To be honest, sometimes I don’t want to sit through hours of plot. Sometimes I want an otome game that focuses solely on the romantic development between the hero and heroine. I want to focus on the emotional connection between two characters, and witness how this romantic relationship changes these characters. I want something character and (most importantly) romance driven.
And while I definitely swoon over chaste love stories with awkward hand-holding and nothing more than a chaste kiss at the end, sometimes I want more. Sometimes, I want an abundance of hugs, kisses, and (gasp!) the steamy times that can accompany all the aforementioned kissing. Because I love physical romance driven stories, too…of the Cero D or “M” rating variety (I’m not into explicit R-18 otome games).
And is spite of how melodramatic and contrived Takao’s route in Otoko Yuukaku is, I shamelessly enjoyed it!
As always, character and plot analysis and spoilers after the cut!
Otoko Yuukaku is the PSVita version of the mobile/Steam/Switch version of The Men of Yoshiwara: Kikuya. And while the setting and plot are the same, there are some differences between the PSVita and mobile/Steam/Switch versions.
First the Vita version has voice acting, which is fantastic! There is Vita exclusive route, which I’ve heard explains some of the fantasy elements of the story (though, I have not read this route yet, so I can’t confirm). And the Vita version is also censored, compared to the mobile and Steam versions which are more sexually explicit during the intimate scenes.
Takao was born on an island where few baby boys are born, and all young men who are born on the island are restricted to Yoshiwara, the island’s red-light district. Yoshiwara also purchases boys from the mainland, so the brothels remain well stocked with a variety of men. Women looking for a love affair or to become pregnant with a child come to Yoshiwara to buy a man’s services.
This is in stark contrast to the mainland where men and women are equals and where (what we would consider “normal”) modern cultural beliefs are the norm. The mainland and island are connected by shipping lines that allow trade and travel between the two places. There seems to be an amicable relationship between the two places, even with the strong cultural divide.
Takao was born to a woman of the island and, at the time, the most popular courtesan at Kikuya: Masakazu. The writers don’t delve much into Takao’s backstory, with the story picking up when Takao is the most popular courtesan at Kikuya. He’s delaying paying off his contract to Kikuya because he is sending money to his deadbeat mom and his ill father. Takao never met his father, who eventually moved to the mainland after he paid off this contract to Kikuya.
Takao is a good man. Yes, he’s a courtesan, whose job is to sell himself to his client and make her dreams come true for the night. He says sweet, sexy words he doesn’t mean. His touch is provocative and seductive, nothing but an imitation of true love and devotion. He sells a dream that women willingly pay for.
Takao has honed his courtesan intuition and can sense lies and deceit a mile away. You can’t sneak anything by him, and he approaches every situation very pragmatically. He didn’t claw his way to the top of Kikuya, and debatably, all of Yoshiwara, by being naïve about what his job entails or the aspirations of other courtesans to take his position. Takao is calculating and smart, and has the earned arrogance of someone who knows he is good at what he does. Takao is at the top of Kikuya and he takes on that role splendidly.
But.
Even with all this, Takao is good.
In spite of the life, he’s been forced into, Takao keeps his inherent kindness. He is affable, good-natured, optimistic, easy-going, gentle, and easy to converse with. He doesn’t believe in forcing himself upon women and it’s always about what his client wants. It’s easy to understand why he is so popular. This man can be unbearably sweet, and when you consider that at the beginning of the story he doesn’t even believe in love, his inherent sweetness is made all the more precious. And, to top it off, Takao takes money that he could be putting towards paying off his contract and is sending it to his parents instead.
And voice actor, Showtaro Morikubo does an excellent job bring this complex character to life. I’ll be honest, when I first realized that Morikubo voiced Takao, I was very skeptical. To me, Morikubo will always be Impey from Code Realize, and honestly Impey is about as far away from Takao as you could possibly get. However, I will gratefully admit that my concerns were completely unfounded. To me, Takao sounds like a combination of Gilbert Redford from Piofiore and Okita from Hakuouki. And I don’t know how Morikubo pulled that combination off! Takao has the prideful, no-nonsense, leader attitude of Gilbert and the smooth, playful, mischievous, and vulnerable feeling I get from Okita. I couldn’t get enough of this combination! So, so good!
Takao has made a place for himself in Kikuya by accepting that it’s his “lot” in life be a courtesan. He knows he is good at seducing women and rather than resent his life in Kikuya, Takao chose to embrace his role the best he can. And I think this is why he is so successful at his job. He approaches women with his carefree, fun, positive attitude and many women respond to that. Takao knows he is good at his job, accepts it and that confidence draws women in.
