#synokoria

[stormtherobot]

New video! Hope this yap session is a good background noise while y'all fold laundry ✨ Happy 2026!

[synokoria]

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!!! Whether you celebrate or not, here's hoping you've had a good year and wishing you a better upcoming one!!

These images are sneak peaks at images from the upcoming Christmas Otome Fan Book (that we hoped to have finished this year but that's clearly not happening so ...)

As a special treat here's a an unedited extra related to everyone's favourite eccentric doctor from Christmas Otome for anyone interested in reading that:

I glanced at my watch in irritation as I made my way towards paeds. There was still an hour before midnight, but if he wasn’t here then I wouldn’t have time to check anywhere else. Why couldn’t he just stay at home? No, that’s a stupid question - when had he ever made my life easy?

???: “Cantankerous old codger.”

I felt my lips pulling into a fond smile at the thought of him. I’d only been gone for a month but it felt like longer - probably because he couldn’t be bothered to return my calls or texts. He really could turn sulking into an olympic sport. My smile froze the moment I saw him swaying to the festive music coming out of the hospital speakers while belting out the lyrics and stopping only to take large gulps out of a vodka bottle. He hadn’t noticed me yet thanks to my position and I spent a moment just drinking in the sight and his melodious voice.

It was only the reminder of my deadline that had me clapping to get his attention before he could launch into another song. The speed at which he spun around wide-eyed would have been comical if he hadn’t almost toppled over in the process. I was by his side helping him stay up before I’d even registered I’d moved.

Shippe: “You?”

???: “Merry Christmas to you too, Shippe.”

He shrugged my hands off and plopped himself into a nearby seat looking for all the world more like a petulant teenager than a distinguished doctor. I ignored his show of pique and sat down beside him - after decades in his company this was par for the course, really. I took the bottle from his hands and gulped down a swallow only to choke on the unexpected taste. I glared at him through my coughs while he stared at me like I was an idiot.

Shippe: "It's just water."

???: "Why's it in a vodka bottle?!"

Shippe: "It's more fun that way."

That statement was so - so him that I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. God, I’d missed this screwball. He looked away uncomfortably.

Shippe: “Why are you here?”

???: “You know why I’m here - you weren’t at home. Why are *you* here?"

Shippe: "There was no reason to go home."

???: "I'm not a reason to come home?"

Shippe: "You weren't home."

???: "You knew I was coming back to spend Christmas with you."

Shippe: "How was I supposed to know that?"

The sentimental answer was that I always have and always will but I knew that wouldn't be enough for him so I used the practical one instead.

???: "The same way you always do - you check my bills, you phone airlines pretending to be me confirming my return date, you hack my email account. You psycho."

Shippe: "..."

???: "You're telling me you didn't?"

Shippe: "..."

???: "Why?! The one time I expected it of you and you-"

He swallowed, his adam's apple bobbing erratically.

Shippe: "I was afraid of the answer."

The vulnerability openly showcased by that admission stunned me. This was a person who preferred to hide behind wordplay and sarcastic jokes, not one that would willingly show his soft underbelly.

???: "You… You had to know I would come back to you."

Shippe: "You went to visit your family without me."

I remembered, then, that we'd argued about it, but then we'd always argued about these sorts of things. It really hadn't struck me as anything out of the ordinary at the time.

???: “I always visit them without you - you hate my family gatherings. You once likened it to giving yourself a lobotomy with a rusty spoon.”

Shippe: “It really does feel like that. Your dad-”

There it was - the jokes he used when things became too emotional. Was he really this bothered by it? Why? As much as I wanted to push the subject, I knew that wasn’t the way to deal with this - not yet anyway.

???: "Your team said you spent your entire vacation time pretty much haunting the hospital."

Shippe: "... I need to assign them more work if all they do is tattle to mommy."

???: "Shippe."

Shippe: "There was work to be done."

???: "There's always work to be done; it's a hospital. You were supposed to be on leave."

Shippe: "I was on leave."

???: "... You do understand that being on leave means *not* taking on new cases, right?"

Shippe: “Well, what was I supposed to do for a whole month then? You weren’t around.”

???: “Okay, I’ll concede that you don’t actually have many hobbies outside of work but you could have gone home at least once. I left you frozen meals in the freezer and the answering machine is pretty much full with messages from me.”

Shippe: “... ”

I waited for an answer - he might have been stubborn but so was I.

Shippe: "I was afraid to find out you'd moved out."

???: “Why would I move out?! I pay the bond! I'd kick you out!”

Shippe: "You're too soft to leave me on the streets even if I deserve worse than that after the things I said."

I tamped down on the urge to tell him that he didn't deserve to be alone; all that would do is make him try to prove me wrong - to push and push the boundaries until something makes me hate him as much as he thinks I should. It wouldn't even be a conscious decision on his part - just his brilliant contrary mind gnawing on what he sees as a fallacious statement.

???: "Since when has this been about what you deserve?"

He made a surprised sound. Good. Any deviation from the script he's spent our time apart simulating in his head was a step closer to bringing him out of the pit he's dug.

???: "I stay because it makes me happy. I can leave you at any time."

Shippe: "No, you can't."

My lips twitched at his automatic response. He'd hate it if he ever realised how much insight our years together have given me into his contrary mind.

I doubled down on my chosen course.

???: "I absolutely can leave. I just don't want to."

Shippe: "No. You -"

There it is - that spark of clarity as he's forced to analyse why he's so certain I can't leave.

Shippe: "You're just as dependent on me as I am on you. I'm the only one you're comfortable enough to be real with instead of putting up that saintly act."

Codependence wasn't the way I'd have chosen to put it but he'd shy away from anything more sentimental.

???: "Is that so?"

Shippe: "It is. I'm your safe space."

