What romance isekai tropes do you like/hate?

Discussion in 'Author Discussions' started by LuceLucky, Mar 29, 2020.

  1. LuceLucky

    LuceLucky Active Member

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    What it says on the tin: what tropes specific to the romantic isekai genre do you love or abhor? This goes for webnovels and webcomics and I'm mainly thinking about boy/girl stories but GL and BL apply too. I'll go first

    I like: reincarnation or time-travel as a villainess, when the male lead blushes, when the female lead takes care of a kid, when female characters support and befriend each other, when the ex is a normal person and not some Bitch from hell, ...

    I dislike: abusive male leads, too much focus on how "beautiful/gorgeous/handsome" the characters are (mention it a couple times, not every single paragraph), weak female leads (damsel in distress who doesn't try to save herself first before giving up), miscommunication that leads to unnecessary drama, ...

    Those are just a couple off the top of my head and I wasn't very specific but as you can see there more "tropes" i dislike than like. Honestly tropes might not be the correct word for them... more like pet peeves.
    If you're wondering why I'm curious about your opinions it's because I'm writing a romance webnovel and I kinda wanna gauge what the market looks like. What does the public want? What don't they like? Cuz I know that my opinion differs from others and Idk, I was ravaged by doubt suddenly. Thanks for dropping by!
     
  2. natsume142

    natsume142 だが、断る

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    like: difficult to say since I am very picky with isekai themed novels probably slice of life, cute romance (no harem)

    dislike: harem, mary / gary sue MC, plain narrative, bland storyline
     
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2020
  3. ExcitableFoci

    ExcitableFoci Well-Known Member

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    To be honest, I haven't read a single decent romance in a isekai so far.

    The closest thing Ive found, could have been Tanya's relationship with Visha (Youjo Senki) had the author deigned himself to actually explore that area and not just tease us, the readers, with the snippet of Canon knowledge that is Tanya not minding the option of marrying Visha.

    The issue with the majority of isekai novels is that the main point of the story is to escape the crushing reality that is living in Earth. Hence introducing the MC to a world of characters that are either too shallow or 'simply not real'. This could be a personal quirk of mine but lately Ive found myself unable to enjoy romances that do not feel forced anymore.

    Harems being a pretty instant nope from my part since a few years already.
     
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2020
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  4. Deleted member 155674

    Deleted member 155674 Guest

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    If it is a male MC, don't make it a harem and if you do, at least make it a good story not the kind where MC goes, girls would fall for him and he keeps gathering them like pokemons
     
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  5. Creativity53

    Creativity53 Well-Known Member

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    I agree with the tropes that LuceLucky listed, I have the same opinions. I also like reading quick transmigration, especially ones with male leads with BG couples. I dislike harem. I used to really like historical novels with people transmigrating back into the past, but I prefer modern day ones now, including novels where the MC is someone from the past who transmigrates to present-day.
     
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  6. Professor Charles Francis Xavier

    Professor Charles Francis Xavier Member

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    I dislike the long periods of time the characters have to be under for some reason and only meet each other several arcs into the novel again.
     
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  7. Walter vi Britannia

    Walter vi Britannia Well-Known Member

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    I like gender bender, so I basically like when male protagonists gets reincarnated or transmigrated as a female protagonist and then falls in love with a man. (DON'T JUDGE ME!)

    What I hate is harem. Always have. Why does 90% of the isekai shit here with male protagonists have to be harem!?!?

    And yea, also the things you mentioned. I agree with those too.
     
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  8. elengee

    elengee Daoist Ninefaps

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    MC having to marry his imouto because of their special bloodline. :blobpeek:
     
  9. TypeFantasyHeart

    TypeFantasyHeart Well-Known Member

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    IM doing a story where the MC at the end has a romantic relationship with 3 other girls and no more in a fantasy setting. Things develop slowly with them as he doesn't meet them all at once and along the way mc will meet other girls but will stay just as friends or acquaintance.
     
  10. frozenlimabeans

    frozenlimabeans Well-Known Member

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    Rape, dubcon and molestation. I'm fine with a bit of teasing, but when it stretches beyond "I touched you but it's fine because I'm the ML/FL!" I kind of lose all interest.

    I have a problem with harems as well. Like coming from a society with monogamy and wanting to bring change to this different world, but end up also conforming too, which defeats the purpose of bringing changes to a more primitive society
     
  11. Scyphoza

    Scyphoza Well-Known Member

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    These arent specifically isekai but i do see them in isekai stories.
    I hate harems for one big reason. Every time i see one all the women tend to merge into one blob personality wise and become completely interchangeable. Why bother in the first place if they all become the same character?
    I also hate any plot based around some ultra timid guy being indecisive being dragged on forever. Like holy shit man up and make a decision.
     
