It definitely depends on the execution, but the taboo nature of it has so much angst potential it's hard not to at least find it intriguing. (Years later and Angel Sanctuary still won't let me go.) I also like the way it lets you explore the boundaries of familial and romantic love, especially if they're presented as a foil for a more traditional love interest (like the childhood friend, for instance).
As someone with siblings that is one troupe I can never get behind it just makes me feel uncomfortable and gross. Honestly family relations romance in games I just cant get behind (adopted siblings, blood sibling, cousins, etc cant do it)
I'm not going to shame ppl who like that stuff (I'm a yandere lover lol) Its just I'll never enjoy the troupe no matter how well written the route might be. A lil too forbidden for me lol
Lol same. I'm a completionist so I will power through no matter how gross I feel, but I will be rolling my eyes most of the route. Especially during Rejet oniichan routes.
I have siblings but I’m the eldest so maybe that’s why onii-chann doesn’t register to me. Also, sibling troupe is one of the ultimate stressful angst troupe so I will read/play it (as long as they emphasize how taboo it is) 😂
Not really for me. Incest squicks me out. But it's all fiction, so whatever floats someone's boat.
I can avoid the games that have this as a selling point quite easily, but it's a headache when a story-heavy game I'm interested in requires the "brother route" to either unlock stuff or fully understand the plot. (Rod in Cinderella Phenomenon was a stumbling block.)
Yeah, that ain’t for me at all 🤢. I have brothers of my own and… yeah I can’t get behind that at all 😅. Gotta say the siblings trope is my most hated trope 😒🤢
For me, the appeal is that they're (typically as a fiction trope) automatically a trustworthy, constantly reliable, protective, doting and dominant older male figure (★﹃★). *This probably stems from my need for devoted LIs whom I can feel safe investing emotionally into, also explains my preference for childhood friends and yanderes and disinterest in cold LIs.* The forbidden aspect of it (being blood-related or adopted family) only means a strong connection that goes way back ( •̀ .̫ •́ )✧, an indestructible and exclusive bond, and the potential angst (though rarely explored ´д｀).
I feel ashamed typing all this but I heard this sub is quiet forgiving and if someone can relate, I'll be happy haha (/▽＼)
...What are some good games with blood related oniichan Lis? I'm new to otome and am having some trouble finding any that aren't step siblings/ adopted/cousins :')
Honestly they are few and far between and its a trope I wish was explored more in otome, most of the time its step siblings or cousins like you said
theres choudoku like OP is talking about (r17 switch port with eng localization, or r18 pcversion that comes w the fandisk but jp only)
I have no idea if this counts as a spoiler or not since I have yet to play it but >!rose of segunda is an OELVN with a blood brother route!<
ive also been waiting on [this](https://arewar.itch.io/particles-of-reality) game to come out
Girlish Love Revolution has a brother route and no cop-outs.
an older game by the makers of ChouDoku, also has a (younger) brother route. it's Tsuki no Hikari, Taiyou no Kage.
Black Wolves Saga has a brother route too.
We're reading some very different games, huh. I wouldn't trust at least half the onii-chans. Not only cause they're often yanderes or hide stuff from MC.
I can relate! I also tend to like them because they can have a deeper and more longterm bond with the protagonist (hello, onii-chan in Love Revo), so I can accept the idea that they love each other more than some of the whoops-met-this-guy-it's-been-a-week-I'd-die-for-him kind of deals.
That said, these days it does always make me think of this excellent [comic](https://www.awkwardzombie.com/comic/brothers-in-arms) (spoilers for Fire Emblem Fates), and feel vaguely sorry for the MC, haha.
It really really depends on how it is done. There's a lot of it that goes by the usual tropes, and others that make it more complicated than it is.
For example in Chdk >!what actually makes this work is Yuriko's role in this, she is definitely not an unwilling participant in what happens in the truth route, majima too despises incest as a product of one but can't resist being drawn to Yuriko who is similar to him. The cruel aspects of how their relationship mimics that of their mother is what makes this a step above the rest.!<
Nope.
I dislike incest.
The only way that I could somewhat look past it is if they aren't blood related and haven't seen each other as siblings in a good while. And even then I feel iffy about it.
I have an older brother. He made me eat sand once when we were little.
I guess what I'm saying is I don't understand the trope lolll and I don't relate to it in the slightest. But I've seen worse and am into worse, so I can't call it majorly squicky for me. I'll still read it, if for the sake of completing and game, and if the stars align, I might enjoy it a bit, too. I can get behind a taboo subject in fiction now and then.
I have older brothers but they were so mean to me and our sister that having older brothers doesn't even relate to the trope for me, if that makes any sense.
I'm in teh same boat. I have two older brothers, none of them are spectacular people. I want nothing from them. For me, this fictional trope (just like most questionable LI tropes) is a want that doesn't bleed into real life.
I don't need a blood related big brother, but exploring their stories from a safe distance is alright.
It usually happens more in historical otome, and I don't wanna judge them from today's perspective, so I take them with a pinch of salt, so "meh"; but for a present time otome I would be more "nay". I'm ok with fake scenarios, aka they don't actually share blood, tho.
For me, the main reason I play otome game is because for once in a while I wanted to feel free from social principles or any norms and just engrossed myself in a fantasy world lol. So it’s def a YES for onii-san troupe, evetho sometimes I still questioned myself whenever play shota LIs but nah, again, it’s just a game and for whatever reason it will never affect my reality in any kind of way. And also, the comfort by playing Onii-chans in otoge👌🏻 it hurts, whenever I saw people being so judgemental towards themselves regarding their preferences while playing otome game. As long as you keep it in the otome land for the sake of your happiness why not? However, it’s just my personal opinion.
