OTOME INSANITY

Hello Anon! Otome drama CDs in general are either an original storyline or connected to a game/novel. Popular games looking to lure in new players/fans will release drama CDs in hopes of at least catching a listener’s interest into the game or to enhance the enjoyment of present gamers.

From there the CD storyline format depends on the individual release. Sometimes there will be a large cast of characters/seiyuus interacting with you/MC or it may be a single character. It really depends on the individual release. For example, one series “Wasurenagusa” has released 3 different series. Each of the series’ CDs is one character only, but there are tokuten (freebie) CDs where if you purchase the entire series from a participating store you’ll get a CD with the full cast interacting together at once (or each track is a particular character only). There’s no set rule in how the CDs are formated so it’s best to look at each individual release to know for sure.

I label them otome drama CDs because it’s how I distinguish them from typical drama CDs in my head. If they’re part of the otome category then I attach “otome” to the “drama CD” out of personal habit, though there’s no real distinguishment between them. Websites in Japanese typically refer to them purely as “drama CDs”. I hope this helps!

Hey there Anon! The prices on CDs do not typically change depending on online or in-store sales, although each individual retailer is different and has their own rules. Some stores may be marked higher due to their particular tokuten (freebie item) attached or may be lower to outsell their competitors. I’ve seen some particular CDs sell for quite a bit more on AmazonJP because they’re being sold by individuals rather than through the warehouse (so they can markup prices).

Online you have to consider what each retailer’s individual shipping options are. Some charge a flat rate regardless of how much you buy, others are free over a certain amount spent, and again some depend on the individual amount/weight of your purchases. For me the largest factor in a purchase is the tokuten item that comes with it. If there are no particular store attached tokuten items then I’ll consider buying used off Y!Auctions or AmazonJP Marketplace to save a few extra dollars since there’s no incentive to purchase new. But if there’s tokuten items included, depending on the store since each store can sometimes have a different item, I’ll actually shop around for the store with the best tokuten item I want. It really depends on the individual person and their likes/wants/needs.

AmazonJP, if purchased from their warehouse and not a marketplace seller, you get free* domestic shipping within Japan. Rejet tends to have occasional “free shipping” campaigns if you spend over a certain amount though it’s not extremely common. And with StellaWorth you can bundle your items into a monthly shipment to save on shipping, which is a flat rate regardless of how much you spend. But like I said, in my personal case I shop based on tokuten items first and foremost.

* depends on the item, of course

Hello Anon! Sadly I’ve never played Tokimeki Memorial Girl’s Side to know what kind of style it is, sorry!

Hey there Anon! I don’t follow him too much (tend to stick to biases or the really deep sultry voices) but there are a lot of seiyuus who don’t do adult/R18 drama CDs for one reason or another. Another thing to consider is that he may be under a pseudonym (fake name) instead of his real name. I’m not sure what his pseudonym is or how many he may have (Morikawa Toshiyuki has a ton of pseudonyms) but if you try searching his Japanese name and “R18″ you may be able to find a pseudonym database with his other names or works he’s done.

Hello Anon! Otome games for Android or laptop eh? I don’t have any Android devices and most of my otome games are all for my iPhone or PSP. What I can say is that most of the larger companies that are coming out with English otome game apps on Android are also available on iOS. I would recommend searching “otome apps” in general and you should 99% of the time find that they're available on both platforms. In regard to laptop otome games? I don’t play any PC otome games, though there are some out there. I just don't have the experience or knowledge to help you with that inquiry, sorry!

Hello Anon! I cannot help you with your request because I do not support pirating games.

Hey there Anon! CRIMINALE eh? I can't say that I've heard any major news updates to be honest... Unless you're referring to the fact I got my Morikawa Toshiyuki (volume 3) CRIMINALE in the mail the other day? OHOHOHO~

Hello Anon! Hmm? Are you referring to the original ask about people liking “abusive characters” which happened to be from Wasurenagusa? I’m not sure I, or anyone else, stated that the Wasurenagusa guys weren’t allowed to go for the maid/MC…

Welcome back Anon! Not at all, everyone of course has their reasoning. When you initially approached me in the ask it didn't give much direction as into what the main focus was I guess so I stumbled around trying to cover anything I thought might be the issue...

I do not condone abuse. I do not allow abuse. ABUSE = NO GO...... but sometimes, fantasy/fiction wise, some people let it slide to their own personal degrees in order to see how the story develops. It's not just with otome though, you'll find abuse and worse in novels likely written in your own language. A lot of those also become popular and are made into further reaching mediums (books into movies, etc) but people still enjoy them. Not everyone, of course, but people should know not to act on it in reality. Fantasy/Fiction is an area where a person can explore "what ifs" regarding possibly grey areas without worry.

It may not be the abuse that people are loving the characters for though. There ARE people who may get enjoyment from fictional/fantasy settings that may be interpreted as abuse in reality. But that's why it's fiction/fantasy. As long as it's not being forced on anyone to enjoy, then it's their own choice. Myself, I'm not a huge fan of the "yandere" concept which can range from borderline maybe abuse to DOWNRIGHT TERRIFYING. Needless to say I am not a fan myself. That doesn't mean that I find it wrong if one of my friends does. Personally if I am enjoying a concept that has questionable actions of a character, I tend to stop and daydream about how I personally would react to the individual. Usually I may not be too accurate to the scripted MC's actions but I enjoy being snarky as hell to characters in my head if they were to try it. But I still enjoy the story if it doesn't cross any of my personal moral lines.

