Is there a trope that never works for you?

[Pancito]

For me yes, love at first sight. I've never really connected with romances where the characters fall in love almost immediately. I much prefer seeing trust and feelings develop gradually because it makes the relationship feel much more believable and rewarding.​

 

[nerim-w]

Probably age gap romance when one of the parties is a minor, like a 16 year old dating a 28 year old. Like, a 22 and 30 year old - sure, but no minors!! I can accept all sorts of red flags, heck I'll even accept dating your own brother (Yoritomo from Birushiana) but I ain't doing age gap, sorry...
If the LI is really hot ill probably do some serious self inserting or head canons to pretend we're the same age

It reminds me of this meme, even though im still in my early 20s lmao

 

[Pancito]

Probably age gap romance when one of the parties is a minor, like a 16 year old dating a 28 year old. Like, a 22 and 30 year old - sure, but no minors!! I can accept all sorts of red flags, heck I'll even accept dating your own brother (Yoritomo from Birushiana) but I ain't doing age gap, sorry...
If the LI is really hot ill probably do some serious self inserting or head canons to pretend we're the same age

It reminds me of this meme, even though im still in my early 20s lmao

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Haha, I totally agree with you. I don't mind age-gap romances as long as both characters are adults. But when one of them is a minor, I just can't enjoy the romance anymore—it completely takes me out of the story.

 

[nekoky]

Two people keep misunderstanding each other but never bother to clear things up, only to regret it and finally realize the truth at the very end. I think that's just the writers having nothing else to write about and padding the story.

 

[satory]

Stockholm syndrome and in broader terms - situations where MC is treated badly by LI and still manages to like them and see better in them. A love story built on a this kind of relationship is not what I'd like to see.

And +1 for age-gap romances, but especially teacher-student relationship. Even if it's a university story, where everyone is an adult and the age gap in question is miniscule.

 

[Megha]

For my case, I don't like way too pushover MC/FML who gets used by any and everyone and still forgives them without doing much for her. Or, Main Characters falling in love and marrying a person who treats them like the worst sh*t ever and then gets happy ending with a single apology. That kind of trope never sits right with me.

Oh, I just saw someone mentioning age gap and misunderstandings. To be honest, both are tropes I don't like much either, but in some rare cases I've seen that the story writing is so well-written that I can overlook those. So, it's not like I absolutely hate that trope, as long as the stories and reasons are very well justified and mutual.

 

[Megha]

Stockholm syndrome and in broader terms - situations where MC is treated badly by LI and still manages to like them and see better in them. A love story built on a this kind of relationship is not what I'd like to see.

And +1 for age-gap romances, but especially teacher-student relationship. Even if it's a university story, where everyone is an adult and the age gap in question is miniscule.

My thoughts exctly! Like, how do u like people who mistreat you almost all the time? That has to be a sever mental problem.

 

[maiholii]

In general, i don't like anything NTR related. So if the LI already have a relationship with someone else (example, in historical setting they already have a fiancee etc) i would hate to disturb that relationship. But i rarely encounter this trope in otome, or never? I don't really remember lol.

The second one would be, bully X bullied Trope. Bully is a big nope for me how can you like someone that's being mean to you? not my cup of tea.

 

[Darmian]

Love triangles. I dont have time to sit through all your drama or feel bad for one of you guys.

And maybe, toxic relationship. Something like male lead have a red flag type, forgiving him because he had a rough past, and just label him as complex character. And realized he just a regular basic manchild

Oh and one more. Dating with celebrities/idols. Im not a parasocial person, so this trope never really clicked with me..

 

[voIuvreles]

That one troupe where one of the LI loves you in every route, like even when you're in B or C's route, the game kept hinting that while A is happy you find your lover, he still has some romantic feelings for you. Idk man it just irks me off 🫩 makes me feel guilty for not picking their route, which makes me not want to pick their route even further grrrrr at least give me some freedom to pick whoever i want dammit

Also love triangle stuff, or where I have to choose between two LI who clearly have feelings for me. It's lowkey kinda stressful... 🫩
I have love-hate relationship with Adopt A Boyfriend bc of this, don't get me wrong it's a sweet and cute game but the fact that I had to choose between Aramis and Kujo is just jffjfjjdjfjdjfjhd can't i get them both...

 

[Riou1]

Romancitized non-con in BL VNs (I mean I don't like non-con in general but the romanticized one is just even more gross imo).

