i barely ever actually support certain couples in shoujo manga since if the characters are built well enough, i can see it going either way and accept it going either way (with the exception of a few titles where i was an absolute shipper).

this is, of course, provided that the love triangle is well built and written and not just included for the sake of drama.

most of the time, if a story is written well enough, if the main guy gets chosen over the other guy, i secretly want a doujin/side story where she ends up with the other guy. or vice versa.

...this all sounds like what i want in actuality is an otome game LOL

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Yes sometimes that's the case. Other times I really don't care. For example Ouran high school host club: But it's not like who they end up with isn't obvious within the first chapter.

It depends on what sort of second guy we're talking about.

The second guy who appears in the middle or towards the end of a series after the main heroine already has a developing & ongoing relationship w/ a decent-great guy: No. Ex: Any second guy, rival, or w/e who appears in Dengeki Daisy can gtfo. No other guy will be able to match up to Kurosaki. Kare Kano, High School Debut, & Lovely Complex are other examples. You dont split up couples like these.

The first guy is a massive jerk, hurt the heroine, and/or is very arrogant. He never or takes far too long to apologize. Yes I want to see the 2nd guy win. Nothing is more awesome than seeing an arrogant character shattered and groveling. Its hot. Ex: It better happen w/ Sho of Skip Beat. I want to see some tears. Even better if it ends up being recorded by a paparazzi and it becomes public and his reputation gets destroyed.

The first guy always liked the heroine but never did anything and only starts to do something once a new guy enters the picture: Would love to see the second guy win. I hate it when these types (usually the childhood friend) do nothing and yet somehow think because they had these secret feelings they are deserve something.

1st guy is a rapist: Usually I would only ever bother reading due to having a sort of trainwreck or car accident effect where you want to look away but cant cast on me. But yeah I would like the second (hopefully nonrapist) guy to win.

No. Usually the second guy is an unrealistic princely being who is so nice and just so not real. I usually prefer the first guy if he's the more realistic down to earth kind of guy.

But it also depends. In almost any manga, I like the "black" haired guy more than the "blond" haired guy. =D I really dislike princely guys who are too perfect and nice. They're also sometimes the scariest because you know, nice people can be really mean when they're mad.

I like nice guys (real life as well). I always liked them, than those bad boy types. And yes, I always go for the second guy, it just, I always not like the main guy, even if he's the prince. A perfect example of this is Uwase no Midori-kun (he's such a cutie :3
It's quite rare that I like the first guy lol (since most is the 'rapist' type).

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I would LOVE it if the heroine picked the second guy. The first guy is usually a DOUCHEBAG who's flirtatious and uncaring for the heroine while the second is usually the carind, loyal, loving (and sometimes childhood friend) to the heroine.
I don't understand WHY the mangakas always write the heroine ending up with the jerk when there's a PERFECTLY GOOD second guy who'll always love the heroine.
AND usually (for me, anyways) the second guys hotter/more attractive than the first guy....

Hm, I like the first guy most of the time... But I would love to see a love story with some second guys like Mamura from Hirunaka no Ryuusei, Nakatsu from Hanazakari no Kimitachi e and Andou from Strobe Edge.

I'm usually for the first guy, unless (pardon my language) he's an arse and the second guy's better, or maybe if he waits till another guy shows up before doing anything (definitely the second guy if the first fits both conditions).

But sometimes I, don't root for, but feel sorry for the second guy if his feelings are sincere and he will only end up being hurt in the end.

Also yes, it is far too late for me to support and possibly not feel annoyance if the second guy shows up at least halfway through the series.

In majority of cases all my support is with the second guy. I hate knowing from the very first chapter who the main guy is and who's ending up with who. So no matter when the second guy turns up, no matter how his personality is, no matter how well the main couple was already doing... I love that someone comes to spice things up.

Only exception I can think of is Kuragehime. So for once, I'm rooting for the first guy but this might be because

It really depends on what type of guy the main guy is compared to the second, and vice versa.

If the main male is an utter jerk with no care for the female then I'd rather her be with the second as he's usually the nicest and does his best for her, though 99% of the time she'll chase and end up with the arrogant blockhead.

Last edited by aoi_tenshi at 3:51 am, Feb 24 2013

Only if the two guys stood on equal footing. Everytime I've read a shoujo where the second guy wins, the feelings aren't so strong and passionate as they were for the first guy. Makes it seem like he got cheated because although she's with him physically, emotionally she's with the other guy.

It's better to move on to a new love if the first guy is a jackass or if he is unvailable (ie has a girlfriend). I hate to see the girl gets stupidly stuck in an unrequited love and keeps throwing herself at him like a dog, coughHeroine Shikkakucough. I can't stomach this scenario.
@ caozhi: I agree. I like Tamaki, but I find his personality over the top sometimes. I rather Haruhi likes another person from Host Club, like Hikaru, Kaoru, or Kyouya (especially Kyouya ) I wish the author would give the other guys a chance with Haruhi before deciding on Tamaki. Oh well, with a reverse harem, the girl often ends up with the leader guy or the most popular guy.

Sometimes...rarely do I support the second guy with the heroine. But with an example,
Sakisaka Io - sensei's Strobe Edge, I would really feel happier if the heroine (Ninako) ended up with the second guy (Andou).

Her work is just amazing for shoujo.

But yeah, mostly I support the two main getting together....unless..like what Whatever just said.

Yes, I've always wished that when there's an older, cooler but responsible second male lead who always ends up sacrificing his love for her happiness.

I'm for whoever is more real. An attractive man whose an ass probably wouldn't hold the love of someone, whether he was the first, second or eighth guy. A childhood friend whose always been around her isn't likely to suddenly turn her head, irregardless of his sudden change of attitude (but fond memories returning after a long absence or a gradual change on her part is more believable). Most of all, it's about having a guy with depth. If that's the second guy, go #2; if it's bachelor #1, then the second man is less than useless, an irritant that interrupts the readers' enjoyment.
The best love triangles allow the reader to get to know all the characters that will be involved before adding love to the mix (and give the female lead a female support system instead of dropping her in a world of all men, because what girl truly never talks to female friends?)

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