In part one of our two-part Valentine’s Day special, we’re picking a best boy to receive our tastiest homemade chocolates…

In case you’re unfamiliar with the way Valentine’s Day is typically celebrated in Japan (and therefore Japanese-based media, like many otome games and anime), it’s customary for girls to give chocolates to boys, rather than the other way around.

There are two types of chocolates you may give or receive on Valentine’s Day: ‘Honmei-choco’ (homemade chocolate), or ‘Giri-choco’ (obligatory chocolate).

Obligatory chocolates are typically given to bosses, colleagues, peers, or friends. Essentially, they’re for men who you appreciate, but not in a romantic way.

On the other hand, homemade chocolates are given to crushes, significant others, or anyone else of romantic interest. The general concept is that homemade chocolates have the gift-giver’s love and effort poured into them, making them a more sincere, heartfelt gift.

That being said, ‘honmei-choco’ can be purchased from a store (rather than actually being homemade); however, as with most gifts, the more thought put into it, the more meaningful it becomes to the person receiving the gift.

We’ll be posting part two of this special Valentine’s Day article on Saturday (in our usual review timeslot!), but we also wanted to post something today on the actual day of romance – so here’s part one of our special Valentine’s Day celebrations here at Sweet & Spicy…

Valentine of the Year, 2022

~ Akechi Mitsuhide ~
Ikemen Sengoku: Romances Across Time

Oona’s note: Naturally, the best boy getting my honmei-choco has to be my #1 husband of all time, Akechi Mitsuhide – from CYBIRD’s mobile otome game, Ikemen Sengoku: Romances Across Time.

I haven’t yet reviewed him for this website, but Mitsuhide’s route was one of the most compelling, exciting otome routes I’ve read to date, captivating my attention (and my heart) from start to finish.

From teasing mentor to devoted lover – It was deeply satisfying to watch the layers of Mitsuhide’s character design slowly unravel as both he and MC help each other to step out of their shadows and grow into their full potential. So much so, that I had to take a break from playing otome games after I finished his route, because everything else just paled in comparison.

If you haven’t yet played Mitsuhide’s route, then you should know that he has exactly two main hobbies: teasing MC, and spoiling MC. It’s not an exaggeration to say that he dedicates every free moment he has to the protagonist – so, for the most romantic day of the year, I want to turn the tables and give him honmei-choco, so he can be the one being spoiled for a change.

Your Turn!

Who are you giving homemade chocolates to this year? Is it just one ultimate best boy, or do you have a whole harem of husbands to bake for? Let us know who you’ll be celebrating Valentine’s Day with this year in the replies below!