Female characters, especially, are written with a singular goal to get with the main protagonist, often sexualized for the reader’s satisfaction, and any character development is put off to the side in order to advance the plot. Secondly, the way female characters are written draws criticism and controversy.

Often, real-life relationships require active participation from both parties and waiting for the love interest to make the first move can lead to complaints about being friendzoned. Harem anime has come under criticism for a multitude of reasons.įirst, it promotes a false expectation of relationships, claiming that being nice will kickstart a relationship with someone, and eventually, the love interest will demonstrate their affection for the protagonist. Thus, harem work in the genres of boys love or girls love is not something impossible, although they are much less common than the classic heterosexual examples. 'Reverse harems' garner popularity, as they sometimes have the harem's genders mixed up without regard for the protagonist's sex or gender. LGBT Īlthough traditionally the harem is considered to be one of the most gender binary and heterosexual genres of anime and manga, this condition is not mandatory, and work in the genre can contain characters of very different LGBT gender identities and sexuality, or even concentrate fully on characters of the one gender. Occasionally, a 'harem ending' occurs where the main protagonist ends with all of the women, but this is more common in works intended for older audiences. Harem endings typically follow two different routes, the main character ends up with one or more of the women. In a reverse harem, it focuses on female protagonists who are being courted by males and/or lesbians, usually seven or more. 'Reverse' Ī reverse harem is the gender-opposite of a 'straight'-harem, wherein a harem is directed towards male protagonists with women and/or gay men courting the protagonist. The main character often spends time with them just to see their efforts to prove themselves to him. Secondly, all his love interests have low self-esteem, falling for the main character because of his nice personality and kindness. This can let the readers insert themselves in the character’s stead or develop sympathy for the character. Typically, harem fiction fixes on key characteristics.įirst, the main protagonist, typically a young man, has very little characterization other than being nice, reacting passively to his surroundings. Intimacy is customary but never necessary. The most distinguishable trait is the group of polyamorous females or males who accompany the protagonist and, in some instances, live with the protagonist.

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