Harem romance. It’s a genre that garners both love and bitter hatred. As for us? We won’t judge, but we don’t exactly dislike it either.
Sometimes, taking a break and indulging in a light, trashy anime can be quite refreshing, especially when you know what to expect.
Having explored every type of romance imaginable, we couldn’t resist sharing our list of the best harem romance anime out there for fans of the genre.
Table of Contents
15. The World God Only Knows
The story follows Keima Katsuragi, a high school student and legendary gamer known online as the “God of Conquests” for his skills in conquering dating sim games.
In style with the cheesiness of this show, the main character accidentally makes a deal with an angel called Elsie to catch spirits hiding in the hearts of girls.
The key to success? Making them fall in love to extract them and abide by the agreement! The funny thing of The World God Only Knows is the stark contrast between the virtual world and reality… but for relationships!
Many anime talk about deep themes and the abyss between the 2 and this show takes a completely different route and goes for the laughs.
This is a super basic romance anime, but if you’re looking for a good harem with some supernatural element, maybe you’ll like it.
14. To Love Ru
To LOVE-Ru is one of the icons of harem romance from the 2010s, which has now unfortunately lost popularity.
The story revolves around Rito Yuki, a high school student like any other who is unable to confess his love to Haruna Sairenji.
But one day while taking a bath, Lala, a naked alien girl, appears in front of him.
Lala has escaped from her planet because of the arranged marriage her father wants to subject her to, and finding herself in front of Rito, she decides she wants to take him as her groom.
The father decides that the ceremony can take place only if the boy proves himself worthy of protecting his daughter, or else the planet will be destroyed.
To LOVE-Ru is almost a must if you like romances with harem and ecchi themes, period. Its story is fun, and that touch of the supernatural makes it even better.
13. Tenchi Muyo!
Tenchi Muyo! is a popular Japanese series encompassing comedy, Sci-Fi, and romance, spanning various mediums such as anime, manga, light novels, and movies.
It started in 1992 as an OAV series consisting of only 6 episodes and expanded into additional series and numerous products, fueled by its widespread success.
For those seeking a straightforward narrative without excessive pretension or depth and a good complementary harem narrative, we’re sure you’ll like it.
Tenchi is an ordinary boy who assists his grandfather in maintaining the temple that has been under his family’s care.
Despite the legend suggesting the presence of a fearsome demon imprisoned in their temple, Tenchi dismisses these seemingly silly rumors. Or does he?
And it’s indeed when its curiosity drives him to open the seal that events begin to unfold.
12. Is This a Zombie?
Is This a Zombie? is an anime that delves into comedy, action, magic, and romance, making its debut in 2011 with 12 episodes.
If you’re in search of a harem romance with a dark and occult twist, all while maintaining a comedic vibe, this might be the right choice for you.
The protagonist is Ayumu Aikawa, a high school student who falls victim to an enigmatic murder. Yet, just when things seem coming to an end, Ayumu is resurrected by Yu, a sorceress he encountered shortly before his demise.
Consequently, our protagonist finds himself awakening in a realm unfamiliar to his own, surrounded by sorceresses, vampires, and warriors.
11. Girlfriend, Girlfriend
Girlfriend, Girlfriend is a relatively recent harem romance, having been released in 2021 with just one season.
Upon its initial release, it wasn’t that well-received, and this can be attributed to its plot not being particularly brilliant. At the same time, if you’re in the mood for some straightforward entertainment, you might still find it enjoyable.
Naoya receives a declaration of love from Nagisa, a beautiful and friendly girl. The problem? Naoya is already dating Seki.
The solution? Convince the two to enter into an open relationship. But the arrival of other girls who want to join the harem will complicate matters.
10. The Familiar of Zero
The Familiar of Zero is an isekai anime from 2006 that skillfully blends adventure-filled comedy and romance throughout its story.
The protagonist, Saito, is an ordinary Japanese boy who suddenly finds himself summoned to an unfamiliar fantasy world, retaining all of his memories and modern knowledge.
To his surprise, Saito realizes that he was summoned by mistake by Louise, a sorceress with limited magical abilities who intended to summon her own familiar.
Despite his initial desire to return home, Saito becomes bound by the world’s contracts, prohibiting his departure. That’s how the adventure begins for the two protagonists, who initially struggle to get along.
The Familiar of Zero intertwines its isekai genre with a captivating enemies-to-lovers romance subplot that incorporates elements of harem romance.
So, if you’re seeking an engaging blend of isekai and romance, accompanied by a lighthearted comedic plot and a lot of ecchi, this series is not to be missed.
9. The Fruit of Grisaia
The Fruit of Grisaia is a harem romance anime that unlike the other series on this list is based on drama and not comedy.
So if you’re looking for a fresh twist in the harem genre, you just found what you can watch tonight.
The Mihana Academy is a special school that accepts students with unique backgrounds and educates them away from the outside world.
Yuuji Kazami, a former murderer who wants to leave his past behind, joins this school. Here he will find five other students, all girls, making Yuuji the only male in the academy.
The Fruit of Grisaia will be based on the past of these 5 girls, who will gradually open up to Yuuji which will help them overcome their traumas.
8. Date A Live
Date a Live is a harem anime released in 2013 in 12 episodes that combine elements of action and supernatural to harem and romance.
This series combines the classic harem plot with action and supernatural elements, and while it may not be a masterpiece, it’s worth watching for fans of the genre.
