being a man adds an additional layer of distance and makes it harder to project my own feelings onto them. Them having a set in stone personality, voice acting and background helps as well.

 

[star light]

I enjoy games because I'm a self-projecting type.

 

[zhangmaodesh]

Kinda half‑and‑half, honestly. I can't fully self‑insert… it's like trying to explain a vibe that doesn't have a name

 

[shuubaruotaku]

otome visual novels i'm a bit iffy there? im fixated on diabolik lovers and i love yui, shes a good mc but its a bit hard to self insert cus im not short, blonde, asian, and pale... i use my own name when im playing otome games, but its hard to physically see myself as them

 

[2DLoverx]

well no, I always go with the default name and play in third person. I could never self insert, it makes me feel awkward especially as none of of the MCs are like me at all, making it almost impossible. I think self insertion is only possible so far in Amnesia where the heroine was a blank slate without even a name or her own thoughts.

 

[TeeService]

I view the MC as the avatar through whom I experience the story. The same as I would when playing an RPG. I know the character on the screen is not me; I don't try to pretend it is. But I do try to slip into that character's skin and experience the emotions of story from that perspective. Self-insert in a way that leaves "me" behind and becomes the character, rather than imposing "me" onto a character that is clearly not me.

I feel like I'm doing self-insert with this process, but I also feel like that's not what literally anyone means when they use those words, so... I guess I don't?

Ive never been able to put it into words this succinctly, but this is exactly how i feel about it and what i do.

 

[yomogi]

a bit of both. usually I self-insert, but if the MC has a really strong personality of her own, I can also just be an observer and enjoy their story like an anime.

 

[Lotucias]

I prefer following the story through the main character rather than projecting myself into her.
It does happen, but it's quite rare.
I don't feel like it diminishes my appreciation of the work; mostly, it just allows me not to take things quite so personally.
I love commenting on certain parts, saying things like, "You're really messing things up for my girl here—watch it," or simply, "How can you put her through that?!".

 

[BlackF]

I do, but sometimes it feels irritating when i don't have enough choices to pick from that actually smth i would definitely do in that exact situation...

 

[ellass]

I don't think I've ever self inserted myself in any game tbh (I do insert my ocs tho), but in Otomes, I like to keep the MC's name. I also like when the LIs call the MC by her name/nickname like in Piofiore.