Jump Ahead To
Most anime fans go through a “Harem Anime-Phase” at one time or another. Something typical nerds being surrounded by beautiful women, just appeals to the anime demographic, I suppose. It truly is a mystery why harem anime is so popular. Regardless, harem anime are abundant in the anime world and here, we’re going to offer some recommendations for some of the best harem anime out there!
What is a Harem Anime?
A Harem Anime is an anime in which the protagonist (usually male), is surrounded by multiple love interests. These love interests (either all of them or most of them) are hopelessly in love with him. This should not be confused with a reverse harem anime. In reverse harem anime, a female lead is surrounded by multiple male love interests. That’s a different list entirely and so, today we’ll be focusing on the traditional harem anime genre.
What is the Best Harem Anime?
The best harem anime is Bakemonogatari. It has the highest MAL ranking for a first season (i.e excluding sequels) and contains all the tropes attributed to a harem anime. However, Bakemonogatari also pushes boundaries with its unique art style, excellent character development, and wonderfully unique writing. Not only is Bakemonogatari the greatest harem anime of all time but could also be considered one of the greatest anime ever created..
However, just because Bakemonogatari is the best harem anime, does not mean it is the only harem anime. Let’s take a look at some of the greatest harem anime of all time.
1. Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata (Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend)
MAL: 7.53
Tomoya Aki is an otaku in love with figurines, anime, and video games. He has no shame in his hobbies and desires nothing more than to create the perfect dating simulator game himself. With a lack of talent regarding music, art, and writing himself, he enlists the help of several of his classmates to assist on the project. However, what he fails to realize is that in order to produce such genuine emotion in the story, each of his love interests must experience the real thing.
Saekano is a harem anime about harem anime. As such, there is a lot of self-referential humor in its execution, juxtaposed with genuinely emotional moments that develop each of the love interests individually. Saekano shows how people with different talents yet similar interests, can band together to create something wonderful.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help in life. There is nothing shameful about having assistance with someone you cannot do yourself.
2. Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai (The World God Only Knows)
MAL: 7.73
The World God Only Knows is a very unique harem anime. In a world where harem anime protagonists have little to no experience with the opposite sex, here, Keima Katsuragi is a self-proclaimed and unrivaled ‘God of conquest’. Able to win the affections of any 2-D sprite of his choosing, he conquers dating simulator games on a daily basis. However, when tasked to rid several of his classmates of damaging spirits by making them fall in love, Keima must see if his gaming abilities transfer onto real women.
Depending on the situation, either acting aloof or more confident will land you raising the affection meter of different girls while misinterpreting their personality will result in the dreaded Bad End. Just like in real life, it’s important to know the personality of someone and see if you are compatible.
Keima is a very amusing protagonist who has little to no desire to enter into a relationship with any 3-D girl. His winning of a kiss is seen more so as a job than as a romantic endeavor. However, he comes to discover more about himself as he helps each girl through their problems. Truly, it is important to step outside your comfort zone now and again. Oh and be sure not to neg people this much in real life. While anime girls may love bad boys, in real life you might just find yourself with a kick down under.
3. High School DxD
MAL: 7.39
DxD is probably the gateway drug of harem anime. It wrangles you in with a barrage of cute girls and before you know it, you’re debating over forums as to how secretly every anime in existence is technically a harem if you look hard enough.
Issei does nothing productive with his life. He spends his days watching his female peers run track and field in hopes of witnessing some bouncing cleavages. This is until he joins Rias Gremory and begins to forge his own harem. Highschool DxD is one of the leading reasons why harem anime became popular. A lot of harem anime slap some risqué scenes in between a poorly written narrative and call it a day. DxD, however, made sure that its story (for the most part) was just as engaging as the interludes. While the harem is an integral part of the plot, DxD also features a heavy backstory of dragons, war and royalty. All in all, DxD is a great harem anime for beginners wanting to pick up their first harem anime, which includes all the tropes you would expect, a great overarching narrative, and the illustrious “Oppai Dragon” song!
4. Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai (Haganai: I don’t have many friends)
MAL: 7.27
Kodaka struggles to make friends due to his blond and seemingly delinquent hair. As such, he finds himself drawn to another outcast student named Yozora, who has gained scorn from her peers due to her cold and intimidating demeanor. Together, the two form the Neighbors club for people with little to no friends.
Haganai is a harem anime through and through. As more members join the club (all of which just happen to be women), they in turn fall for Kodaka’s harem anime protagonist EX levels of charm and bicker over who should be able to date him. While Haganai is a fairly standard harem anime, its message is very potent.
Haganai is a very funny harem anime but one that also preaches the value of friendship, and looking past outward appearances or negative character traits. Each member of the Neighbor’s Club is cursed with some form of negativity that their shallow classmates cannot look past. However, by coming together and accepting one another, they manage to find true friendship and even love. Negativity is always in the eye of the beholder. If you find true joy in your outward appearance or hobbies, never let people judge you for this.
Instead, be like Kodaka and find a group of people who accept you for being who you are. While the anime does not confirm who Kodaka will end up with, the light novel does an ample job of satisfying any curiosity you may have. Whether it be Sena’s prideful boasting or Yozora’s devious scolding, there is never a dull moment in the Neighbor’s club.
5. Nisekoi
MAL: 7.64
Nisekoi will undoubtedly go down in history as a contender for most bloodshed over a Harem anime. Onodera fans and Chitoge stans took to their keyboards and fought valiantly throughout its runtime, only to realize that they would have to finish the manga to see who Raku chose. Then, once the final chapter was released, we could finally receive our answer. Unfortunately, that answer was COMPLETE AND UTTER NONSENSE – ONODERA IS BEST GIRL!!
Personal biases aside, Nisekoi is a great harem anime for those unable to see what lies in front of them. Forced into a fake relationship with the “gorilla” Chitoge, Raku struggles to even view her as a potential love interest – continuing to fawn over long-term crush Onodera instead. However, it is when he looks beyond the horizon, he can see how much Chitoge loves and cares about him.
Perhaps your childhood friend or coworker, someone you see every day and have never even considered that they might have something to offer in the ways of romantic affection, as opposed to photocopying your documents for you. Why not give that person a chance? You may be pleasantly surprised.
6. Grisaia no Kajitsu (The Fruit of Grisaia)
MAL: 7.55
Grisaia no Kajitsu is a teenage horndog’s fantasy. Should you be in the market for a self-insert harem anime, where you suddenly become the coolest most badass character of all time, with EX levels of charisma and girls falling at your feet – look no further.
Based on a visual novel of the same name, Grisaia no Kajitsu follows the life of Yuuji and his attempt at ordinary student life. However, when he is forced to attend an unconventional school with five female classmates, he slowly uncovers their personalities and comes to understand their past traumas. These girls have been labelled as the “fruit” which fell from their respective trees and has begun to decay. It is up to Yuuji to pick them up and…well…see they don’t go to waste.
Very risqué, very raunchy, nudity scenes run throughout the Grisaia no Kajitsu. Were you in the market for something even more adult, the light novel branches past simple ecchi scenes so feel free to take a look. While this is a typical ecchi harem where every girl on-screen instantly falls in love with our very cold and very rude protagonist (girls love a bad boy), the interesting storyline for each girl keeps you glued to the screen.
Grisaia no Kajitsu and Trauma in Harem Anime
Each trauma the characters experienced is given significant screentime so as not detract from its seriousness. Yuuji, additionally, does all he can to help each person through their trauma. Grisaia no Kajitsu is a great anime to inspire viewers to tread carefully around those they are close with. You have no way of knowing what pain that person might be shouldering. Yumiko for example was born a woman to a big business tycoon and so had no chance to inherit the company when her father passed. This lead to a deep trauma as her mother began to loathe her existence, upon being cast aside by her father in hopes of fathering an heir with a different woman. Yuuji seems to have experience dealing with trauma due to his troubled childhood. It seems he is the perfect person for this kind of job.
Because of this, she is relatively cold and a traditional kuudere in her outward appearances. It is only by journeying down her route that we can come to understand her. Make sure to be respectful at all times lest Yuuji swoops in, listen to her problems and ride off into the sunset ‘Mr. Steal Yo Girl’ style!
