A Master of Games

Playboy | Trickster | Megane

Cheeky, playful, and very, very flirty; Arthur Conan Doyle appears to be your classic Playboy character. He hits on the MC as easily as he breathes, but you quickly discover there is much more to this charming Casanova than meets the eye. With his quick wit, dazzling charm, and top-tier voice acting, it’s no wonder this mischievous mystery writer continues to be a fan favourite.

Tropes: Arthur is definitely a flirtatious ladies’ man. He boasts of his popularity with the women of Paris and takes every opportunity to try and add the MC to his list of conquests. However, this definitely does not mean his character is boring or unoriginal.

Tying in the real-life Conan Doyle’s authorship of the Sherlock Holmes novels, Arthur the vampire is intelligent, witty, and loves a good mystery. He is a master of games in both romance, and the more traditional sense. And, as you continue to play his games, you notice a more innocent and wholesome side to one of the most enjoyable characters I have encountered in an otome game so far.

P.S. I’ve also added the ‘Megane’ tag as he does sometimes wear glasses, and he looks darn good in them too.

Character Design

Similar to: Takeda Shingen (Ikémen Sengoku), Seth Hyde (Ikémen Revolution), Akechi Mitsuhide (Ikémen Sengoku).

On the surface, Arthur appears to be your typical playboy character. He is persistent, flirtatious, and cheeky. However, as you continue to get to know his character, you discover the parts of his personality he usually keeps hidden, that don’t necessarily fit with his image of a carefree ladies’ man. And, with each reveal, it’s easy to fall deeper and deeper in love with this surprisingly adorable vampire.

Aside from the obvious appeal of an attractive man well versed in flattery and sweet-talking, Arthur is also doting and playful, making his route somehow both wholesome and one of the steamiest I have ever come across. Initially the story walks delicately along the line of sexy and problematic, but it also cleverly sets up Arthur’s motivations, hinting at the more nuanced man behind the dangerously seductive vampire you initially perceive him to be.

“A good woman is like a good mystery. They’re both so much fun to… expose.”

– Arthur Conan-Doyle

Not being my usual type, I wasn’t drawn to Arthur when I first started playing Ikémen Vampire, but I quickly became interested in his character while playing other routes. I chose him for my third playthrough and now he’s one of my all-time favourite otome game characters. Even if he doesn’t initially take your fancy, I recommend giving his route a shot anyway, even if it’s just for the banter and incredibly well-written spicy scenes.

Story

Arthur’s route is a whirlwind of light-hearted romance, dramatic conflict, and intriguing mystery. One moment you’re on a cute date enjoying a witty back-and-forth, the next you’re trying (and failing) to hold back the tears as you uncover yet another layer to Arthur’s tragic and mysterious past. With a perfect balance of angst to sweetness, I recommend Arthur’s route, particularly to new otome game players, as it has a little bit of everything, no matter what you look for in a love interest.

Story branches: As you progress through the story, you will encounter several sections where you can choose between a ‘normal’ and ‘premium’ option. The premium option is saved to your ‘saved story’ collection (which means you can return to it for re-reading at any time) and is extended slightly with an extra portion of the scene. However, the normal version is cheaper and can be purchased with in-game resources rather than real currency, meaning you can unlock them without spending any money.

Below is a list of the premium story options, as well as a review, to help you decide which option you wish to choose at each story branch.

Story Options: Premium vs. Normal

Chapter 4

The Adventure of the Trapped Rabbit

Sweet: 0/5
Spicy: 5/5
Recommend: Yes

If you’re the type of otome fan that’s here for the spicy content, well, you’re in the right place. The normal version of this story is shorter, cutting out a part that shows Arthur’s redeeming qualities and leaving only his more problematic tendencies. I recommend getting the premium version of this story not only because I think it’s more enjoyable, but also because it’s the type of story you will want to re-read later.

Chapter 10

The Adventure of the Wishing Coin

Sweet: 5/5
Spicy: 0/5
Recommend: No

The normal and premium versions of this story are mostly the same and I don’t feel the extra portion of the scene makes much of a difference in terms of plot or emotional impact. If you’re a fan of Arthur and want to collect his content then this is an absolutely adorable story to save for your collection. Otherwise, I don’t feel you will miss much if you opt for the normal story here.

Chapter 15

The Adventure of the Lover’s Game

Sweet: 3/5
Spicy: 3/5
Recommend: No

The premium version has a small spicy moment that isn’t included in the normal version – which I definitely enjoyed – but it’s not a story I feel the need to re-read. Plus, the extra portion of the scene doesn’t have a huge impact on the overall experience, so, unless you’re desperate for the extra spice (no judgement here), the normal option is just as enjoyable.

Chapter 19

The Adventure of the Prisoner of Holland

Sweet: 4/5
Spicy: 0/5
Recommend: Yes

The bonus section in the premium story option makes the scene much sweeter and the normal version was actually kind of boring in comparison. There is also a bit of a re-cap in this part, which works well for a saved story as you can revisit key moments of Arthur’s route without having to replay it entirely.

Chapter 24

The Adventure of the Poor Loser

Sweet: 5/5
Spicy: 5/5
Recommend: Yes

This story marks a huge milestone in your relationship with Arthur, making it a great moment to have saved in your collection. Even using ‘gold’ (in-game currency) for purchase, the normal version is fairly expensive, so unless you’re really against spending IRL money, it’s not much of a difference in cost. Plus, the extra scene you get with the premium version is what pushed the rating to a 5/5 on the spicy scale. Otherwise, I’d say it’s only a 3/5 at most. It’s still very sweet either way, but for me the premium option is an easy recommendation here.

Endings: Romantic or Dramatic?

I would love to say there is a clear winner here, but both endings are great and it just comes down to what you’re looking for by the end of Arthur’s route. The romantic ending has a better spicy scene and spends more time on their everyday happiness; it’s cute, comfortable, and very sweet. The dramatic ending does have a small conflict at the start, but this only boosts the emotional impact of the grand finale. If I had to choose, I would pick Arthur’s dramatic ending, but you really can’t make a bad choice here.

Final Thoughts

Arthur Conan Doyle has everything you could ask for; exciting adventures, drama and mystery, adoration and devotion, and, of course, some excellent spicy content. Arthur’s the kind of character you know will be a good time no matter the situation, so he’s a great go-to option for events. Even if he doesn’t seem like your cup of tea, I highly recommend giving his route a go. I didn’t think I would enjoy his character as much as I did (the ladies’ man trope has never been one of my favourites), but each time I play Arthur’s route I fall just a little more in love with him.

With a full score in every category, Arthur is one of my favourite otome game love interests of all time. If you’re trying to decide which Ikémen Vampire character to play next, you can’t go wrong with this sweet-talking, sweetheart mystery writer.

Voice Actor

Kimura Ryōhei (木村 良平)

Also voiced…

Plus…

Extra Content

Note: I purchased this drama CD through the in-app store as a story sale, rather than a physical CD. The in-app story sale version has English subtitles and plays as a series of visual novel-style short stories – rather than just an audio drama.

The animate international online store often sells Ikemen Series drama CDs, but they don’t always have every character’s CDs available, and they don’t come with translations for the audio. If you don’t speak Japanese, you’ll need to either wait for the in-app story sale version, or try to find fan translations online.

Game Info

Game Name:
Ikémen Vampire: Temptation in the Dark
イケメンヴァンパイア・偉人たちと恋の誘惑
Producer: CYBIRD / Ikémen Series
Platform: Mobile
Available to download: here!
Age Rating: 17+ / Mature

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