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5[[quoteright:350:[[Literature/{{Oreshura}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/e5e8055d5ae3cb142e0a3445d6e7551d.png]]]]
6
7->''"...serials about awkward young men very pointedly NOT having sex with a selection of eager women."''
8-->-- ''WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation'', ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4''
9
10Harem is a genre/plot frame that is mostly present in the Japanese media of {{anime}}, {{manga}}, LightNovels, {{Visual Novel}}s, and VideoGames. As the name says, the genre's basic premise involves a "harem" of at least 3 (but usually more) girls sharing a common interest in a male protagonist. {{Gender Inverted|Trope}}, [[QueerAsTropes LGBTQ]], and IfItsYouItsOkay examples exist, as do age-adjusted renditions for younger audiences. Typically [[TasteTheRainbow each harem member has a markedly contrasting personality]], often personifying a single classic characterization archetype while (usually) the opposite applies to the [[VanillaProtagonist protagonist]].
11
12The protagonist may take it as an UnwantedHarem, react as a HaremSeeker, or be ObliviousToLove; but he almost ''never'' actually enters a consummated romantic relationship with any of them, except perhaps [[WeddingFinale as the grand finale]]. Particularly pure examples of the set-up, where the plot is designed to keep the "race" for the male protagonist's heart in a perpetual dead heat, are known as the BalancedHarem subgenre. Other possible dynamics include the "Harem Route", where the girls choose to share the lead character amicably rather than risk losing him and their friends completely, or the "Shuraba" ("Bloodbath") route, where ThereCanBeOnlyOne and the contenders ruthlessly sabotage each other to secure mastery. There is also the hybrid option where the harem is "led" by a female lead in a conventional OfficialCouple relationship with the MC and "backed" by a SupportingHarem. In such cases, the work usually indicates only one or two girls as the main characters, in contrast to the standard harem works.
13
14Not surprisingly, Harems frequently go hand-in-hand with the {{Ecchi}} genre and gratuitous {{Fanservice}}. That said, outright {{Hentai}} harems are rarely seen and often poorly exemplify a genre where WantingIsBetterThanHaving and UnresolvedSexualTension is a primary source of dramatic interest. Instead, hentai harems focus shallowly on {{Polyamory}}.
15
16Contrast RoyalHarem, which is about the literal, traditional sort of harem as found in a royal palace. See our [[SoYouWantTo/WriteAHaremAnime handy-dandy guide]] if you want to write one of your own. Often overlaps with StarringSmurfette, though the presence of that trope doesn't necessarily mean a harem story is taking place. The "haremlit" subgenre shares many aspects of the classic Harem Genre, but with several key differences - it's usually written by Western authors, often self-published on sites like Amazon and Website/RoyalRoad, and rather than exploring romantic tension, it revolves around full-on [[MarryThemAll polygamy]].
17
18One of many genres covered in JustForFun/TheUniversalGenreSavvyGuide, in case you suspect yourself to be in one of these.
