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Overlaps and misuse in Casanova tropes

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Rjinswand Since: Apr, 2015
#1: Aug 14th 2015 at 12:33:23 PM

Fellow tropers!

I've noticed that a lot of tropes regarding a character who has (or tries to have) luck with people of the preferred sex, seem to have superfluous or imprecise definitions, and sometimes attract misuse.

Here's what I've gathered so far: note 

X attracts a lot of Y without trying:

X attracts a lot of Y while trying to:

  • The Casanova: X attracts a lot of Y while trying to. Other tropes' definitions suggest that The Casanova doesn't care for the Y they seduce, or romances several Y at the same time. It isn't explicitly mentioned in The Casanova's trope definition, though.
  • Chivalrous Pervert: Undecided, because of the dual meaning of the word "pervert". Either it's
  1. "X has a perverted lust for Y but is a good person" (which is dangerously close to Lovable Sex Maniac), or
  2. "X attracts a lot of Y while trying to, but doesn't take advantage of them".
—>This looks like two different tropes mashed onto one page (if the 1st definition is a separate trope from Lovable Sex Maniac, that is). The 2nd definition could work as a trope. But what makes things even more confusing is that the actual historical Casanova was an example of this 2nd definition of Chivalrous Pervert, and not The Casanova.
  • The Charmer: X attracts a lot of Y while trying to, but doesn't take advantage of them, and also charms other people. Methinks the "attracts a lot of Y while trying to" part should be cut from it, since it's already covered by other tropes. Just mention those tropes in the description.
  • Really Gets Around: X attracts a lot of Y while trying to, possibly ending in sex. Supposed to be female, but has a lot of male examples. Bonus points for not differentiating between romancing lots of Y but one at a time, and romancing lots of Y at once (e.g. the page image, which is closer to My Girl Is Not a Slut and Your Cheating Heart).
  • Good Bad Girl: X attracts a lot of Y while trying to. And is also female like Really Gets Around. And is good. So it's pretty much Really Gets Around But More Specific.
  • Kavorka Man: Two meanings in one. "X attracts a lot of Y while trying to, despite being considered physically unattractive in-universe" and "X attracts a lot of Y while trying to, despite having an awful personality, bad habits, etc". Split needed.

X doesn't attract a lot of Y, despite trying to:

Honorable mentions:

  • KidAnova: A kid or teenager who fulfills a lot of the aforementioned tropes (the non-sex-related ones, of course), from Chick Magnet to The Casanova to Casanova Wannabe. Methinks it's just But More Specific.
  • Sex God: "X has the ability to give great sexual pleasure to their partner(s)". For some reason, someone sneaked "X has the ability to score sex" into the description, which shouldn't be related (a Sex God could in theory have just one partner and give unlimited sexual pleasure to them exclusively).
  • Harem Seeker which is pretty much Polyamory.

My suggestion (feel free to mercilessly critique):

Thoughts?

edited 14th Aug '15 12:35:28 PM by Rjinswand

Rjinswand Since: Apr, 2015
#2: Aug 27th 2015 at 3:20:06 AM

Just found another possibly tropeable meaning: "Character is so desireable or charming or sexy that they're virtually irresistible. No person in their right mind can say "no" to them".

E.g. found this example on the YMMV page for Madonna: "The page quote is even a song which Robbie Williams wrote after talking with Guy Ritchie's ex-girlfriend, stating that he left her by saying "Look, you know I really love you, but she's Madonna."

Maybe I'll just YKTTW it and see if it's tropeable enough.

shimaspawn from Here and Now Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: In your bunk
#3: Sep 1st 2015 at 1:22:58 PM

This really is quite the mess.

I think The Pornomancer would probably work best if we reworked it to characters who attract lots of sex by supernatural means which is another thing touched on by the definition but isn't duplicated by anything else.

