Few genres of anime are as distinctively niche as the harem anime. For those unfamiliar with the term, a harem series is exactly as the name suggests. It’s a show where the main protagonist finds themselves at the central focus of a phenomenon wherein nearly the entire cast of the show turns out to be hopelessly in love with them.
While the genre is strange and not for everyone, plenty of well-loved harem series are out there to check out. For fans looking to try a good harem series, the best of the best have plenty to offer, each with their own unique take on the genre.
Updated by Sage Ashford on May 28th, 2023: The harem genre isn’t as popular as it once was, especially since they often get folded into the world of isekai. However, there are plenty of funny and even emotionally moving harem series for fans to check out. We’ve updated this list to add a few more harem series both from the modern era, and from the past.
25 Omamori Himari
12 Episodes
Omamori Himari centers on a young man named Yuuto Amakawa. Though Yuuto thinks he’s going to enjoy a normal life, that changes once he learns he’s the descendant of a famous demon slaying clan. Because of his family bloodline, Yuuto must deal with dangerous Ayakashi making attempts on his life.
The only reason Yuuto’s been able to stay alive is because of a catgirl named Himari, trained in the art of swordsmanship. Himari considers it her job to keep Yuuto alive, but that doesn’t do anything to help him with all the other strange women who keep finding him.
24 Ai Yori Aoshi
24 Episodes
Kaoru Hanabishi has plans on living life his way, but a chance meeting at a train station drags him right back into his past. While there, he meets a young woman in need of directions. Attempting to help her, Kaoru realizes the young woman is Aoi Sakuraba, a woman he’s been engaged to marry since they were both children.
Despite the strong connection the two of them had growing up, slowly both of them remember the responsibilities that led to them being engaged in the first place. Ai Yori Aoshi is perhaps one of the strangest harem series, since it feels like the actual winner is decided from the start, but that doesn’t make the anime any less interesting.
23 Rosario + Vampire
24 Episodes
Rosario + Vampire might make for a far better manga, but for harem fans it’s still an entertaining time. Tsukune Aono has such trouble getting into a decent high school that his desperate parents enroll him in a place called Youkai Academy. Unfortunately for Tsukune, it’s literally a Youkai Academy, filled with all kinds of monsters, from vampires to Snow Princesses. Even more dangerous is that if Tsukune’s discovered as a human, the school policy is to kill him.
On Tsukune’s first day there, he connects with the seemingly innocent Moka Akashiya, which turns out to be the best thing for him. Moka is actually a vampire, and one of the most powerful people at the school. Her connection to Tsukune makes it that much harder for anyone to figure out he’s human. However, it doesn’t stop Tsukune from being surrounded by many other monster girls.
22 Love Hina
24 Episodes + 4 OVA
While Love Hina isn’t the original harem, it certainly popularized the concept in the late ’90s and early 2000s. The protagonist is Keitaro Urashima, a man trying his hardest to enter the University of Tokyo, the college he promised to attend with his childhood friend. No matter how hard he studies, it never seems to be enough. Kicked out of his parents’ house, Keitaro visits his grandparents’ hotel, where he learns the place has been transformed into a dorm for young women.
As if that wasn’t enough of a change, Keitaro also learns that he’s the new owner of the dorms. Now Keitaro must learn how to manage the dorms and learn how to deal with all the women staying there, immersing him completely into the world of harem shenanigans. With a charming cast of women and a lovable loser for a main character, it’s easy to see how this series became so popular.
21 How A Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdom
24 Episodes
Kazuya Souma wants nothing more than to be a simple civil servant. When he’s teleported to another world and the country of Elfrieden and told he would be given to another nation as an “offering,” he’s forced to think fast. Using his natural aptitude for administration, he works to get Elfrieden out of debt to save himself.
Unlike most isekai series, Kazuya spends more time working on different administrative tasks than proving what an awesome fighter he is. Along the way, though, Kazuya not only acquires a potential fiancée, but several other women who fall for him because of his kindness and intelligence.
20 High School DxD
49 Episodes
Issei Hyoudou is a regular high school student who has dreams of having a harem of beautiful women at his side. So when a gorgeous woman asks him out, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot… until she kills him. Luckily for him, he’s revived by Rias Gremory, only to learn that Rias is a demon and has made him into her servant.
