| Just a heads up. There might be spoilers ahead. I don't thoroughly describe a series or anything but I make comparisons. Honestly I don't think reading this will ruin any series for you. I dunno, your call. But in respect for anime fans I figured a heads up was necessary. I don't know about you guys and girls, but I am tired of people getting harems wrong! I am a person who takes harem series very seriously, and believe it or not it's not because I was lonely in high school. I like watching the main character deal with that many girls and having to control his situation. I love everything about it, not just the girls! Let me first list a few things that most people MISTAKEN Harem Animes for or do not understand ABOUT Harems! 1. A guy is surrounded by girls. Just because a guy is surrounded by girls doesn't mean it's a harem! There must be girls who like him! Both main roles and supportive roles are needed! It isn't a harem anime if there are girls around around him but they hate him! 2. The main male character must be.....OBLIVIOUS! If the main male character ever realized he had a harem, he'd choose one of the girls or take advantage of it resulting in a relationship or the girls leaving him, either way the harem ends, so he must be oblivious to the harems' existence! 3. The Male Best Friend! Of course a bunch of lovely girls is great, but when there is no one to turn to for a man's opinion or have a guy to chill out with it can stress a guy out. The male best friend usually proves to be a great foil to the main male character. Either not too bright or plain perverted and no good with the ladies. There are also times where the best friend is not a foil but rather a source of advice as well as information and general help. Either way if you look into every series there is at least one of these, or some sort of close non-romance relationship with one of the girls. (Little Sister which the main male character has no love interest in). 4. There are two kinds of harem anime. Action Harem and Easygoing Harem. Action Harem is when there are multiple girls who like the same guy, BUT they are also in the process of trying to stop a bad guy or something else. An example could be Utawarerumono, even though multiple girls did like him, it was so emphasized on him running the country that it was hardly ever emphasized. Easygoing Harem (My Personal Favorite), is when there is no major goal and the plot IS the harem itself. The plot is each girl trying to get the guy to like her or just spending time with him. The beach episode, hot spring episode, maybe even a character arc or two. These harems usually take place at school or somewhere where there isn't room for a huge conflict. Then eventually the major conflict kicks in usually involving the main female character such as in Shuffle or Clannad where both female characters got sick of an illness that left us all on the edge of a cliff that had so-so ending at the bottom. EVERY HAREM SERIES MUST HAVE! We all know the harem series archetypes. I'll list a few because I care for my fellow harem lovers as well as I am passionate about this post at 1:42AM! ---Childhood Friend ---Shy Girl ---Energetic Girl ---School Idol ---Sportsy Girl ---Little Sister Figure ---Possible Little Sister (That crud where she MIGHT or MIGHT NOT BE, I dislike it either way, like in "Gift: ~Eternal Rainbow~") ---Oriental Girl (She's a Samurai, or practice some martial art, like that one girl from Maburaho with the blue hair.....yeah her whatever her name is) ---Aggressive Girl (Girl who can't come to with her feelings. She always has an excuse for the things she does whenever it comes to the main male character) ---Class rep (or Imouto I think some call it) Yes these are archetypes we all know. However if there is character development involved we never really seem to be bothered right? I like these types especially the shy girl since she reminds me alot of my girl. Plus I think it's better than having a bunch of girls who are similar. One of the biggest things I think me and other harem lovers can agree on. Is one of the best parts of the harem series is that WE can put ourselves in the main male characters' position and say who we'd choose if we were in their situation. Like for example. ---I would've chosen Toujo in Ichigo 100% ---I would've chosen Lala or Yami in To-Love-RU ---I would've chosen Ryou in Clannad ---I would've chosen Tiffania in Zero no Tsukaima (Not because of her chest......well maybe a little, but also because she's shy and naturally kind also because I love how she wears green :D) ---Etc. I am also really tired of having a conflicted decision about whether a harem anime is a harem anime! Like for example! Some say Prism Ark was a harem like on Anime6.org before it got shut down, however AnimeSeason says it's not a harem and neither does this site I think. I want to be able to look somewhere and know what harem animes are good! That's why I love this site! It has viewer feedback! This way you can get a rough idea of what the ups and downs of a harem series has to offer! Also I think harems should have 3+ main female roles or it is not a harem but rather it is romance. Some animes can be an exception like Kanokon for example. There are Harems and also what me