‘Harem’ is derived from the Arabic word ‘Harem,’ a group of women. Harem Anime and Harem Manga are rapidly gaining popularity, particularly among male viewers, since they feed popular Japanese fantasies about traditional gender roles. They are a subgenre of Japanese animation. Harem Anime features a single male protagonist in romantic relationships with many cute girls. Moreover, beautiful girls pique the male protagonist’s romantic interest and transform his ordinary life. So, in this article we will discuss best 20 Harem and Reverse Harem Anime.
Harem Anime frequently takes the polyamorous theme and adds fantasy and fetish elements. The term is also commonly used to describe male rulers who kept a harem of wives and concubines. There have been numerous experiments with harem genres in recent years. For example, there is a Reverse harem where multiple male characters gather around a female protagonist. Some anime feature same-sex couples. Though the harem anime genre has been heavily criticized for its highly sexualized content and objectification of women, it remains popular.
What Is Harem Anime?
Harem (HRM) is an anime genre in which multiple characters of the opposite gender usually surround one main character. This genre is frequently mixed in with romance, comedy, and ecchi. Its uniqueness can lead one to all sorts of predictable situations. Typically, the main character is a man. If the protagonist is female and has multiple male suitors, the Anime is a reverse harem (reverse HRM).
Harem Girl Archetypes
Harem anime girls typically fit a predefined character mold. Here are some examples of familiar character types.
Tsundere: These characters typically wear a tough exterior to conceal their feelings for the main character. Their squabbles frequently bring them together. An excellent example of a tsundere is “Chitoge” from “Nisekoi.”
Kuudere: These characters are colder and show fewer emotions. They can, however, have caring personalities.
The Childhood Friend: This is the typical girl-next-door type. They are frequently adorable and have known the main character for the longest time. They may be irritated at not being noticed by the protagonist.
The Yamato Nadeshiko: This character frequently exhibits characteristics associated with traditional Japanese feminine ideals. They are well-mannered and exude a strong elegance.
The Ojou: This character is frequently wealthy and naughty. In contrast to the Yamato Nadeshiko, they often carry more European beauty ideals.
Rating and Episodes of Harem Anime
| Anime | Episodes | Rating |
| To Love-Ru | 26 | 7.5 |
| Quintessential Quintuplets | 24 | 7.7 |
| Highschool DxD | 48 | 7.6 |
| Date A Live | 48 | 7.2 |
| Yamada-Kun and the Seven Witches | 12 | 7.3 |
| Nisekoi | 32 | 7.3 |
| Rent a girlfriend | 24 | 7.2 |
| Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation | 24 | 8.4 |
| The World God Only Knows | 36 | 7.3 |
| Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs | 12 | 8 |
| Isekai no Seikishi Monogatari | 13 | 7.1 |
| Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai | 26 | 7.0 |
| Ouran HighSchool Host Club | 26 | 7.1 |
| Clannad Series | 26 | 7.2 |
| Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata | 11 | 7.7 |
| We Never Learn | 13 | 7.2 |
| Saikano | 13 | 7.0 |
| Kyo Kara Maoh | 117 | 6.8 |
| Trinity Seven | 12 | 7 |
| Sekirei | 12 | 7 |
From this list, you can see that I have mentioned the best-rated harem anime in this article. The “Kyo Kara Maoh” has the highest number of episodes of this harem anime.
The 20 Best Harem and Reverse Harem Anime to Watch
Nowadays, harem anime is extremely popular. Hundreds are available to viewers, so we’ve compiled a list of the best Harem Anime for you. Scroll down to see the 20 Best Harem Anime.
1. To Love-Ru
It was easy to decide which series should take the top spot. After all, the first thing that comes to mind when one mentions HRM anime is “To Love-Ru.” Rito Yuuki is the HRM king. He’s surrounded by a lot of girls, including aliens. Most of the time, it results in awkward situations that occasionally escalate into something unexpected. That’s its brand of comedy, and it’s incredibly effective. To Love-Ru easily outperforms all competitors to emerge as the only Anime deserving of the HRM crown of glory.
Rito Yuuki is having problems with his love life. He can’t bring himself to confess to the one girl he likes at school. Then, all of a sudden, things became much more complicated. While bathing, a girl named Lala appeared in the same bathtub as him and claimed to be an alien from Deviluke. To make matters worse, she is being pursued by unknown aliens from her planet. Rito rushes in to protect her, unaware that his actions will lead to a significant misunderstanding later on.