 

[Megha]

Romancitized non-con in BL VNs (I mean I don't like non-con in general but the romanticized one is just even more gross imo).

Omg, so true. This one slipped my mind. But yes, consent matters so much for me. Otherwise, it feels like rape and gross.

 

[zapp]

Maybe it's because of my eternal love for friends to lovers but I always find enemies/rivals to lovers quite annoying

 

[chardonnay]

huge +1 to misunderstanding thing, when it's obvious that charachters can just sit and fckng TALK to each other right here and right now, but for some stupid reasons they ignore it. it really irritates me, so stupid.
and i just can't get to like childhood friends trope. idk, for me it's the easiest and the laziest way to get MC and their LI together

 

[lunitawish]

Personally, I find it incredibly uncomfortable otomes that feature netorare or non-consensual romance. For me, the whole point of the genre is to build a beautiful, healthy, and mutual connection with the characters. When cross those lines, it completely ruins the magic and takes away from the comfort of the experience (っ˘̩╭╮˘̩)っ

 

[dogiwall]

I can handle a lot of tropes, but I don't like the misunderstandings one either due to most of them being poorly handled (and I also dislike this one outside of any romances tbh). Also, I'm not a fan of NTR as well lol.

 

[NoveiaVonGeorgia]

"You're so interesting" trope
Writers frequently use this specific phrase to jumpstart the "love at first sight" dynamic or to signal immediate sexual attraction, fast-tracking the romantic plot. The phrase often falls flat when the author fails to provide the background to justify why the character is so fascinating, making the sudden obsession feel unearned.
"Abrupt Exit" trope
When the MC and LI fight or talk but then one of them leaves the room, leaving the other one stunned but the one who stayed does absolutely nothing and waits for the next day/week/ or worse....months or years to resolve it. In real life , you can just simply walk towards the person, grab the arm or eve tap their back..

 

[shunira]

The one where mc and the Love Interest interacted as kids and somehow promises something (normally it is to be together forever) and that promise keeps them hooked on the mc forever, that was on kindergarden....move on.. no way your memory is THAT good.

 

[zluoxy]

Maybe a bit basic, but gotta say that i always disliked the ones where the LI is related to the mc (blood related or adopted)

 

[totallyamanda]

playboy types having a revelation to be monogamous when infamously not. ┐(´～｀ˇ)┌

the guardian or protector type pulling away or denying romance because he's protecting MC but won't let MC make their own decisions a la 'i know what's best for you'. ૮꒰•̀༝ •́꒱ა .ᐟ let mc make decisions!!

very much against love triangles unless it's strictly one sided by rival. i am not interested in competing with winning the affection of a love interest against another that they are actively interested in as well. (·•᷄‎ࡇ•᷅ )
same goes for prior relationships or lovers, i'm not here to read their story, this is mine(mc's)!!
( ｡ •̀ ᴖ •́ ｡)

 

[muragaki]

Oh man. Looking at the replies, I have more tropes that i don't like that i would've thought lmao

ntr, carrot and stick love interests, step siblings, miscommunication..... i wouldn't necessarily outright stop playing a game if a route does have one of these, but i get seriously irritated lmao

 

[SmallEagle]

I hate the one sided crush trope, especially when the LI only reacts when the MC is receiving atention from someone else that actually treats them right.
Like I think it could work if it's used as a wake up slap for the LI to realize their feelings ONLY if they don't know about MC's crush. Else it feels so immature.

 

[muragaki]

I hate the one sided crush trope, especially when the LI only reacts when the MC is receiving atention from someone else that actually treats them right.
Like I think it could work if it's used as a wake up slap for the LI to realice their feelings ONLY if they don't know about MC's crush. Else it feels so immature.

oh yeah, that definitely ticks me off as well. they usually don't take action or when they do, the producers make the LI seem like a tsundere or just as having a bad personality in general, but it just feels half-assed.

 

[End8less]

Immortal LI that was involved in the MC's life as a child and years later has come back to be their romantic partner, or just in general caretaker turned love interest. Whenever I encounter it in a VN I just slow nod and shove it in a box to push it to the back of my mind and pretend it is not there. Genji Monogatari's sonic shockwave can still be felt a thousand years later I guess.

 

[Yui_Tsurata]

Enemies to lovers, the kind "I want to kill you" enemies... how can you love someone wants to kill you?