Sadistic Sweethearts | Aquarius Love Interests in Otome Games | Zodiac Reviews #9 | Sweet & Spicy

Sadistic Sweethearts | Aquarius Love Interests in Otome Games | Zodiac Reviews #9

Posted on March 5, 2022 by Oona Tempest「ウーナ」 One comment

Sadistic Sweethearts – Aquarius love interests in otome games are an eclectic bunch who don’t appear to have much in common at first glance; but, one trait that stood out above the rest was an uncanny knack for pinpointing what makes you tick, and then exploiting it for their own amusement…

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

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 ninth instalment of this series, we’ll be exploring the traits and tropes shared by characters with birthdays between 20th January to 18th February; in other words, Aquarius – the sign of the Water-Bearer…

Aquarius Love Interests

Sariel Noir | Ikemen Prince

☆ Birthday: 20th January
☆ Tropes: Kuudere / Megane / Do-S ❤

Bespectacled and clad head-to-toe in jet-black snakeskin, your sadistic teacher, Sariel, is the epitome of sadism. He even has a riding crop – which he’ll absolutely use to ‘motivate’ you in your studies – and, I mean, just look at that smile…

But, it’s worth paying attention to what he actually chooses to do from his lofty position of grand-puppeteer. Despite the snide remarks and unusual teaching methods, you can’t help but notice that he’s kept you safe since you arrived at the castle, and he works tirelessly to ensure the process of choosing the next King goes smoothly – which begs the question; is Sariel really just a cold-hearted sadist? Or is there more to this cunning ‘Devil of the Court’…

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Ikemen Vampire

☆ Birthday: 27th January
☆ Tropes: Kuudere / Tsundere / Ouji-sama

Rude and uptight, Mozart accepts nothing less than perfection. Dressed in icy blue and silver tones, it’s clear that he’s not one for warmth and affection. But through his passion for his work, you see a more emotional side to an otherwise stoic man, which makes you wonder if he’s really so cold, after all…

Aside from being very, very pretty; Mozart is witty, snarky, and knows exactly how to poke at all your sore spots. But, there’s a playful edge to his teasing that makes it feel more endearing than downright sadistic, even if he does straight-up call MC a masochist early in his route…

Tokugawa Ieyasu | Ikemen Sengoku

☆ Birthday: 31st January
☆ Tropes: Shota / Tsundere / Dandere

Prickly on the outside, but gooey on the inside – Tokugawa Ieyasu is an absolute sweetheart, even if he keeps that part of himself buried under a thick layer of thorns. You’ll need to brush aside the brambles to get to his soft and mushy centre, but the scrapes you get along the way will be worth it, and Ieyasu himself will reward your perseverance with enough syrupy sweetness to make up for all the snarky teasing before…

Allan Melville | Cupid Parasite

☆ Birthday: 8th February
☆ Tropes: Flirt / Playboy / ~~Love of my life~~

If anyone embodies the ‘unique’ aspect of the Aquarius zodiac, it’s Allan. Outside of otome games, this sign is known for being individualistic and expressive – the type of people who have such a distinct style and personality that you could spot a piece of clothing or furniture in a store and think “oh, that’s so them.”

Allan Melville, from Cupid Parasite, is exactly the kind of person I imagine when I think of the Aquarius sign, so I find it interesting that he’s one of the love interests in the game who actually has a set birthday in their in-game character profile.

Simeon | Obey Me!

☆ Birthday: 10th February
☆ Tropes: Onii-san / Ouji-sama / Angel

At first glance, you’d think Simeon – an actual angel – wouldn’t be on this list of sadistic characters, but Simeon’s personality isn’t quite so simple as pure-hearted, kind, and angelic. He’s got a stricter edge that becomes particularly noticeable when interacting with Luke. He’s not afraid to put his foot down as the responsible ‘older-brother’ angel, which can lead to him being a bit harsh – at least in Luke’s eyes, anyway.