19
20!! Harem genre tropes:
21[[index]]
22* AccidentalPervert
23* AllergicToLove
24* AllWomenAreLustful
25* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove
26* ArrangedMarriage
27* AudienceSurrogate
28* BalancedHarem
29* BattleHarem
30* BeachEpisode
31* BeAWhoreToGetYourMan
32* BecauseYouWereNiceToMe
33* BelligerentSexualTension
34* BespectacledCutie
35* BettyAndVeronica
36* BigBrotherAttraction
37* BromanticFoil
38* CannotSpitItOut
39* ChasteTeens
40* ChickMagnet
41** CluelessChickMagnet
42* ChildhoodFriendRomance
43* ChildhoodMarriagePromise
44* CrashIntoHello
45* CrashingThroughTheHarem
46* DCupDistress
47* DistressedDude
48* DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale
49* DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale
50* EscapistCharacter
51* ExpectationLowerer
52* FirstGirlWins
53* FirstKiss
54** AlmostKiss
55* FlirtyStepsiblings
56* FunbagAirbag
57* HaremNanny
58* HaremPowered
59* HaremSeeker
60* HerosSlaveHarem
61* HopelessSuitor
62* HotspringsEpisode
63* IfItsYouItsOkay
64* ImprobablyFemaleCast
65* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy
66* LastGirlWins
67* LoserProtagonist
68** UselessProtagonist
69* LoveDodecahedron
70* LoverTugOfWar
71* LovingAShadow
72* MagneticGirlfriend
73* MasterOfTheMixedMessage
74* MenAreGenericWomenAreSpecial
75* MomentKiller
76* NoRomanticResolution
77* NotBloodSiblings
78* NotWhatItLooksLike
79* ObliviousToLove
80* OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent
81* OverdramaticDatingCommotion
82* PervertRevengeMode
83** UnprovokedPervertPayback
84* {{Polyamory}}
85** MarryThemAll
86* PrettyFreeloaders
87* ProtagonistCenteredMorality
88* SingleTargetSexuality
89* SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan
90* StalkingIsFunnyIfItIsFemaleAfterMale
91* SuggestiveCollision
92* SupportingHarem
93* ThanksForTheMammary
94* ThemedHarem
95* ThoseTwoGuys
96* TopWife
97* TheUnfairSex
98* UnluckyEverydude
99* UnwantedHarem
100* VanillaProtagonist
101* WhatDoesSheSeeInHim
102* WouldntHitAGirl
103
104!!Common character types for the {{Harem}} members:
105
106* TheAce -- almost always applies to one of the heroines, usually the SchoolIdol.
107* AbhorrentAdmirer -- a variant where they're always attractive.
108** IncestantAdmirer
109* ActionGirl
110* ACupAngst -- usually applies to the {{tsundere}}.
111* AggressiveSubmissive
112* AloofDarkHairedGirl
113* BespectacledCutie
114* BigBrotherMentor -- most male harems include a big brother type; expect the heroine to worry that he only sees her as a younger sister.
115* {{Bokukko}} -- almost always the Childhood Friend.
116* BrokenBird
117* ButtMonkey -- almost always applies to the protagonist.
118** DesignatedMonkey -- many of them eventually fall into this.
119* TheCasanova / LadykillerInLove -- a flirty popular guy is a must for any reverse harem.
120* CatGirl
121* ChasteHero -- usually applies to the male lead.
122* ChildhoodFriend -- the female lead usually fills this spot.
123** UnluckyChildhoodFriend -- the [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption expected outcome]] in most instances.
124* ClingyJealousGirl -- in order to perpetuate [[LoveTriangle the triangle]] and romantic tension.
125* CloudCuckooLander -- usually most of the members will have at least one cute quirk, but especially strange/dreamy types are also popular.
126* CoolBigSis -- usually she keeps order in the harem, but, she can also portray a more experienced girl as LoveInterest.
127* CuteClumsyGirl
128* CuteGhostGirl
129* CuteSportsClubManager -- less common nowadays, but still shows up sometimes. Leads of reverse harems sometimes act as this for their love interest(s).
130* TheCutie
131* DelicateAndSickly
132* DefrostingIceQueen -- typically either the EmotionlessGirl, or {{Ojou}}.
133* TheDitherer -- The lead is very often one of these.
134* DumbassTeenageSon
135* ElegantGothicLolita -- usually the DefrostingIceQueen type. Also likely to be a MysteriousWaif.
136* EmotionlessGirl
137* ExtremeDoormat -- usually applies to the male lead.
138* FaceOfAThug -- scary-looking and tough-talking guys with a soft side (stereotypically involving [[KindheartedCatLover taking care of a kitten]]) are common to reverse harems.
139* FetishizedAbuser
140* GenkiGirl
141* GirlNextDoor -- usually the protagonist's childhood friend.
142* HandsomeLech -- always present in a reverse harem but his chances of success are often close to zero.
143* HardDrinkingPartyGirl -- A fixture of the classic harem is to have at least one rowdy and sexually liberated girl.