Now, Takao knows his popularity at Kikuya won’t last forever. No courtesan forever stays at the top. Takao knows he will age and as he gets older, he will have fewer and fewer clients. He knows someday, a younger man will come along and claim the title of most popular. And once a courtesan starts aging, if they haven’t paid off their contract, it becomes nearly impossible for them to be free of Yoshiwara. But Takao tries not to let that get to him, and he chooses to live in the moment. And for him, this means having the most fun he can and embracing his life the best he can.
So, this is where Takao is at, when he meets Misao. The most popular and successful courtesan in Kikuya and probably all of Yoshiwara. He’s not completely happy with his life, but he’s found a way to embrace what’s he good at and make a name for himself. If anything, in his world, he is a success story.
But ultimately…he’s a caged bird, with limited hope for the future.
Now, Takao first sees Misao Hidetomi in Yoshiwara. Takao was having an Oiran parade throughout the red-light district (which is an honor for top courtesans), and while out in the town he caught the eye of a mesmerized Misao.
Misao is a soft-spoken, polite, and kind young woman. She works at her family’s wholesale store, that deals in items from the mainland. She’s not wealthy, but her and her mom live comfortably. Now I’ve detailed Misao’s character extensively in another article. I’m not going dive into her character again, so if you’re interested in Misao please consider reading her article.
Misao arrives at Kikuya with a delivery from her family’s store and the brothel manager Iroha mistakes Misao as the daughter of a wealthy merchant. Iroha assumes she is a wealthy young woman and rolls out the red carpet for her. A couple of times, Misao tries to tell Iroha that she’s not wealthy, but Iroha brushes her comments aside as “humility.” Iroha steam rolls ahead and asks her to pick a courtesan for the evening. Misao timidly picks Takao.
Takao sees Misao again in Kikuya, and hears Misao ask for him. And while Iroha is about steer Misao to a different courtesan, Takao speaks up, in his usual good-natured way, and says he’d be happy to keep Misao company for the evening. As top courtesan, Takao has the privilege of picking his own clients. Iroha relents, and Misao gets to spend the night with Takao.
Now, Misao is completely swept up by everything and is totally in over her head at the brothel. It’s her first time in Yoshiwara and with a courtesan. And Takao knows this. He can tell, so he doesn’t rush her. He’s very gentle with her, but also very calculating. He first tries dressing her up in a fancy kimono, and putting lipstick on her lips with his finger. He holds her close and walks with her to his bedroom. All the time he is charmingly sweet-talking her and doing his best to seduce her, because he believes she is there for sex…like every other woman who comes to the brothel. He then brings out more sake and tries to loosen her up. However, Misao gets drunk (which wasn’t Takao’s intention), and Takao exasperatedly puts Misao to bed to sleep off the sake. Takao spends the night with Misao making sure she stays safe.
Misao wakes up with a hangover the next morning and is very embarrassed. Takao is in his usual good-natured mood and keeps the atmosphere light. He’s amused by Misao’s combination of innocence and honesty and smiles at her constantly. He knows she’s an innocent, but he doesn’t treat her meanly or with disdain. In fact, from the very beginning he goes out of his way to make sure Misao stays as safe as possible in Kikuya. And one of his top priorities becomes protecting Misao from Iroha, the calculating manager of Kikuya, and Tokiwa, an opportunistic courtesan who has a bitter rivalry with Takao.
Takao goes to get them breakfast, and when he comes back, he finds that Misao has left the room. She had gone to find a place to wash up. He quickly starts searching for her and finds her in Kikuya’s lobby chatting with Iroha. There Takao finds Iroha, who had accessed by looking at Misao that she was still a virgin, telling Misao that if Takao wasn’t to her liking, she could pick a different courtesan. (In this world, once a client and courtesan have sex, there can be no changing. And courtesans are not allowed to “steal” a client that another courtesan has had sex with. Once you have sex with a courtesan, you become “husband and wife” on the nights you are together) Of course, Misao says she was happy with Takao and she doesn’t want to switch.
Takao intervenes and spirits Misao safely away to his room. He proceeds to warn Misao about Iroha and tells her that all Iroha cares about is what is best for Kikuya and can’t necessarily be trusted. Takao explains that if he is with a client and another woman chooses to wait for him, Iroha will send a different courtesan to the woman with the intent of seducing her so she becomes the other courtesan’s client. While, ruthless, it’s a way that Iroha (the manager of the brothel) can spread around clients to all the different courtesans and take some of the client demand off Takao, who is the most popular. Takao tells Misao to be careful and not show her weaknesses to Iroha or the other courtesans, because there is no telling how they will use your weaknesses against you.
Afterwards, they enjoy their domestic breakfast together, and Misao gets ready to leave Kikuya. Takao walks Misao to the door and charmingly tells her good-bye. He kisses her cheek and tells her he hopes to see her again. And with that, Misao’s night in Kikuya comes to an end.