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  12. VesperNyan

    VesperNyan Well-Known Member

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    SCREW THE HEROINE ! BRING OUT THE VILLANESS!!!!
    ++ If both are same gender!!!! HeroineX Villaness Maou X Hero
    I despise the "good" hero, villans are far more complex than one dimensional self righteous murders!!!!
     
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  13. LuceLucky

    LuceLucky Active Member

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    Is this an actual thing people write?! :eek: what in the white redneck bs is that

    Characters getting togethee and breaking up and staying friends (and alive lol) is hella new. Glad you chose this route for the romantic (sub)plot. Or... you could do polyamory :blobsmirk::blobparty::blobjoy:
     
  14. LuceLucky

    LuceLucky Active Member

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    After reading your replies guys all i have to say that YOU'RE ALL VALID!!!

    Things not to do:
    • Harem
    • Abuse/incest/dubcon and noncon
    • Indecisive mcs
    • Cardboard characters with 2d personality
    • A plot that drags on (too many arcs)
    I also love gender bender!
     
  15. YoriMei

    YoriMei (ㆁᴗㆁ✿)

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    A pet peeve of mine is when isekai MC’s break out the good old “I created soap/conditioner/chocolate/pancakes/batteries/whatever modern day invention even though I was an office lady/college student/literally have nothing to do with that industry in the past” and wow their love interests. It’s one thing if it’s actually relevant (MC used to bake in their spare time) but very few randomly wonder how to make conditioner.
     
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  16. TypeFantasyHeart

    TypeFantasyHeart Well-Known Member

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    Well. i have the background story for the 3 heroines and the MC, im doing the story background of other important characters... i also have a part where after the meets 2 of the 3 girls, they end up in a fight, mc goes to a bar, there he meets a girl that turned up to be a rogue succubus (not all succubus are bad) and using her charms she overcame mc mental defenses since he was both depressed and drunk which leads him to almost die by being drained of his life force during sex and would have died if not because of his powers and the girls rescuing him...... if not because the 2 girls heard hours later some people talking about men that have been found dead like dried husks on hotels for a while now and joked about MC by telling his physical characteristics and getting dragged by a beautiful girl and that he was lucky for having such a beautiful girl taking care of him(dragging him to death), then something clicked in the girls and rushed to save him.... then the poor succubus was killed by the 2 of them
     
  17. mushy

    mushy Well-Known Member

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    I like : strong, smart and dense characters, or when a character acts entirely different from what they look like, slow paced romance, gender bender, reincarnated as villainess, when the couples are enemies at first (I like it when they rant)
    I also like it when their conversations have dual meaning and the misunderstanding ends up being hilarious.

    I hate : love at first sight or ceo stuff, one night stand stories, when FL forgives a shitty ML and they end up together.
     
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  18. Raebit

    Raebit Well-Known Member

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    Like: As long as plot / story good, slow paced romance, comedy or dark both fine.

    Dislike: MC who sacrafice everything for love interest when they barely know each other..., FL getting back to shitty ML, Harem with flocking to MC with no reason, there is no other person beside MC and love interest (world only belongs to both of them), very ecchi / fans service (r-18/ mature content / dojin purpose are ok, but pervert MC with all too much pervert lucky accident is no..).
     
  19. Meloonseed

    Meloonseed sobble

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    Dislike: Harem. It's especially bad if it's an isekai into a fantasy world with swords and magic. I also kind of hate the trope where a male protagonist picks up a slave beastman/elf or whatever species that's looked down upon by humans and they fall in love due to said protagonist being a savior. Absolutely no depth. I also dislike summoner relationships or whatever. It's especially disgusting when it's a slice of life isekai fantasy world, and the OP main protagonist goes and picks up a slave girl and proceeds to have a happy go lucky life.

    Yes. Slice of life harems with slave beastgirls and an OP protagonist. That's what I hate the most. It's absolutely disgusting when protagonists are called "really good people" for being a decent person. I hate it when the bar is set so low. I want romance, not this bullshit.

    Honestly I just really hate isekai to swords and magi world. Well, the stereotypical ones anyways. It's not even the world sometimes, it's usually just the wishy-washy protagonist that's supposedly an extremely likeable person...
     
  20. Meloonseed

    Meloonseed sobble

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    Oh my god, when FL get back with shitty MLs that screwed up their lives... well, this is more of a reincarnation trope, but still. Those are the absolute worst.

    And lucky pervert MCs... oh, nothing! Just casual objectification. Fanservice, amirite? They're not bad people technically, yet they are. Honestly lucky pervert MCs just annoy me.
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2020
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