I’ve been thinking about different plot set ups for a lot of anime and manga recently. The completely overused and completely original ones. And I realized after watching La Corda D’Oro again, that reverse harem is completely understated in the world of anime, so I thought I’d do a short post about why I enjoy it and would like to see more of it.
Regular harem anime can be found just about anywhere, I’m watching one right now. Harem is completely overused and full of fanservice. You can occasionally get good ones like Clannad, Kanon and Air, but on the flip side you’ve got harem like Girls Bravo, Kanokon and School Days. That are filled with somewhat ridiculous attempts at comedy and too much ecchi.
So why is this genre so flipping popular? I can understand if you watch a harem with an actual plot to it, but such fanservicey shows like Rosario+Vampire, with little or none character development, what’s so great about them?
On the flip side we have Reverse Harem, which can be enjoyed by both girls and boys, but is completely understated. As reverse harem is just as enjoyable as harem, why don’t we see it as much? It’s slightly less generic than regular harem, and a lot of us really enjoy nose bleeding over hot bishies the romance aspects that it brings. I think it’s much funner to watch naive and clueless girls surrounded by boys that want them, than seeing perverted boys have their brains melt due to pantie shots.
Reverse harem is something I would like to see more of. I’ve only come across a seldom few. And I really do mean a few, not many at all. I’ve liked everyone I have watched even if the romance they contain is slow. They have plot thickening moments and emotional twists to them. They can be fun and sweet, as well as heart wrenching. I know of tons of girls and boys who enjoyed the fluffiness of Ouran High School Host Club. Because it was good. It had a great story to it and really kept you interested. The comedy wasn’t over the top, it didn’t feel like they were trying to hard. I always get that feeling when watching regular harem. The harder you try to make something funny, the less funny it will be in my opinion.
I’m not saying that I don’t enjoy harem every now and again, because I do. Sometimes it is funny to watch stupid boys nosebleed over girls. But reverse harem appeals to me more because it’s more believable and reasonable. Basically saying that every girl doesn’t have a D-Cup and a ridiculously moe attitude. I think it’s nice to watch serious girls accomplish things and help boys, instead of always being saved by them. I also know that reverse harem isn’t really better that regular harem, they tie evenly for me. But if one is so popular then why isn’t the other? Reverse harem’s hardly ever get second seasons like regular harem does, or they hardly even get animated at all. I’ve read more reverse harem manga than anything, and even that isn’t as easy to come by as harem. But there are just so many good reverse harems out there, waiting to be animated.
Reverse harem does have downsides though, so I know they aren’t perfect. The slow moving romance is extremely annoying, but yet enjoyable at the same time. Usually a female character in reverse harem has a set guy that they’re going you know they’re going end up with, just like boys in harem. In Ouran, it was obvious that if Haruhi was gonna end up with anyone it would be Tamaki. In La Corda D’Oro, the obvious choice is Ren, and in Hana Yori Dango it was obviously Domyouji. But reverse harem doesn’t usually delve into the romance the way harem does. I find this both enjoyable because it can make you a more avid shipper and excruciating because you just want them to get together already.
Over time though, regular harem has become so completely generic that it just feels like it’s ripping off another harem. I don’t think anyone enjoys seeing the same plot used over and over. When you’re looking for a new anime you want something fresh that deviates from the last one you watched, If you choose to watch another harem it just starts feeling like more of the same. Reverse harem is different from that. The plots are never very similar to each other and you can find yourself marathoning them just because they’re so interesting.
Granted that all harem and reverse harem have the same set up, boys surrounded by girls or girls surrounded by boys, but this doesn’t mean that they all have to have such similar storylines. I can think of a dozen or more things to make a harem better when I’m watching it, so it shouldn’t be so hard to make it original. Though I do know that creating an anime in general is a lot of work, a few changes to a simple cliche plot can make the story so much better.
My basic point in this post is that reverse harem has an original charm that regular harem can sometimes lack, but we see it so much less. I can only think of ten of them off of the top of my head, and I enjoyed every single one I watched. As a fan of harem and romance animes, I think that reverse harem goes hand in hand with both. It’s a necessary genre that is completely understated in the otaku world. I think there are a ton of us out there who enjoy it and would love to see more of it, but don’t dare hope for it.
So I am bringing this rant to a close now. I don’t know why exactly I decided to post about this, it’s just something that has been grinding on my nerves for a while now. I hope it encouraged all of those “play it safe” anime fans who never deviate from their favorite genres to check out reverse harem, but I really doubt it. I wasn’t too charming. 