7. Peter Grill to Kenja no Jikan (Peter Grill and the Philosopher’s Time)
MAL: 5.50
Peter Grill is a recent anime that won the world over with its rambunctiously uncaring protagonist. After emerging victorious as the world’s strongest fighter, Peter is headhunted by women across the globe who want to claim his warrior seed. However, Peter must stay strong to protect the dignity of both himself and his beloved partner. All he has to do is stay loyal while simultaneously rejecting the advances of an endless slew of attractive women.
Yeah, it doesn’t go well.
This is an anime for the realists out there. Not in the sense that Peter sleeping with a bunch of monster girls is inherently grounded in reality, but in the sense of a believable protagonist. Harem anime are plagued with either indecisive or ridiculously loyal protagonists. In no way do we justify cheating on your spouse – but in the real world, it does happen. Men are weak! It’s refreshing to see someone give in to the carnal desires that all humans have dwelling inside them and makes Peter much more believable as a person (whether you respect his actions or not).
Harem anime like Peter Grill have very mixed messages. “Cheating on your spouse will reward you with a harem”? “Becoming physically strong will result in female attention”? “Read between the lines and see that this anime is supposed to be ironic”? Whatever your take away is, its clear that Peter Grill is a harem anime that will go down in history as one of the most titillating harem anime of our time.
8. Bakemonogatari
MAL: 8.36
Bakemonogatari is one of the most unique harem anime ever created. Most harem anime rely on protagonists with the IQ of an HB pencil to keep them from cementing a relationship. Bakemonogatari doubles down on its premise and manages to create an incredibly engaging harem anime, where the main character is in a committed relationship the entire time.
Almost all of Bakemonogatari sees series lead Arararagi paired up with his girlfriend Senjougahara. While this does not stop a cavalcade of girls from making advances on him, Araragi stays loyal to his girlfriend no matter what. Most of the time, the pair are separated from each other while Araragi helps his peers with whatever problems they are experiencing.
This is what makes Monogatari great. No matter where Araragi is, who he is with, or what he is doing, he is still Senjougahara’s boyfriend. Relationships are built upon trust and Araragi proves time and again that, no matter how many female friends he may have, his girlfriend will remain his one and only. And don’t worry, the fight scenes come out in abundance as well!
9. Date A Live
MAL: 7.22
Date A Live is one of the OG harem anime that got many people into the genre. Whether you have a thing for tsunderes, kuuderes, or girls with clocks in their eyes – surely, there is a girl here for you.
Date A Live is a great anime about understanding your partner. While perhaps the methods our protagonist goes through are a little exaggerated, taking these spirits out on dates in order to ease their pain is a very interesting concept. Shido must learn about each girl individually, their likes and dislikes, and the way they like to be treated, before transitioning into a more romantic connection. Who would have thought that would work?
Perhaps, if the notches on your bedpost are dwindling, take the time to get to know someone before you start shooting off nudes left, right, and center. You might just be surprised at how receptive people are to having their feelings cared about. Crazy, I know. Just be sure to do your research before professing your love for sniffing your partner’s clothes. She might not be into that kind of thing.
10. Kanojo, Okarishimasu (Rent-A-Girlfriend)
MAL: 7.37
Most harem anime center around high school students. While engaging to some, its easy to become tired when the plot stagnates due to immaturity. Where adults could solve an easy miscommunication, for example, these harem anime will drag on for eons due to the teenage need to avoid embarrassing confrontations. Rent-A-Girlfriend throws all that out the window.
Rent-A-Girlfriend is a harem anime where the main cast is all in their 20s and attending University. This harem anime breathes much-needed life into the genre, as we follow the main cast who are all, if not most, experienced in adult relationships. No exploding into a mushroom cloud of embarrassment due to holding someone’s hand here people. Growing up is often idolized during our youth. That attaining a relationship is akin to the climax of a movie. However, this is not the case and when you finally do bag your special someone, every day becomes a new challenge where you work on the relationship. The characters of this anime sometimes struggle with cheating and other more difficult topics. The reason our protagonist starts using the app is due to his previous girlfriend cheating on him. It’s nice to see harem anime appealing to a more adult demographic. While reliving our youthful days is nostalgic, it’s also nice to see the problems adults face when it comes to their relationships.
