Few anime genres are more controversial than the harem genre, and it’s easy to see why. Not only are they often filled with an overabundance of fan service, but the writing tends to be incredibly shallow, with the members of the harem having little depth beyond loving the protagonist, and the protagonist rarely ever doing anything to deserve it.
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As controversial as harem anime may be, there are plenty that are much better than people give the genre credit for, either by subverting conventions or simply by making the most problematic elements look fun. A few anime like that especially stand out, and each one is utterly essential for understanding what the genre truly has to offer.
7) There’s No Freaking Way I’ll be Your Lover! Unless…
Studio Mother’s There’s No Freaking Way I’ll be Your Lover! Unless… stars Renako Amaori, a shy girl who reinvents herself in high school by befriending a group of popular girls. Renako’s social anxiety makes keeping up her facade as a popular girl a challenge, though, and things only become more complicated when Renako’s friends start falling in love with her.
There’s No Freaking Way I’ll be Your Lover! Unless… hits the same beats as the average harem anime, but fortunately, the same-sex relationship angle adds a new element to keep things interesting, as does the fun character writing from start to finish. It was one of the most underrated anime of summer 2025, and fortunately, there’s plenty more in store.
6) Clannad
Kyoto Animation’s Clannad stars Tomoya Okazaki, a high school senior with no ambition for anything after graduating due to his troubled home life. On a whim, Tomoya helps reestablish the drama club with Nagisa Furukawa, a girl who’s had to repeat her senior year due to illness, and their time together inevitably changes them in ways they never could have imagined.
Despite being adapted from a dating sim, Clannad doesn’t exactly play out like a harem anime, as only Nagisa’s feelings for Tomoya are treated seriously. That being said, the emotional depth of Clannad’s writing, combined with its gorgeous animation and visuals, still makes it an incredible anime, and it’s easy to see why it’s held in such high regard.
5) Kanon
In Kyoto Animation’s Kanon, Yuichi Aizawa moves in with his cousin to live in a city he hasn’t visited in seven years. As Yuichi slowly remembers what made the city so special, he becomes involved with several girls with connections to his past and, in many cases, an odd relation to the supernatural that only he can deal with.
Kanon has plenty of narrative and thematic overlap with Clannad, but not only does Kanon make a stronger attempt at maintaining its harem elements, but its own brand of emotional, heartfelt writing arguably has even more depth than Clannad’s. Kanon is criminally underrated, but whether someone’s a fan of harems or general romance, it’s an anime that deserves a watch.
4) Tenchi Muyo!
AIC’s Tenchi Muyo! stars Tenichi Masaki, an aspiring priest who accidentally releases Ryoko, a flirtatious space pirate who’s been sealed away for 700 years. From there, Tenichi ends up getting involved in one crazy intergalactic conflict after another, most of which involve the wide assortment of alien women who fall in love with him.
Between the constant escalation, incredible visuals, and worldbuilding, and the fact that the series actually commits to its harem premise, Tenchi Muyo! is easily one of the most iconic and all-around great harem anime simply for how fun it allows itself to be, and with over 30 years of history to its name, there’s plenty for fans to explore.
3) Urusei Yatsura
In David Production’s Urusei Yatsura, after thwarting an alien invasion through a game of tag, Ataru Moroboshi unwittingly earns the affection of the alien princess Lum, despite already having a girlfriend. Ataru’s daily life is then filled with him balancing conflicts between humans and aliens alike, and when women are involved, his perverted nature tends to only make things worse.
Urusei Yatsura is the series that essentially created the harem genre, and while that doesn’t leave it with much depth, the writing is so charming that it never ends up as a detriment. Even after so many decades, Urusei Yatsura is still a phenomenal series, and whether it’s the original anime or the recent reboot, it’s always fun to watch.
2) Ranma ½
MAPPA’s Ranma ½ stars Ranma Saotome, a young martial artist forced into an engagement with the abrasive tomboy Akane Tendo, and between their general selfishness, the multitude of other people in love with them, and Ranma being cursed to turn into a girl whenever he’s splashed with water, a relationship is far easier said than done.
Ranma ½ is another work by Urusei Yatsura’s Rumiko Takahashi, so everything that makes Urusei Yatsura work as a harem anime is on full display with Ranma ½, all with the addition of incredible martial arts action. It’s another iconic harem anime, and with season 2 of the Ranma ½ reboot in full swing, the series has never been better.
1) The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You
Bibury Animation Studios’ The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You stars Rentaro Aijou, an eccentric youth who, after suffering 100 love rejections, is told by the God of Love that he will gain 100 soulmates in high school, all of whom he must love equally or else risk killing them for depriving them of a soulmate.
Between its willingness to commit to its harem premise and how well it combines absurdist humor with heartfelt writing, 100 Girlfriends is a harem anime unlike any other, and it only gets bigger and better with time. 100 Girlfriends is undeniably the best modern harem anime, and it serves as the biggest evidence for how good harem anime can be.
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image courtesy of 20th Century Studios