and my friend call Mass Harems. For example a Harem usually consists of 3-7 girls who all like the same main male character. A Mass Harem would be like Mahou Sensei Negima where there are 21 girls who like the main male character Negi (this is more apparent in the manga not so much the series). There are also key tags that I think can immediately warn you of what kind of harem an anime will be just from the tags. If a Harem Anime also has other tags like these it can mean..... Comedy- There will be funny moments between characters as well as the main male character, I like this alot since without it I tend to rest my chin in my palm and just kind of get lost in a trance. So I think comedy is something EVERY harem needs. Maybe not around every corner but it's needed occasionally, right? Action/Adventure- Warning that the anime will be an Action Harem. So expect little or no concentration on the harem. They will be doing something or trying to overcome some conflict making the conflict overlap the harem. One thing I was displeased to find was in Tayutama: Kiss on My Diety which I DID NOT watch but heard from my younger brother was an Action Harem. He said it started out like normal but quickly became an Action Harem, I also looked forward to watching it because of the Kitsune (Fox Girl). Horror- I haven't experienced a series like this but I think some would agree School Days would fit under this for the horrible ending, where I understand someone is stabbed to death? That's like a giant middle finger come out of your monitor and hit you slam in the nose and be out of paper towels so the blood gets all over the place. Overall I'd mark Harem with Horror in it a BEWARE Anime. School Life- I like it when you see School Life because it's almost a 70% an EasyGoing Harem. They go to school, hang out, eat lunch together. Spend time together and the harem is very clearly seen and emphasized. There is alot of what goes on at the school and the school life tag is also a heads up for the infamous "School Field Trip" episode. I like School Life Harems but I guess to each his own and to each harem lover their harem. Slice of Life- I pretty much just see this as, there will be events and situations we can all relate to. Never really understood what the tag was, anyone who wants to describe it, go for it. Ecchi- There will be those scenes where the girls will be in the hot spring and the main male will be kicked off somehow and falls into the bath. He gets up and gets a nosebleed from the girls being nude. Of course what we see is, Yes they are nude but they have mist covering them or a convenient fern covering chests and other body parts not available to viewing in the series. There is also the pantsu (panties) that usually springs up. Take the best example Rosario + Vampire (First Season before Mr. Bat decided that censorship was apparently needed). There is also mature series like Green Green tv where anything above the waist is Ay-Okay. Honestly, I don't know how to warn you with these things other than... If they make you sign in/log in/confirm birthdate/ prove you're 18/ it's probably like Green Green and will have anything above the waist revealed, as for the panties that is pretty much a garuntee with the Ecchi. I don't know, if you don't like ecchi don't watch it and don't complain. Girls have Twilight, Guys have Harem Anime. Romance- The main character will probably like one of the girls specificly or there will be true love involved and not so much competition for the main male character. Clannad could be described as this, more romance with one person and only one person. I probably should have included this at the top, but there are also FOUR parts to each Harem. Allow me to point out the four phases! (Easygoing Harems Start at Phase 1) Phase 1. The Introduction: I LOVE the introduction. This is when the story begins and everything and everyone is introduced. The main male character is introduced, the male best friend, and all of the girls in the harem. Mind you not all the girls who will be in the harem show up first episode but they will show up during phase one. The series with the longest phase one I ever watched was "To Heart 2" where up to episode ten all they did was have character arcs every episode for each of the girls. This wasn't bad, but if you never reach phase two only so much can be enjoyed. Phase 2. Enjoy The Harem: Even if the main male character fails to see it's existence he can still soak it up. Only thing better than phase one is phase two! This is when they go to the hot springs, school trip, and just generally hang out. Maybe the main male character goes on a date with one of them, the girls get competitive. This is also the most comedic part usually to the series, each girl usually comes to with her feelings for the main male at this portion of the series too. (Action Harems Start at Phase 3) Phase 3. Conflict: My least favorite part. This is when something happens thast diverts everyone's attention elsewhere. In Sekirei it was when the competition began. In To-Love-RU it was when Rito must prove himself to be the best man in the universe....by running to the ship. Tomoya worries for Nagisa's well-being (I know I did too) near the end of the series. Either way SOMETHING