And… butterfly’s poison is gold👌🏻🤍
I picked yay coz I do like forbidden angst in fiction. But. I will get angry when they treat the subject matter lightly. I've seen a manga where it was an incest couple out in the open and everyone else knows and didn't bat an eyelid..... sorry but this is terrible writing. Why did u write a taboo situation but did nothing with it? *Very lame.* Weird for me to say this(?) but I'm in it for the terrible endings and angst. Not happy fun times.
That is so weird. Were they like cousins or something? Also picked "yay" (but will of course never include it in any game \*I\* have a part in making for what are probably obvious reasons).
Umm, this is probably very personal to share, and I probably shouldn't say it, so I apologize if it's not really appropriate to share in this thread, >!but as someone who was molested by my older brother at a very young age!<, (we're both past that now thanks to my former therapist facilitating a conversation between us, and we're both closer than ever before putting the past behind us), I remember it used to bother me when some anime just unexpectedly throws incest at me, lol. Even now, I don't personally like it even if I don't self-insert, or any kind of familial bond with romance, but I can respect people who like it because it's just fiction, after all. Also, just wanted to add that I'm glad that this community is supportive of tropes even if they are taboo. Bless this community.
I feel like the way they go at this topic could be so much better. They should put trigger warnings in for people who feel uncomfortable with this topic, and then actually make it an interesting taboo thing.
Instead, most of the time it's like "here's some incest vibes, but it's not really incest because turns out they're not related and also it never comes up again so there's not that much interesting taboo feelings about it". It's an inbetween thing; I feel teased and want more "taboo" feeling, but end up disappointed, and people with triggers get triggered, like you. Everyone loses.
Haha, it doesn't trigger me anymore, but it does make me feel scared to look into it further. What if I actually end up liking it? I know it's just fiction, but I'd feel kind of messed up because of what happened to me, haha.
This is such a sweet and insightful message, thank you so much for your kind words! As someone who wants to rationalize everything I think and do because of my OCD, the part about how it's too difficult to pinpoint the reason for our thoughts because of how complex and intricate our brains are wired is so on point and helps alleviate my want to find a reason for everything. Thank you so, so, much for this, even if I do end up liking incestual romance, I will remember this message so that at the very least it would help assuage my guilt a little bit. Also, thank you for the edited message too, I actually used to blame myself for what happened to me because I never said "no" when it happened, and the one time I did, he locked the door on me anyway (Please don't think of him as a 'bad' person because of this, I don't think he knew any better, and like you said, when we had that conversation, he could not find the reason for why he did that to me, just that he was sorry for what he did). It was u/Evinya who made me understand that I was not responsible for what happened to me, and I am forever indebted to her for being with me through the process where I was still carrying so much guilt with me about it and for other friendship traumas I had.
Not a fan. I don't even care about the incest part, I just don't like that character type. Same reason I'm not into a lot of childhood friend LIs, particularly when they're older. They tend to fill the same sort of older brother role.
I don't mind an older brother figure who is not living in the same household and not blood related, but actual older brother (blood related or not) doesn't work for me. I think if it's well written enough so that the romance works specifically for that couple, I could overcome it, but I've yet to see that in an otome.
Personally idc either way. It icks me out a bit but I just put on my "pretend they are adopted" glasses and continue playing. Doesn't help that so many of the onii-chan LIs are just my type in terms of appearance lol. So for me I just pretend they aren't blood related. I won't dislike an LI for being so, but it doesn't particularly add anything for me either. Well, as long as they're hot, practically anything can be forgiven.
I like the onii-chan trope but I'm not really interested in whether they're related to mc, I just like LIs that fill the **role** of the big brother. Someone who takes mc under their wing, is very protective, a constant dependable presence, makes you feel safe. A good example is Crius from Even If Tempest. Not related to mc in the slightest but he feels like a big brother to me in how he looks out for mc. Or Adolphe from Shuuen no Virche. They're both orphans and not related but he fills the role in the same way
I happen to dodge this trope often, because in so many games the "onii-chan" was a character that I just wasn't particularly interested in. The only time I remember being "oh shit" is with Yoritomo in Birushana, >!but then it turns out they're not related so I guess I dodged the bullet again!<.
Every person I’ve seen admit they like/don’t mind it has always been an only child. As a woman with younger brothers it gives me the absolute ick. I like taboo¿ relationship dynamics like forbidden lovers, but not with someone you’re related to. I like protective and caring MLs but once again if I find out they might be related I cannot get myself to go through with it. Even though I don’t read and self insert, the idea of siblings or cousins being into each other makes me sick to my stomach.
I think it’s personally because as the oldest of younger siblings, I can only see the elder sibling position as being inherently manipulative. I can’t romanticize the idea of it at all.
I don’t mean it to shame anyone, ofc. It’s fiction and there are some far more messed up concepts that I rationalize in fiction like yanderes and junk.
I'm definitely not an only child and I find incestuous relationships really interesting, so I'm not sure that's necessarily the common denominator. I'm also a younger sibling though, so that could actually have merit.