Well, Misao comes back to Kikuya and asks for Takao. Since Takao is with a different client, Misao chooses to wait for him. Just like Takao warned, Iroha sends Tokiwa to the room to keep Misao company as she waits. Tokiwa begins to sweet talk and seduce Misao, who is completely uncomfortable with all this. Tokiwa knows that Takao and Misao have not had sex (because Iroha told him…), so he treats Misao like she is fair game to seduce. Tokiwa pushes Misao down, forcibly kisses and essentially sexually assaults her. Misao calls out Takao’s name and before Tokiwa could do anything else, Takao barges in the room and throws Tokiwa out.
Takao tries to calm Misao. But while he is trying to help her feel better, Misao notices how tired he looks. He admits that his other client ran long, and he is a bit tired. So, Misao and Takao go to his room. There Takao admits that being with Misao lightens his mood, and he proceeds to use her lap as a pillow and takes a nap. Misao sits with her legs tucked for so long that her legs become numb, but she refuses to change position because Takao is sleeping so peacefully. When Takao wakes up, he can’t believe that Misao sat in that position for so long, and proceeds to massage her numb legs. Which embarrasses poor Misao!
By this point in the story, there is a budding friendship and chemistry between Misao and Takao. And I think a large part of this, is the inherent kindness both characters share and recognize in each other.
Takao has met few, if any, girls like Misao. He finds himself drawn to her and her life affirming attitude and innocence. He becomes jealous after he finds Tokiwa and Misao chatting in his room (yes, Misao agrees to be alone with Tokiwa again…ummhmm…) as Misao waited for Takao to finish with another client. And that jealousy became insecurity, as he found himself trying to seduce Misao because he was scared Misao would become Tokiwa’s client. Takao becomes relieved when Misao comes back to him after he thought their relationship (which at this point is friendship) was over. He is overcome with emotion when Misao tells him she put all her money towards his contract so he could pay if off sooner. For the first time in his life, Takao falls in love.
Misao and Takao begin a secret relationship (though everyone at Kikuya can tell that Takao is in love…especially Iroha), and one day they meet at the Inari Shrine in Yoshiwara. They start chatting and Misao asks if Takao would ever want something beyond Kikuya. Takao doesn’t quite know what to say. He tells Misao that he’s been content as a courtesan and that he’s good at it. Kikuya suits him. He tells her that he’s tried to enjoy his life to the fullest, even as a courtesan. Though everything he says, rings hollow. Misao doesn’t push the topic because she knows there isn’t much Takao can do, especially since he’s working to send money to his parents.
For the first time, Takao has to admit to himself and accept that he wants something more with his life than being a courtesan. However, he’s still not at the place where he’s ready to challenge or change his life. As long as he has his moments with Misao, Takao can continue on with his life in Kikuya. He’s resigned to the life of a courtesan, even if it hurts him and the woman he loves. And while this resigned, content attitude served him well as a courtesan, it’s hurting him now that he’s in love with Misao.
It’s not until some outside forces threaten his relationship with Misao that Takao is able to take some risks for Misao and himself.
First, Iroha is concerned how his top earner is truly in love for the first time and how that will affect business. So, Iroha tells Misao to stop messing with Takao’s heart, and to leave him alone so he can do his job properly. And, apparently, Misao’s mom got around the red-light district when she was a young woman, and warns Misao to stop seeing Takao because he might be her half-brother. The mom isn’t 100% sure, but there is cause enough to be concerned. So, our heroine decides to visit Kikuya one last time to say good-bye to Takao. And poor Takao is completely left in the dark about what is happening, because Misao chooses to not explain any of her reasons for never coming back.
WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL HIM, MISAO, SO HE WOULD UNDERSTAND?
SAVE YOUR MAN THE HEARTBREAK OF MISUNDERSTOOD ABANDONMENT!
After Misao stopped going to see Takao, she heard rumors that Takao was always drunk and losing clients left and right to other courtesans. For the first time in his life, Takao is completely hopeless about his situation as a courtesan in Kikuya.
Gone is the man who couldn’t comprehend how some women couldn’t stomach a one-night romance. Gone is his carefree, fun, positive attitude that had accepted his “lot” in life. Gone is everything that had made him a successful courtesan. He simply doesn’t have it inside of him to keep on with the façade anymore.
All he wants is to be loved by Misao.
Finally (probably because he became desperate to stop his former top earner from self-destructing), Iroha tells Takao that he and Misao might be siblings and that’s the main reason Misao stopped coming to see him. Instead of giving Takao a sensible reason to get on his life (as I’m sure Iroha had hoped), this gives Takao the understanding as to why Misao “abandoned” him: she did this because they might be siblings, not because she doesn’t love him. It gives Takao hope of the possibility that he can solve the problem of why he can’t be with Misao and that she loves him.