It's really all a matter of taste. I have a question for you though... Would it be wrong if these stories were written by men, and not women? If so, why? As far as I know, many of these concepts are written by women. It's not to say that they, or those who enjoy them, go out looking to be abused or want to in reality. But I think many people experience a little "what if" curiosity... not something they'd act on, but still wonder about. This is just my understanding. You'd probably be better off asking fans themselves why they enjoy those troubled characters.

LOL SO YOU WANT MY FAVORITE STUFF;;; Sadly I can't help you there.... yet. There may come a time where I will fall out of interest in those character items and may sell them. For now though, THEY'RE MINE~~~~ //cue evil laughter//

Glad to find a fellow Yamazaki and Shinpachi fan though FFFFFF!!

Hello Anon~ Are you asking for proper analysis of the times, or my own personal dorky imagination??? Because if I'm allowed to have fun with planting them in the jobs I'd LAUGH/LOVE to see them doing, the response would be something a little more like this:

Yamazaki : ZookeeperKondou : Sweets/Sword SalesmanShinpachi : Gym Assistant and poster boy/manOkita : Popular host but he doesn't even tryHeisuke : College student with part time jobs like at a ramen shopHijikata : Police Officer with a handcuff fetishSanosuke : Repairman 

Yeah these are more of a "present AU" concept rather than typical to the time period. Though I'd probably see them in jobs similar to that back then too, if just a little alike;;; Yamazaki would probably work best with anything dealing with animals. Kondou would probably put his sword/sweets fetish to good use in some way. Shinpachi would work out like a demon and the ladies would flock to him wherever he went. Okita would get pulled into some kind of job with promises of easy work and lots of money, but he probably wouldn't be very good at real work though the ladies would likely throw their money at him regardless of his attitude. Heisuke is young and growing so I think he should be learning something and doing odd jobs wherever he can find them. And Hijikata? He sees himself as a leader so I'm sure he'd do something with a lot of power and rules with ease. Sanosuke I imagine would do well with mechanical repair work but may not be too friendly with actual customers. Anything to quietly pass the day without much personal contact...?

Now in terms of Edo period Japan jobs???? LOL I HAVE NO CLUE;;; Half of these guys would likely end up getting in trouble in one way or another all the time I'm sure...

Hello Anon~ Hakuouki isn't my main fandom so I don't buy much of the stuff myself... I am selling my Saitou (Hakuouki) stuff though. I'm holding onto my Yamazaki and Shinpachi items because they're my biases FFFFFFF~ YAMAZAKI!!!

Was there something in particular you were looking for???

Hello Anon and welcome~! Ahhhhh it's been so long since I got an Anon question... Now let's see how I can be of service!

Drama CDs sadly do NOT come with any translation. Technically, there's no need for it (even a Japanese script would be the extent of any given)... Of course, I'm only talking about official translation/script releases.

There are fans out there who translate the CDs into various languages by ear. It's a difficult job and not something to be taken lightly though. Some translators take requests/suggestions but there are always so many new releases that translations can take time. In most cases it can take a few weeks or more depending on how much FREE TIME (note these are not paying jobs/hobbies) the translator has. So any translators should be properly respected for providing a free service to other fans like themselves. I've seen some get some really rude comments so I always try to make it known how difficult it is to do translation work. There are already a TON of translations out there for CDs and I'm sure you can find a nice variety to choose from!

Despite there not being a technical translation for you to understand everything, I think it can still be enjoyed without full knowledge. Sometimes you can get by on the translated series/volume synopsis or summaries posted. I'm not fluent in Japanese myself but I still enjoy them. If I get a really dialog heavy release that I have a hard time fully understanding, I fill in the gaps with what I'd imagine/like to have happen haha~ I make it enjoyable! And the voice/tone of the seiyuus voice does a great job of conveying the mood. I think it helps with learning the language too if you're interested.

Anyway, I hope this helps with answering your question! Good luck!!

Hey there Anon! Most publishers have a separate label for R18 series/releases, so that's of course one way of knowing. Another good sign is whether or not seiyuus are using pseudonyms (if you're a seiyuu watcher when it comes to purchases) which is usually a good sign 99% of the time. I say that because some seiyuus don't change their names regardless of the rating. Another way of finding out is watching for reviews online if they're already released or will be. There's a lot of bloggers out there who introduce new/upcoming releases and typically will label if it's said to be R18 or not. Any release that's R18 should be labeled as such as well so that's of course always a sure fire way of knowing when you purchase them. I hope this helps!

Hello lovely Anon! Sorry for being late to respond... SKiT Dolce is where I get a good handful of my Rejet goods since, well, they're the Rejet online store after all! I sometimes, depending on the item (mainly CDs), get some releases from other stores if they have better tokuten selection. And yes, from time to time I do purchase through SKiT Dolce with my credit card, though I tend to find it easier to just do it at the conbini down the street (remember, I live in Japan)... I haven't had any issues, though I do have a friend abroad who had some problems because SKiT Dolce's system wouldn't accept her card.

NOTE: SKiT Dolce does NOT ship abroad! She was using a proxy/forwarding service that receives packages IN Japan and then mails it out to you overseas for a fee.

I haven't had any issues with shopping through SKiT Dolce myself. I quite like shopping through them. They tend to offer a wide range of payment options (as long as you're domestic) too... I hope this helps answer your question!

Hey Anon! Sorry you haven't been able to find much information at the time. And sadly I can't help you much either as I'm unfamiliar with the series or title to be honest;;; I'm not sure if the series is released yet but hopefully there'll be information to come that'll answer your questions! Good luck!