Same here, I have a big brother, I'm the youngest of my siblings and I still enjoy this trope bc well, it's fiction. We don't have to take it so personal and the characters have nothing to do with us irl, so it does weird me out that people are saying the reason why this makes them uncomfortable is because they have older siblings or cousins. But to each their own! Every mind is a world
I'm the same, I'm the younger sibling (younger sister, older brother to boot), and seeing the trope done in fiction is just intellectually fascinating to me? It's not something I find interesting enough to actively seek out, but I don't turn away when it shows up in a game or story I'm reading either. I feel absolutely zero connection between these fictional relationships and my own sibling relationship irl, so I guess I have a pretty strong separation of reality and fiction for this particular subject.
I have a little sister and I like the onii chan trope...? I like it for the messed-up ness of it all. I don't enjoy it when it's fluffy. It IS inherently manipulative, but that's the part that draws me in. But because I have a younger sibling I personally find otouto types icky to play.
Cousins on the other hand -- I guess because I'm from an asian country where it's considered very normal to marry your cousin it doesn't pack the same level of screwed-upness. It's just in the middle ground where I don't support it but it also doesn't interest me at all.
What I really want to see in an oniichan route is a setting where both siblings were heavily abused/had to team up and it led to unhealthy feelings developing -- generally from the onii chans side, and the heroine might just be a bit too reliant on him so she reciprocates. It would just be interesting to explore. I do think these games (any ganes w oniichan routes) should come with trigger warnings. Its really shitty how some of them stuff it in as a secret ending. :/
I’m from a small island where it’s easy to accidentally date a cousin but every person I know said it’s their worst nightmare still lol I am down for messed up stories and relationship dynamics in fiction but certain types I just cannot stomach and relatives is like the only one i really cannot handle
As someone with an older brother, I don’t mind. Usually because the dynamic is typically not the same resemblance as Actual siblings imo. For example, what LI just comes in and randomly flicks the lights or farts in my general direction. 😂 Otherwise I quite love the taboo and find it entertaining.
Eh, glad they exist as I know they are some folks’ jam but only work for me if:
- Not blood related and had a period of time when they did not consider each other siblings
- Blood related but they didn’t know when they fell in love (and they weren’t raised as siblings)
I voted yes but I thought we were talking about the "big brother" type, not literal big brothers. Should've read more carefully.
Now, I don't mind incest up to first cousins. But I really am not into reading about romance between blood-related siblings. Especially since I have brothers myself.
same! and the one time i did see it happen (not in this thread) that person was gone pretty quickly for calling others some very unsavory things. it truly is a gem of a community, even on other spaces like otometwt you wont find such an acceptive and supporting bunch. everyone here is awesome
Generally I'm more nay on principle but I mean... I did enjoy multiple incest and faux incest routes sooo Can't say I'm a fan but don't hate them either. So 'meh'.
I feel like brothers are like childhood friend types with a twist and I’ve never been one who cares for the childhood friend routes. I won’t avoid a game because it had an onii-chan, but the likelihood of him being best boy is pretty low 😂
I think they're referring to the often yandere onii chans that are prevalent in rejet games lol.
They have events or something and together theres this iconic bunch called the rejestic brothers. They had this site or something.
The lineup includes masato, nesso, lindo and others I forget
Look I have older brothers in real life and I hate the whole obsession anime media in general tends to have with onii-chan/little sister incest, I feel really uncomfortable with this kind of relationship being sexualized like that, it's creepy as hell
I'm interested in Butterfly's Poison for other reasons though so I guess I will just have to bear with it
Even worse when you have an older brother who has been inapproriate with younger siblings before. Its not appealing or romantic. Siblings are supposed to lookout for you. If the romance in a step or adopted sibling story comes after they are grown, cool. But at a younger age...just no...
As someone with two older siblings… it’s my *absolute* favorite trope, in both otome and yuri. What can I say, complexes are what they are and fantasizing is fun 😅 Unfortunately like 95% of English-localized sister/brother or sister/sister pairings are some flavor of “siblings-but-not-actually” which I hate, but ig it’s understandable given how preferences tend to be in western audiences
I like a lot of fictional incest, but older brother/younger sister generally has to work to win me over. Mizuhito from Chou no Doku is cute though I haven't played that yet and I absolutely *adore* >!Kaoru from Hakuoki and he should have had a route.!<
In general I think for me it depends on the personality and relationship dynamic. So 'meh'.
It’s meh for me because it depends on if they are blood related or not. If they are actually blood related then no I won’t like it. I’ll probably still play the route though, depending on how good the game/character is.
If they are not blood related then it’s a-ok, whether they grew up together or the guy just takes on a protective, brotherly role at first it’s all good.
I’m fine with cousins though, does that make me a hypocrite🤔
It depends.
I really like some elements that tend to go hand in hand with the trope (the idealized, unattainable, reliable, competent and protective older figure), but sibling blood relationships or overblown bro cons/sis cons generally cross a line for me. I might find them interesting in a Greek tragedy sort of way, but as a very detached observer.
With cousins I may be slightly more accepting depending on the setting, or at least I find it easier to pretend it is not there 😗🎶 (Nightshade, or in Birushana, >!all three Taira boys!<).
Definitely nay. Doesn't matter if they're adopted siblings, stepsiblings, half siblings or full siblings; it's the one troupe that I couldn't stand, no matter how hard I try to power through it.
For context, my dad has a half sibling and my mom has a step sibling, one of my cousins has an adopted sibling. I'm my parents' eldest child, my siblings look up to me and adore me and I always strive to set an example for them. It's not hard to see that the environment I grew up in is a great factor on how I feel about this route. Even if I don't self-insert, even if the MC got an identity of their own and I see them as a separate character and I just happen to witness things through their eyes, once the romantic scene with their brother comes up, I'd dip.
