Forbidden Fruit & Dangerous Desires | Scorpio Love Interests in Otome Games | Zodiac Reviews #6 | Sweet & Spicy

Forbidden Fruit & Dangerous Desires | Scorpio Love Interests in Otome Games | Zodiac Reviews #6

Posted on November 24, 2021 by Oona Tempest「ウーナ」 Leave a comment

Forbidden Fruit & Dangerous Desires – behind a pretty face lies twisted, forbidden fantasies. Scorpio love interests will captivate you with wit, charm, and beauty – but, by the time you sense the tantalising thrill of danger, it’ll be far too late. For better or worse, you’ll already be drowning in the abyss of their intense, overwhelming passion…

Previous posts in the Zodiac Reviews series: Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, and Libra.

In our Zodiac Reviews series, we look at otome love interests who share the same star sign, and investigate the potential existence of astrology-based character archetypes.

In the sixth instalment of this series, we explore the traits and tropes shared by characters with birthdays between October 23 and November 22; in other words, Scorpio – the sign of the scorpion…

Scorpio Love Interests

Scorpio love interests: Comte de Saint-Germain and William Shakespeare (Ikemen Vampire), Ishida Mitsunari and Kichou (Ikemen Sengoku), Jonah Clemence (Ikemen Revolution), and Chevalier Michel (Ikemen Prince)

Comte de Saint-Germain | Ikemen Vampire
25th October

Tropes: Oji-san / Ouji-sama / Gentleman

The Perfect Gentleman – Saint-Germain can’t resist the temptation to spoil you rotten; whether it’s dresses, jewellery, or anything else you may desire.

With a gentle smile, he’ll praise your beauty, but that’s not the only reason you’re blushing. After all, he dressed you up like a doll – and now you can’t help but spend the entire ball wondering how on earth he managed to guess your size so exactly…

Chevalier Michel | Ikemen Prince
1st November

Tropes: Ouji-sama / Kuudere / Tensai

The Brutal Beast – is Prince Chevalier’s charming nickname… and it suits him. With a cold, intimidating aura and a disdainful glare, he assuredly informs you that your decision as Belle means nothing to him– he will be the next king.

But, perhaps there’s more to this dangerous beast than an icy stare and bloodstained cloak. The only way to find out is to plunge deep into the abyss that lies where his heart should be, and hope there’s something there after all…

Ishida Mitsunari | Ikemen Sengoku
1st November

Tropes: Deredere / Tensai / Megane

The Angelic Warlord – Ishida Mitsunari is a sweet-hearted angel and military strategist. These might seem like contradictory traits, but once you learn his motivation for dedicating himself so intently to his studies, you’ll see just how radiant his heart truly is.

And yet, despite his purity, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to you. His eyes dark and his cheeks flushed, Mitsunari puzzles over why he has such a desperate desire to touch you…

William Shakespeare | Ikemen Vampire
11th November

Tropes: Trickster / Yandere / Ouji-sama

The Fae Trickster – William Shakespeare is the epitome of taboo, forbidden fantasies. With all the glamor and charm of the fae, he’ll captivate your senses, until the rest of the world falls away, and the only thing you can see – the only thing you can feel – is him.

Beware his honeyed words as they craft an idyllic, fantastical world – tailored to ensnare your heart and capture your mind; for, as we all know, by the time you realise you’ve entered the forbidden realm of the fae, it’s already too late to turn back…

Kichou | Ikemen Sengoku
15th November

Tropes: Yandere (look at those eyes…)

The Sarcastic Anarchist – Kichou is one of the latest characters to be introduced to CYBIRD’s Ikemen Sengoku and – at the time of writing – he doesn’t yet have an available route.

However, from his debut in the Act 2 prologue, it’s clear that Kichou somehow has knowledge of the future– and he plans to use this knowledge to prevent the end of the ‘Warring States’ era, also known as the Sengoku.

Why he’s hell-bent on everlasting war is a mystery; one we’ll hopefully uncover when his route is released…

Jonah Clemence | Ikemen Revolution
18th November

Tropes: Ouji-sama / Onii-san

The Doting Older-Brother – Jonah Clemence may seem like a stuck-up snob at first, but his demeanour quickly changes whenever his little brother, Luka, or his King, Lancelot, are around.

While Jonah does have an available route in Ikemen Revolution, I haven’t played it yet; so the extent of my knowledge regarding his character is essentially just that he really likes mille-feuille.

As such, I’m not sure if he has a taboo or forbidden desire of some kind; but, in the prologue, he does handcuff Alice before he even introduces himself, so he clearly has a kinky streak…

Scorpio Archetype

The more I looked at this assortment of Scorpios, the more a pattern began to emerge. Each of these characters is described as elegant and beautiful– yet, for most of them, this ‘pretty face’ belies a more mature, sensual nature. And, for some, this sensual side has a forbidden, taboo twist.

For example, Comte de Saint-Germain (Ikemen Vampire) enjoys lavishing MC with gifts, but it is a little odd that he’s so eager to dress her up in clothes and jewellery that he not only paid for, but often chose for her, too. In some of the side stories, he’s described as being on the same page as Shakespeare when it comes to fetishes, and if there’s anything Will’s route made clear, it’s that he has some particularly naughty desires.

But, not all of these love interests have a penchant for ribbon-bondage. In the case of Ishida Mitsunari (Ikemen Sengoku) his sensual side is the taboo. For someone so pure-hearted and angelic, any feeling of sexual desire is completely new to him– and lusting after an angel is surely forbidden.

Scorpio as an astrological sign is known for deep, intense emotions— they tend to despise superficiality, instead forming meaningful relationships with a select few. It’s also the sign of our ‘shadow selves’, that is, one’s ‘dark side’, or the part of ourselves that deals with the taboo… especially sex, and all that other fun stuff.

While Chevalier (Ikemen Prince) may not fit the mould of ‘pretty face that hides a secret dark side’ – after all, his dark side is made evident from his first impression – he still fits this pattern of forming deep, meaningful relationships that prioritise quality over quantity. He really only cares about Clavis (until MC comes along and melts his icy heart, of course), and his expression of love is equally deep, and intensely passionate.

I’m still not certain if there’s enough commonality among these love interests to ascertain the existence of a ‘Scorpio Archetype’, but I found it interesting to look at these secretly sensual love interests and their hidden dark sides, and I’m curious to see if other Scorpio otome characters fit the pattern, too.

Recommendations

William Shakespeare is one of my all-time favourite otome love interests, so he’s my number one Scorpio recommendation, without a doubt. The way Will’s route initially captivates your attention with a beautiful, idyllic romance, only to then reveal the uglier truth behind the mask, further adds to the ‘fae’ themes of Shakespeare’s character design – turning the story structure itself into another allegory for faeries. Plus, I’m just a sucker for poetry and melodrama, both of which can be found in abundance throughout Will’s story.

My second-place Scorpio recommendation has to be Chevalier Michel from Ikemen Prince. I haven’t finished his route yet, but boy is Chevalier a spicy man. I adore everything about him, including his cold, harsh attitude and thirst for blood, but my favourite thing has to be the way the artist shaded in the top half of his face, just to really emphasise the way he’s looking down his nose at everyone. Perfection.

I hesitate to recommend another IkeVamp character for my top three Scorpios, but Comte de Saint-Germain’s route was recently released and it sheds a lot of light on the overarching plot of the game. If you prefer a love interest who’ll both pamper you and take control when it matters most (read: in the bedroom), then Saint-Germain will absolutely deliver. Plus, he’s objectively beautiful, a sophisticated gentleman, and a time-travelling vampire… what more could you ask for?