Each harem anime storywriter has his or her own idea of how to tell the story of many girls throwing themselves at one boy. Some focus on conveying a compelling and intricate plot. Others have their own form of expertise on a matter that sneaks its way into the narrative and helps educate the audience. Some want to show off what they think makes a "best girl" or "waifu," or just want a good excuse to draw fanservice. These different preferences and ideas for what makes an ideal character or story help give each harem anime a unique blend of positive qualities.
Unfortunately, the influx of anime in the 2010s caused some quality series to go unnoticed. For all the creativity these writers put into their work, it's a shame to think about how much of it flies under the radar of harem anime fans abroad. To alleviate this issue, here are a few fun harem anime from the 2010s you may have missed out on.
Monster Musume
Monster Musume isn't necessarily an unpopular series, but some of its positive qualities are gravely understated. It's best known for showcasing monster girls, a category that covers all different shapes and sizes from lamias to slime girls. It also happens to be on the higher end of the fanservice spectrum. This take on the series caused many anime fans to bash it as a generic, fetish-pandering time waster.
Beyond the fanservice, there's a surprising amount of depth to Monster Musume's world. Between episodes are segments where the various subcategories of all the different monster girls are elaborated on. This might seem like a gateway to more fanservice, but the detail of each profile showcases a mixture of lore and real-world animal facts that deepen one's understanding of each monster. It puts a unique spin on the story that makes Monster Musume more than just another harem anime.
We Never Learn
We Never Learn is not necessarily an outstanding anime, but it, too, has its perks. The story revolves around a poor high school boy named Nariyuki Yuiga, who hopes to get into college through a deal that involves tutoring a couple of his female peers. A third tutee, a senpai, and his teacher also join the cast. This naturally results in fun, wholesome hijinks.
It's important to remember that only one girl gets the guy. This would normally go without saying, but We Never Learn's original manga author does something less common and makes multiple endings with each girl. If fans want one particular girl to get the guy and the anime ends otherwise, you'll have to do some extra legwork and read the manga for the ending you want. That said, the We Never Learn anime is an enjoyable harem watch and should compel fans to read on for their ideal "good ending."
Kiss Him, Not Me
Kiss Him, Not Me gives a little something different. It begins with the overweight, yaoi-loving otaku Kae Serinuma. After her favorite anime character dies, she locks herself in her room for a week without eating. She emerges much thinner, which invites the attention of four handsome boys and one handsome girl -- though she'd rather have the boys do things to each other while she watches from afar.
The absurd premise should say enough about Kiss Him, Not Me, but there's a little more. By making this a reverse-harem anime, not only does the author change up the usual harem formula, but they also choose to flesh out the main character. Usually, the protagonist is a blank slate for the audience to impose themselves upon, but Serinuma's eccentric personality makes her both cute and engaging.