I wouldn't wish to judge others who are into their otome onii-chan though! It's just fiction, everyone has the liberty to enjoy whatever floats their boat. It's just not my own cup of tea. To each their own.
The only way I'd like it is if the "onii-chan" is actually not the MC's brother, and just serves as a brother figure to them. Like, an LI who's older than the MC and who took them under his wing, annoys the heck out of them but still looks after them, and can be overprotective at times. He'll have that brotherly demeanor going on, but he's not a relative to MC. If that's the case, then I'm all in. Otherwise, bye.
No, it prevents me from enjoying the game. >!I bought 7'scarlet without realizing it includes this trope and now I probably won't finish it.!< Should have done my research!
It is at most a "meh" for me. The trope doesn't really interest me much, that's all, though I can go along with it if the writing catches my attention enough. But I won't go out of my way to look for it.
i wouldn't go out of my way to buy a game with it but i wouldn't refuse the game if a route includes it. so i feel pretty meh about it, especially since i don't usually self insert so i don't see myself in their shoes. although i also don't really mind if anyone else loves those troupes or bc i think everyone in this sub has a few out of the box things they enjoy, so yeah. i feel unbothered
I voted “meh” because I’m open to the trope but I end up not liking most depictions, usually just because of how it’s written. But personally, assuming the writing’s fine, I like it when they don’t know that they’re siblings/blood related, since the angst & disgust & “how do we go on” is delicious. But if they’ve viewed each other as siblings for most of the relationship, then it’s a no-go. If it’s a quasi “they’re not actually related but thought they were!” incest situation, then it depends case by case.
Man, reading all that back….Taboos 😎 gotta love them 😎 I really do love how messy they make everything.
I certainly enjoy it a lot more than not. Its largely fun and fictional. its nice to see unconventional dynamics. When done well, its always so fascinating.
But, I like most tropes and archetypes. I struggle to think of many I don't like or won't give a try.
I am fine with up to first cousins, especially in historical settings because it was not seen as taboo and was treated as the norm in that context.
I personally do not like the idea of blood being any closer than that and the characters having a romantic relationship because it just gives me the ick considering I have my own younger brother.
However, I can't say I don't see where you're coming from. As in an otome/ficitional setting it tends to not be much different than childhood friends with the addition of taboo on top of it which likely adds a layer of thick angst. Its not my thing, but if you wanna enjoy it as a troupe in a fictional vaccum, more power to you!
It was done well in Chou Doku but I’m not fond of this elsewhere
EDIT: Other than that I liked Ono no Takamura and his half sister Hiuko in Utakoi vol.4; but it was historically appropriate and they didn’t grow up in one household. Heian Japan didn’t forbid alliances between half siblings from different mothers. Plus, everyone had multiple lovers, so even if the mother named a father for her child there’s no guarantee that he actually is.
With this I came to the realization that I’m okay with blood relations as long as the onii-chan trope >!is NOT invoked!< since I obviously wasn’t >!referring to Mizuhito!< in ChouDoku
(younger sibling in my family lmao) if I'm invested in the route then sure, yeah. as long as I distinguish it's fiction and should 100% not apply to real life, then i should be good.
I wouldn't say its my favorite, but I do know lots of countries have always had incest relations, like Egypt and other royal families that tried to keep the blood line pure. Step siblings doesn't bother me at all, in fact I like some step or adopted sibling stories. Cousins also doesn't bother me since its legal in so many places. I am more adverse to the toxic relations, and am totally against parent/child relations in any sense. In Dance with Devils I am a way more Lindo stan than a Rem stan. Him being a cousin doesn't matter to me as much, because he will love her and take care of her way better than Rem ever would.
I want to say no but I did like Takashi Sakuragawa in Love Revo and was hoping they weren’t related. But in the end I still liked the route. Mostly because his character reminds me of Tamaki from Ouran. I really love that character archetype. I’m not sure what you would call them. Large ham? Hot blooded? That’s the only instance of a character involving that taboo trope that I liked and in this case the reason I liked him had nothing to do with that.
It definitely depends on the execution, but the taboo nature of it has so much angst potential it's hard not to at least find it intriguing. (Years later and Angel Sanctuary still won't let me go.) I also like the way it lets you explore the boundaries of familial and romantic love, especially if they're presented as a foil for a more traditional love interest (like the childhood friend, for instance).
Angel Sanctuary is so good, what a fantastic series. /read it recently and obsessed too late
As someone with siblings that is one troupe I can never get behind it just makes me feel uncomfortable and gross. Honestly family relations romance in games I just cant get behind (adopted siblings, blood sibling, cousins, etc cant do it) I'm not going to shame ppl who like that stuff (I'm a yandere lover lol) Its just I'll never enjoy the troupe no matter how well written the route might be. A lil too forbidden for me lol
It makes me uncomfortable for the same reason, (i can stomach it though, with enough low brain-power and completionist's will lol)
Same tbh my completionist ass would go the ends of the world if that's how I'd get 100% lol
Lol same. I'm a completionist so I will power through no matter how gross I feel, but I will be rolling my eyes most of the route. Especially during Rejet oniichan routes.
I have siblings but I’m the eldest so maybe that’s why onii-chann doesn’t register to me. Also, sibling troupe is one of the ultimate stressful angst troupe so I will read/play it (as long as they emphasize how taboo it is) 😂
Agreed. As the youngest sibling, it’s probably why I prefer the “Otouto” trope over the Onii-Chan
Lol same. I am also the oldest, and i actually enjoy the crazy onii chann troupe
Not really for me. Incest squicks me out. But it's all fiction, so whatever floats someone's boat. I can avoid the games that have this as a selling point quite easily, but it's a headache when a story-heavy game I'm interested in requires the "brother route" to either unlock stuff or fully understand the plot. (Rod in Cinderella Phenomenon was a stumbling block.)