'My home - the one place I will always return to - where I can be my truest self' is how I would have phrased it, but he's not wrong.

He leaned his head against my shoulder, seeming a lot more tired now, like he'd taken off a great weight and could finally rest.

Shippe: "You missed the Christmas party. You would have loved it - I had the nurses dress up as Mrs Claus."

???: "I saw the photos in the staff chat. That outfit of yours was something."

Shippe: "I knew you'd enjoy that. Weirdo."

I might not be able to see his face but the grin in his voice was unmistakable.

???: "We're both weirdos."

Even this standing Christmas 'date' of ours seemed to highlight that. After all, neither of us even celebrated the holiday.

But this was just us and I wouldn't have it any other way.

[tigermousse]

Christmas Otome

genre: otome, romance, coming-of-age, mystery, supernatural

Prequels: Halloween Otome, Valentines Otome

Are you ready to melt a frozen heart?

The third entry in the series of Holiday Otome games by Synokoria.

The protagonist is Maia, a shy and timid girl, in her last year in college. She's working as a part-time waitress in the restaurant of her best friend Osiria, and also volunteering as a candy striper in hospital. Maia is worried about her future after finishing college in two months. What will she do when her adult life begins?

The game picks up where Valentines Otome ended: an accident happened with little boy Ceru, and now he's in come. Maia feels sorry for the little cousin of Osiria and decides to spend more time with him in hospital, hoping for the best.

Game has a map system (which is pretty much useless except for the meetings with bachelors) and shop system, which allows to buy things to trigger special scenes with love interests. (which was more interesting). Also you can check the relationship with all characters and see events from their past in special Dreamscape system.

Theme of game is mostly slice-of-life, however after some time the plot gets supernatural twist. (which I don't like much)

CHARACTERS:

MC: Maia Cosgrove

Maia is the cousin of Mira from the Valentines Otome, and she is basically the opposite of her, except they're both smart. Her idea of fun is sitting with a laptop at home, studing, reading or playing video-games. She is very shy, but when she's in love, she can put her shyness aside for the man she loves.

Traits: shy, smart, kind, hard-working.

Occupation: college student, waitress, candy spriper

Hobbies: video games, reading

Talents: hacking

Fetishes: BLONDS

Weak points: flirting, kissing and flower arrangement

Maia is the most classical MC for otome novels, so for me she was a bit boring, but her constant embarrassment was cute and sometimes funny - but same was her newfound courage with some characters.

Also the ending for her general route was surprisingly wholesome. I loved it.

My rating: 4/5

Love interests (MILD SPOILERS AHEAD):

There is 3 (blond) love interests+the secret one (platinum blond), which could be unlocked only after completing first three routes with a good endings.

All bachelors have hearts that are frozen due to their life circumstances. So Maia's job will be to melt their hearts.

Liam Anders

Mr. Anders was Maia's teacher in high school, and she had a crush on him for a long time. But when she finally declared her feelings, he didn't respond to them, and Maia has been heartbroken. Should she let it go and move on, or hold to her feelings and hope for second chance?

I have to say that I didn't like that story much on the contrary to Kiron's story in Valentines Otome. We can see some parallels in those two, however Liam's route lacks intimacy even more (because of reasons).

My rating 3/5

Garret Carver

Maia's colleague from work, Garret looks tough and intimidating, and has a reason for it, his life wasn't easy, but inside he's very mild and soft person. He loves sports and nature, but also he likes to read and they have a lot of things to discuss with Maia.

For me his route was a bit too bland, but he's a good wholesome boy (actually ex-bad boy)

My rating: 4/5

Mickhail (Mick) Ivanov

Mick is a student in Maia's university, but why he is acting differently every time Maia sees him? I have to confess that from the start I was pretty much against this guy. Because he's russian and because his personality reminded me of someone I knew, so I was expecting this kind of emotional roller coaster with him from the beginning. But his character at least got additional points for being realistic.

Also I have to say that his story was the most interesting one, and I got engaged in it.

My rating: 4,5/5 (but he needs a therapy to make those relationship work)

Spoiler route (true route)

To have a good ending with the character you have to do something very specific with a dreamscape system, which I myself couldn't do without a guide. I would say it was a hard minus for me.

But I liked the character and his route, despite the fact I was a little worried about how hard Maia fallen for this guy. Watching her losing self-control in his presence was fun, though.

Would like to see more romantic ending after all.

My rating: 5/5

Can't forget about eccentric character of Dr.Shippe at the hospital. Best part of the game, my rating 10/5, would like to see more of him.

Overall:

Originality: 5/5

Visual: 4/5

Story: 3,5/5

Characters: 4,5/5

Romance: 4/5

My Rating: 4/5

The game is free, you can get it from itch.io

[nekromeowncer]

[englishotomegames]

Christmas Otome

Release date (Windows, Mac OS, Linux) English: October 30th, 2021

“With graduation drawing near and Emma’s relationship getting serious, Maia starts to wonder about her future. Should she listen to her parents and return home or try to make it here in the city? A chance encounter leaves her with just a couple of months to melt a frozen heart but can this super serious girl do it?”

This is a free game by Synokoria, and takes place in the same universe as Halloween Otome and Valentines Otome! You can get it here.

[silverdemonblood]

Love this song so much! <3 

It’s by Tyler Thompson, made for Halloween Otome

[superstarpanou]

...until Valentines Otome! 

[mieruli]

I made it (i hope)!!!! I’m not super thrilled at how it turned out but here’s my entry for the fanart competition for the game, Valentine’s Otome by @synokoria!! It’s an amazing game and i love all their games, the art and story and everything is just so good <3 <3 <3 I look forward to making more fanart for them!!! Pic 1: Scan of the full image Pic 2: Edited photo but cropped slightly

i still dont really know the tumblr thing but i hoped i got it right