One thing that really catches my attention in anime is the appreciation of women in anime. I mean women in anime are definitely respected and cherished by the fans of the anime community for their unique and inspiring personalities, but I feel like people don’t really notice the strong women that we see in otome games. Otome games are beautifully written and spectacularly designed visual novels targeted for young women who want to “ experience” a life of romance. People often mistaken it for being trashy games about women wanting a love interest (usually because of its captivating art style or character design) but don’t actually understand that hidden deep message of the game. These games are often very thrilling and have interesting plot holes that you rarely see in other visual games (Such as Harem visual novels which are targeted towards the males). This is because shonen and seinen manga, anime and visual novels are well known for portraying their women as these badass, independent and stunning characters that a lot fans seem to love however they can end up abandoning the women in shojo and josei manga.
Lilliana Adornato from Piofiore
Nationality: Italian-American
Age: 21
Hair Colour: Long Golden Blonde
Eye Colour: Light Green
The piofiore series is probably one of the most popular otome games ever of the 4th generation of anime. The series takes place in a fictional city inspired by the roaring twenties in Eastern America, southern Italy and southern France during the infamous mafia era. Lilliana is an lovely, interesting, kind hearted but intelligent young woman who’s training to be primary teacher/counsellor of younger kids who are raised in the church. Because of the town being in such a crisis she often gets held in dangerous situations. Despite it being an otome game (Multi-Romance/Love Triangle game) I love the way how she is so out spoken, fearless and independent she is through out the series.
Yui Komori from Diabolik Lovers
Nationality: Japanese
Age: 17
Hair Colour: Short Platinum Blonde
Eye Colour: Light Sherbet Pink
Diabolik Lovers is probably one of the most iconic and most popular amongst all the otome and one of the anime games with the biggest franchises. It’s one of the first Shojo series I was introduced to when I first got into anime.
The series focuses on Yui Komori, a young sweet natured teenage girl who moves to a different school is forced the live with a family of vampires and trapped in the spirit realm. While living with them they continuously attempt to attack and discriminate her due to their hate towards humans. What makes this series and heroine very iconic is how Yui is determined to find out more about herself, her past and her future. I think the downfall of this series comes to the anime while the visual novel series (Which contains 8 games) really explains the background and development of the story. I hold a very special place and respect for this character in my heart just because of her absolute resilience, optimism and determination.
Fiona Gallard from Black Wolves Saga
Nationality: German
Age: 16-17
Hair Colour: Long Wavy Light Brown
Eye Colour: Light Blue
Black Wolves Saga is a grim-dark fantasy political visual novel about an unsettling war between the humans and the hybrids animals. Fiona Gallard is the daughter of an aristocratic family who has been neglected by her parents and the rest of society due to a severe illness which occurred since she was a baby. 16 years of being trapped in her room which zero contact which anyone except her tutors and lady in waiting Fiona visualises the world as being a place of harmony and peace where there’s so much of freedom since that how the world is portrayed in the books that she had read. After a brutal terrorist attack which occurred upon her manor she is completely exposed to a world of suffering and violence.
Cardia Beckford from Code Realize
Nationality: British
Age: 18-19
Hair Colour: Long Wavy Dark Brown
Eye Colour: Brown
Code Realize is one the most iconic and most popular otome game of the 3rd generation of anime. Cardia Beckford is an outstanding and underrated heroine that people should notice. Just like Fiona from “Black Wolves Saga” she also has serious medical condition where she suffers from a very fragile body, However that doesn’t stop her from being a determined and independent woman. In the world of Code Realize in set a steampunk version of Victorian England during the industrial revolution, As you know in this particular period where women didn’t have many rights however Cardia was against that and went to do things that women were not allowed to do such a working as an activist and in the working industries.
Shirien From Allure of Musk
Nationality: Arabian-mixed (Technically Japanese)
Age: 21
Hair Colour: Long Ashy Grey
Eye Colour: Rose Pink
Allure of Musk is a well written otome visual novel which is inspired by Arabian Nights Collection and is one of the most iconic visual novels of the 4th generation of anime. This visual novel is more mature and is targeted towards a much more “mature” audience is comparison to the other otome visual novels.
This game takes place in the fictional kingdom of “Shanasa”, where there is currently a gathering of royals from across the world. Our main protagonist is called a beautiful young woman named Shirien who works as a professional dancer in the Show Bar Kamal but also undertakes work as a spy at night who reports the vile secrets of the corrupted wealthy and the greedy. She is shown to be a fearless, witty and skilled spy who is very comfortable in her own skin and isn’t afraid to take risks.
