The weird world of Harem anime has its own sets of rules that it follows. While the scenarios and premises can be as wide as the world of anime itself, a vast majority seem to be cut from the same fanservicy cloth. Whether it be rules about how the world or shows operate, or simple guidelines that help facilitate the plot (or lack thereof).
Though despite how they may work, there is indeed logic to the illogical genre of Harem anime! So let us focus on 10 weird rules that Harem anime tend to follow.
10 Violence Solves Everything
Is the harem protagonist too dense to notice your obvious affection? Are you a member of a harem that has experienced some sort of slight? Whether it be actual or just perceived? Or are you so embarrassed that your face goes red and your words stumble? Don't worry, there's one clear answer to all your problems: good ol' fashion violence.
Physical retaliation seems to be surprisingly okay in Harem anime. There always seems to be one member of the harem who is more than okay with beating their object of affection to within an inch of their life. Moreso, everyone including the harem protagonist seems to be okay with the over-excessive use of violence. It's a wonder they don't file more assault charges in anime like Zero no Tsukaima and Infinite Stratos.
9 Doors are Never Locked
It could be for any number of reasons. Maybe it's because Japan has a history of low crime rates. Maybe the character has a history of forgetfulness. Maybe it's just because the people who make the anime want to show a character in a state of vulnerability. Either way, doors are never locked.
Which gives a good opportunity to have the unwitting harem master accidentally walk into one of the girls in whatever state of undress they are currently in. That isn't to say that the blame falls on the poor person caught with little or no clothes on. Harem protagonist criminally underuse the delicate act of knocking! Several embarrassing situations in shows like To Aru Majutsu no Index and Hundred having been prevented had they realized that a shut door is probably there for a reason!
8 Fall Physics are Random and Chaotic
It's always a pain to take a fall and end up in some unsuspecting person's crotch. Wait, that doesn't actually happen in real life? Then this must be a Harem anime! It doesn't matter what the laws of physics dictate, if the Harem lead is anywhere near one of his love interests when they take a fall, he will undoubtedly wind up in a compromising situation with her.
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Gravity will bend them over backwards to make sure they end up getting an eyeful or a handful of their partner's most private places. Some even becoming known for their amazingly lucky/unlucky knack for falling all over the people that pine for them like Rito from To Love-Ru and Negi from Negima.
7 Color-Coded Love Interests
Sometimes every color of the rainbow. An easy cheat to distinguish the various heroines and heroes that make up an anime harem is to give them all different-colored hair. That way if things like "character" and "personality" fail, they have a simple way to make cookie-cutter characters stand out.
That's not to say that some great anime don't have color-coded love interests. It can be a natural part of a great character, instead of a replacement for it. Regardless, the fanbase is the only one that can decide if anime like Ichiban Ushiro no Dai Mao or Ore no Kanojo to Osananajimi ga Shuraba Sugiru qualify.
6 Awkward Living Arrangements
It's the perfect excuse to have romantic shenanigans happen to the main character. Being left without some form of adult supervision gives them the perfect excuse for some "alone time" with their harem members. Often resulting in the funny, exciting, and sometimes racy parts of the series.
This can happen in many ways. They can just live in an arrangement without their parents, letting them have the place all to themselves. Harem anime can also ignore several layers of logic to let them stay in a place comprised almost entirely by the opposite sex like an all-girls/boys school, or some sort of dormitory that make up the setting of anime like Yuuragi-sou no Yuuna-San or Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?
5 Cheating is Okay
Harem anime sometimes live in a dreamland where the subject of romantic fealty is ambiguous and loosely defined. Where the main character can be in a relationship with one member of the harem and touch or push right past the line of what normal people will consider cheating with another member.
This lets them get away with a lot more ship teasing than what would normally be acceptable in a monogamous relationship. Allowing the harem master, and those that self-insert into them, a chance to have their cake and eat it too. Bakemonogatari and Highschool DxD being prime examples of this trope.
4 Anything that Moves
There is no limit to romance, and harem anime is a good example of what that means. Whether they be aliens from outer space, holy or demonic messengers, or any other sort of creature that has a vaguely human form, they are up for grabs for the harem.
Even if the race was initially hostile to the protagonist, or just downright eats people like them, there's nothing to stop the main character working their mojo and making them fall for their (nonexistent) charm. There is no better way to see how the bonds of love can unite us all than watching anime like Monster Musume and Rosario + Vampire.
3 Chaste Characters
Despite romance being one of the defining characteristics of the genre, Harem anime tend to have characters with little to no experience in the art. Most characters in the harem are lucky to have done anything past handholding. Almost as if they came right out of the ether and have no history of their own before meeting the protagonist. Which can be argued is exactly the case. Most main characters, on the other hand, are Joe Shmoes that are unlucky in love until it's finally their time to shine.
It's so prevalent in the genre, there are even stories of anime losing their fanbase because it was revealed that a heroine had a romantic past. Of course, anime like Ah! My Goddess and Amagami play it straight.
2 Attack of the Clones
Do you have dark hair? Can your skin be described as "light?" Are you of average build and height? Are you a teenager than can be described as normal or unassuming by others? Then boy do I have good news, you might just be a harem protagonist!
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Maybe's it because it's easier to self-insert? Then again, it could be because several other anime copied each other when trying to make a successful main character? Either way, a good portion of male main characters look and act alike. It is to the point where it is hard to tell some main characters apart in a line-up. Some offenders include Sword Art Online and Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni.
Picture Credit: Gigguk's Twitter.
1 Beach, Hot Spring, Public Bath Episode
A hallmark of the genre. If there's one good reason to get the characters in their skivvies or beyond to provide extra fanservice, it's to have them go to a beach, hot spring, or public bath. Giving them a chance to relax or have fun and giving the viewer a chance to take in all of the wonderful sights. The local and the carnal ones.
There is even some anime that work entirely in this setting. Love Hina takes place almost entirely in the Hinata House, which is a live-in hot spring for girls. The girls often dressed for the occasion throughout the series. Similarly, Grand Blue takes place near a beach. Once again offering the chance for the girls to dress in less.