BoyMeetsGirl. [[SerialEscalation And Girl. And Girl. And Girl.]] The RomanticComedy meets LoveDodecahedron, this is what happens when a OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent who is [[UnluckyEverydude unlucky in love]] finally manages to [[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons roll a natural 20 on his CHA check.]]

The result is that [[HaremGenre the protagonist, previously unlucky in love, suddenly has several girls all vying for his attention at the same time.]]
One of the most popular Anime and Manga storylines due to its pure unadulterated wish fulfillment -- this is the major setup for {{Romance Game}}s (often called {{Dating Sim}}s in the US), which are frequently made into an Anime as a form of cash in. That shouldn't stop you from doing one, remember Administrivia/TropesAreTools, and the story of conflicted lovers is as old as time itself.

Much of the advice on SoYouWantTo/WriteAMagicalGirlfriendSeries also deals with harems as well.

If you're ready to make the protagonist, check out SoYouWantTo/WriteAHaremHero.

!'''Necessary Tropes'''

* {{Fanservice}}: A Harem series is essentially a fanservice series. You need to make your characters very appealing both to the protagonist and to the audience. This includes specific {{Shout Out}}s to the audience. NakedApron, BeachEpisode, etc etc. However, it is possible to put in way too much {{Fanservice}}.
* LoveDodecahedron: You don't have a series without at least some relationship conflict. In most cases, this is at least 3 characters being in love with TheProtagonist, who is unable to choose. If there's only 2 rivals for his affection, it's a LoveTriangle.
** Note that these do not necessarily have to be ''serious'' contenders. The situation could shake out to a OfficialCouple or a LoveTriangle situation, with the extra, "beta" characters being PrettyFreeloaders or be genuinely interested -- but not to the point of the "real" relationship interests. Many LoveDodecahedron situations in harems turn out to have some of the beta characters having HiddenDepths in the form of outside relationships -- a girl who initially seems to be pining for the guy may actually be suffering after losing her husband to illness, or be awaiting her fiancee's return from overseas.
* StatusQuoIsGod: You don't have a series if he picks a girl and spits it out, so naturally he won't be able to. Well, you do have potential for a SpinOff series, though if you're writing it as a MiniSeries.
* AccidentalPervert and many of the MistakenForIndex tropes: Misunderstandings are going to move your plot forward, you should stop thinking about avoiding them and start thinking about how to do them well.

!'''Choices, Choices'''

First things first, you will need to figure out the level of harem-ness. Is it a protagonist with a large number of {{Pretty Freeloader}}s and a rapidly less understanding girlfriend? Is it a pair of ChildhoodFriends both realizing their feelings for TheProtagonist at the same time he finally makes progress with the [[NewTransferStudent new exchange student]]? Is it a band manager trying to keep a group of diverse personalities from killing each other?

Does anything get resolved? Are certain characters [[PutOnABus destined for a bus?]] Is it LoveAtFirstSight?

How bizarre the harem is? Surely you want some diversion and variety, but this is depending on your setting and tone of story. Handle it carefully, for having unusual girls can make the harem look more interesting, but they also add more question you need to answer.
* '''Normal girls''': {{Childhood Friend|Romance}}, {{Tomboy}} GenkiGirl, {{Tsundere}} AlphaBitch, [[AloofDarkHairedGirl Kuudere]] HeirToTheDojo, ShrinkingViolet {{Meganekko}}, YamatoNadeshiko, etc. This is basic group, easily fit in any setting.
* '''Exotic but not unusual girls''': NewTransferStudent, Princess, IdolSinger, TheStoic StudentCouncilPresident, etc. Unlike the first group, to have these girls in harem mean this guy is indeed a special guy. Think of some good reason why they're in the harem. A simple {{handwave}} may be enough to justify one of these special girls being in the harem (hey, he may be just a really lucky guy to catch her attention). But unless it's backed up by good writing, your harem hero can easily come off as a MartyStu.
* '''Girls that you won't see in RealLife''': CuteGhostGirl, TokenMiniMoe CuteWitch, FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire, MagicalGirl, [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Angel]], {{Ridiculously Human|Robots}} RobotGirl, [[SuccubiAndIncubi Succubus]], OppositeSexClone, HumanAlien, etc. On the plus side, it's clear that you're writing fantasy here (UrbanFantasy if you can justify their presence in a modern setting), and the audience will question less about their reason to fall in love than group 2's. On the other hand, do not expect to keep audiences satisfied with just romance and drama, they expect something ''special'' from this harem.

!'''Pitfalls'''

There are good harem stores, and there are bad harem stories. The genre does not work without actual interpersonal conflict. If one character isn't likable, then there's no reasonable struggle, no drama.