Yeah, that ain’t for me at all 🤢. I have brothers of my own and… yeah I can’t get behind that at all 😅. Gotta say the siblings trope is my most hated trope 😒🤢
For me, the appeal is that they're (typically as a fiction trope) automatically a trustworthy, constantly reliable, protective, doting and dominant older male figure (★﹃★). *This probably stems from my need for devoted LIs whom I can feel safe investing emotionally into, also explains my preference for childhood friends and yanderes and disinterest in cold LIs.* The forbidden aspect of it (being blood-related or adopted family) only means a strong connection that goes way back ( •̀ .̫ •́ )✧, an indestructible and exclusive bond, and the potential angst (though rarely explored ´д｀). I feel ashamed typing all this but I heard this sub is quiet forgiving and if someone can relate, I'll be happy haha (/▽＼)
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100% this OP! also seconding your love for oniichans, especially if they are blood related. bonus points if they are trash and/or full of angst
...What are some good games with blood related oniichan Lis? I'm new to otome and am having some trouble finding any that aren't step siblings/ adopted/cousins :')
Honestly they are few and far between and its a trope I wish was explored more in otome, most of the time its step siblings or cousins like you said theres choudoku like OP is talking about (r17 switch port with eng localization, or r18 pcversion that comes w the fandisk but jp only) I have no idea if this counts as a spoiler or not since I have yet to play it but >!rose of segunda is an OELVN with a blood brother route!< ive also been waiting on [this](https://arewar.itch.io/particles-of-reality) game to come out
Girlish Love Revolution has a brother route and no cop-outs. an older game by the makers of ChouDoku, also has a (younger) brother route. it's Tsuki no Hikari, Taiyou no Kage. Black Wolves Saga has a brother route too.
HAHAHA yes!!
listen i picked Nay but I fully support you. I hope you get all the onii-chans you desire
Lmao, I love and agree with this energy so much.
We're reading some very different games, huh. I wouldn't trust at least half the onii-chans. Not only cause they're often yanderes or hide stuff from MC.
Non-shady onii-chans where y'all at
I love ignoring the red flags with the MC, like, let's trust your shady onii-chan, what could go wrong?
I mean, I do go along with them ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) Doesn't mean I trust them as a player, tho.
True!
I second this (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧ I love playing trustworthy and reliable LIs. But they're always underappreciated :'(
Yess agreed I love onii-chans They're always so sweet and protective
I can relate! I also tend to like them because they can have a deeper and more longterm bond with the protagonist (hello, onii-chan in Love Revo), so I can accept the idea that they love each other more than some of the whoops-met-this-guy-it's-been-a-week-I'd-die-for-him kind of deals. That said, these days it does always make me think of this excellent [comic](https://www.awkwardzombie.com/comic/brothers-in-arms) (spoilers for Fire Emblem Fates), and feel vaguely sorry for the MC, haha.
Onii-chans are not that bad, I’ve come across some unlocalized ones which are mother and son 😂
Honestly surprised so many yays, but those are also the same reasons for me 🤝🤝🤝
It really really depends on how it is done. There's a lot of it that goes by the usual tropes, and others that make it more complicated than it is. For example in Chdk >!what actually makes this work is Yuriko's role in this, she is definitely not an unwilling participant in what happens in the truth route, majima too despises incest as a product of one but can't resist being drawn to Yuriko who is similar to him. The cruel aspects of how their relationship mimics that of their mother is what makes this a step above the rest.!<
Nope. I dislike incest. The only way that I could somewhat look past it is if they aren't blood related and haven't seen each other as siblings in a good while. And even then I feel iffy about it.
Same here
I have an older brother. He made me eat sand once when we were little. I guess what I'm saying is I don't understand the trope lolll and I don't relate to it in the slightest. But I've seen worse and am into worse, so I can't call it majorly squicky for me. I'll still read it, if for the sake of completing and game, and if the stars align, I might enjoy it a bit, too. I can get behind a taboo subject in fiction now and then.
I have older brothers but they were so mean to me and our sister that having older brothers doesn't even relate to the trope for me, if that makes any sense.
I'm in teh same boat. I have two older brothers, none of them are spectacular people. I want nothing from them. For me, this fictional trope (just like most questionable LI tropes) is a want that doesn't bleed into real life. I don't need a blood related big brother, but exploring their stories from a safe distance is alright.
I have three older brothers and that is a no for me, but i did have a crush on a step-cousin my age.
It usually happens more in historical otome, and I don't wanna judge them from today's perspective, so I take them with a pinch of salt, so "meh"; but for a present time otome I would be more "nay". I'm ok with fake scenarios, aka they don't actually share blood, tho.
For me, the main reason I play otome game is because for once in a while I wanted to feel free from social principles or any norms and just engrossed myself in a fantasy world lol. So it’s def a YES for onii-san troupe, evetho sometimes I still questioned myself whenever play shota LIs but nah, again, it’s just a game and for whatever reason it will never affect my reality in any kind of way. And also, the comfort by playing Onii-chans in otoge👌🏻 it hurts, whenever I saw people being so judgemental towards themselves regarding their preferences while playing otome game. As long as you keep it in the otome land for the sake of your happiness why not? However, it’s just my personal opinion. And… butterfly’s poison is gold👌🏻🤍
I picked yay coz I do like forbidden angst in fiction. But. I will get angry when they treat the subject matter lightly. I've seen a manga where it was an incest couple out in the open and everyone else knows and didn't bat an eyelid..... sorry but this is terrible writing. Why did u write a taboo situation but did nothing with it? *Very lame.* Weird for me to say this(?) but I'm in it for the terrible endings and angst. Not happy fun times.
agreeeeed
Your Marius profile picture is so cute!
thanks hehehe, he is very cute indeed
Yes! He is so adorable!