144* HollywoodHomely -- Mostly applies to the protagonists, {{Meganekko}} characters are also suspectible to this.
145* {{Hunk}} -- A must-have in any reverse harem is a strong-built and traditionally masculine type.
146* KavorkaMan -- often exists as a role-model for the protagonist, it's not uncommon for the protagonist to be this themselves.
147* {{Kichiku}}
148* KichikuMegane
149* LightFeminineAndDarkFeminine
150* LittleSisterHeroine -- Almost always complete with NotBloodSiblings or KissingCousins, if she wins or will be treated as a legitimate part of LoveTriangle. Nevertheless, you can meet the real BrotherSisterIncest but only as a play for laugh or drama.
151* LongHairedPrettyBoy -- reverse harems always have one of these
152* LovableJock -- reverse harems typically include at least one sporty guy, usually either a cheerful [[BookDumb idiot]] (affectionately termed the 'sports baka') or a reserved guy [[CannotTalkToWomen not used to talking to women]].
153* {{Kawaiiko}}
154* MagicalGirlfriend
155* ManicPixieDreamGirl
156* {{Meido}}
157* {{Moe}}
158* MysteriousWaif -- usually a strong contender to be [[OfficialCouple the lucky girl]], since their intrigue enhances their appeal and draws the protagonist to them.
159* NiceGuy -- which is usually why they're all drawn to him; also common in reverse harems, often as big brother types
160* NobleMaleRoguishMale
161* NoRespectGuy -- when the story makes the protagonist as the only NiceGuy while his peers are [[GreenEyedMonster envious]] {{Jerkass}} who only LovingAShadow of popular girls in school.
162* NonActionGuy -- as a contrast to the ActionGirl to make the protagonist an ExpectationLowerer.
163* {{Ojou}} -- A rich girl, who can often have a mixed European-Japanese background. Traditionally portrayed as {{Foil}} to YamatoNadeshiko as a European ideal of beauty.
164* OneOfTheBoys -- Almost always the lead female and childhood friend of the male protagonist. Her chances of being the lucky girl are usually slim ''[[UnluckyChildhoodFriend and none]]''.
165* OtakuSurrogate -- Usually, either the GenreSavvy heroine, whose remarks and behavior make up for everything that the protagonist can not do for censorship reasons, or WrongGenreSavvy character as the male lead's best friend.
166* PatientChildhoodLoveInterest -- as a rule, the main LoveInterest of protagonist, which he however, does not notice.
167* PeerlessLoveInterest -- almost always overlaps with {{Ojou}}.
168* PetitePride
169* PrincelyYoungMan
170* PsychoLesbian -- Often a {{foil}} and/or a rival to the male protagonist for the affections of one of the Haremettes.
171* RidiculouslyAverageGuy
172* SchoolIdol -- almost always applies to one of the heroines, very often overlaps with TheAce.
173* SharpDressedMan -- usually at least one by default in any reverse harem, and alternate suit costumes for the rest of the cast will likely be [[{{Fanservice}} very popular]].
174* ShrinkingViolet -- no harem is complete without one.
175* SmittenTeenageGirl
176* StalkerWithACrush
177* StoicSpectacles
178* SugarAndIcePersonality
179* TallDarkAndHandsome -- sometimes the protagonist is this to explain his success with women.
180* TokenMiniMoe -- usually the little sister of one of the haremettes, and often too young to be an actual contender.
181* TomboyAndGirlyGirl -- usually the main two competing haremettes.
182* {{Tsundere}} -- a girl who switches between affection and aloofness/hostility; usually either the main female, or the main competing haremette.
183* UnconvincinglyUnpopularCharacter -- Very often the protagonists, regardless of gender.
184* WhatDoesSheSeeInHim: Usually when the protagonist is a RidiculouslyAverageGuy, it will have other girls and jealous suitors wondering how such a guy could have the attention of so many cute girls.
185* YamatoNadeshiko -- The traditional Japanese ideal of femininity. It has appeals to different kinds of fans and can provide a contrast to a {{Tsundere}}.
