Harem Anime Will Never Die, And These Shows Are The Main Reason Why

Protagonists with various romance routes and vague romantic labels have always been a popular trope in fiction. Anime, however, ups the ante with its harem genre. This sitcom formula has withstood the test of time, and viewers can now consume a plethora of harem anime in case they want to see some hyperbolic gender dynamics and exaggerated attraction.

Some of the shows in this theme or genre can be rather “daring” or, worse, a crass representation of harem. However, there is also nothing wrong with an anime that aims to deliver more mature content, as long as it is handled well. If you are looking to start your journey, you should check out these upcoming shows since they are the best harem anime on the market. They cover everything, from dramas to parodies and action shonen.

Updated December 4, 2025 by Mark Sammut: 2026 is right around the corner, and it will surely be backed with glorious harems. Until January rolls around, you can always check out some shows you might have initially missed or forgotten about. In fact, the two latest entries (The Testament of Sister New Devil and In Another World With My Smartphone) were the latter for me.

37

Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs

MyAnimeList: 7.32

Plenty of isekai anime lean into harem territory, but they do not always bring out the best in each other. These stories have a habit of emphasizing the most generic traits of both themes, resulting in forgettable slogs like In Another World With My Smartphone or The Fruit of Evolution. That said, exceptions exist that not only do justice to both isekai and harem conventions but also heighten their strengths. A few comedy series even manage to parody both genres quite well.

While The Eminence in Shadow is arguably the most popular example and has a huge roster of female characters, Cid (the male protagonist) is so far removed from a traditional harem lead that he disqualifies the show from a recommendation. Fortunately, Trapped in a Dating Sim qualifies as a harem anime that confidently pokes fun at the theme’s tropes, along with isekai and otome games.

At the behest of his sister, a guy is forced to complete a dating sim he hates. Once done, he quickly dies and reincarnates as a bit-part player in the same universe he detests. Armed with the required knowledge to live a cozy life, Leon sets out to play the game while also keeping out of trouble. That does not happen, and he soon finds himself attracting unwanted attention, including landing in the middle of a harem featuring the game’s heroine and villainess (who develop a surprisingly cute relationship).

36

The Testament of Sister New Devil

MyAnimeList: 6.68

Generally, I try to avoid directly comparing an anime (or anything, really) to something else, as I prefer to examine how things stand on their own rather than if they can hold up to a genre or medium’s masterpieces. However, while rewatching The Testament of Sister New Devil, I just could not shake the feeling that this is just a worse version of High School DxD​​​​​​. The characters have similar designs, and both anime blend fanservice, battle shonen action, and hints of romance. The male lead is not a pushover in either case, and they unlock a strange power while becoming the center of attention for a group of girls who gradually grow to love him. The main female characters are both redheads, too. Both series lean heavily into ecchi content, and they are fairly risqué compared to other harem anime.

While High School DxD is a great harem and a decent action anime, The Testament of Sister New Devil is a decent harem and a pretty poor action anime. So, this anime is only worth watching if you are specifically craving a show that does not hold back on fanservice, as that is where The Testament of Sister New Devil earns all its value. The characters aren’t exactly terrible, but they are one-note and a bit too conventional (Basara, the male MC, is just a bit too cool).

35

Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest

MyAnimeList: 6.72 (Season 1)

Arifureta: From Commonplace To World’s Strongest

Release Date

2019 – 2025-00-00

Network

AT-X

Directors

Kazuya Fujishiro, Natsumi Yasue, Takao Kato, Ryo Miyata, Masayuki Iimura, Satomi Nakamura, Taiji Kawanishi, Shintaro Itoga, Motoki Nakanishi

Shows only get one chance to make a first impression, and Arifureta struggled to hit the mark. While the light novel and manga are well-regarded, the anime notoriously stumbled during its first season, rushing through the story while delivering fairly substandard animation. The sequel seasons somewhat succeeded in steadying the ship, but the adaptation has yet to come close to matching the source material’s quality. Still, when viewed in a vacuum, Arifureta is a passable isekai power fantasy.

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Arifureta: 8 Things The Manga Does Better Than The Anime

As the Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest anime is finishing its third season, here are a few reasons why its manga is better.

Arifureta is also kind of a weird harem, mostly because the story takes a while to go in that direction. The early episodes revolve primarily around Hajime and Yue, who build a fun dynamic that makes them seem like soul-mates. Consequently, when the other girls are introduced, they arguably get in the way of the core romance, despite being decent characters in their own right.

34

Amagami SS

MyAnimeList: 7.28 (Season 1)

Amagami SS offers a more relatable and grounded main character for a harem story. It’s about Junichi Tachibana, who has been suffering from social anxiety ever since getting stood up on a date a couple of years back. However, his luck at romance begins to turn around when, suddenly, several girls start showing interest in him once again.

To add to Junichiro’s dilemma, all of them are interesting stereotypes of high school girls in anime. Amagami SS is a fairly wholesome take on the often mature harem genre, and the anime generally opts against fan service.

33

In Another World With My Smartphone

MyAnimeList: 6.10 (Season 1)

In Another World With My Smartphone does not excel at many things. As far as isekai premises are concerned, Touya’s reincarnation is so generic that it almost ventures into the realm of parody, although it is not presented comedically. The anime does not have much in the way of action, which is perfectly OK; however, it does not really have much in the way of anything. The humor is inoffensive and safe, and that can honestly be said for nearly all the characters.

