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Harem (ハーレムもの,hāremumono; "harem works") is a genre oflight novels,manga,anime, andvideo games focusing on a main character surrounded by multiple potential romantic or sexual partners. Originating inJapan in the 1970s, its popularity increased during the late 1980s and 1990s with the advent ofdating simulator games. The genre often features a protagonist who's surrounded by three or moresuitors,love interests and/orsexual partners. Harem works are frequentlycomedies that rely onself-insert protagonists which allow projection for the viewer, often accompanied with anensemble cast of supporting characters. A story featuring a heterosexual male or homosexual female protagonist paired with an all-female/yuri harem is informally referred to as afemale harem orseraglios, while a heterosexual female or gay male protagonist paired with an all-male harem series is informally referred to as amale harem,reverse harem, orgyaku hāremu (逆ハーレム). Although originating in Japan, the genre later inspired variants in Western media.[1]
The most distinguishable trait of harem works is the presence of a single protagonist surrounded by multiple different characters who are treated as options for a sexual or romantic relationship. In some instances, the plot may follow an additional arc for the protagonist and these characters to embark on together; however, many harem works, especiallydating sims, focus on the relationships themselves (and the tension and competition between different potential partners) as the key driver of the plot.
While harem works are a loose genre and vary greatly, certain tropes that lend themselves to reader self-insertion are common.
The protagonist, commonly aneveryman-archetype, often has very little characterization other than general amicability and reacting passively to their surroundings. This is done specifically to let the readers insert themselves in the character's stead or develop sympathy for the character.
Many haremlove interests are easily enamored with the self-insert; falling for the main character because of simple kindness or coincidence, often described as due to their low self-esteem.[2]
Harem works frequently put off commitment to any specific love interest for as long as possible, sometimes indefinitely; commonly executed by oblivious or easily-flustered protagonists. By leaving the protagonist's desires and choices unclear, viewers with different preferences are able to continue their self-insertion without coming into conflict with source materialcanon.[3]Most harem works end with the main character pairing up with one or more of their suitors, with some games and visual novels featuring branched endings dependent on player choice. A "harem ending" occurs in works where the protagonist ends together in a polyamorous relationship with all of the suitors.[4]
While most harem works focus on a male protagonist with women suitors due to the audience for harem shows being primarily male, "reverse" harem works focus on female protagonists courted by men and thus targets a mostly female audience.[5]
Although most harem works tend to be written on a primarilyheterosexual andbinary basis due to the primary audience target being heterosexual, works in the genre can contain characters of various gender identities and sexualities, including manyyaoi andyuri harem works.[6] An example of a same-sex harem anime would beKyo Kara Maoh!, which features a male protagonist with male characters comprising his harem. Especially indating sim visual novels, it has become increasingly common for harems to feature characters of multiple genders, with the player choosing whether to pursue an opposite- or same-sex relationship.
Many harem works have fallen under criticism for unrealistic and often misogynistic portrayals of women and relationships. Female harem members frequently lack agency and personalities of their own, other than desire for the self-insert protagonist and one-dimensional visual and personality traits to differentiate them from other love interests. Critics have also argued that harem genre tropes around a passive protagonist effortlessly picking and choosing from multiple eager suitors furthers the mythos of men being entitled to female affection, and can lead impressionable male readers to react negatively to being rejected by women in real life.[2][7]
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