Otome Games: globalization and glocalization processes, conceptualization and data analysis of Brazilian players

Aug 20, 2026

This paper examines the concept and features of Otome Games through an exploratory narrative review and an e-survey to analyze the Brazilian market and players’ culture. It discusses globalization and glocalization processes, including actors, market share, exportation, social issues, indigenization, and cultural definition, and relates Otome Games to Japanese feminine culture. It also introduces a definition aligned with Josei Muke and studies South Korean and Brazilian indigenization. Fan-community survey data reveal Brazil-specific cultural and market aspects.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Visual novels and genre foundations

Emergence and global penetration of Otome Games

Methodology

Journal on Interactive Systems, 2023, 14:1, doi: 10.5753/jis.2023.3193 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Otome Games: globalization and glocalization processes, conceptualization and data analysis of Brazilian players Gabriela Rodrigues Diniz [ Universidade Estácio de Sá | [gabirdiniz@gmail.com](gabirdiniz@gmail.com) ] Rafael Dirques David Regis [ [Universidade Federal Fluminense | rafaeldregis@yahoo.com.br](Universidade Federal Fluminense | rafaeldregis@yahoo.com.br) ] Júlio César Valente Ferreira [ Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica Celso Suckow da Fonseca and Universidade [Federal Fluminense | jcvferreira@hotmail.com](Federal Fluminense | jcvferreira@hotmail.com) ] Abstract This paper endeavors to examine the concept and features of Otome Games in a comprehensive way by conducting an exploratory narrative review and applying a e-survey to understand the Brazilian Otome Game market and player's culture. This article also discusses the globalization and glocalization process of Otome Games, covering the actors, market share, exportation process, social issues, indigenization, culture, and definition. Furthermore, this paper offers a historical definition of Otome Games and their relation to Japanese feminine culture. Additionally, a fitting definition for Otome Games and other types of games-known as Josei Muke-is introduced. The indigenization process of Otome Games in South Korea and Brazil is also explored, demonstrating how this process is improving tourism and animation markets via transmedia. Finally, this paper presents data analysis from an E-survey of the Brazil fan community of Otome Games, revealing specific cultural and market aspects unique to Brazil setting it apart from other countries where Otome Games have been studied. Keywords: Otome Games, Brazil Game Market, Globalization, Josei Muke, E-survey 1 Introduction The exportation of Japanese pop culture starting in the 1990s led to the formation of several groups of Western fans who consume these types of Japanese products, such as JPop (Japanese pop music), J-Games (Japanese games), JDramas (Japanese dramas and soap operas), anime (Japanese animation), J-Movies (Japanese movies), and manga (Iwabuchi 2002) . Within the Japanese electronic games industry, one genre that has gained prominence is the visual novel genre, becoming one of the most widely played types of game in Japan (Taborda & Alves 2015) (Koide & Obana 2018) (Koyama et al. 2019) . Visual novels (and Otome Games too) are usually classified and typified by the industry into categories such as: Simulation Games, Music Games and Role-Playing Games (Statista 2023) (SensorTower 2023) . Visual novels, or electronic novels, are a type of game that is accessible in terms of technology and the creation of immersive worlds, mostly featuring simple mechanics with a strong emphasis on plot and player-driven narrative, as the player is invited to take a first-person perspective to explore the story through writing, dialogue, thoughts, music and sound effects, paving their route among dozens of possible endings, with some games being so narratively complex that guides are released to reach all the possible endings (Taborda & Alves 2015) . It can be stated that visual novels provide a multifaceted playful experience that ensures the player's creativity (Cavallaro 2009) . This genre of games started to be consumed in the West when groups of fans began making fansubs (fan translations) from the original Japanese to other languages such as: English, Spanish, Chinese and Filipino (Díaz Cintas & Muñoz Sánchez 2006) (Taborda & Alves 2015) (Ganzon 2019) . From the genre of visual novels, the so-called Otome Games emerges as relationship simulation games with the romantic experience at their center, inspired by the concepts of Japanese ren'ai romance (恋愛) and a focus on the female audience as their main target (Morris 2017) generating an

FAQs

What methods are used to study Otome Games in Brazil?

The study combines an exploratory narrative review with an e-survey to understand the Otome Games market and players’ culture in Brazil.

How does the paper explain globalization and glocalization of Otome Games?

It outlines actors, market share, exportation, social issues, and indigenization, showing how these dynamics shape culture and definition across regions.

What does the e-survey contribute to the findings?

The e-survey data from the Brazil fan community identifies specific cultural and market aspects that distinguish Brazil from other countries previously studied.

Aug 20, 2026

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