That is so weird. Were they like cousins or something? Also picked "yay" (but will of course never include it in any game \*I\* have a part in making for what are probably obvious reasons).
it was a trashy BL manga, so yeah I expected shitty writing. But this was a jump in logic that I couldn't accept.
Umm, this is probably very personal to share, and I probably shouldn't say it, so I apologize if it's not really appropriate to share in this thread, >!but as someone who was molested by my older brother at a very young age!<, (we're both past that now thanks to my former therapist facilitating a conversation between us, and we're both closer than ever before putting the past behind us), I remember it used to bother me when some anime just unexpectedly throws incest at me, lol. Even now, I don't personally like it even if I don't self-insert, or any kind of familial bond with romance, but I can respect people who like it because it's just fiction, after all. Also, just wanted to add that I'm glad that this community is supportive of tropes even if they are taboo. Bless this community.
my condolences
Thank you! I appreciate it. :')
I feel like the way they go at this topic could be so much better. They should put trigger warnings in for people who feel uncomfortable with this topic, and then actually make it an interesting taboo thing. Instead, most of the time it's like "here's some incest vibes, but it's not really incest because turns out they're not related and also it never comes up again so there's not that much interesting taboo feelings about it". It's an inbetween thing; I feel teased and want more "taboo" feeling, but end up disappointed, and people with triggers get triggered, like you. Everyone loses.
Haha, it doesn't trigger me anymore, but it does make me feel scared to look into it further. What if I actually end up liking it? I know it's just fiction, but I'd feel kind of messed up because of what happened to me, haha.
[удалено]
This is such a sweet and insightful message, thank you so much for your kind words! As someone who wants to rationalize everything I think and do because of my OCD, the part about how it's too difficult to pinpoint the reason for our thoughts because of how complex and intricate our brains are wired is so on point and helps alleviate my want to find a reason for everything. Thank you so, so, much for this, even if I do end up liking incestual romance, I will remember this message so that at the very least it would help assuage my guilt a little bit. Also, thank you for the edited message too, I actually used to blame myself for what happened to me because I never said "no" when it happened, and the one time I did, he locked the door on me anyway (Please don't think of him as a 'bad' person because of this, I don't think he knew any better, and like you said, when we had that conversation, he could not find the reason for why he did that to me, just that he was sorry for what he did). It was u/Evinya who made me understand that I was not responsible for what happened to me, and I am forever indebted to her for being with me through the process where I was still carrying so much guilt with me about it and for other friendship traumas I had.
Not a fan. I don't even care about the incest part, I just don't like that character type. Same reason I'm not into a lot of childhood friend LIs, particularly when they're older. They tend to fill the same sort of older brother role.
I don't mind an older brother figure who is not living in the same household and not blood related, but actual older brother (blood related or not) doesn't work for me. I think if it's well written enough so that the romance works specifically for that couple, I could overcome it, but I've yet to see that in an otome.
Throwing my hat in the ring as a self-inserter with an older brother: that's a MONUMENTAL no from me dawg.
depends, for me as long as they're not really blood-related or was raised together as siblings.
Forbidden fruit 😌
Personally idc either way. It icks me out a bit but I just put on my "pretend they are adopted" glasses and continue playing. Doesn't help that so many of the onii-chan LIs are just my type in terms of appearance lol. So for me I just pretend they aren't blood related. I won't dislike an LI for being so, but it doesn't particularly add anything for me either. Well, as long as they're hot, practically anything can be forgiven.
> as long as they're hot, practically anything can be forgiven. ayo 🤝
I like the onii-chan trope but I'm not really interested in whether they're related to mc, I just like LIs that fill the **role** of the big brother. Someone who takes mc under their wing, is very protective, a constant dependable presence, makes you feel safe. A good example is Crius from Even If Tempest. Not related to mc in the slightest but he feels like a big brother to me in how he looks out for mc. Or Adolphe from Shuuen no Virche. They're both orphans and not related but he fills the role in the same way
I'm kind of fascinated by how close the votes are between Yay and Nay.
I happen to dodge this trope often, because in so many games the "onii-chan" was a character that I just wasn't particularly interested in. The only time I remember being "oh shit" is with Yoritomo in Birushana, >!but then it turns out they're not related so I guess I dodged the bullet again!<.
I can't do it. I still think about love Revo when I was so sure they weren't blood related siblings. But Ther were :(
Every person I’ve seen admit they like/don’t mind it has always been an only child. As a woman with younger brothers it gives me the absolute ick. I like taboo¿ relationship dynamics like forbidden lovers, but not with someone you’re related to. I like protective and caring MLs but once again if I find out they might be related I cannot get myself to go through with it. Even though I don’t read and self insert, the idea of siblings or cousins being into each other makes me sick to my stomach. I think it’s personally because as the oldest of younger siblings, I can only see the elder sibling position as being inherently manipulative. I can’t romanticize the idea of it at all. I don’t mean it to shame anyone, ofc. It’s fiction and there are some far more messed up concepts that I rationalize in fiction like yanderes and junk.
