Harem Anime/Manga's that actually end with a harem?

[Cleric of Hell's Brigade]

Been pondering this question. Aside from Kazuki (Maburaho), Tenchi (Tenchi Muyo!), Seina (GXP), and Kazuki (Duel!), what anime/manga have actually ended up as a harem?


Negi (Negima) seems like it could end that way, but as it's ongoing right now........

[yeoman]

Been pondering this question. Aside from Kazuki (Maburaho), Tenchi (Tenchi Muyo!), Seina (GXP), and Kazuki (Duel!), what anime/manga have actually ended up as a harem?


Negi (Negima) seems like it could end that way, but as it's ongoing right now........

The only thing I can think of is Macross Frontier, but that's less a harem and more the main character deciding he refuses to choose in a bull**** love triangle and that if they don't want to share, they can figure it out themselves.

[OverMaster]

Saber Marionette J, in the manga and the prose novels. The anime is a whole another story...

[RubberLotus]

I'm tempted to say School Days for some reason.

Obligatory NICE BOAT:

http://fatwaman.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/thousand-sunny.jpg

[Legato]

In the Tenchi manga isn't it supposed to lead to that?

[Wild Card]

Even thou it really started out that way Photon: The Idiot Adventures ended that way in the truest since.

[The Xenos]

All women better line up in a harem and serve a man. These shonen romances should teach women how the world works.

What? Women are things. :rolleyes:

[Cleric of Hell's Brigade]

Saber Marionette J, in the manga and the prose novels. The anime is a whole another story...

How so?


And should I read SMJ? I've heard good things about it.

[lonewolf23k]

In the Tenchi manga isn't it supposed to lead to that?

Well, considering Ayeka and Sasami's father is shown to have two wives, I believe that yes, that ending was implied.

In fact, in the spin-off Tenchi Muyo GXP, Tenchi's friend Seina actually ends up marrying all eight members of his harem.

[OverMaster]

I'm tempted to say School Days for some reason.


Actually, some of the endings for the videogame can be harem.

And should I read SMJ? I've heard good things about it.

Watch the TV show. It is very good, and one of the few cases where it's pretty much agreed the anime is far better than the manga.

Afterwards, if you like the anime, try the manga, but be warned, it is much more fanservice-packed to the point of ridiculousness.

All women better line up in a harem and serve a man. These shonen romances should teach women how the world works.

What? Women are things

Meh. Like there aren't harems of men in anime/manga as well.

[Karthak]

Meh. Like there aren't harems of men in anime/manga as well.

I haven't reaally read any of it (since the art style makes my eyesockets want to bleed), but doesn't fruit baskets have a female main character with a male harem?

[OverMaster]

I haven't reaally read any of it (since the art style makes my eyesockets want to bleed), but doesn't fruit baskets have a female main character with a male harem?

That's what I have heard. I haven't read it myself either.

But I understand it's a more or less common theme in shoujo manga.

[Farealmer]

Angel Tales is another one.

I haven't reaally read any of it (since the art style makes my eyesockets want to bleed), but doesn't fruit baskets have a female main character with a male harem?
I read it all and although i could technically consider it a reverse harem(although only two of the males were in love with the main character) it definatily doesn't end as one.

All women better line up in a harem and serve a man. These shonen romances should teach women how the world works.

What? Women are things.
I am a bit confused at what your going on about, i mean yes it's obvious you dislike harem animes. But your line of reasoning is perplexing. Are you saying because it's in fiction it should be based on reality? You do realize that because it IS fiction it doesn't have to conform to reality?

Or are you saying harem anime/mangas purpose is to debase females and "put them in there place"? Because if so then i guess we better take alot of stuff off the air because appearently it's condoning worse things that that...

[OverMaster]

I am a bit confused at what your going on about, i mean yes it's obvious you dislike harem animes. But your line of reasoning is perplexing. Are you saying because it's in fiction it should be based on reality? You do realize that because it IS fiction it doesn't have to conform to reality?

Or are you saying harem anime/mangas purpose is to debase females and "put them in there place"? Because if so then i guess we better take alot of stuff off the air because appearently it's condoning worse things that that...

When done right, the harem genre is all about making you care enough for at least some of the girls to want them to reach happiness.

Which is hard to do if you think they are reduced to objects.

[Farealmer]

When done right, the harem genre is all about making you care enough for at least some of the girls to want them to reach happiness.

Exactly, some of the best stories i've ever seen have been either harem or haremish. And they've made me care about the fate of the female characters more than shows in which the female was the lead. Because they made them more human IMO as opposed to generic asskicker #3.

Ironically the ones that i've found the most moving(like Air) are usually adapted from eroge games.

[OverMaster]

Exactly, some of the best stories i've ever seen have been either harem or haremish. And they've made me care about the fate of the female characters more than shows in which the female was the lead. Because they made them more human IMO as opposed to generic asskicker #3.

Ironically the ones that i've found the most moving(like Air) are usually adapted from eroge games.

I think part of it has to do with the 'despair factor'. A harem show normally is, to some degree, a competition. And the 'prize', so to speak, is the main male character (ironically, in this context, you might say it's *the man* who is reduced to an object to some point). There may be romantic alternatives, of course, but generally, the main male lead has to be a better option than his rivals or he's been a poor protagonist choice to begin with.

So, unless a Tenchi solution is reached (which is very hard to write right, and most often just doesn't work), some of the girls have to get heartbroken. That makes you worry about your favorite, to hope she can make it, if not with the protagonist, then at least with a favorable alternative (like Konoka is to Setsuna, for instance).

If anything, I think that's the most common flaw of most harem stories: too often, it's way too easy to say who will be the winner girl at the end. And most often, that blatantly protagonist choice is not... the most likable one of the bunch, either by being too perfect and bland (Aoi in Ai Yori Aoshi is an example), or by being too bitchy, mean, immature and undeserving happiness (like Louise in Zero no Tsukaima). It's almost always one extreme or another.

And let's not even dwell on the dreaded alternative of the non-ending where the author pusses out at the end and just doesn't solve anything (Ranma, School Rumble, now To Love Ru- I mean, even with the awful forceful reasons behind its cancellation, even I could have cooked a better ending up).

Saber Marionette J to X reached a, IMHO, brilliant unusual solution to it with its bittersweet finale, and whatever happens at the end, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei will succeed as a brutal deconstruction of the harem genre. ToraDora! succeeded in making a worthwile character development for the obvious winner that made it to raise itself over that frequent pitfall, and I think it's a strong showing point for Negima the fact it doesn't look like there is an obvious winner option. But those are exceptions, and most often, harems are all about the trip rather than the destination.