While he may not be a full-on sadist (especially compared to others on this list), he’s not exactly a flawlessly selfless character, either. He can be fairly perceptive and often guides the other characters, but every now and then he’ll say something that seems designed to poke someone right where it hurts. Maybe he’s doing it to help them overcome their insecurities and guilt, or maybe he’s just doing it to amuse himself…

Mousse Atlas | Ikemen Revolution

☆ Birthday: 10th February
☆ Tropes: Flirt / Darudere / ~~Yandere?~~

Mousse Atlas doesn’t currently have an available route in Ikemen Revolution, but I got to know his character a little bit during my playthrough of Oliver Knight (a.k.a. The Mad Hatter). Upon meeting MC for the first time, he promptly declares he’s fallen in love with her – but, he otherwise seems like a fairly harmless (if a little sleepy) diplomat, so it’s tempting to just brush this confession off as him being a bit eccentric.

But this, combined with his behaviour in some of the event stories I’ve read, starts to paint a slightly less “harmless” picture of Mousse. He frequently declares his undying, unconditional love for MC, despite barely knowing her – and even if he then changes the subject as though he hadn’t just said something important, he’s fairly firm and blunt in his unyielding affection whenever it comes into question. Look, I’m not saying he’s giving me yandere vibes, but… nope, he’s definitely giving me yandere vibes. Mousse is a yandere, you heard it here first!

Uesugi Kenshin | Ikemen Sengoku

☆ Birthday: 18th February
☆ Tropes: Yandere / Ouji-sama / ~~Also the love of my life~~

Uesugi Kenshin is technically on the cusp of Aquarius and Pisces (~~and it shows~~), but more sources I looked at for astrological dates placed him in Aquarius, rather than Pisces, so I’ve included him in this list for that reason. Looking ahead to the love interests I have lined up for Pisces, he seems to be a better fit for that group (so many yanderes!), but he does also have a sadistic streak that fits him nicely in this star sign.

Like Mousse, he almost immediately flips the switch between not being in love (or, in Kenshin’s case, active disdain), to being obsessively head over heels. He also notoriously kabedons MC… but with a sword… on the ground. Like, he actually pins MC to the ground with his sword. And not just in his route, either. He does it in other routes, too. It’s kind of his signature move, and I’m here for it.

Plus, there’s the whole actively hating women thing that leads to a fairly frosty relationship in the beginning, as he consistently tries to push MC away by being perpetually rude and condescending (similar to Mozart, in Ikemen Vampire – although Mozart doesn’t have anything against women in particular, at least). If you’re looking for an iconic personality with a hint of danger (and sadism), then I highly recommend Kenshin for some cage action…

Final Thoughts

I think I might have a thing for Aquarius love interests, because there are so many memorable characters on this list–all of whom I absolutely adore. Or maybe I just like sadists… Actually, that’s probably it, now I think about it.

Despite not yet having a full route release, Sariel from Ikemen Prince is already shaping up to be one of my favourite otome characters. His Birthday Story Sale in 2021 was a work of art and I loved every minute of it. I can’t wait for his character to be further explored in his own route, so I highly recommend keeping an eye out for his release in the future.

I also loved Kenshin’s route in Ikemen Sengoku (even if I haven’t reviewed him for this site, yet). I don’t recommend it for everyone, as there’s a bit of cage action and whole lot of misogyny – but, y’know, in a hot way – and he has a fairly ‘strong’ personality that won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. But, if you like a beautifully-messed-up yandere, then you’ll likely enjoy Kenshin’s route in all its red-flag glory.

I haven’t reviewed Mozart’s route either, but he’s a pretty solid choice for anyone interested in snarky kuudere characters. Ieyasu is also a great choice on this list (and I’ve actually reviewed him already!), but he’s more on the tsundere end of the spectrum, so insults and contrariness rather than aloof condescension.

Allan Melville is probably the most iconic character on this list, and if you’ve heard much about Cupid Parasite, then you’ve likely heard about him and his bizarre penchant for ‘sharing’. His route is fascinating, even in the midst of a fairly weird game, so I highly recommend him for anyone looking for a unique otome route unlike any they’ve played before.

You’ll like Aquarius love interests if you like: sadists who’ll tease you mercilessly; aloof kuuderes whose affection needs to be earned; perceptive (and maybe even manipulative) love interests who use their skills in observation to find out exactly how to provoke you; and ikemen who seem mean but have a soft gooey centre underneath all the snark…

In short, if you like Aquarius love interests, then this Mozart quote just about sums it up…