11. Infinite Stratos
MAL: 6.74
Ooh boy, what can be said about Infinite Stratos. Quite possibly, the most infuriating harem anime ever conceived. Not because of its love interests who are all passably well-written. Also not because of its story which also has some clever elements woven throughout it. No, Infinite Stratos will live on in infamy due to one sole person. The protagonist – Ichika “wow this girl lying naked in my bed must just want to be friends” Orimura.
Harem anime requires the protagonist to be missing a few brain cells to not pick up on their multiple love interests’ advances. That’s just par for the course with harem anime. However, Ichika takes this idiocy to an entirely new level. Have you ever been in a situation where someone was flirting with you but you did not realize until years after the fact? An elongated smile, a playful hand touch. We as men do not pick up on signs and so the age-old proverb goes – “if you like me – please just tell me!”
Well, the girls of Infinite Stratos take this a bit further. “I like you – so I will literally throw myself at you.” Every man’s fantasy is realized in this harem anime as these girls do away with Da Vinci Code levels of flirting. Unfortunately, Ichika just cannot pick up on any of these signs and will go down in history as utterly despised by the anime community.
12. Zero no Tsukaima (Familiar of Zero)
MAL: 7.32
Zero no Tsukaima is an Isekai harem anime in which Saito, an everyday human, finds himself transported to a magical world and forced to act as an almost pet for aspiring magic-user – Louise. Over time (and several unwanted intrusions), Louise comes to realize that her hate for Saito is perhaps a little misguided.
Zero no Tsukaima is a great harem anime with a message that holds true to this day. Do not overlook those already in your life as they may surprise you. Perhaps that coworker or friend who you did not even equate as a romantic prospect, is really the person you were meant to be with all along. Louise struggled to realize what she had before it was taken away from her. After one episode where Saito supposedly passes away, Louise tumbles down into a pit of despair as she blames not only those around her but also herself. Thankfully, after Saito is resurrected, Louise realizes that she must change her ways or risk losing him forever.
13. Bokutachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai (We Never Learn: BOKUBEN)
MAL: 7.32
Most harem anime have each love interest fall madly in love with the protagonist within seconds of meeting him and, oftentimes, for no legitimate reason. Bokuben is a nice breath of fresh air in this regard as each girl (aside from the childhood friend) arguably dislikes Nariyuki for quite some time. It also includes all the usual tropes of harem anime (coffee spilling, Hotspring accidents, etc) but still manages to execute them in a different way.
However, Nariyuki proves time and again his willingness to assist each of the girls with whatever problems they are facing and legitimately wins their hearts one by one. It just goes to show that caring for someone without expectation, is a surefire way to win their affection. So, what are you waiting for? That streamer who’s feeling depressed after her second Fortnite loss in a row isn’t going to cheer herself up! Get out that wallet and get the donation train rolling!
14. Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou (Monster Musume: Everyday Life with Monster Girls)
7.07
Let’s be real for a second – we all have that image of a perfect partner. Everyone has their personal preferences but characteristics tend to bleed between multiple people. Perhaps you like them tall. Maybe you like them intelligent. For this protagonist, however, he likes his girl with eight legs, eight eyes and a behind that requires a forklift to hoist of bed in the morning. To each their own.
Monster Musume is, for lack of a better term, a harem anime with monster girls. The story is pretty cut and dry – with a protagonist having little to no personality (so much so that his face is often left blank with no features on multiple occasions. The anime itself is serviceable and has a follow-up series known as Monster Musume no Oishasan (Monster Girl Doctor) with a more fleshed-out protagonist.
Even though these girls are inherently monsters, they are all sweet and affectionate in their own way. It just goes to show that you should never judge a book by its cover. Sometimes they over-imposing and monstrous spider, really just wants to have a few drinks and cuddle.
15. Seitokai no Ichizon (Student Council’s Discretion)
MAL: 7.36
Seitokai no Ichizon is one of the most underrated harem anime of all time. Only spanning two seasons with approximately ten-twelve twenty minute episodes each, you will not find a more gut-bustlingly hilarious anime out there.