Forced to join Rias’ Occult Research Club, Issei is pulled into a world of angels and devils and challenged to survive. High School DxD was massively successful in the 2010s, spawning multiple sequel seasons, so audiences will have plenty to enjoy.
19 Is This A Zombie? Of The Dead
10 Episodes
Is This a Zombie? Of the Dead is the second season of a strange yet oddly enjoyable franchise. In the first season, fans were introduced to Ayumu Aikawa, an unfortunate young man who met an untimely end, only to be resurrected by a mysterious necromancer.
Now revived as a zombie, Ayumu is forced to navigate his new life, all while being surrounded by cute girls who are all just as odd as he is. The second season follows this beloved cast as they get into many new antics. According to its ratings, fans love Is This a Zombie? Of the Dead even more than before.
18 Hayate The Combat Butler!
52 Episodes
In Hayate the Combat Butler!, fans follow the antics of Hayate Ayasaki, an unfortunate child who is left with his parent’s debt after they abandon him. He kidnaps a girl about to be traded to the Yakuza hoping to ransom her off. Unfortunately, the girl takes the kidnapping as a confession of love, and Hayate finds himself working as a butler for her.
The show follows Hayate’s antics as he serves his employer and unintentionally attracts other girls. Though it’s an older series, Hayate the Combat Butler! still holds its own among modern harem titles. Its humor and character dynamics are more than enough to keep fans entertained to this day.
17 Oh! My Goddess: Flights Of Fancy
22 Episodes
Oh! My Goddess is a classic harem series that has mostly been forgotten. However, fans still have a soft spot for its second season: Oh! My Goddess: Flights of Fancy. This continuation revisits protagonist Keiichi Morisato, who has been living happily with the goddess Belldandy ever since she became eternally bound to him one year prior.
Fans follow the couple as they navigate everyday life and all the struggles that come with it. This time around, there’s also a much greater emphasis on the supporting cast, with new romances and friendships popping up along the way.
16 Heaven’s Lost Property The Movie: The Angeloid Of Clockwork
1 Episode
Though the Heaven’s Lost Property series may not be as good, Heaven’s Lost Property the Movie: The Angeloid of Clockwork has been very well-received over the years by fans. The film recaps much of the series’ plot, following the story of Tomoki Sakurai, whose life changes forever after he has a run-in with a mysterious girl who fell from the sky.
Though the story is the same, The Angeloid of Clockwork tells things from a brand-new perspective. This gives the narrative a fresh feel for long-time fans and makes it much easier for newcomers to follow along. Overall, it’s lighthearted and fun, but it gets surprisingly emotional later on, adding more depth than the original series.
15 Yamada-Kun And The Seven Witches
12 Episodes
Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches features a former violent delinquent, Ryuu Yamada, who turns over a new leaf and lead an ordinary life upon entering high school. However, he soon finds this path boring and returns to his old ways. Then in a chance encounter, Ryuu meets a beautiful honor student and discovers that by kissing her, he can switch bodies with her.
Ryuu’s new abilities lead him to the Supernatural Studies Club, where he and the other members embark on a quest to find the seven witches of the school, all with powers activated by a kiss. Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches is a strange series, but most fans agree that it’s a unique and interesting addition to the harem genre.
14 Nisekoi
20 Episodes
Nisekoi is yet another series that takes place in the venerable anime institution: high school. It features yakuza family heir Raku Ichijou, who has his everyday life interrupted when a gang conflict breaks out. To keep the peace, Raku must pretend to date Chitoge Kirisaki. Unfortunately, the pair mutually hates each other.
Nisekoi follows Raku as he navigates this coupling and searches for the girl who truly holds his heart. Some argue the showis just another cheesy rom-com. However, that’s exactly what fans love about it. It’s a cute, funny series, perfect for lifting anyone’s spirits.
13 Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki
30 Episodes
The Tenchi Muyo franchise is one of the most well-known harem series of all time. It’s also the title most fans come to first when they think of harem anime. Though each Tenchi series is successful in its own right, Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki is undoubtedly one of the most popular of all.
This relatively short anime mixes elements of sci-fi along with its harem themes. The show follows a young Tenchi Masaki, who stumbles upon a mythical sword. With it, he finds himself living with and at the center of a group of women who hail from different planets. Through his interactions with them, Tenchi learns more about his power, ancestry, and the danger in the skies.