The main character Shido Itsuka encounters Tohka, a powerful spirit who has escaped from captivity and can destroy the world, and the only way to stop her is to fulfill her demands. Her first demand? Take her on a date.
But as the story goes on, Tohka develops a dangerous yandere obsession with Shido, making his mission more complicated as she becomes quite obsessed with him.
7. We Never Learn
We Never Learn is a good and underrated harem romance released starting in 2019 across multiple seasons.
Unfortunately the anime doesn’t cover the entire story, so we recommend turning to the manga if you want to find out how it concludes after watching the animated adaptation.
Nariyuki Yuiga is determined to work hard to obtain a scholarship. But no matter what he does, he never seems to be able to surpass his two classmates: Rizu Ogata, a genius in science subjects, and Fumino Furuhashi, incredibly skilled in literary subjects.
But the school principal offers him a deal: If the boy can get the two girls approved for college, he will get him the scholarship he always wanted.
The trick? Rizu plans to enroll in the Faculty of Literature, while Fumino plans to enroll in the Faculty of Science, the opposite of what they’re brought into.
The harem, which started with these two girls, will increase as the story continues, with the school teacher Mafuyu Kirisu and Asumi Kominami.
6. Rent-a-Girlfriend
Love it or hate it, but Rent a Girlfriend is undeniably one of the most popular and discussed harem romances in recent years, for both positive and negative reasons.
Our opinion? It’s a good harem romance anime if you like the genre, that is worth watching despite its flaws, such as stereotypical characters and a not-too-solid story.
Kazuya is an ordinary college student who has just been dumped by his girlfriend for another guy.
To make himself feel better, he decides to use an app called Diamond to hire a girlfriend-for-hire, Chizuru Mizuhara. But the harem will slowly grow more and more, with comedy and romance moments.
5. High School DxD
High School DxD is a well-known anime for its fanservice and is considered the king of it by many, so no wonder it’s that high in the list.
The main character, Issei Hyoudou, is a perverted student brought back to life by the demon Rias Gremory after being killed on a date.
He becomes her slave and gains demon powers, leading him on an adventure filled with battles between Angels and Demons and a growing harem of beautiful girls.
High School DxD is a must-watch for fans of ecchi and harem romance anime with a lot of fanservice, and there’s no doubt.
The show strikes a balance between humor and seriousness, with a lot of action and well-placed, contextualized ecchi romance moments.
4. Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend
Saekano is a 2015 harem romance with a school setting and ecchi elements, released in 12 episodes.
This is a good romance anime with an otaku and nerdy leitmotif, making it a great pick if you like the genre. We are not talking about a masterpiece of course, but certainly a good, enjoyable romance.
The protagonist Tomoya, encounters a beautiful girl named Megumi during his spring break, only to discover that she is his classmate.
Captivated by her, he decides to make her the main character of the video game he is developing, with Eriri Sawamura as the illustrator and Utaha Kasumigaoka as the scriptwriter.
This led to the formation of Blessing Software, a team dedicated to completing the game as quickly as possible.
3. The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You
The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, REALLY Love You is a harem romance from 2023 that to put it plainly is pure trash, but if you’re a fan of the genre and approach it with the right expectations, you might even like it.
This is also because adding to its complete comedic and nonsensical approach, there’s a twist that is macabre to say the least.
The main character is Aijo, a boy who experienced not less than 100 staggering love disappointments during middle school.
One day, while he is at the temple praying, the god of love appears to him and delivers a message, his string of heartbreaks will come to an end as he is destined to meet 100 girls.
A miracle? Not really, because if the relationship between Aijo and any of these girls fails, that particular girl will meet a tragic end in a fatal accident.
What will unfold in this unusual scenario?
2. Nisekoi: False Love
Nisekoi is one of the best harem romance you can find, and we highly recommend it if, like us, you’re a fan of this subgenre.
The story follows Raku Ichijou, the heir to a powerful Yakuza family. Years ago, he made a promise many years ago to a girl who gave him a pendant, vowing to marry her once they became adults.
Raku embarks on a desperate search to find the girl with the key that will unlock his pendant. Meanwhile, he harbors strong feelings for his childhood friend, Kosaki Onodera.
But Raku’s reality takes an unexpected turn when the rival gang of his family, the American Bee Hive Gang, enters the picture. To settle their dispute, the two clans decide to unite Raku with Chitoge Kirisaki, the daughter of the enemy’s leader.
Though their relationship starts as a mere facade, who knows whether genuine feelings can emerge as the story progresses.
Nisekoi is a funny harem romance, blending comedic scenes with moments where the different girls try to win Raku’s affection.
1. The Quintessential Quintuplets
The Quintessential Quintuplets is an excellent harem romance that achieved huge success during its run.
The anime concluded with 2 seasons and 1 movie, all of which are available on Crunchyroll.
The story revolves around Futaro Uesugi, a student with excellent grades but an antisocial nature, coming from a poor family.
One day he encounters Itsuki Nakano, a newly transferred student in the school cafeteria, and a conflict ensues between them.
Shortly after, Futaro lands a well-paying part-time job as a private tutor, only to discover that his student is none other than Itsuki, along with her four twin sisters! How will the story unfold from here?
The Quintessential Quintuplets is undoubtedly a must-watch if you enjoy harem romances.
It features lively and well-written characters that maintain the story’s pacing fast, with plenty of comic moments and with cute romance scenes as the quintuplets try to win over Futaro.
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