In the film her, released in 2013, Theodore falls in love with the AI in his phone. However, he cannot declare his love to the world as the secular world does not understand it. Ten years later, Li Zeyan’s ‘girlfriends’ announced their love to the world on a giant screen in Times Square. Li, however, is an artificial character.
Li is a character from a game called ‘Mr. Love: Queen’s Choice,’ which is a story-driven romance game. Such games are called otome games. The word ‘otome’ means ‘young girl’ in Japanese, reflecting the genre’s focus on love and relationships from the female protagonist’s perspective. In those games, the player takes on the role of a female character and interacts with multiple male characters, usually with the goal of developing a romantic relationship with one or more of them.
I admit I used to look down on these types of games as shallow, predictable and catering only to unrealistic romantic fantasies.
‘But at its core, gaming is about escapism, embracing fantasy, and allowing me to experience things beyond my everyday life. ‘My friend said this back to me, ’When a player goes on an adventure as an elf or a warrior in a game, it’s seen as relaxation and exploration. So why is it considered stupid when I explore emotions and romance? ’
Self-empowerment from the female gaze?
It has sparked an internet battle in China. Last month, a male rapper released a rap song using a mixture of Chinese and English swear words, shouting out that Otome games are ‘soft porn’ and the characters are male prostitutes, which should be banned to stop the ‘poisoning’ of the next generation.
The reason for this is because, in these types of games, more and more male characters are showing off their bodies, whether it’s provocative clothing or muscular builds.
Although I’m not an audience for Otome games, I have to question why female affective desires are described as ‘toxic’.
The male perspective tends to objectify women and center on male desires. In traditional video games, female characters are usually exposed and have exaggerated body parts, even if the story doesn’t call for it. These enhanced sexual characteristics are clearly designed to attract the attention of the presumed male gamer. In one survey, which analyzed the 20 best-selling games in the US in 2003, it was found that 41% of female characters were dressed in sexy outfits, 43% were semi-nude or fully nude, much smaller than the 11%, and 4% rates for male characters.1 More than two decades later, has this over-sexualization been criticized or has it improved? The answer is yes.
But it’s not sexual fantasies in video games that I’m criticizing now in this blog. Instead, I argue that both male and female characters in video games can be used to fulfill fantasies, but most importantly women’s pleasure or desires should be valued just as much as men’s.
Otome games focus on exactly what women want. The male characters are visually appealing, with half-naked abs or sexy clothes. This physical display is a conscious choice to feed the player’s desires. It should not be devalued or seen as taboo.
In addition, unlike games that rely solely on visual stimulation, Otome games often combine these moments with strong emotional narratives. These male characters are not just material objects of desire but are emotionally complex, vulnerable, and individualized. For example, a scene in which a male character reveals his body may also be an emotionally significant moment or perhaps a sign of vulnerability, intimacy, or trust in the storyline. This creates an experience that intertwines romantic and erotic elements designed to fulfill women’s emotional and psychological needs.
Moreover, the female perspective in games usually gives the female protagonist the initiative in the romantic relationship. To begin a romance with the character of their choice, the player must actively make choices.2 They are guiding the course of the romance and taking control of the relationship. This contrasts with traditional romance narratives where women play the chosen role.
I believe that in this respect it is female empowerment, by exploring female desire and taking ownership. It goes hand in hand with broader feminism. On the one hand, it challenges the traditionally male-dominated media landscape. On the other hand, with the gender movement, more and more women are recognizing their own subjectivity, which is driving the demand for such games.
Reinforce stereotypes of social norms?
I know it sounds like I’m already cheering for the Otome game: “Go for it! Girls!”
But just like other media around gender roles and relationships, these kinds of games can both challenge and reinforce traditional expectations at the same time. Many of these games reinforce traditional gender roles, such that male characters tend to be protective, strong, and dominant, while female protagonists are portrayed as nurturing, modest, or in need of rescue. This also reflects society’s expectations of so-called femininity.
But as I write this blog post, I’m noticing that more and more Otome games are now no longer limited to traditional gender roles. Players have their own career missions that aren’t all about romance. There are games with complex wars and deaths, and men who get manicures to break down gender stereotypes.
Also, I’m wondering if this is another consumerist trap. Players often encounter situations where they need to pay for additional content, which creates a dynamic where feelings become products that can be bought and sold. As Baudrillard said, it is not the object itself that attracts people to consume it, but the symbolism it confers.
The subject of consumption, the order of symbols.
In this monetization of intimate experiences, even personal and emotional necessities have to be met through monetary transactions. So does this also reflect the pervasiveness of modern consumerism on private life?
Reference
- Marika Skowronski, Robert Busching, and Barbara Krahé, “The Effects of Sexualized Video Game Characters and Character Personalization on Women’s Self-objectification and Body Satisfaction,” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 92 (November 24, 2020): 104051, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2020.104051. ↩︎
- Andlauer, Leticia. “Pursuing One’s Own Prince: Love’s Fantasy in Otome Game Contents and Fan Practice.” Mechademia 11 (2019): 166 – 183. ↩︎
This was a very interesting read! I particularly enjoyed the point you made about how “women’s pleasure or desires should be valued just as much as men’s”. I think this points to a wider issue, where traditionally feminine interests are belittled (mainly by men) purely because of their association with women, while comparable traditionally masculine interests are quietly accepted. Therefore, I think a critique of the “soft porn” aesthetics of Otome games can only be made if similar scrutiny is placed on games with revealing female characters, which I’m assuming that male rapper probably doesn’t do.