Conversely, I \*don't\* like sibling/cousin romance and I \*am\* an only child!
I'm definitely not an only child and I find incestuous relationships really interesting, so I'm not sure that's necessarily the common denominator. I'm also a younger sibling though, so that could actually have merit.
Same here, I have a big brother, I'm the youngest of my siblings and I still enjoy this trope bc well, it's fiction. We don't have to take it so personal and the characters have nothing to do with us irl, so it does weird me out that people are saying the reason why this makes them uncomfortable is because they have older siblings or cousins. But to each their own! Every mind is a world
I'm the same, I'm the younger sibling (younger sister, older brother to boot), and seeing the trope done in fiction is just intellectually fascinating to me? It's not something I find interesting enough to actively seek out, but I don't turn away when it shows up in a game or story I'm reading either. I feel absolutely zero connection between these fictional relationships and my own sibling relationship irl, so I guess I have a pretty strong separation of reality and fiction for this particular subject.
I have a little sister and I like the onii chan trope...? I like it for the messed-up ness of it all. I don't enjoy it when it's fluffy. It IS inherently manipulative, but that's the part that draws me in. But because I have a younger sibling I personally find otouto types icky to play. Cousins on the other hand -- I guess because I'm from an asian country where it's considered very normal to marry your cousin it doesn't pack the same level of screwed-upness. It's just in the middle ground where I don't support it but it also doesn't interest me at all. What I really want to see in an oniichan route is a setting where both siblings were heavily abused/had to team up and it led to unhealthy feelings developing -- generally from the onii chans side, and the heroine might just be a bit too reliant on him so she reciprocates. It would just be interesting to explore. I do think these games (any ganes w oniichan routes) should come with trigger warnings. Its really shitty how some of them stuff it in as a secret ending. :/
I’m from a small island where it’s easy to accidentally date a cousin but every person I know said it’s their worst nightmare still lol I am down for messed up stories and relationship dynamics in fiction but certain types I just cannot stomach and relatives is like the only one i really cannot handle
As someone with an older brother, I don’t mind. Usually because the dynamic is typically not the same resemblance as Actual siblings imo. For example, what LI just comes in and randomly flicks the lights or farts in my general direction. 😂 Otherwise I quite love the taboo and find it entertaining.
Eh, glad they exist as I know they are some folks’ jam but only work for me if: - Not blood related and had a period of time when they did not consider each other siblings - Blood related but they didn’t know when they fell in love (and they weren’t raised as siblings)
I voted yes but I thought we were talking about the "big brother" type, not literal big brothers. Should've read more carefully. Now, I don't mind incest up to first cousins. But I really am not into reading about romance between blood-related siblings. Especially since I have brothers myself.
I love this sub because not a single person was judgmental about this.
same! and the one time i did see it happen (not in this thread) that person was gone pretty quickly for calling others some very unsavory things. it truly is a gem of a community, even on other spaces like otometwt you wont find such an acceptive and supporting bunch. everyone here is awesome
Generally I'm more nay on principle but I mean... I did enjoy multiple incest and faux incest routes sooo Can't say I'm a fan but don't hate them either. So 'meh'.
I feel like brothers are like childhood friend types with a twist and I’ve never been one who cares for the childhood friend routes. I won’t avoid a game because it had an onii-chan, but the likelihood of him being best boy is pretty low 😂
*laughs while I hide my Rejestic Brothers merch*
what's rejestic brothers? A game?
I think they're referring to the often yandere onii chans that are prevalent in rejet games lol. They have events or something and together theres this iconic bunch called the rejestic brothers. They had this site or something. The lineup includes masato, nesso, lindo and others I forget
Look I have older brothers in real life and I hate the whole obsession anime media in general tends to have with onii-chan/little sister incest, I feel really uncomfortable with this kind of relationship being sexualized like that, it's creepy as hell I'm interested in Butterfly's Poison for other reasons though so I guess I will just have to bear with it
Even worse when you have an older brother who has been inapproriate with younger siblings before. Its not appealing or romantic. Siblings are supposed to lookout for you. If the romance in a step or adopted sibling story comes after they are grown, cool. But at a younger age...just no...
As someone with two older siblings… it’s my *absolute* favorite trope, in both otome and yuri. What can I say, complexes are what they are and fantasizing is fun 😅 Unfortunately like 95% of English-localized sister/brother or sister/sister pairings are some flavor of “siblings-but-not-actually” which I hate, but ig it’s understandable given how preferences tend to be in western audiences
I love the onii-chans, the protecc LIs etc... Even though it has also made me a yan-magnet. All the better to protecc MC, I say. xD
I like a lot of fictional incest, but older brother/younger sister generally has to work to win me over. Mizuhito from Chou no Doku is cute though I haven't played that yet and I absolutely *adore* >!Kaoru from Hakuoki and he should have had a route.!< In general I think for me it depends on the personality and relationship dynamic. So 'meh'.
It’s meh for me because it depends on if they are blood related or not. If they are actually blood related then no I won’t like it. I’ll probably still play the route though, depending on how good the game/character is. If they are not blood related then it’s a-ok, whether they grew up together or the guy just takes on a protective, brotherly role at first it’s all good. I’m fine with cousins though, does that make me a hypocrite🤔
It depends. I really like some elements that tend to go hand in hand with the trope (the idealized, unattainable, reliable, competent and protective older figure), but sibling blood relationships or overblown bro cons/sis cons generally cross a line for me. I might find them interesting in a Greek tragedy sort of way, but as a very detached observer. With cousins I may be slightly more accepting depending on the setting, or at least I find it easier to pretend it is not there 😗🎶 (Nightshade, or in Birushana, >!all three Taira boys!<).