Seitokai no Ichizon follows the exploits of Sugisaki Ken as he tries to forge a harem with the other four female members of his student council. Something unusual for harem anime such as these crops up here – Ken is revealed to have been a cheater during his middle school days. While we no way condone cheating on your spouse, after being given a second chance he goes above and beyond to care for each love interest individually. Sometimes, should the action be not so severe, a second chance can do wonders.
16. Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? (Is This A Zombie?)
MAL: 7.42
After Aikawa Ayumu was brutally murdered, he was resurrected as a zombie and forced to live out his days as an undead. There’s a theory floating around about Zombie Desu ka. It details how Aikawa Ayumu did not in fact survive his murder and be revived by necromancer Eucliwood Hellscythe. His life as a zombie is nothing more than either a coma fantasy as he lives out his life on a support machine, or it is his own personal heaven. Surrounded by several girls all of which have a crush on you? Yeah, that sounds about right.
Zombie desu ka is a harem anime where almost every love interest is a tsundere. Additionally, none of them ever overtly admit to being in love with Aikawa, more so it is the things he does that give each girl fleeting feelings of attraction. It’s very nice in that regard as we as viewers are not constantly aggravated by a will-they won’t-they narrative.
Sometimes, being friends with someone before you transition into a relationship, enhances the experience that much more. The everyday antics the cast of Zombie desu ka gets up to, peppered with light smatterings of romantic undertone, is a perfect example of this.
17. Highschool of the Dead
MAL: 7.14
At the other end of the zombie harem anime spectrum, we have a harem anime where being friends with someone seems almost impossible. HOTD follows a group of students as they try to circumvent a zombie apocalypse. The anime features every trope and cliche in the zombie genre guidebook but differentiates itself with one specific plot element. Who knew that an onslaught of zombies would cause such little physical injury, but the destruction of clothes from every female in a five-mile radius.
While being friends with a partner before entering into a relationship is great and wonderfully wholesome and yadda yadda yadda. At the end of the day, physical attraction and intimacy are still an integral part of any relationship. Highschool of the Dead makes sure to ‘subtly’ remind us of this fact.
18. Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko. (The “Hentai” Prince and the Stony Cat.)
MAL: 7.23
After his lewd actions are misinterpreted for good intentions, student Youtou sets out to change this aspect of his personality. He comes to learn of a cat statue that can banish any unwanted trait should someone make a wish. However, after doing so, Youtou comes to find out that perhaps blurting out any erotic thoughts you might have, isn’t always the best idea. Unfortunately, he was not alone in praying to the cat statue and so, must work tirelessly to fix not only his own life but the lives of several others as well, in hopes of reverting back to his original endearing state.
We often want to change ourselves in hopes of snagging that perfect boy or girl. Whether it be holding back your obsession with painting model trains or pretending to be interested in Renaissance literature, we are all guilty of wishing we were different at one time or another. Hentai Ouji wants you to know that were things different, you would likely want to return to your original self as soon as possible. It’s important to accept yourself for who you are, warts and all. Upon doing so, it’s much more likely that you will meet another total nerd who likes decorating trains as well!
19. Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou (Demon King Daimao)
MAL: 6.88
After being prophesized to become the Demon King, Akuto Sai struggles to build any lasting relationships. Those who see him only fear him, and any actions he takes to alter the course of destiny, only add to the idea that he will one day become the root of all evil. However, he does find himself surrounded by a harem of girls wanting to shower him with love, and those wanting to bring him to justice.
You can’t fight fate. While the idea of a soulmate is questionable and you should definitely not spend your life hoping that your perfect partner will one day be delivering you pizza asking for a larger tip, you do not have to worry too much about falling in love. When it happens, it will happen. Instead of worrying about the future, be sure to live in the present and when the time does eventually come, you will have had a much happier time until that point.
20. Clannad
MAL: 8.06
Clannad follows the life of Tomoya. An underachieving student, he eventually finds love. The first season focuses primarily on his school days while After Story details his life as an adult.