Really, the ‘original charm’ of reverse harem lies in the fact that there’s so few titles to choose from the genre, right? Yet, of the few, these shows usually have something other than just the premise of a girl surrounded by aesthetically augmented guys to offer (e.g. Ouran’s first-class humour. Only La Corda D’Oro seems to be the only title that offers reverse harem as its main course, the music thing came rather second-place) which perhaps gives them much more ’substance’ than your typical male-fanservice orientated harem show.
@issa-sa – I disagree, I don’t think charm lies within the fact that there are so few out there, just that they are all very well done. I give kudos to the creators for that! XD I agree with you on La Corda D’Oro, but for focusing so much on reverse harem they sure didn’t deliver in the end.
So…that’s what Reverse Harem is…I’ve been watching (or rather had watched) Fushigi Yuugi all the time and did not know it fell under the Reverse Harem category.
And issa-sa does have a point on how there are not so many Reverse Harems out there. These types have been way down below my radar….
@7 – That was the entire point of the post! XD How there really aren’t many reverse harems out there! At least not enough to satisfy this otaku.
True, most examples of reverse harem that come to mind are usually executed well (though I’ve not watched the Angelique series, they come across as rather suspect complications to the rule…), which should be a case for more of them to come into existence! (For the record I was rooting for the green-haired pianist dude in La Corda, but nyeh)
@issa-sa – I gave up on Angelique. At least the newest one, it lost my interest around the third episode. Though it was full of sparkling bishies! *Drools* I was rooting for Ren in La Corda, though I did like green-haird guy.
You should prefer reverse harems being uncommon. Popularity was the downfall of the regular harem. More series, more output of crap. More output of crap leads to crap becoming the norm and then you get stuff like Kanokon and To Love-Ru.
Though probably to a lesser degree. Most manservice (lol, I love that word) seems to come from suggestive lines rather than just random skin.
Though, oddly enough I find myself like regular harems more than reverse harems. Though I wouldn’t object to more reverse harems. Just more archetypes. Certain ones annoy me (Princely type sucks unless it’s specifically for fun like Tamaki. Tamaki~!).
Also, one thing ticks me off about Reverse Harem. It feels like the girl’s after one guy the entire time and it’s solved too early or she never ends up with anyone. That’s one thing that’s bothered me (fix it! But only if the one I like always wins!).
@FuyuMaiden – I know it’s better for them to be uncommon, but I’d still love to see more! I like the genre. I get ticked off by the set character love interest as well. And I get even more upset when they don’t end up with anyone. I still enjoy the genre though, and thought it was under appreciated. XD I like other genres better, but this is on my list of favorites.
Must plug favourite reverse harem next to Ouran – the underblogged (and lately undersubbed) Saiunkoku Monogatari.
– this is a message from the Middle-aged Straight Guys Reverse Harem Appreciation Node.
I honestly enjoy the reverse(male) harem than the female harem types of anime… One of my attitudes towards this genre is that when watching a reverse harem-themed anime, I’ll have my certain fave character on the show (Ouran=Mori; L’Corda=Hihara) and I’ll go Kyaa~ everytime I se him with the main girl ^_^… Lol
…And I’m back!!! Nice header btw
Oh amayalee-chan, please delete my old blog on your blogroll because it doesn’t work anymore… Thanks ^_^
Fuyumaiden said: “Also, one thing ticks me off about Reverse Harem. It feels like the girl’s after one guy the entire time…”
Zomg that is so true! What the heck? Why am I the only guy (save the Panda person) talking about reverse harem?
I have to agree that reverse harems are so enjoyable and we really need more of them! It feels like so long since I’ve seen one!
Although, even though I have to agree that a lot of Harems are lame (there are a few good ones) and reverse harems are almost always great, I bet a guy would have a different view on which one he would prefer…
@7 – It’s ok! XD Reverse Harem isn’t gender specific, feel no shame! MAHAHA!
@lostty – Guys would have different point of view, but you can’t deny that the regular harem plot has been exploited to the point of ridiculousness. Reverse harem is a nice and refreshing new genre that brings great perspective and entertainment!
I’ve seen very few Reverse Harems, but my chromosome might have something to do with it
I did enjoy Host Club and Fushigi Yuugi :3
@Kitsune – Reverse harems have the same set up as regular harems, and there are obvious romance aspects to both.
You should watch more, there are some good ones out there.
I’ve watched all of Ouran and some episodes of La Corda D’Oro and I adore reverse harems packed chock full of bishounen.
One thing I’ve noticed about reverse harems is that they tend to be more easy going, have a more understandable plot plus it’s filled with comedy, especially in the case of Ouran. 
@klaraflame – Hence why I like them more. They’re easy to watch and enjoy!
lool reverse harem..