186* {{Yandere}} -- The inversion of the {{Tsundere}}, [[IfICantHaveYou just keep a close eye]] [[MurderTheHypotenuse on her tendencies]].
187
188----
189!! Example subpages:
190
191* HaremGenre/AnimeAndManga
192* HaremGenre/FanWorks
193* HaremGenre/VideoGames
194* HaremGenre/VisualNovels
195!!Other examples:
196[[foldercontrol]]
197
198[[folder:Literature]]
199* ''Literature/AestheticaOfARogueHero'': Main character Akatsuki has the most romantic tension with Miu, but other girls show interest in him as well.
200* ''Literature/ArifuretaFromCommonplaceToWorldsStrongest'': Part of the {{isekai}} wave of the 2010s, and notable for the twists on the usual formula. Hajime starts with his classmate Kaori already crushing on him, but since she's the SchoolIdol the crush makes his bullying-prone life even harder. Then he rescues the imprisoned Yue from the labyrinth and falls hard for her, and they actually [[TheirFirstTime consummate]]. Every girl who joins his party after that, Kaori included, ends up competing with TopWife Yue.
201* ''Literature/TheAsteriskWar'' involves [[TheHero Ayato Amagiri]] earning the attention of several girls across the series, with the twist that Ayato already chosen Julis as the girl he loves and becomes devoted to. While he cares about the girls, [[SupportingHarem he only sees them as friends, not love interests]].
202* ''Literature/BeastTamer'' is about the main character, Rein, using his beast tamer abilities to "tame" various {{Cute Monster Girl}}s, who inevitably all fall in love with him.
203* ''Literature/BeingAbleToEditSkillsInAnotherWorldIGainedOpWaifus'' is a {{reconstruction}} of the UnwantedHarem, through a HerosSlaveHarem.
204* In ''Literature/BladeArc'', Yuuto has an elf, a thief, a female ogre, a swordwoman, a princess, a crew of female warriors, and Death herself in love with him.
205* ''Literature/CatPlanetCuties'' features a BattleHarem, with the protagonist of Kio Kakazu, being [[ObliviousToLove oblivious]] to the affections of Aoi and Manami, two government agents, and tall, sexy, alien [[GenkiGirl Genki]] CatGirl Eris who proves herself to be a competent combatant as well.
206* ''Literature/ACertainMagicalIndex'' rapidly turns into this, courtesy of its CluelessChickMagnet NiceGuy hero, Kamijou Touma. It also attempts an explanation for why this trope occurs. Thanks to Touma's [[AntiMagic Imagine Breaker]] negating all supernatural effects which contact him, it's hypothesised that he is immune to the [[RedStringOfFate red string of fate]], meaning no one woman can be his soulmate. The series can be said to have the largest harem of any work, primarily due to the inclusion of the Misaka Network, who are 9969 clones of Mikoto Misaka. Even without them, it arguably still holds the record.[[labelnote:A not exhaustive list of harem members]]Index Librorum Prohibitorum, Mikoto Misaka, Aisa Himegami, 9969 clones of Mikoto, Kaori Kanzaki, Itsuwa, Lessar, Leivinia Birdway, Othinus, Seria Kumokawa, Misaki Shokuhou[[/labelnote]]
207* ''Literature/ChivalryOfAFailedKnight'' subverts this early on. At the beginning it seems that this will be your typical harem series, seeing how the Light Novel seems to be playing the tropes straight, but by the end of volume 1 (chapter 10 in the Manga and episode 4 of the Anime) both leads Ikki Kurogane and Stella Vermillion become an OfficialCouple. The series also subverts many common tropes from harem series, where the leads solve their differences rather quickly without padding the drama, instead focusing on progressing the romantic relationship.
208* ''Literature/DateALive'': [[TheHero Shido Itsuka]] must become a ChickMagnet ''by necessity'' to save the world. The series involves him dating [[MagicalGirlWarrior Spirits]], getting them to fall in love with him and sealing their powers with a kiss so they can live normal lives.