While Harem Series have a very classic series of tropes, it's very important not to fall into the standard formula too much, lest you be seen as going through the motions. StatusQuoIsGod, but pointing this out too much will push your luck with the audience.

Avoid abruptly CleaningUpRomanticLooseEnds as best you can.

Be careful with CluelessChickMagnet protagonists who don't notice or react to their harem's affections. The general consensus among viewers is that "dense" protagonists are annoying to watch, even if they won't immediately sink a show.

!'''Potential Subversions and Variations'''

There's a reason masculine pronouns have been used so far -- flip the genders. Girl with Boy, Boy, Boy, Boy. This is becoming more popular as creators across the world try to defy the GirlShowGhetto.

Flip the sexuality of the characters. Boy with Boy, Boy, Boy, Boy, or Girl with Girl, Girl, Girl, Girl. A popular gag character is a gay character getting in on the harem against the protagonist's wishes, or joining the Harem not to chase after the protagonist, but to chase after another character in the harem -- and this is ALWAYS played up for the creep factor -- after all, there's NoBisexuals, right? Another one: Boy with Girl, Girl, Boy, Boy or a Girl torn between the hunky new exchange student and her [[PseudoRomanticFriendship best female "friend".]]

The end result of almost all of these series is the characters pairing off with each other, one at a time. The subversion then becomes if TheProtagonist, or his harem, simply [[{{Polyamory}} refuse to be shut out by a silly thing like monogamy]]. Literature/{{Kanokon}} did this to hilarious effect -- Kouta ultimately picks Chizuru but that hardly slows Nozomu down -- and in the end, they decide to share him. You could alernatively have the harem share him earlier than the end, a trend that has slowly become more common in recent years.

A common subtype (based on the first major {{Deconstruction}} of this trope, ''Manga/UruseiYatsura'', which ironically came [[UnbuiltTrope before]] the HaremGenre really was codified as a trope) is to have the guy be a royal pervert and the "harem" unable to stand him for more than a few minutes at a time -- at first. Flipping this, having an UsefulNotes/{{asexual}} character, one who is genuinely not interested in the harem, is the much darker "{{stalker|WithACrush}}" type -- when the "harem" is all in the protagonist's head, and they are all genuinely not interested. The HaremGenre setup is usually played up for comedy -- but it doesn't have to be.

Perhaps the least used variation would be to not focus on the guy in the middle at all. Try taking a look at the situation from the POV of a girl who has to compete with four or five other girls for someone's affections. What makes this boy so special to her? Is her interest in him really romantic in nature, or she really just a friend who doesn't want to lose him to a girlfriend? What will she do to stand out in his eyes, and most importantly, what will she do if he picks her? What if he ''doesn't''?

A lot of harem animes have the guy finally choosing the PatientChildhoodLoveInterest or the {{Tsundere}}. Why not surprise the audience and have him choose [[TheSmartGuy the brainy chick]], the {{otaku}}, the CoolBigSis, or the gangster girl? Heck, speaking of {{Tsundere}}s, how about avoiding DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale?[[note]]By avoiding, we mean abuse shouldn't be acceptable regardless of the abuser's gender. '''Don't''' invert it by making it alright for a male to abuse a female, it most likely will backfire horribly.[[/note]]

'''The Parents''' - So often, the families of the main characters are given generic characterization, provided that they show up or are mentioned ''at all''. Defy this AdultsAreUseless trope by including the Moms and Dads of the protagonist and his harem in some of your plots. Are they encouraging this farce? Are they trying to talk sense into their son(s) and daughter(s)? What could be some wholly original plotlines that could be told if you had such authority figures wading through this quagmire?

Most harem series take place in a high school setting. Why not age up the characters and make it either a college setting or take out schools all together and have the characters just be adults whom are juggling everyday issues and romantic relationships?

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!'''Writers' Lounge'''

!!'''Potential Motifs'''

TheUnwantedHarem. The standard motif of this series is [[OneTruePairing one "true" pairing]], which TheProtagonist [[ObliviousToLove will not realize until the end]]. If one of the harem characters (the "one true paring") realizes this before he does expect lots of CannotSpitItOut.

!!'''Suggested Plots'''

The RomanceArc, obviously. In addition, everything under {{Fanservice}} and RomanticComedy, only with multiple parings. Eventually the series has to end -- the RomanticFalseLead might start to make an appearance as some of the tetrinary characters, which may or may not go over well.