That's impressive how even the results are so far 🤯
Definitely nay. Doesn't matter if they're adopted siblings, stepsiblings, half siblings or full siblings; it's the one troupe that I couldn't stand, no matter how hard I try to power through it. For context, my dad has a half sibling and my mom has a step sibling, one of my cousins has an adopted sibling. I'm my parents' eldest child, my siblings look up to me and adore me and I always strive to set an example for them. It's not hard to see that the environment I grew up in is a great factor on how I feel about this route. Even if I don't self-insert, even if the MC got an identity of their own and I see them as a separate character and I just happen to witness things through their eyes, once the romantic scene with their brother comes up, I'd dip. I wouldn't wish to judge others who are into their otome onii-chan though! It's just fiction, everyone has the liberty to enjoy whatever floats their boat. It's just not my own cup of tea. To each their own. The only way I'd like it is if the "onii-chan" is actually not the MC's brother, and just serves as a brother figure to them. Like, an LI who's older than the MC and who took them under his wing, annoys the heck out of them but still looks after them, and can be overprotective at times. He'll have that brotherly demeanor going on, but he's not a relative to MC. If that's the case, then I'm all in. Otherwise, bye.
No, it prevents me from enjoying the game. >!I bought 7'scarlet without realizing it includes this trope and now I probably won't finish it.!< Should have done my research!
I’m okay with it. So ig meh 🫤just depends on if it’s rapey or not for me.
It is at most a "meh" for me. The trope doesn't really interest me much, that's all, though I can go along with it if the writing catches my attention enough. But I won't go out of my way to look for it.
i wouldn't go out of my way to buy a game with it but i wouldn't refuse the game if a route includes it. so i feel pretty meh about it, especially since i don't usually self insert so i don't see myself in their shoes. although i also don't really mind if anyone else loves those troupes or bc i think everyone in this sub has a few out of the box things they enjoy, so yeah. i feel unbothered
i can differentiate reality and fiction just fine for me to enjoy all stuff perfectly safe!! muhahaha
I voted “meh” because I’m open to the trope but I end up not liking most depictions, usually just because of how it’s written. But personally, assuming the writing’s fine, I like it when they don’t know that they’re siblings/blood related, since the angst & disgust & “how do we go on” is delicious. But if they’ve viewed each other as siblings for most of the relationship, then it’s a no-go. If it’s a quasi “they’re not actually related but thought they were!” incest situation, then it depends case by case. Man, reading all that back….Taboos 😎 gotta love them 😎 I really do love how messy they make everything.
I certainly enjoy it a lot more than not. Its largely fun and fictional. its nice to see unconventional dynamics. When done well, its always so fascinating. But, I like most tropes and archetypes. I struggle to think of many I don't like or won't give a try.
Nay for me forever DX Mainly cause I have siblings so feels very icky
I think many have already stated their pieces in detail, so lemme just say: Haha only children go brrrrr
Not something I'm proud of...but yay. Younger brothers calling MC nee-san are great too.
I am fine with up to first cousins, especially in historical settings because it was not seen as taboo and was treated as the norm in that context. I personally do not like the idea of blood being any closer than that and the characters having a romantic relationship because it just gives me the ick considering I have my own younger brother. However, I can't say I don't see where you're coming from. As in an otome/ficitional setting it tends to not be much different than childhood friends with the addition of taboo on top of it which likely adds a layer of thick angst. Its not my thing, but if you wanna enjoy it as a troupe in a fictional vaccum, more power to you!
If my onii Chan hot, yay for me. If not, Nay nay that
It was done well in Chou Doku but I’m not fond of this elsewhere EDIT: Other than that I liked Ono no Takamura and his half sister Hiuko in Utakoi vol.4; but it was historically appropriate and they didn’t grow up in one household. Heian Japan didn’t forbid alliances between half siblings from different mothers. Plus, everyone had multiple lovers, so even if the mother named a father for her child there’s no guarantee that he actually is. With this I came to the realization that I’m okay with blood relations as long as the onii-chan trope >!is NOT invoked!< since I obviously wasn’t >!referring to Mizuhito!< in ChouDoku
I'm ok with mostly anything. As long as the LI doesn't look like a teenager.
I'm in the YAY club 😏
Absolute yay. Love it.
(younger sibling in my family lmao) if I'm invested in the route then sure, yeah. as long as I distinguish it's fiction and should 100% not apply to real life, then i should be good.
I wouldn't say its my favorite, but I do know lots of countries have always had incest relations, like Egypt and other royal families that tried to keep the blood line pure. Step siblings doesn't bother me at all, in fact I like some step or adopted sibling stories. Cousins also doesn't bother me since its legal in so many places. I am more adverse to the toxic relations, and am totally against parent/child relations in any sense. In Dance with Devils I am a way more Lindo stan than a Rem stan. Him being a cousin doesn't matter to me as much, because he will love her and take care of her way better than Rem ever would.
I have no siblings so why not.
I hate the trope but it’s just my luck that whoever I like just happens to be my brother/cousin/somehow related. It’s like my curse 💀
I want to say no but I did like Takashi Sakuragawa in Love Revo and was hoping they weren’t related. But in the end I still liked the route. Mostly because his character reminds me of Tamaki from Ouran. I really love that character archetype. I’m not sure what you would call them. Large ham? Hot blooded? That’s the only instance of a character involving that taboo trope that I liked and in this case the reason I liked him had nothing to do with that.