Which would make an Accidental Pornomancer someone with similar powers but can't control and/or doesn't want them.

edited 1st Sep '15 1:23:12 PM by shimaspawn

Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick
MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#4: Sep 1st 2015 at 1:50:40 PM

Why requiring supernatural means? That can be handled as a case of Justified Trope already, and if we do implement your suggestion it will leave the trope with no way to apply Justified Trope.

edited 1st Sep '15 1:51:32 PM by MarqFJA

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
Rjinswand Since: Apr, 2015
#5: Sep 1st 2015 at 2:15:52 PM

Thanks for joining in, guys!

[up][up]This sounds tropeable, but it should probably go through YKTTW first, since it's almost a new trope under an old name. As for the accidental version, I think it'll depend on whether there are enough examples of it.

By the way, would non-supernatural superpowers also fit that definition? E.g. Wolverine's mutation gave him animal pheromones that help him attract women's attention.

[up]The problem is that this trope as it is seems to be too similar to Chick Magnet / Dude Magnet.

edited 1st Sep '15 2:16:37 PM by Rjinswand

shimaspawn from Here and Now Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: In your bunk
#6: Sep 1st 2015 at 3:27:13 PM

I think mutant powers are close enough to supernatural. We can probably include aliens and inhuman monsters as well.

Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick
MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
Rjinswand Since: Apr, 2015
#8: Sep 2nd 2015 at 12:11:59 PM

[up][up]I see. So basically anyone who has special seduction powers, no matter their origin? I think it works, I can try YKTTW'ing it. I don't know many examples, though.

[up]Sorry, what exactly do you mean? Not every trope needs a Justified use.

Or do you mean that this meaning should be just a justified use of Chick Magnet? I can be done, but then again, a justified use can become its own trope if it's distinct enough and is used often enough.

Rjinswand Since: Apr, 2015
#9: Sep 30th 2015 at 10:53:29 AM

Another related trope I just learned about: Sexy Man, Instant Harem.

...I wish this topic got a bit more attention smile

Zoorteg Since: Oct, 2010
#10: Nov 1st 2015 at 10:50:23 PM

These are my suggestions:

X attracts a lot of Y without trying:

X attracts a lot of Y while trying to:

  • Really Gets Around: X attracts a lot of Y while trying to, ending in sex.
  • The Casanova: X attracts a lot of Y while trying to, and cares for them.
  • The Don Juan: X attracts a lot of Y while trying to, and doesn't care for them.
  • Kavorka Man: X attracts a lot of Y while trying to, despite being unattractive and having awful personality. The point is that X conquests seem inexplicable.

X doesn't attracts a lot of Y despite trying to:

  • Casanova Wannabe: X doesn't attracts a lot of Y despite trying to because of awful personality, but believes being The Casanova.
  • Handsome Lech: X doesn't attracts a lot of Y despite trying to and being attractive, because of awful personality, specifically perverted lust.
  • Extraverted Nerd: X doesn't attracts a lot of Y despite trying to because of being awkward and nerdy, but believes being irresistible.

Other:

  • Sexy Man, Instant Harem: X attracts a lot of Y at the same time almost instantly, who forget about everything but show their attraction to X. Whether X tries to attract Y or not is irrelevant.
  • Harem Seeker: X goal is to have multiple love interests at the same time.
  • Chivalrous Pervert: X has a perverted lust for Y but at the same time respects Y. X acts like The Don Juan but is actually more like The Casanova, but X ability to actually attract Y is irrelevant for the trope. Not the same as Lovable Sex Maniac who is a Played for Laughs sex addict/molester.

edited 1st Nov '15 10:53:22 PM by Zoorteg

Morgenthaler Since: Feb, 2016
#11: May 29th 2016 at 2:57:49 AM

There's also the trope Serial Romeo, which defines itself as "The Casanova, but s/he really loves them" despite really caring for them, as mentioned, not being a part of the Casanova and would make the Trope Namer Not An Example.

edited 29th May '16 3:04:36 AM by Morgenthaler

You've got roaming bands of armed, aggressive, tyrannical plumbers coming to your door, saying "Use our service, or else!"
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