Otome-ge is a subgenre of visual novels which can be considered rather unfair in its treatment of heroines. While those same complaints have been tirelessly leveled against its male-oriented counterpart, where many heroines serve as nothing more than sexual toys or mindless dolls, what makes it all the more disheartening in the otome genre is that we, the readers, are supposed to sympathize with such a pathetic heroine. We are represented by her, and while there are plenty of rapist protagonists in eroge, there is a prevalence of good-natured heroes as well. Whereas in otome-ge, it is rare to find a heroine with genuine emotional depth, and concerns which stem beyond getting the cute guy to notice her. Thankfully, such heroines do exist, albeit few.
However, this piece is not meant to discuss the genre’s presentation of women, so much as the audiences’ perception of these protagonists. To many, a girl who is unable to consistently endure her burdens, no matter how difficult the circumstances, who is torn between romantic options, or who displays naïvety and innocence is called a weakling or useless, despite her own strengths as an individual. On the opposite side of the spectrum, a girl who is actually shallow, intellectually helpless, and blindly submissive, may be praised for such behavior. There are also very unusual circumstances, when a heroine is dominant and unwavering, and these traits are considered offensive and vindictive. It is a contradictory logical knot: a perfect heroine incites boredom, but a heroine with flaws earns her derision.
“Doormats”, “idiots”, and a slew of derogatory names are mostly directed at the more idealistic and sweet-tempered heroines, and while some may indeed fit the description of being powerless and gulliable, it is often more undeserved than the frequency of its use suggests. Which begs the question: If such terms are entirely inappropriate, why are they used so often? Why is it that optimism and purity are considered to be signs of low intelligence, a dislikable personality, and unjustifiable reactions? Why are such faulty judgements used as justification for contempt, and why does the heroine receive so much hatred, while the heroes are excused? Simple bias, perhaps, or it may very well be that the accusations reflect more on the audience’s sense of judgement than the one supposedly deserving of it.
While initial impressions may be strong, I find that too many are eager to hate and insult, savoring the deep satisfaction of schadenfreude that comes with easy blame, instead of distancing themselves and trying to follow a definite reasoning behind such misguided opinions. While it is simpler to mistake ignorance or pacifism for stupidity and the like, in the end, it only gives the hasty detractors an image of egotism and superificiality, instead of serving as any proof of superiority.