GenerationXerox is also a type commonly used in fanfiction, but rarely if at all in a series: The whole harem thing was resolved a long time ago. TheProtagonist made his choice, and everyone's come to terms with that and gone on with their lives, found other loves, and everyone has children of their own... Then puberty starts to kick in with the new generation, and wouldn't you know it, it's all centered on the OfficialCouple's child, or the child of another couple, or someone else entirely. Suddenly, the parents see what it was like on the outside of the situation they grew up with. Some may despair, some may laugh, others may see it as a second chance of sorts (especially if there were other matters aside from (or alongside) feelings influencing their participation in the first place): If I couldn't have you, my son will have your daughter.

Why not make your story set around a ''literal'' [[RoyalHarem harem]]? Powerful Kings, Khans and Emperors across the centuries have been noted in keeping several ([[ReallyGetsAround or more]]) concubines or wives, spawning a massive dynasty. Take a break from the StrictlyFormula setting of modern day High School and have yourself a story set in such a historical (or HighFantasy inspired) empire, and your protagonist is/was the SpareToTheThrone who has suddenly found himself an only child, and needs to pick a bride from one of the [[DecadentCourt families in court]], or at least spawn an heir or three. Suddenly, you have a ''{{justified|Trope}}'' reason for the Protagonist to have been unlucky-in-love before now and suddenly have to deal with all these women, and suddenly, instead of the heroines being somewhat bratty teenagers who start of TugLoverWar at the drop of a hat, the heroines are darker, [[ManipulativeBastard more schemy-er]] versions of the typical Harem Genre Archetypes, with a ''reason'' to be so fixated on the same man. Comedy may ([[{{Deconstruction}} or may not]]) still be apart of the feel of the story, but the audience suddenly finds it balanced with court politics and nasty schemes and temporary alliances.

!'''Departments'''
!!'''Set Designer''' / '''Location Scout'''

* Almost universally, you're going to be looking at young characters, and young characters almost always mean schools, libraries, and the like.
* You need a BigFancyHouse -- or dorm, or inn, or apartment complex -- that will hold 3-10 people comfortably.
* A BeachEpisode is almost a requirement. A HotSpringsEpisode is usually par for the course, as well.
* Mixing in some other genres -- scifi, fantasy, etc -- is possible as well, and would definitely affect your location choices.

!!'''Props Department'''

!!'''Costume Designer'''
* TransferStudentUniforms and casual wear that plays up the characters' personality. {{Fanservice}} outfits are common as well.