Clannad is a nice harem anime with a positive message. It is ok to enjoy single life and have fun but be sure to not play games for too long. Ichika from Infinite Stratos refuses to make a choice and ends up hurting his harem’s feelings. Alternatively, Makoto from School Days makes too many choices and ends up doing even more damage. Clannad offers a positive message about making a choice and hopefully sparing feelings in the long run, by hurting them a little bit now.
Understand that we are only talking about the first season of Clannad here. The first season of Clannad is a harem anime through and through amidst a slice of life setting. While After Story cements the relationship between Nagisa and Tomoya and we journey through their life as a couple, the first season still has audiences wondering who Tomoya will ultimately end up with. The options were so numerous that several OVAs even released showing what life would have been like if Tomoya had chosen a different girl.
21. To LOVE-Ru
MAL: 7.06
After the alien crash lands naked onto a bathing Rito, she professes her desire to marry him in order to avoid a political engagement. However, Rito has a girl he likes already and so the alien Lala, as well as several other love interests, continuously foil his attempted confessions.
Here we have a harem anime full of lewd antics, hilarious comedy, and slapstick humor. Being in a relationship with someone, while care and romance are important, humor is just an integral piece of that elusive puzzle. Finding someone with a similar sense of humor to share a laugh with is what love is all about. To LOVE-Ru reminds us that drama and romance don’t always need to go hand in hand.
We don’t speak of the ice-cream scene…
22. Trinity Seven
MAL: 7.15
A lot of harem anime take the safer slice of life route in their approach to storytelling. Trinity Seven is a great anime for those who enjoy both love and action. After a strange phenomenon wipes out the inhabitants of his town, Arata Kasuga uses magical powers to revert the disaster. Now, studying at a magical school to increase his strength, he hopes to prevent the disaster he witnessed from happening again.
Passion is important in any relationship. The honeymoon phase when everything is new is the happiest moment for most people. While this will dwindle over time as you enter into a serious relationship – make sure not to let that flame die out. Flip the table after losing at Monopoly, beat up someone weaker than you for eyeballing your girl, whatever it takes to keep that train running. After all, action and passion go hand in hand!
23. Strike the Blood
MAL: 7.06
Strike the Blood follows the life of vampire Akatsuki Kojou. With a target placed onto his back since birth, he must fight tirelessly to protect both himself and those he cares about.
Over the four seasons of Strike the Blood, Kojou really comes into his own as both a vampire and a person. Learning to control his powers, he grows into a semi-respectable young man who learns the value of his life and the need to not carelessly throw it away. It’s true that before you can learn to love somebody else, you must take the time to love yourself. Growing as a person does not happen overnight and Kojou is the prime example of this. If it took him four seasons to grow even a little, maybe take some time for yourself more often.
24. Sora no Otoshimono (Heaven’s Lost Property)
MAL: 7.36
Sora no Otoshimono follows the life of student Tomoki who consistently wakes up crying having dreamt of an angel. After said angel crash lands into his life along with several others, Tomoki goes about his daily life with his newfound companions in hopes of discovering more about them.
Tomoki has little to no understanding of these angels at the outset of his journey and, likewise, the angels have little to no knowledge of the customs of our world. Relationships are all about compromise at the end of the day. Giving things up while simultaneously teaching your partner about who you really are is what being in a couple is all about.
Additionally, it’s easy to become set in one’s ways when single. However, learning to open up to your partner and embrace that feeling of contentment is the true meaning of love.
25. Yamada-kun to 7-nin no Majo (Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches)
MAL: 8.09
Ryuu Yamada wishes to leave his delinquent life behind. After transferring to a new school in hopes of attaining a fresh start, he soon becomes bored and reverts to his previous way. However, after a chance encounter with the school’s honor student, a tumble down some stairs leads to an accidental kiss. The pair discover that, upon kissing, they have the ability to change bodies. Moreover, they come to learn that seven girls with these kinds of powers lurk secretly amongst the school’s campus. The pair set off to discover the identity of these witches and what powers they may unearth.
It is never too late to change who you are. Whether you want to start going to the gym, quit smoking, or all of the above, it really is better late than never and good things will surely come to those deserving of a reward. Regardless of whether you make huge leaps in attaining something you desire, the confidence gained from even incremental steps will be recognized by the people around you. If someone like Ryuu can learn to become a sensitive softie, then there’s still hope for you yet.
