Question Poll: Harem or No harem?

I mean a well written harem? Absolutely! Unfortunately well written harems are as common as unicorns farting rainbows.

 

Nah, i just cant. When i enjoy a good story/characters i got emotionally invested and usually this only limited to one or two character. When harem added means more characters i need to pay attention to, so nah.

 

If it isn't really adding to the actual plot of the story or any true character development, then it is just filler or pandering to certain masses. Most harems are like that. I don't mind the concept, but if your execution is crap and if it is just taking away from the story, then it is just annoying and actually dampens the story.

Honestly, I think the main issue with harems is that there are often too many partners. If there were less people, it wouldn't be as difficult to maintain character development and character importance to plot, but that isn't the point of most harems.

 

Harems in the sense of an idyllic power trip of having multiple female characters fall for a self insert mc for no logical reason whatsoever?

These kinds of harem novels need to be eradicated from the face of the earth. The sole reason I (as a guy) have converted over to reading female protagonist novels is because they are the only ones that can do fantasy and actually have a decent plot that isn't edgelord power fantasy. There are a couple of exceptions (e.g. TSAOABM) of course, which I cherish, but they are few and far between because most shoehorn in harems just to pander to as many insecure people as they can so they can sell more, despite how its almost always detrimental to the plot, and often times, just plain gross. One of the only "harem" novels I can think of that I actually enjoyed, even though the MC essentially stays faithful to FL, would be Release that Witch, and only because it kept me hooked by going off the deep end on technological development.

Now harems that are depicted realistically (e.g. Ancient Chinese genre), where the cultural norms of harems and all the problems that arise because of them are actually explored and become interesting plot points? Where characters have to have not only a decent IQ but also a decent EQ in order to survive/thrive? Those novels are actually decent.

Still voted no harem due to my pure hatred for the stereotypical harem genre, there was a time that I could find them somewhat enjoyable, but once I tried reading up to volume 3 of Arifureta (volume 1 was actually decent because it had a survival element), and that was my breaking point, at which point I just snapped. I've been disgusted by the genre ever since (probably going on 2 years now), and I'm glad I've never thought of going back.

Side note to add on: In regards to a gender role reversal (i.e. reverse harem), I dislike it as a concept equally, not more, not less. I noticed some people have differing views depending on the type, but for me it's just the notion of polygamy in general that is just wrong. Especially when there's no social pressure, just irrational love to fulfill a power fantasy.

 

If I'm craving romance, I prefer no harem. But when I read smut, I prefer harem. What use is the harem tag without the sex scenes very vividly described? ┐(‘～`┌

 

For me I choose Harem. The reason why is because having only two people makes the story to Disney. Too childish for my taste. I like a relationship with more depth and real world. Something like a love triangle or more. Don’t get me wrong there are to many to count of bad harems, but there are a few that are worth reading.
At least that’s what I think

 

I would be hard-pressed to think of a harem novel where the increase in the number of love interests actually made the story deeper, rather than shallower. The wider the scope (i.e. the more characters to flesh out), the shallower it becomes. I can see how a love triangle could lead to more content as another hurdle for characters to overcome. I see very little correlation between the number of love interest and how childish something is. If anything, I see harems as being the more childish due to their unrealistic nature (bar historical fiction) and wish fulfillment. The main thing that contributes to whether or not a story is "childish", at least in my opinion, is the setting as well as the eventual outcome of the story. Slap a tragedy tag on the search filter and I guarantee the results will not feel nearly as "disney".

If you have recommendations of story that can change my mind on the matter, I'm all ears.

 

Wow dude. The male privilege in this comment lmao. If a guy can have more than 2-3 girls as fuck brides than a girl mc can’t have more than 1?

Edit: also good harem doesn’t matter to me. If the story is good than it’s good in my eyes. For the record there was this really good series I liked which had harem. The guy seemed to like the girls equally and seemed really genuine in his love for them. The girls also became friends. I’ve forgotten the series name.

what I hate is cultivation novels harem.
Mc is just collecting girls left and right.
A childhood beauty- he’s in love with her. A chapter later he Mets another beauty- guess what he collects her. Two chapters later= another heavenly beauty- she melts under his stare. “Omg look a goddess level beauty who’s cultivation level is in the god realm, haha guess he collects her too, his harem keeps growing. I despise those types of harems. Lmao

 

Isn't that how people always are. Reverse harem is one of the least read genres while harem is one of the most popular.........
Others may not say it out but it sure seems implied a lot.

