Edit: I finished my first route! Check out my first impressions post, but read on if you want to learn more about the game and the characters.
We have more juice on Ikemen Villains, Cybird’s newest upcoming mobile otome game! In this spotlight article, I will be sharing details about the plot and characters based on all the information they have released so far.
Make sure to follow their official Twitter account.
Here are some basic facts about the game:
Illustrator: Natsume Lemon
Music: Fujita Maiko
Developer/publisher: Cybird
Platform: Mobile (Android / iOS)
Release date: March 28, 2023 (JP), March 28, 2024 (ENG)
The story and setting
The setting is in 19th century England. There exists an organisation mandated by Queen Victoria named the Crown. While working as a postal worker, you accidentally find out their secret.
Turns out there are Fairy Tale curses placed on members of the Crown, and those who are born with the curse will inevitably follow the same fate as the story.
You escaped death by becoming a Fairy Tale to record their curses. You are forced to live a life full of alluring sins with nine beautiful villains…without knowing that you will fall into a love affair that will change everything.
The darkest and sexiest addicting love story from the Ikemen Series. You won’t be able to go back to the love you once knew until you experience this one!
[Adapted from their official website]
Characters
Here are some details about the characters according to their official website.
Disclaimer: I can read Japanese but I am by no means a professional translator. All images belong to Cybird.
William Rex
✤ Voice actor: Tachibana Shinnosuke
✤ DOB: May 24
✤ Height: 180 cm
✤ Curse: Alice in Wonderland • Queen of Hearts
He is the symbol of atrocious evil and is feared by all. He is also the No. 1 member of the Royal Command Corps of the Crown, under the direct control of the Queen.
A liberalist who behaves rampantly, his aesthetics is “being the master of oneself”.
He tempts you into a world full of delightful sins…
Harrison Gray
✤ Voice actor: Sugiyama Noriaki
✤ DOB: May 30
✤ Height: 181 cm
✤ Curse: ??? • Fox
An easy-going and popular man under the Crown’s Royal Command Corps, which is directly controlled by the Queen.
Because he often tells frivolous lies, it’s difficult to tell where his true feelings lie.
It appears he has a “certain objective” when joining the Crown…
Liam Evans
✤ Voice actor: Nishiyama Koutaro
✤ DOB: September 6
✤ Height: 179 cm
✤ Curse: Alice in Wonderland • Black Cheshire Cat
A sexy young man who belongs to the Crown’s Royal Command Corps, which reports directly to the Queen.
In between duties to the Crown, he fills his time as a stage actor.
He fascinates everyone, but sometimes he would show a lonely profile.
Elbert Greetia
✤ Voice actor: Ootsuka Takeo
✤ DOB: January 27
✤ Height: 178 cm
✤ Curse: Snow White • Queen
A troubled young nobleman with an unmatched beauty, like a bisque doll. He is affiliated with the Crown.
He obsessively collects “beautiful things” and leaves them all cluttered in his room.
There seems to be a sorrowful reason behind his intense desire…?
Alfons Sylvatica
✤ Voice actor: Saitou Souma
✤ DOB: August 8
✤ Height: 179 cm
✤ Curse: Snow White • Mirror
A hedonist who indulges in a decadent lifestyle. He is affiliated with the Crown.
His main priority is fleeting pleasure. He is elusive, akin to an illusion.
He toys around with you with consistent dishonesty…
Roger Barel
✤ Voice actor: Eguchi Takuya
✤ DOB: November 23
✤ Height: 183 cm
✤ Curse: Snow White • Hunter
A former doctor and a member of the Crown’s Royal Command Corps, under the direct control of the Queen.
Although he seems rational, he will go to any lengths to conduct his research.
He seems to have ambition that no one knows about…
Jude Jazza
✤ Voice actor: Takeda Kaito
✤ DOB: December 13
✤ Height: 177 cm
✤ Curse: Sleeping Beauty • The 13th Wizard
A cold-blooded person who loves the despair and misfortune of others.
Before he joined the Crown, he ran a trading company and already had many enemies then.
A twisted man, he has a promise he needs to accomplish to fulfill under his sullen heart…
Ellis Twilight
✤ Voice actor: Satou Gen
✤ DOB: July 4
✤ Height: 182 cm
✤ Curse: Sleeping Beauty • Thorn
A somewhat turbulent young man who is affiliated with the Crown, and serves as Jude’s advisor.
He is kind and gentle to everyone, but he is strangely obsessed with other people’s “happiest moments in life.”
He has “love” that he wants to prove no matter what…
Victor
✤ Voice actor: Takahashi Hiroki
✤ DOB: February 20
✤ Height: 183.5 cm
✤ Curse: ??
The Queen’s aide, a free-spirited and beautiful man who always appears at unexpected moments.
His motto is to grant Her Majesty’s wishes.
He will watch over you and the Crown, and at times he will be meddlesome about it.
Official teaser movie
What is the “Ikemen Series”?
The “Ikemen Series” is a brand of romance game by Cybird. Their principle is to “provide every woman an exciting day, like the beginning of love.” Their games have been distributed on multiple game platforms, including App Store and Google Play, and are very popular both in Japan and in the West. The “Ikemen Series” franchise boasts more than 35 million active players worldwide. Check out their official website and twitter.
✤ About CYBIRD
CYBIRD was founded in 1998 at the dawn of Japan’s mobile Internet era. Since then, they have provided entertainment services centered around mobile devices.
Brief thoughts
Cybird games always adapt popular fictional stories or folklores, whether through the story, setting, characters, or all of them combined. Ikemen Villains is no different, but I really like the twist on Fairy Tales as “curses”. And if you look deeper, the Fairy Tales they adopted in this game are all actually pretty dark tales. Games from the Ikemen Series are also known to be very steamy, and based on what they’ve been promoting so far, we can expect this in Ikemen Villains as well!
Reading into the description of the villains, I must admit some of them don’t sound that villanous to me. 
Design-wise, I kinda wish they would look more intimidating…but I guess they gotta live up to their names as Ikemens! Liam and Harrison are my current favourites in terms of looks. Damn, I really want to meet them.
I am a big fan of the entire Ikemen Series. Granted, I am on a break from mobile otome games right now because all the gacha-ing just completely dragged my wallet to hell. 
But I’ll definitely give this a shot if they release it in the West.
Are they going to release this in English?
There has been no news about English release, but I would say the likelihood is pretty high. The Ikemen Series have been around for a while and are very popular in the West among mobile gamers. A dual Japanese and English release is unlikely though. We probably ought to wait for a bit after the Japanese release before we hear anything about the game coming to the West.
What do you think? Are you excited about this project, and would you play it?