209* In ''Literature/EightCousins'', Rose Campbell goes to live with her Uncle Alec, and becomes the target of affection to her seven handsome male cousins.[[/index]]
210* {{Parodied}} in ''Literature/TheFarawayPaladin''. In volume 3, protagonist William's adoptive grandfather Gus wonders why Will is still single, and rattles off a list of cliche situtations where a StockLightNovelHero would normally have met a girl or three.
211-->'''Gus:''' On a more serious note, is there really no one? There’s normally something when you go adventuring. You know, like rescuing a strong-minded woman captured by bandits, or gallantly saving a merchant adventurer who lost her bodyguards, or recruiting a dependable swordswoman, or protecting a polite and proper lady of a fallen kingdom. Any number of things. Why are you giving me that look?\
212'''Will:''' All of those were guys.\
213'''Gus:''' ''(laughs his ass off)''[[index]]
214* ''Literature/GoodLuckNinomiyaKun'' has the protagonist's sister send two siblings to live with them, with one of them being a succubus who needs to overcome her fear of men. After that, the protagonist's jealous childhood friend enters the picture, and more girls join the harem from there.
215* ''Literature/{{Haganai}}'' revolves around a school club where main protagonist Kodaka is the only male member, with the other female members showing varying degrees of romantic interest in him. The catch is that all of the girls are [[NoSocialSkills socially awkward]] in some way, and the club was formed so the members can learn to make friends.
216* ''Literature/HaremInTheLabyrinthOfAnotherWorld'' has its premise right there in the title; the main character finds himself in another world and gradually gathers a HerosSlaveHarem, and naturally all the girls [[PropertyOfLove fall in love with him]].
217* In ''Literature/HaremOfFangs'', heroine Ally Swift finds herself being courted by five powerful vampires.
218* ''Literature/HaremPrince'' deconstructs and parodies a lot of tropes associated in the genre a la ''Manga/TheWorldGodOnlyKnows'' and ''Literature/{{Toradora}}''.
219* ''[[Literature/TheHaremProtagonistWasTurnedIntoAGirlAndDoesntWantToChangeBack The Harem Protagonist Was Turned Into A Girl!! And Doesn’t Want To Change Back!!!??]]'' throws the reader into [[InMediasRes the middle]] of what seems to be a typical harem plot where an apparent UnluckyEverydude had found out he was heir to a Galatic Empire and therefor had several women attach themselves to him - such as an alien soldier, a French heiress to a vast fortune, a gentle hearted vampire, and his pre-existing long time girlfriend... the plot opens with a send up of a GenderBender plot but uses it to reveal the protagonist is a trans woman and much more comfortable in her new form, but has to juggle her dawning gender euphoria and challenges that come with being trans on top of typical Harem comedy shenanigans.
220* ''Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya'' has elements of this; while Kyon has the most romantic tension with Haruhi herself, several other female characters such as Yuki and Mikuru also show varying degrees of romantic interest in him. Remember, this is [[JustForFun/TropeOverdosed a show that sinks its meathooks into any trope it can find and folds and spindles it to shreds…]]
221* ''Literature/HensukiAreYouWillingToFallInLoveWithAPervertAsLongAsShesACutie'' revolves around the main character trying to find out which of several girls sent him an anonymous love confession...with the catch being that all of the girls in question are {{Covert Pervert}}s.
222* ''Literature/TheHiddenDungeonOnlyICanEnter'': The protagonist Noir Stardia is given the power to freely upgrade both his and other people's abilities by having joyful experiences. These "joyful experiences" are typically of the kind where he has romantic tension with various girls, so naturally he picks up a harem of girls who develop crushes on him.
223* ''Literature/HighSchoolDXD'' is this coupled with fanservice, comedy and AllMythsAreTrue action, with the added twist that every girl in the harem is willing to share, but they're competing to see ''who's first place''. Open pervert Issei is a major fan of this genre in-universe and elated to be in the position of the genre's protagonist.
