Discussion Are you willing to read CP-free novels/manga/manhu(w)a?

I, personally, rarely go for novels that do not have an iota of romance. It needn't be fluffy or cloying in sugar but I feel that romance adds a twinge of excitement and tension to the story. I have read a few novels or mangas (mostly) like Yotsubato that has content which has got nothing to do with the romantic or sexual aspect of love and have liked it too.

But, I have found quite a few novels here which have no romance tag and very high ratings and good reviews. Mostly, the action and horror and adventurous stories follow this pattern (as I have seen so far).

Do you go for such novels as well?

 

A bit of romance is always nice to have. While I won't reject novels with no romance out of hand, finding that 'romantic subplot' tag, especially without the 'harem' one close on its heels, always makes me view the novel more favorably than I would have otherwise.

 

Indeed! I tend to avoid the harem tag as well. Somehow, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

 

I often read No CP novel, mostly for adventure and historical kingdom genre. Sometimes romance sub-plot can ruin historical kingdom novel especially for MC who is striving to obtain power. It's hard to balance between love and status, some inexperienced author can't write that well enough for my liking.

 

I like no CP if there is enough male to female character ratio. I am okay with it as long a he doesn't blush or thinks anyone is cute. There are still no-cp with male mc and a bunch of caring female characters than men who flocks around him because he is strong and interesting(usually men hates and women cares), I'll just think that maybe he is gay and the women around him feels safer being with him than other men.

Seriously though, I remember knowing my cousin was gay(aside from the way he acts which is gorgeous) because he has a girl circle and no male friends, same with these main characters. I mean if he just have one male best friend, at least one?.
It creates a neutral zone in my head that makes me less bothered with that, he probably omits a "hi I'm gay and this is a safe zone for you my female besties".

I was reading the manhwa "how to live as a villain" and currently he have two female besties.

 

As long as there is enough face slapping and female protagonist I will go for it. Like The Record of Cannon Fodder Counterattack

 

As long as it keeps me addicted!

I remember reading many such likes...

 

Many of the great shonen mangas are non-romance. I wouldn't avoid reading non-romance stories just because you like romance. In a lot of cases non-romance stories will have more fulfilling family or friendship bonds. It's opportunity cost for the author.

Of course, like any other genre tag, non-romance isn't a guarantee of quality or a story that will speak to you.

 

Yeah i love reading ones with no romance involved at all. But the ones like azarinth healer where the relationship doesnt last long looks more real. Rather than these cultivation and magic stories where they carry the fl in there pocket dimension all the time or where they have multiple love interest which keep on falling in danger so half the story is of mc saving them.

 

I adore my romance novels and read them more frequently than not. But I also read action and adventure series that doesn't have a CP. I actually prefer that in non bl male protagonist novels. I prefer it when the MC in those novels randomly get married in the side stories instead of the main story lmao.

Spoiler

Similar to Solo Leveling, hints were there, but nothing happened until the main stuff was over.

 

Power fantasy stories with male protagonists tend to stink. The reason is that it often gives the excuse for the writer to not bother putting in any effort towards building up social interactions and character relationships. These tend to be what makes books worth reading so their lack can be a big problem.

Other than that though, romantic tension is pretty great in a lot of stories, and they do a ton for character development. But it's not an absolute requirement, and I've enjoyed a lot of books that don't have it. Funny enough, the one genre that could use with less romance is the Romance genre! The way I see it, the central romantic relationship in this genre tends to be terrible because it caters more toward a particular fantasy than it is interested in being about people. The rest of the book can be quite good, but I've seen way too many of them get wrecked because that central romance is so bad.

 

Somehow, I can't help but agree that the romance between the main characters can sometimes be a little too difficult to digest. Perhaps a little less intensity of misplaced emotions could add more colours to the story.

 

Usually cp free will focus on country/kingdom building or stuff like pure adventuring, tomb raider, or mistery solving theme. I dont mind cp free like that.

How about Solo Leveling? I think it's almost cp free, the romance only happens at the end or in hints only, right?
One Piece is very cp free and it has sold 500.000.000 copies if i'm not wrong.

A bit of romance is good, to act as medium to tie all the characters and story so the plot either get complex or complicated borderline tiring lol

 

Absolutely! In fact, recently I've been reading a lot of manhwa that I've been begging for the MC to not have a romantic interest.
(I'm staring intently at the girls from Teenage Mercenary rn. I like them as a character, but I hate them as a love interest.)
Of course, I still love romance, but sometimes, when I get caught up in the plot of a story, and then the main couple get together and suddenly it's all about them and not the world, it just gets frustrating.

 

ofc. especially in action stories where i want to see something fun and challenging. i always hate when there is suddenly random love interest popped out in the middle of story

 

Agree
For story in martial art or dungeon/game leveling, cp free is my choice to read. No romance for them are the best imo.
Although there'd def fan service with good arts or even tsundere character (ugh).

 

cp free are definitely my go to , i guess it is because i like novels that focus on career or on self improvement trying to make their life better , of course i do like my romance but i definitely like cp free more.

 

I prefer no romance in my action adventure story. For example, romance will totally ruin something like One Piece or One Punch Man. It just doesn't make sense.

 

It doesn't matter to me whether or not it has romance subplot. It bothers me a whole lot when the romance is badly done though.

 

I like novels with no cp romance when it comes to "career" slice of life drama whereby MC grows oneself from 0 to climb to the top. Aka 爽文 which is more like underdog climbing to the top. The romance imo ruins the experience in these kind of story, as I want them to focus on climbing the career ladder than romancing others