2. Quintessential Quintuplets
Futaro has unique relationships with each of the quintuplets throughout the series. A flashforward reveals that he eventually marries one of them. But his true identity is shown near the end of the series. The fact that all five sisters have the same appearance will astound you. They don’t have anything else in common. Each of them has a distinct personality. They all like Futaro, but he needs help picking one of them. Quintessential Quintuplets will test your patience sometimes, but it is the pinnacle of the harem anime genre.
3. Highschool DxD
The High School DxD anime is one of the most well-known series ever. It’s a good harem anime with pretty females, especially “Rias Gregory,” the hottest anime girl you will ever see. The plot revolves around the perverted student Issei Hyoudou. He wastes time spying on women and fantasizing about having his harem one day. The lovely Ria asks Issei to go out on a date, and things appear to be looking up for him. This is although she is a fallen angel who brutally murders him. But he is given a second chance at life when the top-tier devil, Rias Gremory, resurrects him as her servant.
Now, to remain alive in that violent world of angels and devils, Issei must train and fight. Any given adventure has many hilarious and epic moments with his new friends. All that while, he kept his new life a secret from his high school friends and family.
4. Date A Live
Shido has only one option: to capture the hearts of those female spirits and entice them to love him through sweet talk and charm. Date A Life stays true to its name; it’s a date, and everyone lives happily ever after because of it. But Shido is the only one left with all the problems. But he’s having fun, so it’s all right.
In a world rife with space quakes, humanity has lost countless lives at the hands of these misunderstood spirits. A plan devised by an anti-spirit organization, Ratatosk, will be implemented one day. Itsuka Shido, a high school student, becomes involved in the plot because his sister, Itsuka Kotori, is the head of Ratatosk. Ratatosk now asks Shido to befriend the spirits and win their hearts with peaceful resolutions because brute force is ineffective.
5. Yamada-Kun and the Seven Witches
Ryuu Yamada wanted to start over in high school and have a productive school life. That’s why he chose Suzaku High. Nobody knows his past incident. But much to Ryuu’s chagrin, he quickly becomes bored. Ryuu has reverted to his old ways in his second year, being lazy with abysmal grades and constantly getting into fights. Ryuu meets Urara Shiraishi, a beautiful honors student. One day, on his way back from another visit to the office, both fall down the stairs, resulting in an unintentional kiss. The couple discovers that he can change bodies with a kiss, a skill that will be both useful and entertaining.
Toranosuke Miyamura, a class president officer and the sole member of the Miraculous Studies Club recruits him after learning of his newfound power. Miyabi Itou soon joined him, an eccentric fascinated by the supernatural. The group discovers the legend of the Seven Witches of Suzaku High, seven students who have obtained various powers that a kiss can activate. The Supernatural Studies Club’s first mission is to discover the identities of all the witches. However, the manga-to-anime adaptation of the show was excellent. The show’s art and animation were fantastic. The music is adequate. Because the plot moves quickly, you must be invested while watching it.
6. Nisekoi
Raku Ichijou, the heir to the Yakuza family, is the protagonist of this exciting tsundere romance harem anime story. He only wants to put his yakuza past behind him and live an ordinary high school life with his crush, Kosaki Onodera. However, an American gang infiltrates his family’s territory. To avoid confrontation, he enters into a relationship with the daughter of the head of a gang family.
Nisekoi is a well-known anime series that is well-written and faithfully follows the daily lives of a mismatched couple and various characters in a fun yet touching way. As more girls enter his life, his hunt for the girl who holds his heart continues, which leads him in unexpected directions.
7. Rent a Girlfriend
Japan is peculiar. You can hire fathers, mothers, children, and even a girlfriend. Kazuya is eager to try the service when his love rejects him. Good for him, the girlfriend he hires is adorable, but she wishes to keep her relationship a secret from her acquaintance. He is disappointed that his new girlfriend attends his university and his grandmothers are good friends and neighbors. Kazuya also discovers that his new girlfriend is not as sweet in person as she appears.
This Anime is currently one of the favorite harem anime of many fans. The animation and art are both stunning. All of the character designs are very appealing. Even the voice actors have done an outstanding job. You may dislike the protagonist because he is essentially useless, but the girls are simply adorable. You will prefer manga to Anime in general.
8. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation
It is one of the best harem anime available, focusing on topics such as immortality and reincarnation. The plot revolves around a Japanese NEET boy evicted from his home following the death of his parents. The unfortunate boy then attempts to save the life of a boy. The boy is about to be hit by a truck but loses his own life in the process.
He is reborn in a new fantasy world full of magic, but his old memories remain. He sees this as an opportunity to restart his life by becoming more muscular, and he becomes a highly skilled magician, attracting a lot of female attention. Despite criticism in China, this harem genre anime gained popularity and became a hit in Japan.
9. The World God Only Knows
Keima would have the most extensive harem if the girls in The World God Only Knows remembered everything they’d been through. That, however, is not the case. This Anime is about Keima, how many girls he’s conquered, and how they forget everything after he dominates them.
Katsuragi Keima can conquer anything related to it. He’s taken pride in playing games his entire life. Then, one day, a demon girl named Elucia seeks him out to persuade him to assist her in capturing escaped souls. The souls that have now taken up residence in the void of girls’ hearts. So, just like in his dating games, Keima only needs to make them fall in love with him to manifest their souls and capture them in real life.
10. Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs
Kogarashi Fuyuzora, a poor and homeless high school student, is the subject of the television show. He introduces you to the Yuragi Inn, a low-cost guesthouse and former hot spring inn, in your search for a home. He is haunted by the lovely ghost spirit Yuuna, whose body was found at the inn, which is why the rent is so low.
As he learns about the other tenants’ paranormal secrets, Kogarashi assists Yuuna with his unfinished business. Most girls are fighting over one girl in this harem anime. This show is a war between several attractive girls and one guy on multiple fronts, with no ecchi scenes being the norm.
11. Isekai no Seikishi Monogatari
This popular harem anime series in which beautiful girls constantly surround Op Mc. Kenshi Masaki, the story’s protagonist, finds himself in another world. He consents to help them kill Lashara Aasu XXVIII, the new empress of the Shtrayu Empire, to go back home. As her army repels them, Lashara notices Kenshi’s skills and demands that her assailant be captured alive. only to discover that the pilot is a man, which is highly unusual for Geminar.
She employs Kenshi as her bodyguard because she believes killing him would be a waste. Kenshi must travel with Lashara to the Holy Land, a training facility for Mechanoid pilots, as the empress’ new servant. While Kenshi draws attention with his presence, he is unaware that something evil is developing inside the academy that could potentially start a world war.
12. Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai
What distinguishes Boku Tomodachi ga Sukunai is its use of an intriguing premise alongside familiar settings, schools, and clubs. It also contains so many jokes that you will laugh out loud whenever you watch it. The guy surrounded by girls theme works well with this one. Every awkward moment is hilarious. When that hilarity is combined with the perfect blend of articles, we have an instant classic.
Because of the color of his hair, Kodaka Hasegawa has always been treated as a delinquent. At high school, he meets a girl who appears to be talking to no one but claims to be her friend. He realizes she, too, has no friends, prompting them both to form a neighbor club to make new friends. As the club gets going, a few other awkward people join in on the club activities that they believe friends should be doing together.
12. Ouran HighSchool Host Club
The “Ouran High School Host Club” is one of the best harem Anime out there. This Anime revolves around Haruhi Fujioka, who receives a scholarship from one of the best schools in the world. Now, he is preparing to attend it as a high school student. However, when she enters the Host Club’s room, she breaks the 8-million-yen vase, which irritates the members. Haruhi joins an all-male club and is offered a lot of luxury thanks to her masculine features. The Anime is a well-known shoujo and a reverse harem, a satire of otaku culture full of emotions, laughter, and romance.
13. Clannad Series
Tomoya and his friend Youhei decide to skip school and waste their time for a few days to get away from ordinary school life. But one day, Tomoya sees Nagisa, worried because she has been held for a year due to her illness. This forces Tomoya to spend more time with Nagisa and the other female students, learning more about their problems. Soon after, he decides to assist them and enrich their high school experience by joining the drama club. Thus, the series is a classic and one of the best harem anime that demonstrates a variety of emotions with a compelling and convincing story. It is one of today’s most popular Anime.
14. Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata
This is one of the most recent HRM anime series. Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata shines in terms of plot and comical nature. Yes, it’s a typical HRM show, which makes it interesting. Aki Tomoyo, the school’s biggest otaku, stumbles upon a rare moment with what appears to be his ideal girl. His heart suddenly flutters, prompting him to want to make a game based on that particular moment. At this point, he is dead serious about his new project, so he enlists the assistance of two of his most famous students, Eriri Spencer Sawamura and Utaha Kasumigaoka. Later that day, he runs into this seemingly perfect girl again. This time, much to his surprise, she wasn’t who he thought she was.
15. We Never Learn
Nariyuki Yuiga is a high school student at Ichinose Academy. She must teach three female geniuses in different subjects to receive a college scholarship. Fumino Furuhashi is a genius in literature but terrible in math; Rizu Ogata is a genius in math but terrible in literature. And Uruka Takemoto is an athletic genius but terrible in all other subjects. While helping Nariyuki achieve her academic goals, the girls must also deal with her growing feelings for him. They focus on two other girls as the story progresses. Mafuyu Kirisu, their teacher, is a slacker at home despite her professionalism. And Asumi Kominami, a ronin who, despite her age, looks like a high school student.
At the end of the Anime, there is a rumor. The people who dance together at stake are intended to become a couple at the Ichinose School Festival. During this event, Nariyuki meets another of the girls, but her identity is unknown in the chapter’s first release. Nariyuki’s story has five different endings, each with one of the five girls. While her conclusions vary, the girl Nariyuki discovers at stake is the main character. However, after touching Nariyuki during the festival, the girls see glimpses of these endings in another reality. It is revealed that Nariyuki’s late father created the legend of the bonfire school in his youth.
16. Saikano
Shuuji and Chise are third-year students at a high school in Hokkaido in this drama romance harem anime. The shy Chise finally confesses to Shuuji and the two awkwardly exchange diaries. Shuuji tries to flee a surprise enemy air raid on Sapporo one day. Shuuji saw a scene. He will never forget while desperately running the air raid. He sees Chise with a massive weapon that appears to be part of her hand, shooting down enemy fighters individually. The chisel is the most potent weapon with destructive potential, essential for the war.
17. Kyo Kara Maoh
This Anime tells the story of Yuri Shibuya, an average teenager who is trying to figure out what his life is all about. He becomes the target of a gang of bullies one day, who shove his head in the toilet. Initially shocked by his observations, people believe he is the next Demon King. The main character initially dismisses the belief, but after fighting another demon from an unknown kingdom, he realizes he is a demon king and must bring demons and humans together. He notices a portal that draws him in and transports him to the medieval era. Even though Anime differs from other harem Anime in which many girls surround a boy, girls prefer it over guys, while the debate over its origins continues.
18. Trinity Seven
It’s one particular guy surrounded by several equally extraordinary ladies. But that’s not the only thing this series has to offer. What distinguishes this Anime is the main character’s distinct quality, distinguishing him from other protagonists in the genre. Arata Kasuga and his all-girl troupe get along like a conforming wave in the vast ocean.
When a black sun appears in the sky, it causes the Collapse Phenomenon. Arata Kasuga realizes that something is wrong in the world. His friend Hijiri Kasuga gets into trouble, and a mysterious magician is after him. Arata decides to enroll in a mage institute to look for his cousin. He realized what was going on and obtained the grimoire. He meets the Trinity Seven, the best regarding magic and skills.
19. Sekirei
This action harem anime is designed for those who enjoy a significant amount of fan service and episodes that aren’t too plot-heavy. It follows Minato Sahashi, a student who keeps failing his college entrance examinations and thus loses social standing. His future, however, changes abruptly for the better when a beautiful, supernatural woman falls on him. This woman’s name is Musubi, and she is a member of the “Sekirei” race of humanoid extraterrestrials.
These aliens are known for kissing the people who carry the Ashikabi gene, which reveals a new set of abilities deep within them. Musubi kisses Minato, beginning a relationship with him. This transports him to the world of Sekirei, where he and his new partner should compete for survival in a battle known as “The Sekirei Plan.” However, everyone is unaware there is more at stake than initially thought.
Conclusion
This year has seen a surge in the popularity of the harem genre. With all the new additions to its catalog, it’s finally getting the quality it deserves. Some high-quality titles cater to the ecchi audience while also providing thoughtful romances. As a result, these good harem anime additions will undoubtedly reinforce the genre’s strong points. I have mentioned the 20-harem Anime in this article. These are certainly the best harem anime that any medium has to offer. If you have any suggestions, please write them in the comment section. That’s all for today.