224* ''Literature/HowToBuildADungeonBookOfTheDemonKing'' offers a somewhat dark take on the genre, since it centers on a VillainProtagonist, Aur, who is fond of recruiting many women to his crusade against humanity. Some come willingly, as they also don’t like humans, or don’t mind Aur’s misanthropic tirade against them; the good-natured women, however, are met with several doses of {{brainwashing}} ''[[RapeAsDrama through sexual assault till they start liking]]'' Aur and become fully supportive of his deeds.
225* ''Manga/HybridXHeartMagiasAcademyAtaraxia'': Kizuna Hida is forced to become TheCaptain of a group of girls equipped with [[PoweredArmor Heart Hybrid Gears]] in order to defend the Ataraxia fleet from invaders from AnotherDimension. To do that, Kizuna must do [[DeusSexMachina perverted stuff]] to the girls, as doing so will power up their Heart Hybrid Gears and unlock new weapons and upgrades.
226* ''Literature/IGotACheatSkillInAnotherWorldAndBecameUnrivaledInTheRealWorldToo'': After the main protagonist Yuuya gains strong magical abilities that turn him from short and overweight to taller, muscular and more handsome, numerous girls from both his mundane life and the parallel world he discovers start falling for him.
227* ''Literature/InAnotherWorldIAmCalledTheBlackHealer'' is a reverse harem, where the main character quickly builds up a group of male admirers. However, few are explicitly in love with her. Most of them seem to like her and have a crush on her.
228* ''Literature/InfiniteStratos'' somewhat induces this by necessity: There's the eponymous PoweredArmor that only girls can use, but for some reason, one guy is able to use it as well. He gets plunked in to a dedicated all-girls school to learn how to use the same.
229* ''Literature/InvadersOfTheRokujyouma'': Koutarou moves into a new apartment and becomes the unwilling roommate and LoveInterest to a CuteGhostGirl, a MagicalGirlWarrior, a {{Miko}} from an underground race, a HumanAlien princess and her servant, another AlienPrincess and a DarkMagicalGirl. They all (including Koutarou) start off hostile to each other, due to fighting over exclusive rights to Koutarou's apartment, but as time passes, they all become friends and something of a family unit even befrore the girls start falling in love with Koutarou.
230* ''Literature/{{Kampfer}}'': Here the main guy turns into a girl thanks to a magical MacGuffin. Who's probably hotter than the rest of the main girls. Problem is that the girl he loves is 100% lesbian [[spoiler:and the BigBad of the series]].
231* ''Literature/{{Maburaho}}'' is the [[UrExample granddaddy]] of all Harem works that take place in a magical school of some sort. Basically every trope you see in those modern works originate from Maburaho in some fort or another; from the idea of the setting itself making its magic known to the public, to the protagonist being a self insert loser who secretly holds grand power, to several of the female leads being tried and true archetypes vying for the protagonist, it all began here. In this case, the main heroines are all after Kazuki due to the magical potential of his genes.
232* ''Literature/MagiciansAcademy'', which features ''both'' the UnwantedHarem and a HaremSeeker.
233* ''Literature/TheMasterOfRagnarokAndBlesserOfEinherjar'': Main protagonist Yuuto becomes the patriarch of the Wolf Clan after being TrappedInAnotherWorld, and he gathers a HerosSlaveHarem due to the members of the clan (as well as those of other clans whom the Wolf Clan conquers) having to take a "Chalice Oath" in which they swear fealty to him and claim to be his property. Many of these women also begin to call themselves his "daughters" or "little sisters", but nonetheless want to become his wife or one of his mistresses.
234* In ''Literature/MazeMegaburstSpace'', female Maze has a ''bisexual'' reverse harem of both males and females interested in her. As she swaps genders at sundown and sunrise, its notable that Princess Mill doesn't care which gender Maze is at the moment.
235* ''Literature/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'' centers around a female protagonist who's been reincarnated as Catarina Claes, the female villain of an OtomeGame she played before her death. She ends up with a rare instance of a bisexual harem, since [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer she attracts both male and female love interests]].
