It's not fair that only guys get all the fun and options in harem-themed anime; hence, the reverse harem genre exists. While exceptions exist, these series can be more sensitive compared to the usual offerings of the harem genre.

Picking favorites can be difficult as there are quite a few good candidates, even if new entries are not as common as they should be. On the other hand, one can only iterate plain-jane-protagonists-and-their-orbiting-boy-band stories so many times before the formula gets too predictable. Therefore, it's high time to take a good look at the pioneers and heavyweights in the reverse harem anime genre. These are the anime that started it all or the ones that kept the flame going.

Updated June 18, 2024, by Mark Sammut: Does the upcoming season have any reverse harem anime?

Has 2024 Produced Any Reverse Harem Anime? What About The Upcoming Summer 2024 Season?

Unfortunately, the anime industry has mostly ignored reverse harem anime in 2024. The only series to fit the genre so far was The Demon Prince of Momochi House, and even that barely qualifies since there is only really one romance option.

Related

Winter 2024 Anime Season – Complete Guide

Solo Leveling, Classroom of the Elite, and Frieren: Beyond Journey's End are just a few shows airing as part of the Winter 2024 anime lineup.

If the criterion is loosened to mean only "a female lead surrounded by male characters," then Vampire Dormitory could fit the descriptor; however, the story sets up its romance in its opening episode. Astro Note hints at a love triangle, but that is largely an insignificant part of the story. Technically, A Sign of Affection also has a female lead who is wanted by multiple guys, but that is just a straight-up romance with a jealousy angle. 7th Time Loop surrounds its heroine with plenty of eligible bachelors, but Rishe is only interested in Arnold (and she takes a while to see him as anything but a threat).

Unfortunately, the upcoming Summer 2024 season seems set to continue this trend, with the lineup having no reverse harem anime. Frankly, there does not even seem to be a series that could kind of qualify if the entry barrier is fudged. At most, Suicide Squad Isekai could be a borderline case since Harley Quinn appears to be the only main female character, with Joker, Peacemaker, King Shark, Deadshot, and Clayface rounding up the cast. However, it seems unlikely that romance will play any part in that story. Dahlia in Bloom should be primarily a slice of life with hints of romance, but it is worth keeping an eye on for reverse harem fans. The pickings are just that slim.

21 La Storia Della Arcana Famiglia

MyAnimeList: 6.27

La storia della Arcana Famiglia should have been better. Derivative as it is, the story has potential since it revolves around a mafia-run tournament to determine the female main character's partner; understandably, Felicita also enters the competition to claim her hand and destiny. The rest of the contenders are all attractive male gangsters with fun designs, cool outfits, and either stylish or strange hair (Exhibit A: Dante). J.C.Staff was a good pick for this visual novel adaptation, and the studio's resume is packed with fantastic anime (Bakuman and The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.).

Related

Anime Tournaments That Are Won By The Wrong Character

Ultimately, the victors of these anime tournaments should have been other characters.

Everything sounds wonderful on paper, but La storia della Arcana Famiglia does not come together satisfyingly. For one, a 13-episode cour is way too short for this type of narrative, especially when one of them is an OVA that mostly adds nothing. More importantly, the series wastes a shocking amount of time messing about with silly antics and banter, none of which is all that funny or entertaining. To be fair, reverse harem anime should prioritize relationships over action, but the former relies on three-dimensional characterization to work, something that is mostly absent in La storia della Arcana Famiglia. Honestly, a harem anime revolving around the mafia should be a blast, and this series just seems like it's playing dress-up.

20 Vampire Knight

MyAnimeList: 6.87 (Season 1)

Vampire Knight offers something more than other reverse harem anime: mystery and action. It follows the story of Yuuki Cross, who thankfully isn't a clueless human girl; she's a fully-fledged vampire after being rescued from death by Kaname Kuran, a vampire. Ten years later, she then acts as a peacekeeper at Cross Academy, which has both a day class for humans and a night class for vampires. Despite being one of the vampires, Yuuki still refuses to see humans as prey which makes her one-of-a-kind among her peers, most of whom are enigmatic vampire males with sharp fangs and even sharper bangs.

One of the more popular reverse harems, Vampire Knight has not aged especially well, although it works well enough as a romance with some action. Although Yuuki has a more interesting setup than many leads in the subgenre, she can be a bit too passive at times.

19 Yona Of The Dawn

MyAnimeList: 8.03

The beauty in Yona of the Dawn, apart from the main character and her male warrior entourage, is that it subverts some prevalent reverse harem tropes. Yona stars off as a naive and vulnerable person who needs to be regularly protected; however, she refuses to remain that way for long, and she works hard to try and change. She's a budding warrior and an inheritor of the throne, one that has been usurped by an uprising driven by someone Yona believed to be a friend.