happens that makes it so a conflict involving everyone surfaces. Making the harem's presence nearly die. This could also be the time when the main character realizes he must make a choice and can't just leave things as they are, such as in Shuffle and Futakoi. They realize that they must choose one girl or at least make their feelings clear, because in all honesty leaving your feelings unclear to a girl whom likes you is harsh and will also in this case cause the harem to dissolve. The main male character must fight against or resolve this conflict alone or perhaps with the help of the other girls in the harem or around him, maybe even the best male friend too. Phase 4. The Resolution: Boom. The Big Ending. Usually The Last Episode or Last Two Episodes. All is well again and the big conflict is gone for good, or at least for this season. From here there is only the main male's feelings to be revealed or for him to pull a fast one and keep everyone happy like at the end of Tokimeki Memorial ~Only Love~ where he says he can't reveal his feelings yet and all is good in the hearts of his maidens. This is also what occurs before the famous OVAs! OVAs: These are the DvD released episodes or the extras. (Honestly this was what I was told, I have no idea what OVA means or where they come from, BUT I know what they are about!). OVAs can break the rules that TV censored them for. For example would be the OVA for Green Green which was....well I won't sugar coat it, Hentai! And if you don't know what that is do NOT GOOGLE IMAGE IT. It's something that Daddy doesn't get when he forgets the anniversary. I digress. It can break alot of rules. From nudity, to introducing characters non-existant in the series. This can be found in To Heart 2, where several girls were introduced not in the series. Overall the OVAs can be a great thing and a last breath of the anime series you yearned for. They can also be helpful for some hold something after their credits. Example being a heads up for season two! Well It's now 2:33AM and I promised my girlfriend I wouldn't stay up too late, seeing as I have a tournament tomorrow to fight in. If you've read all of this I hope you liked it and can agree with it, and if not reply what you think. Let's get a heated discussion going. With 600+ harem lovers on this site and only 23 topics irritates me and thats not the lack of sleep. Let me hear what you think a harem series is all about! Let's hear what not one fan has to rant about but what the harem fan community has to say! Also my fellow lovers of harem. I like Harem Animes that could be described as Comedy, School Life, Harem (Obviously), Sometimes Ecchi, Romance, etc. If you know any good series let me know. Two series I have on my list to watch are Magikano and Kono Aozora ni Yakusoka wo. If you have any ideas let me know. Other than that I have a tourney to fight in and sleep to catch up on. Leave a reply, send me a message, it's your life live it as you want. Watch Anime, Critisize what you dislike, Post Comments on what you like, Express your Opinion, and Live Life my friends. Stay Golden and remember that when life gets you down, flip a table or kick a door down. You'd be surprised on how destruction eases the mind. Just don't punch a hole in your wall because that's a chore added to the list. Anyway, goodnight or good morning. I leave the choice to reply or comment, add me as a friend or whatever, up to you. |
| I agree with everything you said in this topic, yet however there are some elements I believe are missing just due to my opinion of harem animes: 1. The main guy character MUST be the one the camera focuses on. I have watched harem animes before (believe it or not) with one of the girls in the harem as the one the camera follows. I feel that this totally ruins the feel of it, and makes it more of a "I will win your heart" kind of anime instead of a funny harem. 2. The main male character MUST NOT be perverted. It is okay if they think that the girl with the big breasts is cute, etc., but they MUST NOT act on it. Such as in Akikan!, it drove me away when the guy started asking the girl if he could "lick" her. 3. The girls in the harem MUST NOT be after something. Such as in Maburaho, the girls only were after him for his genes. I feel for it to be an actual harem, the girls must be acting out of complete love and no other reason. That sums up 3 more elements I believe harem animes need. |
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| I agree with your added three elements. If the harem is seen from the girls' point of view. It can definitely ruin the series because the harem's existence will probably not be emphasized as much as it should be. The guy should also not be a pervert because as you said, it can cause tha harem to fall apart and also turn girls away from him making a possible harem dissolve. I also support your final thought for Maburaho I never finished, mainly because he became a ghost and the girls although they DID develop feelings for him, it was hard to get through it when they wanted him solely for his genes. On an unrelated topic, I find it that if the main male character is abused constantly. Like beaten up and like that of the such, it can also make the harem turn out for the worst. |