Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games Is Tough for Mobs (Japanese: 乙女ゲー世界はモブに厳しい世界です, Hepburn: Otomegē Sekai wa Mobu ni Kibishii Sekai Desu) is a Japanese light novel series written by Yomu Mishima and illustrated by Monda. It was originally self-published as a web novel on the web novel service Shōsetsuka ni Narō from October 1, 2017, to October 15, 2019. The series was later published by Micro Magazine as a light novel under their GC Novels imprint on May 30, 2018. A manga adaptation of the series by Jun Shiosato began serialization on October 5, 2018, and is published under the Dragon Comics Age imprint by Fujimi Shobo. Seven Seas Entertainment publishes both the light novel and the manga adaptation in English. An anime television series adaptation by ENGI aired from April to June 2022. A second season premiered in July 2026.
Contents
Plot
An office worker dies and finds himself reincarnated as Leon Fou Bartfort in the Holfort Kingdom of the otome game that he was forced to complete by his sister. In this world, women reign supreme, and survival is particularly tough for 'mobs', background characters like him. Using his encyclopedic knowledge of the game from his past life, Leon sets on disrupting this world and its social hierarchy by finding the cheat item Luxion and enrolling in the Holtfort Academy. He attempts to live a normal life and find a wife, but through his actions he gets embroiled in all kinds of schemes, all while mingling with the nobility and other characters of the otome game.
Characters
Leon Fou Bartfort (リオン・フォウ・バルトファルト, Rion Fō Barutofaruto)
Voiced by: Yūsuke Kobayashi (Drama CD), Takeo Ōtsuka (Anime) (Japanese); Jordan Dash Cruz (English)
The protagonist of the series. After he died, he reincarnated in the otome game world; he is thoroughly aggravated by this, as it was the game his sister blackmailed him into completing. He has black hair, eyes, and an average look, having plain features that let him blend into the background. Despite looking down on overly prideful people, Leon himself enjoys showing arrogance in his abilities, namely as a tactic to damage his opponent's confidence and pride through shows of superiority. Although he tries to stay out of trouble and not interfere with the story of the otome world, he often drags himself to the center of these events for those he cares for.
Olivia (オリヴィア, Orivia)
Voiced by: Yumiri Hanamori (Drama CD), Kana Ichinose (Anime) (Japanese); Jad Saxton (English)
The protagonist of the first otome game, whom Leon befriends. She has light brown hair with greenish-blue eyes. She is a modest girl who is very kind and gentle with people, but lacks self-confidence. This stems from how she is a commoner who attends a school that is dominantly populated by nobles who look down on her. Unlike the main storyline, Olivia is actually happily in love with Leon; as in the game routes, she could not refuse the advances of the captured characters out of societal standing. She and Angelica eventually get engaged to Leon. Had she gone through the game plot, Olivia would have been possessed by an evil ghost; she owes Marie for taking her spot as heroine and making Leon help Olivia.
Angelica Rapha Redgrave (アンジェリカ・ラファ・レッドグレイブ, Anjerika Rafa Reddogureibu)
Voiced by: Yurika Kubo (Drama CD), Fairouz Ai (Anime) (Japanese); Kristen McGuire (English)
The main villainess of the first otome game, whom Leon befriends. She has blond hair with fierce red eyes. Thanks to Marie's meddling, Angelica instead becomes the victim of what should have been Olivia's story. Instead, she becomes best friends with Olivia and engaged to Leon. After all the pressure she put on herself to be Julius' queen, Angie is happy to be with Leon as he has no high expectations of her (primarily because he hates noble ranking).
Media
Light novel
Written by Yomu Mishima and illustrated by Monda, Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games Is Tough for Mobs was originally self-published as a web novel on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō web service. Micro Magazine has published thirteen volumes under their GC Novels imprint from May 30, 2018, to March 29, 2024. Seven Seas Entertainment licensed the series in English in April 2020 and the first volume was released digitally on November 19, 2020.