Related

35 Most Iconic Anime Teachers, Ranked

Even the strongest anime protagonist needed a good teacher. These instructors have proven to be the best in anime.

The anime also doubles as a coming-of-age adventure where Yona embarks on an epic journey to reclaim her kingdom after her father, the king, gets murdered. Her sheltered nature makes sense considering her upbringing, and her development naturally stems from the grave situation she finds herself in. Unfortunately, the anime only scratches the surface of the source material's content, making it little more than a footnote in the overall franchise.

18 Code: Realize - Guardian Of Rebirth

MyAnimeList: 6.66

Code: Realize - Guardian of Rebirth has one of the most outlandish and ridiculous plots ever in a reverse harem anime. Its heroine, Cardia Beckford was born with what can only be described as an atomic bomb in her heart. Now, a terror organization, as well as the army, wants to keep her because she's a weapon. Moreover, her heart makes it so that everything organic gets melted in contact with her skin. Still, that didn't prevent a dashing thief from stealing her, who also promised that he would steal Cardia's heart, both literally and figuratively. Now, thousands of men are chasing her, but mostly because she's a walking time bomb.

Based on a visual novel, Guardian of Rebirth has a cool steampunk aesthetic that sets it apart from the crowd, along with an over-the-top premise that produces quite a few exciting moments. That said, the anime is quite inconsistent in terms of quality, and plenty of episodes drag.

17 Tricks Of The Gods

MyAnimeList: 7.01

In Tricks of the Gods, the female protagonist isn't a destitute homeless girl with no choice. Yui Kusanagi is a cushy high school student who pulls a sword in her family's storehouse unironically expecting nothing to happen despite the pop culture suggestion. Lo and behold, she gets transported into another realm.

Related

10 Romance Anime Protagonists Who Are In The Wrong

These romance anime protagonists engage in questionable romance and drama.

It's not just any realm, but rather a god academy that Zeus (Greek mythology) himself created to teach five handsome, lean young men how to get in touch with humanity. And what better way to reconnect them to their human side than introducing a high school girl to them? It's up to Yui to teach the five divine wayward gods some human manners. Yui is a likable main character in general as she constantly tries to solve her own issues rather than settling into the damsel-in-distress role.

16 La Corda D'oro: Primo Passo

MyAnimeList: 7.42

Here's another romance anime that takes place in a music school, specifically Seiso Academy. The main girl, Hino Kahoko, wasn't meant to be meant for great things in the music academy, but she joined a school-wide music competition. Luckily, a fairy gave her a magic violin so she could compete against the male heavyweights of Seiso.

As ridiculous as it sounds, that's really what happened. But anyone who likes a dash of classical music to go along with the usual reverse harem shenanigans will find La corda d'oro a satisfying serving and a bit of an odd cocktail.

15 Magic-Kyun! Renaissance

MyAnimeList: 7.01

If someone were to reduce the reverse harem genre to its base ingredients, they would end up with Magic-Kyun! Renaissance. Sunrise's anime is a quintessential representative of these sorts of stories, to the point of containing most of its basic tropes and character archetypes. As such, it is an easy recommendation for people who are just searching for another reverse harem anime to digest; however, the series will likely not impress anyone who is not already enamored with the genre.

Hoshigei High centers around magic that takes the form of sparkles, and they seem to be tied to the arts. Kohana joins this school to follow in her mother's footsteps, and she quickly starts a project working with a few of the academy's most popular bachelors. Naturally, they have some disagreements at first, but the boys quickly fall in love with their female schoolmate.

14 Meiji Tokyo Renka

MyAnimeList: 7.03

An ordinary high-school girl named Mei Ayazuki gets whisked away to the Meiji era by a handsome self-proclaimed magician. To her surprise (or delight), a group of handsome historical Meiji figureheads were expecting her.

Related

Romance Anime With The Best English Dubs

These romance anime with English dubs stayed true to the original story even without using the original Japanese performances.

Mei learns that she can see ghosts, and this makes her automatically more attractive to the aforementioned men. A decent reverse harem anime that caters to the Josei demographic, Meiji Tokyo Renka benefits from having a fairly unique setting for the genre, along with a solid roster of male leads.

13 Kiss Him, Not Me!

MyAnimeList: 6.96

One of the most popular reverse harem anime, Kiss Him, Not Me! leans heavily into comedy, and the show can be pretty hilarious at times. Obsessed with BL stories, Kae retreats into her shell (and room) when one of her favorite manga characters dies. When she emerges, she looks quite different, a change that attracts the attention of a few guys at school. However, Kae would much prefer to focus on boys' love than be the center of a harem's attention.

