History Main / BalancedHarem

* ''Literature/DateALive'': All the [[MagicalGirlWarrior Spirts]] have their own personal arcs where they undergo character and relationship development with Shido. While some fight for his attention, Shido has a strong bond with all the Spirits as they contribute to his power evolution.

* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' features an unusual example. First of all, the protagonist Negi is a 10-year-old boy teaching a class of middle school girls. At the beginning, there were only two students who were presented as potential romantic options for Negi, although the number of admirers increases considerably as the manga goes on. While some girls are more prominent than others because of the large cast, everyone gets roughly equal {{Fanservice}} and ShipTease. Still, Negi continues to not show definite romantic feelings for anyone both because of his young age and him being too focused on trying to look for his DisappearedDad, protect his students and later, save the Magic World to even think about answering the girls' feelings. [[spoiler:It's only until the very last arc that Negi has enough time to actually decide on who he has feelings for.]]

* The seven female mages of ''Manga/TrinitySeven'' are all essential to the plot because each one uses a magic archive of the SevenDeadlySins and Arata [[HaremPowered acquires their abilities as he gets closer to them]] in his process to become the [[MaouTheDemonKing Demon Lord]]. Although Lilith gets the main heroine treatment more often, every member of the BattleHarem has their time to shine, {{Fanservice}}, and ShipTease with Arata. There's also Hijiri and Anastasia, two mages equal to the Trinity Seven, who are also in love with Arata and they get decent amount of focus too.

* ''Literature/DateALive'': Over time, the [[MagicalGirlWarrior Spirts]] grow more comfortable with sharing [[TheHero Shido]], even giving each other advice in how to improve their dates with him. They are still competing to be his number #1, however.

* ''LightNovel/InAnotherWorldWithMySmartphone'': The story starts out right away on this trope, with Touya meeting sisters Elze and Linze almost immediately and both of them presented as equally-viable love interests. By the time he meets Yumina (the first girl to actually propose to him and make her intentions clear), he gets told by {{God}} himself that polygyny is A-OK in this new world and only a few episodes later, Yumina agrees to share him with the other girls, making MarryThemAll the only sensible ending.

* ''LightNovel/{{Oreshura}}'': Eita's ChildhoodFriend, Chiwa, is obviously in love with him but CannotSpitItOut, and Eita is [[ObliviousToLove too oblivious to notice]]. Masuzu blackmailed him into being her fake boyfriend, and they claim to dislike each other, but [[AwLooktheyReallydoLoveEachOther there's clearly more to it than that]]. Himeka thinks she's Eita's girlfriend from an alternate reality, having apparently experienced LoveAtFirstSight, and quickly becomes as close to the male lead as the other two.

* ''LightNovel/{{MM}}'' has a two-tier format, with a {{Tsundere}} and an [[DoesNotLikeMen androphobic girl]] as actual love interests, and a trio of tag-along girls for gags and {{Fanservice}}.

* ''LightNovel/DemonKingDaimao'': The anime made sure to show the girls for the same amounts of times, in the same situations in the opening and ending credits.

* The [[MultinationalTeam Multinational]] [[EnsembleCast Ensemble]] BattleHarem of ''LightNovel/InfiniteStratos'' get equal screentime with the protagonist Ichika and he's [[CluelessChickMagnet so dense]] that none of them is making progress with him. Note that although his main harem consists of five girls, only three of them are expected to actually have a shot--[[PatientChildhoodLoveInterest Hou]][[{{Tsundere}} ki]][[labelnote:*]]For being his ChildhoodFriend, and being one of the few girls to have a greater focus in story[[/labelnote]], [[DefrostingIceQueen Laura]][[labelnote:*]]For having [[ForcefulKiss kissed him in front of the entire class]], and later declaring him as ''[[WackyMarriageProposal her wife]]'';[[/labelnote]], and [[SweetPollyOliver Charles/Charlotte]][[labelnote:*]]For being one of the series' [[EnsembleDarkhorse fan favorites]] upon her [[ShowerOfAwkward embarrassing, fanservice-laden reveal]], and the fact that she's the first to get her own spin-off story[[/labelnote]]. Season 2 adds two more girls into the mix with the introduction of the [[StudentCouncilPresident Sara]][[ShrinkingViolet shiki]] [[SiblingRivalry Sisters]], although one of them just forced herself into the harem on a whim.

* In ''LightNovel/AntiMagicAcademyThe35thTestPlatoon'', every girl has her own personal arc where she bonds with Takeru and deals with her tragic past as she struggles to overcome her problems with Takeru's support. All the girls are treated as invaluable members of the team, get screentime in all the arcs, and Takeru will do anything to protect all of them.

* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' features an unusual example. First of all, the protagonist Negi is a 10-year-old boy teaching a class of middle school girls. At the beginning, there were only two students who were presented as potential romantic options for Negi, although the number of admirers increases considerably as the manga goes on. While some girls are more prominent than others because of the large cast, everyone gets roughly equal {{Fanservice}} and ShipTease. Still, Negi continues to not show definite romantic feelings for anyone both because of his young age and him being too focused on trying to look for his DisappearedDad, protect his students and later, save the Magic World to even think about answering the girls' feelings.

In some cases, if some of the girls are still in different levels of prominence, they are organized in "tiers" of 2-3 main love interests, whose prominance is still balanced compared to each other, and a larger number of "minor" harem characters, who are also balanced out compared to each other.

* ''Manga/ImaizumiBringsAllTheGyarusToHisHouse'': Keita Imaizumi, in a relationship with three Gyaru girls, Yukina, Ruri, and Reina who regularly hang out with him and have sex on a regular basis. Unlike the original hentai source, the manga takes a more direct approach and divulges each girls relationship with Imaizumi. This cleverly allows each one to spend time with him outside his apartment and showcase that their feelings for him are a lot more affectionate than it looks as well as Imaizumi intending to find a way to make his polyamory relationship work out because they he loves them all. And ''then'' later chapters has Reina's older sister Risa joining the group and, while they were initially irritated that he had sex with her when they were away, they accepted her in the relationship once he reassured his love for them all. [[spoiler:He winds up taking all 4 in his relationship years later and having a ''very'' kinky sex life with them, even having ''orgies'' with them.]]

* ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'', the quintessential HaremAnime, does this, to the point that [[NoRomanticResolution you aren't really sure at the end ''who'' Tenchi is supposed to be with]] and leaves you with the thought that [[MarryThemAll polygamy is more than on the table.]]

* ''Manga/WeNeverLearn'': Rizu, Fumino, Uruka, Mafuyu, and Asumi all have roughly equal amounts of screentime and romantic development with Nariyuki, although the first three show a more obvious attraction.

* ''LightNovel/{{Haganai}}'' is a little weird about this. The screentime is somewhat balanced, but it is done by having the entire cast be together almost all the time. However, closer examination reveals a two-tier format, with Yozora and Sena being the main girls, and making the others a mixed-bag of genre tag-alongs.

* ''LightNovel/IfHerFlagBreaks'': Most if not all of the girls (and one guy) usually appear in every chapter and get equal amount of interaction with Souta because they all live under the same roof. They also share equal amounts of {{fanservice}} and it's possible for any of them to win Souta over. This deserves special mention, being the most loving and supporting harem ever written. The girls will constantly help each other get closer to Souta, then act confused when outsiders suggest this might be detrimental to their own feelings. [[LoveFreak Akane]] and [[CoolBigSis Okiku]] in particular are absolutely delighted whenever a new girl pops up.

* The Manga Imaizumi Brings All The Gyarus To His House has Keita Imaizumi, in a relationship with three Gyaru girls, Yukina, Ruri, and Reina who regularly hang out with him and have sex on a regular basis. Unlike the original hentai source, the manga takes a more direct approach and divulges each girls relationship with Imaizumi. This cleverly allows each one to spend time with him outside his apartment and showcase that their feelings for him are a lot more affectionate than it looks as well as Imaizumi intending to find a way to make his polyamory relationship work out because they he loves them all. And ''then'' later chapters has Reina's older sister Lisa joining the group and, while they were initially irritated that he had sex with her when they were away, they accepted her in the relationship once he reassured his love for them all. [[spoiler:He winds up taking all 4 in his relationship years later and having a ''very'' kinky sex life with them, even having ''orgies'' with them.]]

* The Manga Imaizumi Brings All The Gyarus To His House has the Imaizumi, in a relationship with three Gyaru girls, Yukina, Ruri, and Reina who regularly hang out with him and have sex on a regular basis. Unlike the original hentai source, the manga takes a more direct approach and divulges each girls relationship with Imaizumi. This cleverly allows each one to spend time with him outside his apartment and showcase that their feelings for him are a lot more affectionate than it looks as well as Imaizumi intending to find a way to make his polyamory relationship work out because they he loves them all. And ''then'' later chapters has Reina's older sister Lisa joining the group and, while they were initially irritated that he had sex with her when they were away, they accepted her in the relationship once he reassured his love for them all. [[spoiler:He winds up taking all 4 in his relationship years later and having a ''very'' kinky sex life with them, even having ''orgies'' with them.]]

