What Is a Harem Anime?

Ever search through the genre section of Crunchyroll and ask yourself: what is a Harem anime? Well, you honestly wouldn’t be the first person to, as it is a reasonable question for anyone that is still getting comfortable with the medium. Here is everything you need to know about one of anime’s most unique subsections.

What Is a Harem Anime?

Originating back in Japan in the 1970s, though it exploded in the late 1980s and 1990s, Harem anime are stories that focus on polygynous or polyandrous relationships. In these shows, the protagonist is surrounded by three or more people that want to be in a relationship with them.

These shows often center around comedy, as the plots detail the calamity that can occur when multiple people are competing for the love of the same person. Often times, the main protagonist is written to allow the audience to project themselves into the character.

Harems originated with male protagonists being pursued by multiple women at once are usually referred to as a female harem or seraglios. If the series follows a heterosexual female or gay male protagonist paired with an all-male/yaoi harem series is referred to as a male harem, reverse harem, or gyaku hāremu.

What Was the First Harem Anime?

While there were plenty of manga and some OVAs created before it, Tenchi Muyo is widely considered to be the first Harem anime ever, as it was the first show to really embody all of the aspects known to the genre.

The original series was released in Japan back in 1992, beginning with six OVA episodes. In 1995, a 26-episode anime came out, retelling and expanding upon the original six episodes.

That is everything you need to know about what is a Harem anime? If you’re still on the hunt for more info about anime, be sure to check out the rest of Twinfinite to see the rest of our guides, which have plenty of tips, tricks, and FAQs.

There should also be some more anime content down below that you may find helpful, as well as some other news about the genre. That includes plenty of other helpful guides, features, and quizzes you’ll surely love.

Featured Image Source: Bibury Animation Studios