Mar 11 2008
Harems All It’s Cracked Up To Be?
I got the idea for the current poll after watching true tears Episode 7 a few weeks ago. Harems aren’t scarce in the anime and manga world, for you can find one in almost any series, even if the main storyline doesn’t revolve around the harem. But besides the array of fanservice that comes from it, are harems, on an emotional level, all that great?
For all those unfamiliar with the term ‘harem’, a harem is generally where one male is surrounded by, and more often than not chased after, a group of girls. I’m still new to the genre, but to be considered a real harem series I believe it has to be the center of the storyline. CLANNAD and true tears are two examples of a series with the basic harem element to it, for it is not the true genre of either. There are also ‘reverse’ and ‘male’ harems, where the female is surrounded by males (Fushigi Yuugi), or a male/female is chased after by those of the same sex (Kyou Kara Maou!).
An interesting comment by lolikit on Rukii’s CLANNAD Episode 16 post brought to my immediate attention one of the downfalls of a harem. It’s quite obvious that out of everyone vying for the affections of one, only one will really ‘win’, in which everyone else will be down in the dumps. Maybe it’s just me and my low self-esteem self that would like such an attention, but the pain everyone else would feel has always been at the back of my mind when watching harems (unless it’s the girl/guy I like that’s not ‘winning’ xP).
Thus, the poll was born. Are there those who are immediately aware of the follys of harems and are against/for it, or is it at the back of your mind like it is for me and you get caught up in and like the whole drama of it?
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Despite the fact that some will lose, I absolutely love harems because I want to be in one. Who wouldn’t want to be in a show (unless you’re a straight female) in which three or more girls are going for you? I guess… unless they’re ugly. Plus, the drama of the whole thing is fun (Nice Boat).
Not all harems have everyone down in the dumps though, or maybe it’s just that it’s not shown. Kanon (2006) did not show any of the girls really crushed when the main character got with the girl he did (trying not to spoil =P).
There was a fairly heated war over on the AnimeSuki forums concerning whether or not Clannad would actually count as a harem (and, to an extent, True Tears as well). It’s not a term to be really thrown around lightly, as you’d be surprised how many take offense to that. Consider: is there really no better description for a show than “harem”? Why not just call them romantic comedies or romantic dramas and be done with it? No other genre is based on an arbitrary census of the number of characters of a particular gender.
IcyStorm: Haha, that’s why there’s reverse harems for the ladies ^_- I think I’ll go the cliche way and say it’s what’s on the inside that counts (xD), but I wouldn’t want a Nice Boat end xP
And that’s true, sometimes they don’t show everyone down in the dumps. It’d be realistic, but then we don’t really want to see that, do we? I’ve heard things about Kanon.
Mirrinus: Oh was there? That would be interesting to read. But I wasn’t actually saying the genre of CLANNAD or true tears was harem, or that the entire show was a harem. I was saying they both had harem elements to it. Though I don’t want to get into a war over it here xDD It’s true that nothing else is based like that, but whoever created harems had something like that in mind. A harem could be a romantic comedy/drama, but not all romantic comedies/dramas can be a harem, so when it could be considered a harem I guess the term is used to distinguish it. Though I’m not that knowledgable in the harem genre, so I should stop talking now least I offend someone more than I may have.
To answer your poll question, my answer is: YES. I mean, why would you not want a large group of girls (or guys, whatever floats your boat) fawning all over you and inexplicably totally in love with you? The secret of not hurting any of their feelings is for you to choose to be with ALL of them. You win, they win, everyone wins. Why no one has discovered this yet amazes me.
@ Mirrinus: I remember there was a hubbub very similar to the Clannad and True Tears debate when Kanon 2006 finished airing. People were upset with the term “harem” being thrown about to describe the show because when one thinks of a “harem” show, people automatically assume it’s shallow, stupid, and of no real value. To the Kanon fans, that was simply not the case. I guess it’s deja-vu all over again.
Harem’s don’t really bother me. There’s so much fanservice or ridiculous movements that they’re hard for me to take seriously. At least they’re not like US reality TV shows, like The Bachelor.
I think some of you are missing the actual English meaning in terms of nuance. To have a harem=good. To be in a harem=not so good.
I’m floored that a random comment of mine on AniAri got me mentioned in some post by someone I don’t know on some blog I don’t read.
Maybe those “don’t”s need to become “do”s.
@schmittles—nice save. I voted no XP
nckl: Haha, that’d only work if they’re all right with sharing you ^_-
Caitlin: You’re right about the fanservice. CLANNAD just got another tick for harem-like qualities after that fanservice moment last episode T__T
schmittles: Well said xD -totally had to look up what nuance meant-
lolikitsune: I hope that’s a good thing, being floored ^^; It just really made an impression on me, so… ^_^ I’m not surprised you voted no =P
^_^ again sorry for posting in old thread ^_^
IMO:
harem shows will be harem shows and it isn’t anything bad although some people give different negative meanings to it makes it bad ^_^
i am a diehard kanon fan and yet i still consider kanon a harem (and also true tears) ^_^
check this for harem ^_^ hahaha
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harem_(genre)
@ nckl - shuffle?! ^_^ hahaha