* The Manga Imaizumi Brings All The Gyarus To His House has the Imaizumi, in a relationship with three Gyaru girls, Yukina, Ruri, and Reina who regularly hang out with him and have sex on a regular basis. Unlike the original hentai source, the manga takes a more direct approach and divulges each girls relationship with Imaizumi. This cleverly allows each one to spend time with him outside his apartment and showcase that their feelings for him are a lot more affectionate than it looks as well as Imaizumi intending to find a way to make his polyamory relationship work out because they he loves them all. And ''then'' later chapters has Reina's older sister Risa joining the group and, while they were initially irritated that he had sex with her when they were away, they accepted her in the relationship once he reassured his love for them all. [[spoiler:He winds up taking all 4 in his relationship years later and having a ''very'' kinky sex life with them, even having ''orgies'' with them.]]

* The Manga Imaizumi Brings All The Gyarus To His House has the Imaizumi, in a relationship with three Gyaru girls, Yukina, Ruri, and Reina who regularly hang out with him and have sex on a regular basis. Unlike the original hentai source, the manga takes a more direct approach and divulges each girls relationship with Imaizumi. This cleverly allows each one to spend time with him outside his apartment and showcase that their feelings for him are a lot more affectionate than it looks as well as Imaizumi intending to find a way to make his polyamory relationship work out because they he loves them all. And ''then'' later chapters has Reina's older sister Risa joining the group and, while they were initially irritated that he had sexwith her when they were away, they accepted her in the relationship once he reasured his love for them all. [[spoiler:He winds up taking all 4 in his relationship years later and having a ''very'' kinky sex life with them, even having ''orgies'' with them.]]

[[folder:Light Novels]]

* ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'' has no serious romantic plots with either of the main girls, but all the girls have a crush on the protagonist.
** Though this gets [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] as the Light Novel proceeds as due to the nature of the overarching story, Touma not only spends a majority of his time in major battles, they're also on such an obscene level most of his harem simply CantCatchUp, have powers that aren't combat-based, or due to their own group's actions are unable to fight alongside him directly, really leaving just [[ShockAndAwe Mikoto]] and [[spoiler: [[TheMentor Othinus]]]] as the central, consistent women getting screen time. Though [[ShadowArchetype Kamisato Kakeru]] shows what would happen if Touma's harem became a truly, balanced BattleHarem. The series would likely just end due to the absurd power level that Touma's would have.
* ''LightNovel/DateALive'': Over time, the [[MagicalGirlWarrior Spirts]] grow more comfortable with sharing [[TheHero Shido]], even giving each other advice in how to improve their dates with him. They are still competing to be his number #1, however.

* A rare non-HaremAnime example occurs in ''Manga/OokuTheInnerChambers'', where Yoshimune makes sure every concubine has a go with her. That way no one could claim otherwise when she names one of the more malleable concubines as the father of her child.

* ''LightNovel/UndefeatedBahamutChronicle'': The series has given all the girls in [[TheHero Lux]]'s harem equal prominence to the story and romantic development with Lux.

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/ABrothersPrice'': The setting has [[ExoticExtendedMarriage sororal polygyny]], and Jerin's father taught him that it is of vital importance to invoke this trope by spending each night with another wife, and the repeat in the same order, to prevent jealousy.
-->'''Jerin''': And if that wife is sick at the time?\\
'''Tullen''': Then you sleep alone.
[[/folder]]

* A rare non-HaremAnime example occurs in ''Manga/{{Ooku}}'', where Yoshimune makes sure every concubine has a go with her. That way no one could claim otherwise when she names one of the more malleable concubines as the father of her child.

* ''VideoGame/EnsembleStars'' follows a girl who has transferred into a previously OneGenderSchool for male idols in training, and even though the [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters enormous cast]] features over 30 different students, all of them get their time in the spotlight, and all have at least some kind of relationship with Anzu. However, the romantic content is more toned down here than in most harems - only a handful of the cast explicitly has romantic feelings for her, with the guys often being more interested in the very complex friendship, rivalry, hate, and [[HoYay possibly romantic]] relationship dodecahedrons amongst themselves.

* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' features an unusual example. First of all, the protagonist Negi is a 10-year-old boy teaching a class of middle school girls. At the beginning, there were only two students who were presented as potential romantic options for Negi, although the number of admirers increases considerably as the manga goes on. While some girls are more prominent than others because of [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters the large cast]], everyone gets roughly equal {{Fanservice}} and ShipTease. Still, Negi continues to not show definite romantic feelings for anyone both because of his young age and him being too focused on trying to look for his DisappearedDad, protect his students and later, save the Magic World to even think about answering the girls' feelings.