!!'''Casting Director'''
* See ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' as a textbook example of the genre minus (most of) the sexual overtones -- the guy is a [[KidHero child]]. Just about every Anime girlfriend trope is in here -- [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools not that there's anything wrong with that.]] You have mysterious foreigners, glasses-wearing girls, slightly chubby girls, {{genki girl}}s, a Tsundere with a past, a {{Ojou}} with a [[ComedicShotacon shotacon]] complex, pairs of mischievous twins, a schoolgirl lesbian or two, sporty girls, a ''[[CuteGhostGirl ghost girl]]'', a vampire ElegantGothicLolita, a '''robot'''.. However, this should not be considered a typical HaremAnime series, as outside of casting, was a textbook case of WriterRevolt -- the author and artist wanted to do a fighting manga, his publisher wanted a harem manga, and he played along until it was popular enough that he could do a GenreShift.
* Your protagonist is probably going to be an UnluckyEverydude but this is not required. How about a guy that's TheAce and ObliviousToLove? Or worse (for the girls) -- TheAce who also happens to be StraightGay?
* At least one character, most likely the "one true girl" will be a Tsundere who CannotSpitItOut. A {{Yandere}} foil is becoming common as well, played up for a various balance between creep factor and comedy.
* Standard other female characters include:
** TheSmartGirl (Glasses, short hair, very meek)
** The HardDrinkingPartyGirl ("American" style characterization, very outgoing, often lustful)
** The [[ChildhoodFriendRomance girl he's known since childhood]] (PatientChildhoodLoveInterest optional)
** The TokenMiniMoe (usually the little sister of one of the girls, often too young to be an actual contender)
** The MagicalGirlfriend (alien, witch, monster-girl, etc)
** The OldMaid (Often a teacher, often very concerned with the goings on, which she uses to justify her growing attraction.)
* And let's not forget that a story can't ''solely'' focus on the romantic hijinks. Well... You ''can,'' but that can get monotonous. Spice things up a little by introducing secondary characters to help shape your story. Such as...
** ThoseTwoGuys - Your protagonist probably has a few friends, acquaintances, neighbors or amiable coworkers before striking it (un)lucky. What are ''their'' thoughts on the events? While your protagonist is an audience surrogate for WishFulfillment, these characters can be an audience stand-in for how they might react if these events were happening to someone they knew, making them fertile for [[EnsembleDarkhorse gaining popularity from the fans for completely different reasons]].
** HaremNanny - An older, usually female, character who acts as a calming authority figure in the household. Be it a TugLoverWar that threatens to go to far, the threat of inserting ''yet another'' romantic interest in the last story arc, a Tsundere running a muck more than usual, or simply a visiting relative our protagonist doesn't want to learn about what's with all these women, she is the one to add a calming, logical influence to mitigate the insanity. Fans adore these types of characters due to their no-nonsense attitudes, them finding just as much amusement in the situation as they do, and the fact that ''she actually gives a straight answer!'' An author can also use her as an avatar to help guide the relationships, as well as help hint to the audience who ([[MarryThemAll if]] [[DumpThemAll any]] [[NoRomanticResolution at all]]) will win in the end. Probably the only recurring female character who never has any romantic interest in your protagonist in the whole story.
** The aforementioned parents.
** An external conflict - Forcing the harem members to cooperate against some outside problem can trigger changes in their relationships. Particularly applicable to {{Battle Harem}}s.
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!'''Extra Credit'''
!!'''The Greats'''
* ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'' ([=OVAs=] 1 and 2) are essentially the most famous harem in the United States, and one of the codifiers of many tropes associated with the genre. They also invented one of the more common [[MarryThemAll solutions]] to the harem problem.
* ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' starts piling on the harem girls -- and then the girls gain their own harems. Plays up just about every related trope, despite WordOfGod saying that Akane and Ranma are the [[OfficialCouple real couple]] and everyone else is just a distraction. Shipping wars follow this series to this very day.
* Similarly, ''Manga/UruseiYatsura'' was messing with this trope in the early 80s -- with the Universe's biggest pervert Ataru Moroboshi trying to invoke this trope, and failing. Had an odd case of pseudo-RunningTheAsylum -- the fans ''vastly'' preferred Lum, who was originally going to be the distraction between the original OfficialCouple, Ataru and Shinobu.
* ''VisualNovel/{{Shuffle}}'' was a rare example that ended the LoveDodecahedron before the series did.
* The brutal ''VisualNovel/SchoolDays'' took this general idea and dashed in a nearly ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}''-level of '''{{GrimDark}}'''. Proof that a HaremAnime doesn't ''have'' to be comedy.
* ''Literature/{{Kanokon}}'' has a guy who is a nearly UsefulNotes/{{asexual}} cute little boy being hounded by two ''extremely'' lusty and busty girls. [[spoiler:(Continuing this, they decide to share him in the end.)]]
* ''Manga/ElfenLied'' is what you get when you take a Harem Anime and remove the comedy, replacing it with drama and gore.
* ''Anime/OuranHighSchoolHostClub'' is a StealthParody of {{Shoujo}} RomanticComedy stories, but specifically aims towards ReverseHarem. Oh, and it has plot behind the absurd amount of comedy.

!!'''Contested'''
Some examples that worth the look so you can SEE the pros and con.
* ''Manga/LoveHina'': Arguably the TropeCodifier of the harem genre, the reason why it became so popular. Pros: a colorful cast of characters with quirky personalities and healthy amounts of fanservice. Cons: [[DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale The women enjoy beating up the boy they're supposed to be in love with. A lot.]]
* ''Manga/RosarioPlusVampire'': Despite all you heard about them is... Fanservice, or Loads of them. Pros: Good for making the Harem aspect and InterspeciesRomance [[TearJerker sadly serious]] and [[CharacterDevelopment fleshed out]], Cons: [[FetishRetardant Too much fanservice]], '''especially''' the Anime.
* ''Anime/TheWallflower'' involves people trying to ''invoke'' the ReverseHarem version of this to live in a swanky house without paying rent.

!!'''The Epic Fails'''
* ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'' (OVA 3) shows that harem stories that are filled with MyKungFuIsStrongerThanYours can dilute the plot to the point of pointlessness, and the addition of {{Mary Sue}}s to the cast ''never'' helps.
* ''Anime/TenchiMuyoGXP'' also shows that trying to stay StrictlyFormula is fine, but shows still need some form of extra ''oomph'' to push it up from "mediocre," to "watchable." As with OVA 3, this Tenchi series seemed to have the harem aspect just because everyone expects a Tenchi series to have a harem (never do this), and when harem antics are something you just endure so you can watch the ever wacky antics of Seriyo Tennan, you've messed up.
* ''Anime/GuardianHearts'' has the wacky-type harem with an alien princess, a {{Ninja}}, a protector of Earth and some more. It's also a ClicheStorm of the highest level and very boring and uninspired, both for story and visuals/sound.

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