26. Oreshura
MAL: 7.05
After the infidelity of his parents, Eita becomes skeptical of love and devotes himself entirely to his studies in hopes of one day becoming a doctor. Similarly, school bombshell Masuzu grows tired of her adoring fans and asks Eita to pretend to be her boyfriend so as to avoid love as well. As to be expected of the quiet nerd who only studies and has little social skills, he soon develops a harem and must navigate his fake relationship with Masuzu, whilst circumventing jealous peers and romantic confessions.
Oreshura is another great anime preaching the value of love. Yes, studies and work-life are important. Additionally, it’s easier to become disgusted with any notion of love after suffering a breakup or childhood trauma. However, do not let one instance of love failing, taint you on it for the rest of your life. Opening up to someone in such a way also opens oneself up to being hurt. Sure, it’s a risk but, the best things in life always are.
27. Mayo Chiki!
MAL: 7.30
After being born into a family that loves wrestling, Kinjirou grew up with an irrational fear of women. So much as being touched by a member of the opposite sex, causes his nose to bleed profusely, abrupt fainting, sweaty palms, and in some rare cases an uncontrollable urge to cook his mother’s spaghetti. After a chance encounter with one of his peers, Kinjirou sets out to cure his phobia of women.
We’ve all been there. Absolutely terrified to ask out your crush, you sweat and pace and procrastinate until the chance is gone. While not to the same degree as Kinjirou, fear is just as important a part of any relationship. Sure, before riding the rollercoaster you contemplate how it could go wrong. Yet, when you step off having conquered your fear, you feel much better for it.
28. Ore no Nounai Sentakushi ga, Gakuen Love Comedy wo Zenryoku de Jama Shiteiru (My Mental Choices Are Completely Interfering With My School Romantic Comedy)
MAL: 7.26
Noucome is a harem anime where our protagonist Kanade is forced to commit horrendously embarrassing acts due to being cursed by something known as ‘Absolute Choice’. In various situations, he is offered an ultimatum and must choose one of two blush-worthy options of which he must complete. These options also seem to always be some level of crude and usually pop up when Kanade is in a public place.
As you can imagine, Kanade soon blurts out several reputation tarnishing statements that result in him being labeled a pervert. However, on rare occasions, his actions also win the affections of several girls in his school. Thus, the harem anime protagonist is born.
We all have experienced situations where a single choice will affect the outcome of a situation. Whether it be a relationship or a work decision, sometimes one moment can affect the rest of your entire life. Sending that risky text that backfired might have just cost you a soulmate. Selling that stock before it started to rise might have cost you millions. Regardless, Noucome wants to drive home the message that, ultimately, we cannot live a life of regret. Whichever decisions you make you can either dwell on them forever or learn from them and make the necessary repairs.
29. School Days
MAL: 5.67
Let’s wrap things up with the dishonorable mention of harem anime – School Days. School Days has risen to infamy since its initial release and it isn’t too difficult to see why. Makoto, unlike most harem anime protagonists, feels no need to prolong any obscurity in his relationships, as he proceeds to sleep with anyone who so much as looks his way. Understandably, those he has hurt in the course of his cheating, don’t look too kindly upon being used. And so, Makoto finds himself at the mercy of his scorned lovers and…well…let’s just say that he certainly won’t be doing any cheating again anytime soon.
School Days is a harem anime that, while arguably flawed in its execution, drives home a real message for any fan of the harem anime genre. The harem anime seems illustrious and it’s perfectly fine to fulfill any fantasies vicariously through a TV show. However, it’s important to distinguish real life from animation and understand that playing games with people’s emotions or cheating on them to forge your own harem is a very horrible thing to do. You’re not a Mormon so be sure to (unless consensually agreed upon) stick to just the one wife, ok?
Harem Anime – A combination of lighthearted fun and serious romance
Harem anime is a great blend for those seeking the thrill of a romance anime, combined with the comedy of a slice-of-life anime. While the seriousness of these relationships varies with each series, most tropes remain the same and will provide a wide variety of characters to fall in love with. What is your favorite harem anime? Who is your favorite love interest? Let us know!
