Why Otaku Play Bishoujo Games

Hi everyone, I would first like to say that I have recently re-read my blog post titled; "Why I am an atheist" and decided that that was not an appropriate title, but a more fitting title would be; "Atrocities Of The Bible." I would like to say that I will be posting something that will truly explain why I am an atheist.

Anyway, I would like to talk about something that the Otaku community has mixed feelings about. Bishoujo Games, and why some of us love to play them so much.
What exactly is a Bishoujo game? I have been asked this question many times and I decided that I would like to talk more about this subject.

A Bishoujo game is a game that features "beautiful" girls (Bishoujo means Beautiful girl; in modern terms at least) and the game usually consists of a male character (sometimes female) trying to gain the affections of the female of his choice. The male is usally viewed of as a loser and he usually has several different girls to choose from.

In the west, these types of games usually are not well accepted. I think due to the fact that in the west most gamers would want to blow up cars or shoot hookers. Bishoujo games however, have their very strong following with some of the people who call themselves Otaku. Yes, you can see several of us, lurking around dealers rooms to the dark perverted corners of the corridors of the convention to pick up the latest free spirited free love romp in which salivating virgin otaku may hope to deflower a sexually attractive chara. Playing and planning how they can put this into their everyday lives!

Those are just some of the stereotypes living around otaku and especially ones that play Bishoujo games. American gamers also ask the question as to why these misguided miscreants would even want to play such a self-pleasing, masturbation arousing game.

First off, not all Bishoujo games equate with Hentai games which are a genre of games in their own right. I would also like to bring to the forefront that surprisingly that there are even girls who play these games (I personally know one) even though the games are specifically geared towards a male crowd.

I would also like to say that one of the reason why a few individuals play these games is that they provide an escape from dealing with the negative effects of the opposite sex. Usually in Bishoujo games, female characters will fall in love with they main male character (or female if you are playing a shoujo-ai or Yuri game) all for altruistic reasons, all based upon just because he is a great guy. And some of them are just plain heartwarming.

The fact that aesthetics are also a prime point in Bishoujo Games is also a major plus for fans. Even for female fans which value relationships (some of them) in anime plot lines. Why would a female anime fan that loves shoujo anime not want to play a game that is all about building a relationship with an attractive female character? Okay, Okay, now I sound stupid. But it's great for lonely male otaku and might give them some courage to aim for the stars one day.