12 Tenchi Muyo! War On Geminar
13 Episodes
Tenchi Muyo! War on Greminar is very different from the usual Tenchi series. It follows a new protagonist, Kenshi Masaki, who finds himself kidnapped and brought to the world of Geminar. One thing leads to another, and suddenly, Kenshi arrives at the forefront of a war he knows nothing about. All the while, his arrival attracts the attention of everyone around him, including several cute girls who take a liking to him.
There have been many different series within the Tenchi Muyo universe, but surprisingly enough, anime spin-off no one saw coming has become the most popular overall. Though it follows a new cast of characters in a world fans have never seen before, it maintains much of the spirit of the old-school series, giving it a certain appeal to long-time fans.
11 Ranma 1/2
161 Episodes
Though Ranma 1/2 came out long before harem anime became an established genre, this series helped establish many future tropes and trends within harem titles. It’s an overall classic that fans still adore to this day. While many other series contributed to the harem craze, Ranma 1/2 is considered the one that started it all.
For those unfamiliar with the series, it centers on Ranma Saotome, a plucky young martial arts prodigy who becomes cursed to transform into a girl whenever he touches cold water. Despite his situation, Ranma finds himself locked in an engagement and surrounded by various cute girls who all compete for his affection. Fans follow along as Ranma navigates his new cursed life and tries to survive his upcoming arranged marriage.
10 Saekano: How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend
25 Episodes
Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend has multiple seasons and only gets better with every new installment. In this series, fans follow an anime and light novel enthusiast, Tomoya Aki, who creates his own game. In his quest to pull together a team, he meets the beautiful and calm Megumi Katou.
Ultimately, Tomoya decides to model his main character after Megumi, and together they embark on a semi-romantic quest. At first glance, Saekano doesn’t seem like anything special. However, fans agree that it’s easily one of the best modern harem series around. From its unique story to its well-developed cast of characters, it’s everything harem fans love and more.
9 The Eden Of Grisaia
10 Episodes
The Eden of Grisaia picks up right where its previous installment, The Fruit of Grisaia, left off. Kazami Yuuji is detained under suspicion of being a terrorist, with video evidence as proof. The person detaining him knows that he’s innocent but has his own plans for Kazami. Fortunately for him, the girls of Mihama Academy will not stand idly by and let Kazami be used for political reasons.
Much like its predecessor, The Eden of Grisaia is a much more serious harem series than what fans of the genre are used to. Rather than relying heavily on humor and romantic drama, this series takes a psychological approach to its story that’s unlike anything most harem anime offer.
8 Date A Live IV
12 Episodes
The Date A Live franchise has been around for many years now. Based on the light novel of the same name, the series follows the story of Shido Itsuka, an average high school student who forcibly joins the Ratatoskr, a rag-tag group set on saving and reforming various spirits before they endanger the world.
To do so, Shido must put on the charms and somehow make each cute spirit girl they encounter fall in love with him. Though the franchise has seen mild success over the years, it’s gotten more popular than ever now that Date A Live IV is out. With its success, the series has become one of the best harem anime around, jump-starting the genre like never before.
7 The World God Only Knows
12 Episodes
The World God Only Knows is one of the most popular harem franchises, and it’s only gotten better with each new season. The series stars Keima Katsuragi, who is known online for being a legendary dating sim player to the point of ignoring real-life responsibilities.
Shenanigans occur, and Keima finds himself helping a demon retrieve runaway evil spirits. Naturally, the only way to capture these spirits is by wooing the hearts of three-dimensional girls. As a result, Keima’s skills are put to the ultimate test as he attempts to romance a variety of real-life females.
6 My Next Life As A Villainess
24 Episodes
My Next Life As A Villainess is somewhere between a traditional harem and a reverse harem. The protagonist is Katarina Claes, a young woman who realizes she’s been reincarnated into an otome game after hitting her head. In this world, she’s been reincarnated as the villainess, destined to have a horrible ending by the end of the game.
Refusing to be exiled, or worse, Katarina sets about trying to avoid all the potential “routes.” However, in doing so, she causes all the “characters” in the game to fall in love with her, man and woman alike. It’s just too bad Katarina’s too dense to realize it.