So, what does In Another World With My Smartphone have going for it? Well, it kind of works as a carefree slow-life adventure that is mostly designed to be an escape from reality. Touya faces almost no hardships, and he accumulates a harem effortlessly and quickly. For their part, most of the girls love him unconditionally, and a harem ending always seems to be on the cards. As long as you go in with the right expectations, In Another World With My Smartphone can be enjoyable.

32

Monster Musume: Everyday Life with Monster Girls

MyAnimeList: 6.93

Look, there is no escaping that harem anime occasionally cross into the ecchi genre. Heck, some of the most popular releases rely VERY heavily on fanservice, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that when it is done in good taste. Monster Musume: Everyday Life with Monster Girls is one of the more famous examples of this marriage, although it is not quite as perverse as some other shows that demand to be watched in the dark and with headphones.

As suggested by its title, Monster Musume is about a guy who starts living with a bunch of monster girls in an attempt to help the latter integrate into human society. Rather than cycling through archetypes or hair colors, the anime puts together a roster of fantasy races, including classics like lamia, harpy, and centaur, along with more unusual ones like arachne. While their personalities are not really that atypical for harems, Monster Musume‘s girls might have the most diverse and unique designs in the entire genre. After a few episodes, I was just having fun seeing what new race the anime would introduce.

31

Tsugumomo

MyAnimeList: 7.03 (Season 1)

Harem has a negative reputation, but you need to know what to expect when going into these shows. While not devoid of mature or ambitious stories, most harem anime present light entertainment with some humor, some action, and some fanservice. They rely on well-established formulas, taking basic comedy or battle shonen routines and then throwing a few extra waifus into the mix. Tsugumomo is like the most “harem” action anime to ever harem, making it an obvious recommendation for people into the genre and an easy skip for everyone else.

All about sentient objects, the show follows Kazuya, who ends up paired with Kiriha, his mother’s obi who takes the form of a girl. Another female character, Kukuri, quickly joins their relationship, and she is hardly the only one. Tsugumomo plays out like a battle shonen, with the main trio taking on different spirits, while also engaging in silly shenanigans. The anime is mostly just passable, although it does lean into fanservice more than the average harem anime. The sequel season is a bit better than its predecessor.

30

Trinity Seven

MyAnimeList: 7.04

Although not as common as rom-coms, the harem genre occasionally crosses over with action, delivering shows that try to blend fanservice with battle-shonen goodness. While High School DxD and Date a Live represent this marriage’s ideal, they are exceptions to the rule, with most battle harems falling flat. Anime like Blade Dance of the Elementalers, Demon King Daimao, The Testament of Sister New Devil, and Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero are difficult to recommend to anyone but die-hard harem fans, and their action setpieces are arguably their weakest points. Still, they are not terrible, just very niche.

Trinity Seven serves as a better example of this type of show, one that can be enjoyed for both its harem and fights. Now, just to be clear, the action is nowhere near the level of some of that genre’s greatest offerings. However, when reviewed within the context of battle harems, Trinity Seven fares better than most of its competitors. The power system is relatively interesting, if a touch convoluted, and the idea of basing the girls on the seven deadly sins is an intriguing one. Arata is a pretty great harem lead who is not afraid to be direct, and the girls are the same to an extent.

29

The Shiunji Family Children

MyAnimeList: 7.12

Due to being based on a manga by the author responsible for Rent-a-Girlfriend, The Shiunji Family Children was always destined to attract some attention, especially since the show also revolves around a harem featuring adopted siblings. If you are like me, you might have tuned into this series in the hope of seeing a glorious trainwreck, one that fits comfortably into the “trash” category. Just to be clear, I love a good trashy anime.

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However, The Shiunji Family Children is surprisingly tame and, more importantly, ordinary. For the most part, this is a pretty by-the-numbers harem anime, taking very few risks beyond its sibling set-up. Even that aspect is somewhat underplayed, especially since all the girls seem to immediately develop an interest in somebody they believed was their brother for more than a decade.

While not the messy journey that some people might have craved, The Shiunji Family Children is a perfectly enjoyable genre representative. The characters are generally quite likable, and the girls are developed just enough not to fall squarely into archetypes. Arata is also a solid main lead who mostly wants to do right by his family.

28

Oresuki: Are you the only one who loves me?

MyAnimeList: 7.30

Harem is such an inherently ridiculous concept that it seems designed to inspire parodies. Shows like Girlfriend, Girlfriend supercharge the male MC’s stupidity to the point of absurdity, producing a style of humor that most people will either love or detest. If you are craving a comedy that pokes fun at harem tropes while still delivering the same thrills as the genre’s traditional entries, Oresuki is a fantastic option.

Firstly, Joro is a genuinely hilarious protagonist, and his attempts to lead a double life while dealing with a female stalker are a constant blast. Secondly, the anime is just about self-aware enough to avoid melodrama, while still presenting its characters as real-ish people rather than punchlines. Thirdly, the girls are pretty charming, even if there are a few too many of them. As Joro’s stalker and the obvious main girl, Sumireko is the star attraction, although she mostly slips into a straight-woman role as the season progresses. Lastly, Oresuki is split into well-defined arcs that keep things relatively fresh.