Takao decides that enough is enough. He sneaks out of Kikuya and goes to Misao’s place in the middle of the night. He throws pebbles at her window to wake her up (aww!). Misao comes to see him and he tells her he’s going to the mainland to find his dad and discover whether or not they are siblings. He asks Misao to come with him, and of course Misao agrees. So, the sneak onto a ship together and sail to the mainland.
Takao is throwing away all he had built in Kikuya. He knows by running away, he will be severely punished (he’s already lost his top courtesan position because of all of his moping). However, Takao now has something he cares about more than his life at Kikuya. He can’t face a future that doesn’t involve Misao in some way, and she becomes the top priority in his life. So, at the expense of his career at Kikuya, Takao has to know the truth because he can’t move forward with his life, if he doesn’t know whether he and Misao are siblings and if they can be together. He has to know, if he can be with her, before he can try to solve the how to make it happen.
They explore the mainland together, and enjoy “date” activities like shopping and trying new foods. They have a wonderful time, but their whole adventure has a bittersweet tone, as they both know a day like this isn’t their reality. They don’t want to be apart from each other, but at the same time, they don’t know how they are going to be together. They don’t know what their future will hold.
Well, they find where Takao’s dad lives. Masakazu is happy to meet his son and confirms that Takao and Misao are not siblings (Phew!). Masakazu talks about his time in Kikuya and how he had a crush on Misao’s mom, only she wasn’t interested in him and started seeing another courtesan. Masakazu’s assistant started a rumor in the Kikuya that caused the mix-up with Misao’s mom. The assistant was hoping that the rumor would help Misao’s mom chose Masakazu as a partner, but the plan backfired and after Misao’s mom became pregnant with Misao, she never came back to Kikuya. Masakazu regrets that he never got to be with the woman he loved, and he realizes how Takao feels about Misao.
Masakazu is no longer ill, and has been able to return to work. And when he realizes his son has not paid off his contract, and knowing that Takao has been sending money to help him, Masakazu has compassion for Takao.
Masakazu follows Takao and Misao back to the island and joins them as they go to Kikuya. Takao knows he is going to be punished for running away from the brothel, but he still goes back to accept the punishment. Iroha is irate when Takao reenters Kikuya, but is shocked into silence when he sees Masakazu after all these years. Masakazu pays off the remaining balance of Takao’s contract. He wants his son to be with the woman he loves.
I really loved how Masakazu recognized what his son had done for him. Takao has delayed his own retirement, at his own expense, and never guilts his dad about it. Takao’s kindness comes back to him, as his dad is able to help him pay off his contract so he can be with Misao.
Takao and Misao stay on the island with her mom and help out at the shop. Masakazu stays on the mainland, but sees his son and daughter-in-law regularly…and the woman who was his first love (SO CUTE!!!!).
There was an adorable scene where Masakazu admits that he’s still interested in Misao’s mom. I loved seeing Takao and Misao brainstorm ideas of how to get those two together! Of course, Masakazu thinks a grandchild would be a perfect reason to visit more often (HAHA!)! Takao and Misao agree that they want to have children someday, but they are still enjoying their time of just them (Enjoy it while you can! Having a child, changes EVERYTHING). I also loved how Takao and Misao agree that if they were to have a boy, they would move off the island and live on the mainland so their son would never have to become a courtesan. It was a small moment in the route, but it made my heart really happy!
A lovely ending.
-Final Thoughts-
I love Takao! He’s a great hero for me! Everything about his character hits the points that I like in a hero! So, I found him to be a joy the entire time! I love how kind and optimistic he is, in spite of his circumstances. Even as a courtesan, he has his own code of honor and he strives to make a name for himself in Kikuya. He’s just a really sweet man, and he deserves every happiness in the world!
I covered Misao extensively in her own article. In general, I think she’s fine, but I do believe she could have been written better. She’s a very kind, compassionate woman who never commodifies Takao. I love how she always treats everyone with respect, no matter their station in life. I also think the writers did her a disservice in the early chapters by not giving her a compelling motivation to return to Kikuya after the first night. But in the end, I was happy for her and Takao and that’s what matters.
This is a good route for me! I like the characters and I enjoyed the quick pacing. I think if the route had been longer and more drawn out, I wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much. It would have become too melodramatic. But the short chapters kept the story moving and the plot points didn’t become overdrawn and tedious. This isn’t the deepest story in the world, and the characters aren’t the most complex.
But that’s okay. It doesn’t have to be.
I still found Otoko Yuukaku to be a compelling story, and it made me appreciate the life I have. I get to love my husband and share my life with him. And by the end of the route, I was glad that Misao and Takao can share the same future.
A very good route!
Otomes as Novels 