A spin-off light novel series with illustrations by Moge Toi, titled Trapped in a Dating Sim: Otome Games Are Tough For Us, Too! began publication on December 28, 2022. Six volumes have been released as of July 30, 2026. The spin-off series is also licensed by Seven Seas Entertainment.
The light novel series is also published in:
Korea as 여성향 게임 세계는 모브에게가혹한 세계입니다 under the label S Novel Plus by Somy Media, who began publishing on March 13, 2020.
Taiwan as 輕小說 女性向遊戲世界對路人角色很不友好 by Chingwin Publishing Group beginning on December 17, 2020.
Thailand as ชีวิตตัวประกอบอย่างตูช่างอยู่ยากเมื่ออยู่ในโลกเกมจีบหนุ่ม under Luckpim Publishing beginning on October 16, 2019.
Vietnam as Thế Giới Otomegame Thật Khắc Nghiệt Với Nhân Vật Quần Chúng by Tsuki LightNovel beginning in August 2020.
Manga
A manga adaptation by Jun Shiosato began serialization on October 5, 2018, and is published under the Dragon Comics Age imprint by Fujimi Shobo. The manga moved from the Dra Dra Sharp online manga website to the Monthly Dragon Age magazine on January 8, 2022. Seven Seas Entertainment announced their licensing of the manga adaptation on December 4, 2020, and published the first volume in July 2021, with thirteen tankōbon volumes released as of November 2024. Following artist Jun Shiosato leaving the series, the manga continued with new artist Odoro Tanuki under a new sequel series, titled Otomegē Sekai wa Mobu ni Kibishii Sekai Desu - Kyouwakoku-hen, which began publication in August 2025, and the first volume released in January 2026.
A spin-off manga illustrated by Noko Ōmi, titled Otome Game Yōchien wa Mob ni Kibishii Yōchien Desu, began serialization in Monthly Dragon Age on June 6, 2022. The second and final volume was published in April 2024.
A manga adaptation of the Trapped in a Dating Sim: Otome Games Are Tough For Us, Too! spin-off novels illustrated by Renji Fukuhara began serialization on the KadoComi and Nico Nico Seiga websites under Fujimi Shobo's DraDra Flat brand on June 15, 2023. Its chapters have been collected into three tankōbon volumes released from April 9, 2024, to September 9, 2025.
The manga is also published in:
Korea as 여성향 게임 세계는 엑스트라에게 엄격한 세계입니다 under Shift Comics by YNK Publishing, beginning on February 13, 2020.
Taiwan as 女性向遊戲世界對路人角色很不友好 under Chingwin Publishing Group beginning on December 17, 2020.
Thailand as ชีวิตตัวประกอบอย่างตูช่างอยู่ยากเมื่ออยู่ในโลกเกมจีบหนุ่ม under Luckpim Publishing beginning on August 5, 2019.
Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced on November 25, 2021. It is produced by ENGI and directed by Kazuya Miura and Shin'ichi Fukumoto, with Kenta Ihara writing the scripts, Masahiko Suzuki designing the characters, and Kana Hashiguchi and Show Aratame composing the music. The series aired from April 3 to June 19, 2022, on AT-X and other networks. The opening theme song is "Silent Minority", performed by Kashitarō Itō, while the ending theme song is "Selfish" by Riko Azuna. Crunchyroll streamed the series. On April 11, 2022, Crunchyroll announced that the series will receive an English dub, which premiered on April 17 of the same year.
A second season was announced on December 26, 2022, with the staff and cast reprising their roles. The season set to premiered on July 8, 2026. The opening theme song is "Jinsei Endroll" (人生エンドロール; 'Life's Ending Credits'), performed by Ando, while the ending theme song is "Ashita wa Ashita no Que Sera Sera" (あしたはあしたのけせらせら！; 'Tomorrow is Tomorrow's Que Sera Sera'), performed by Meishohikokai.
Reception
By March 2024, the series had over 3 million copies in circulation.