236* ''Literature/TheOccupationSaga'': {{Justified}} by the various aliens' use of ExoticExtendedMarriage. By the end of the first book, Jason has slept with nearly every other member of his training squad at least once, male Tarcil included, and at the start of book three he's in a stable polyamorous relationship with Raisha, Kernathu, and Yaro.
237* ''Literature/{{Oreimo}}'': For most of its run, only one girl (Kuroneko) is openly in love with the protagonist, while Kirino (his sister) has tons of UnresolvedSexualTension with him. His childhood friend Manami seems to hold a flame, and another (Ayase) feels something towards him, but it might not be best called "love". Then in the ending OVA, the subtext becomes text as nearly every girl in the cast openly declares their love for him for no apparent reason.
238* ''Literature/{{Oreshura}}'' starts with the main character's childhood friend and (fake) girlfriend vying for his affections, and later on other girls become interested in him as well.
239* ''Literature/{{Oresuki}}'' starts out as a twisted satire of harem series, where the protagonist Joro is a manipulative jerk who [[HaremSeeker actively wants a harem]] but quickly finds out that the two girls he tried to manipulate into falling for him are both into someone else, and the only girl who ''does'' like him is a creepy stalker. The satirical aspects [[SatireAndSwitch are eventually downplayed]] as more girls become genuinely interested in Joro, though the series never completely stops being self-aware about various harem tropes.
240* In the book ''Literature/PowerPlayAHockeyRomance'' by Mia Moon, the heroine finds herself being courted by four hockey players.
241* ''Literature/RebornAsASpaceMercenaryIWokeUpPilotingTheStrongestStarship'': Hiro ends up gathering a harem mostly of BridgeBunnies for his ship, starting with helping Mimi and Elma out of their financial troubles and then hiring them as crew members to WorkOffTheDebt. Neither girl explains initially (mistakenly assuming he already knows) that there's a local custom that if a male starship captain hires a female crew member, she's consenting to be his bed-warmer in addition to her other duties, but by the time he finds out they've already got a pretty solid [[{{polyamory}} three-way relationship]]. Later he acquires Mei, a RidiculouslyHumanRobot [[{{Robosexual}} built to his sexual fantasies]] after he went a little crazy playing "Space Barbie" with the Maidroid designer program without planning to place an order: the company was so impressed they built her for him anyway as a marketing ploy. Hiro is also pursued by military officer Serena Holz (not interested), heiress Christina Dalenwald (too young), and medical doctor Shouko (mutually attracted but is MarriedToTheJob).
242* ''Literature/RuneSoldierLouie'' is mostly [[AvertedTrope an aversion]]/[[{{Parodied}} parody]] of the harem genre. While Louie ''does'' join a travelling party of beautiful women, [[StrictlyProfessionalRelationship they think of him as a means to an end, since their group needs a magician.]] But they ''do'' eventually gain a fair amount of respect for him… even though he's inept at magic. And while his friend, Ila, secretly nurses a crush on him, [[ObliviousToHints Louie fails to notice it.]]
243* ''Literature/SisterPrincess'': An interesting (and unusually non-romantic) variation on this genre. In which, a young man discovers that he has a baker's dozen half-sisters he never knew existed. Having grown up alone except for a few servants, he finds their slavish adoration of their "[[BigBrotherWorship big brother]]" somewhat overwhelming, but grows to love and treasure them all.
244* ''Literature/SoICantPlayH'' begins with Ryosuke's neighbor, Mina, already nursing an unrequited crush on him since childhood. But the first episode's opening scene introduces his soon-to-be love interest: a stunning redhead named, Lisara, who is not only a shinigami, but [[BlueBlood high-ranking nobility.]] Then the other two shinigami show up (Quele and Ilia) and Mina's chances effectively go [[UnluckyChildhoodFriend down the drain.]]
245* ''Literature/StudentCouncilsDiscretion''. The male lead ''blatantly'' announces he is aiming for one to his female cast ''more than once''. He's generally a nice and dependable guy and, in a way, [[spoiler:it pays off by the end]].
246* The ''Literature/SuccubusLord'' series revolves around a guy and his harem of succubi.