 

If it's very well written I don't mind reading a Chinese harem novel but I'd say a good 97% or more are generic trash.
it drives me to rage-quit when a story is just getting good, with a decent plot build up, character growth and some mystery to keep a reader interested and then the flow of the novel jerks to a stop and becomes a retarded rom-com misunderstanding story for the next 1-200+ chapters. it's jarring and annoying as hell.
as for Japanese or Korean, I've yet to find one I haven't ended up dropping in the end

 

Bakarina would beg to differ, but then again I think you could also write a physics thesis on how the sheer density of the protagonist's thick skull has actually created a black hole, attracting all other characters towards her regardless of gender or age. Konosuba being an example of a regular harem in the same boat. Neither are my cup of tea but I can see how some appeal to purely comedic stories like those on both sides of the aisle, reverse harem or not.

 

yeah, reverse harem is usually the norm for otome games. But it’s usually at the end the mc has to pick a character route.

But yeah notice how it’s always “the 1 p*** policy?” Also I haven’t read a lot of harem with f!mc but it’s usually a convoluted love triangles that got way outa control with an mc who can’t decide or keeps going back and forth. For a really good reverse harem. I’d recommend the “men of the harem” on Webtoons. The novel is not being translated so rip ig.

 

Sadly I can’t think of any, but I’m not going to paint myself into a corner and say their all bad. As to childish. Having one guy and one girl in a relationship can be great but it seems to predictable and scripted. So to happy ending/ childish novel. Add on a love rival than things get interesting. Add on one of two more than you got trouble coming left and right. I like MC who has relationship problems. Don’t get me wrong I love a normal love story as much as the next guy, but normally I want conflict. As long as the Harem doesn’t expand to ridiculous. It’s manageable. It is still possible to have great character background and growth. When the Harem is around 5 or less. After all like most novels you always have other characters. Just have them have an interest in the ML or the FL. As to Harem being unrealistic. I have to say that’s pretty naive. Most relationship I know of have problems. Some like cheating with multiple partners. That’s a Harem. The unrealistic idea is you believe everyone have successful relationships. Most marriages end in divorce. Ask three random people what’s their body count and you’ll be surprised. Lastly the whole tragedy line. While not very Disney can still be childish. Let’s look at Romeo and Juliet. One of the most well know romantic tragedy. Was still childish in a way. While touching. It’s still two children killing them selves. At least that’s what I think

 

Yep, but just think of the reviews it would have gotten if she had sex with all of them. Or even dated all of them for that matter.....

 

I respect your ideas, and I think one of the places we are fundamentally disagreeing is what we determine a harem to be. From my perspective, a harem is when there are multiple love interests for one character, however, the key point is that they accept the existence of the other love interests, either begrudgingly (in realistic scenarios where other factors such as wealth and power outweigh their opinion) or willingly (in power fantasy scenarios). A love triangle or cheating wouldn't typically fall into the harem category in my book, as the development of these plot points can only exist because characters are not willing to accept the other love interests. The reason marriages end in divorce is because the parties involved do not wish to be in a harem. AFAIK, the only places harems exist in modern society are in places where traditional religions still have power over a group's moral compass (e.g. the kingston clan).
While the characters in Romeo and Juliet are indeed children, I think that the lessons that were meant to be imparted as well as its target audience were much more mature.

 

Quite right and well said. You have a point many Harems tend to lean that way, but I should warn you. I have heard of many people in polyamory relationships that are not in it for traditional reasons. As to the definition of a Harem “a group of women perceived as centering around a particular man.” That definition does not imply they know of each other. Although many Harems do angle towards that direction. It’s not set in stone. As to people not wanting to be in Harems as the reason people are divorcing is a little absurd. The reason I bring up the divorce rate is because of the unrealistic expectations of two people in a relationship. As to a Romeo and Juliet. Can’t really argue. But in this day and age most would thing it’s to unrealistic for the times. As in it’s to childish.
But hay what do I know. Lol

 

Yes, 2 is acceptable - be it harem or reverse harem. If it's more than that then ummm... I will let it pass if it's just subtle. If the novel just slaps the word harem unto our face tho, then bu-bye

 

Yeah, there nothing I can argue with here. Thanks for joining me in a discussion, imma go sleep now. Have a good one!

 

It's not about male privilege or whatever you think it is it's about the many issues that arise from a reverse harem first of all it's honestly kinda gross imaging the gangbang that would probably happen yeah it's a popular genre of porn but I'd imagine most dudes wouldn't want to see the girl they say they love getting rammed by a bunch of other guys I know I wouldn't next is the pregnancy issue men are compelled to have children the argument of which guys gets to have his kid with the girl first will cause conflict what if the girl doesn't want to be a baby factory for her men she'd have to pick which ones she'd have a kid with leaving the others out in the cold thus destroying the relationship with them and third at some point you need to ask yourself does the girl actually love all the guys or does she just like getting gangbanged I've never heard of a actual story from real life where it's 1 girl with multiple guys that has worked out or was not about the sex women with harems treat their "men" like toys and it seems like men are more likely to actually Love his harem

 

Actually nvm I don't want to argue about this.