247* In ''Literature/TairenSoul'', Ellie is surrounded by handsome men who swear they'll die to do her bidding. They (officially) don't want to be together or sleep with her, however.
248* ''Literature/TanteiTeamKZJikenNote'': While {{downplayed|trope}} due to this being [[MiddleGradeLiterature a series about and primarily aimed at tweens]], there's no escaping the fact that it's one girl surrounded by boys that she and everyone around her consider to be cool and good-looking, and she even develops some feelings towards some of them. While not as strong as older Reverse Harem series, it still has the same effect.
249* ''Literature/{{Toradora}}'' settles into this genre in its second half, with Taiga, Minori and Ami all showing varying degrees of romantic interest in main character Ryuji. [[spoiler:Ryuji and Taiga end up as the OfficialCouple.]]
250* ''Literature/TrappedInADatingSimTheWorldOfOtomeGamesIsToughForMobs'' is a DeconstructiveParody of the genre wherein the male lead is {{blackmail}}ed into beating an [[RomanceGame otome game]][[note]]a dating sim aimed at teenage girls[[/note]] for his sister to get the reverse harem ending, then dies in an accident, [[ReincarnateInAnotherWorld reincarnates as a background character in the game]], realizes [[CrapsackWorld how much the game world sucks for people who aren't the protagonist]], and proceeds to send things wildly OffTheRails in his efforts to survive. [[spoiler:He winds up with both the original PlayerCharacter and TheRival falling in love with [[{{Polyamory}} both him and each other]].]]
251* ''Literature/UndefeatedBahamutChronicle'' has [[TheHero Lux]] accumulating a harem made of the [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething princess]] [[KnightInShiningArmor he works for]], [[BureaucraticallyArrangedMarriage his bureaucratically arranged fiancée]], [[ChildhoodFriendRomance his childhood friend]], [[TheAce the school's top fighter]], [[SubordinateExcuse his servant]], and a [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld distant and ancient cousin from another family branch]].
252[[/folder]]
253
254[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
255* The HBO show ''Series/BigLove'' (although in this case, the harem is [[JustifiedTrope justified as the characters are fringe Mormons]]).
256* The ABC series ''Series/TheBachelor'' counts as this. It involves 20 women competing over the course of a few weeks for the affection of one man.
257* ''Series/MillionYenWomen'', which is about a struggling male author made to live five women who are complete strangers to him, while technically a PsychologicalThriller, gets a few elements of this thanks to the living arrangements.
258[[/folder]]
259
260[[folder:Webcomics]]
261* ''Webcomic/BigBreak2019'': Troy, a college student hailed from the country attracts the attention of his three female roommates.... along with any other woman he encounters.
262* Parodied in ''Webcomic/NotQuiteDailyComic'''s [[http://www.truefork.org/Art/comic/cindex.php?170 "Not Quite Harem Anime Arc"]].
263* ''Webcomic/OwMySanity'' has one made entirely of {{Eldritch Abomination}}s.
264* ''Webcomic/ThePrincesssJewels'': The comic is about the princess of a kingdom gathering up a group of five beautiful men to make her harem.
265* ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent.'' Marten has, over the course of the comic's run, had many female friends who could be potential love interests. [[spoiler:However, only two have actually progressed to that point, and the first relationship ended badly. With the rest, the chances of this happening are slim at best for one reason or another.]]
266* {{Deconstructed|Trope}} in ''Webcomic/MyDearColdBloodedKing''. Mei may be surrounded by hot guys all interested in her, but the experience of being courted by all of them, along with the lengths they're willing to go to in order to get her, is incredibly taxing for her psyche.
267[[/folder]]
268
269[[folder:Web Original]]
270[[/index]]
271* ''WebAnimation/AoharuMangaLibrary'': In stories where Nagisa, Yui, and Noa appear together, they usually end up forming a harem for Keiichi.
272* Hilariously lampshaded by WebVideo/MothersBasement's [[FauxDocumentary PSA,]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FmtiDbg4xY How to Survive a Harem Anime]].
273[[/folder]]

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