Kiss Him, Not Me!'s manga is not only beloved but also generally great, and the anime only scratches the surface of its source material's content. That said, Brain's Base still put together a charming and entertaining series that highlights the manga's positive qualities, even if it is not a complete experience.

12 Fena: Pirate Princess

MyAnimeList: 7.07

For those who prefer their reverse harem main girls to be more awesome or special, Fena: Pirate Princess offers more of that in spades. It's about the titular princess, Fena, who is doomed to an arranged marriage, but lucky for her, her hot male childhood friend and a couple of other warriors rescue her from such a predicament.

What follows afterward is a swashbuckling tale as Fena and her boyband male bodyguard group jump from one adventure to another in search of a place called Eden, her father's legacy. It's similar to tales like Fushigi Yuugi, one of the more popular reverse harem staples.

11 Uta No Prince Sama

MyAnimeList: 7.02 (Season 1)

For a music-themed reverse harem anime, one cannot go wrong with Uta no Prince Sama. It's about the goals and aspirations of protagonist Haruka Nanami. As usual, she's a country girl with big dreams, and she plans to get her senpai idol to notice her. The only problem is that the guy is an elite rock star and musician. That doesn't deter Nanami one bit. She enrolls in a music and arts academy with her goal of being a great composer. To her surprise, however, everyone else in the academy was either an idol, composer, or poet. Of course, the most handsome among them gravitated toward Nanami's awkward provincial girl mannerisms.

Story-wise, Uta no Prince Sama does not offer much in the way of excitement, and it plays things too safe for its own good. However, the show shines in its music and voice acting.

10 Hanasakeru Seishounen

MyAnimeList: 7.70

Hanasakeru Seishounen is a lovely and idyllic tale of another rich girl who must choose a husband in a coming-of-age story. Unlike the other reverse harem anime, there's no pretense or pretext here, as picking a lifelong partner is Kajika Louisa Kugami Burnsworth's mission from the get-go.

She's tasked with this seemingly monumental goal after her rich industrialist father shelters her on her own private island, only to be yanked out of her bubble after she turns fourteen. Everything about her and her father's life now hinges on how well Kajika can choose a husband.

9 Kakuriyo: Bed And Breakfast For Spirits

MyAnimeList: 7.54

Aoi Tsubaki from Kakuriyo has always had a special vision where she can see and communicate with man-eating spirits. For fear that these spirits might consume her, she regularly feeds them and has honed her cooking skills well enough to keep the dangerous souls fed.

Her life takes a twist when a violent king of the spirits suddenly wants to marry her as some kind of debt settlement. What does Aoi do? She vehemently refuses the proposition and instead tells the spirit king that she will open up a restaurant instead to pay off her debt. Her customers? Man-eating souls. Oh, and some of them are hot bachelors who are into the furry scene.

Kakuriyo has elements of romance as expected for the genre, but the show's selling point is arguably its slice of life tone. The anime moves at a slow pace, allowing the audience to soak in the atmosphere as they gradually watch Aoi develop friendships with her patrons.

8 My Next Life As A Villainess: All Routes Lead To Doom!

MyAnimeList: 7.46 (Season 1)

It's rare to find a reverse harem anime set in an isekai world, but My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! takes on that challenge. It's similar to something like Re:Zero, where the main girl has died and gets resurrected as a character in her favorite dating sim game.

The catch is that she's the villain in the game she used to play. To make matters worse, most of her actions accelerate her in-game death. She must tiptoe around her interactions with the characters in the game so that she gets a chance to live longer and also find some prospects among the slick and handsome bachelor selection.

Season 1 is the stronger of the two offerings since it emphasizes Catarina's life-threatening situation, using it for comedic and dramatic purposes. The characters are allowed to shine beyond their archetypes, and they generally have big personalities. Although not terrible, season 2 is a bit directionless compared to its predecessor.

7 Kamisama Kiss

MyAnimeList: 8.10 (Season 1)

Anyone looking for a spiritual successor to Fruits Basket will find Kamisama Kiss, a reverse harem contender. In fact, it incorporates a rather similar promise for the protagonist. A girl (named Nanami here) becomes homeless due to financial issues and gets "adopted" by a slender and feminine-looking man.

Related

Most Unique Powers In Shonen Anime

Shonen anime is famous for the fantastical powers its characters display. These series have come up with some creative new abilities to showcase.

The man turns out to be a fox god of some sort, and she gets bound to him by accident, which inadvertently turns her into a deity. Now, her life is never the same as she tries to live with her newfound life as a god of some sort as she fends off a snake man who wants to marry her, monsters who want to eat her, and also managing her feelings for her fox god familiar.

Featuring lovable leads and an engaging plot that expertly blends comedy and drama, Kamisama Kiss is just an all-around great anime that merely happens to include a reverse harem twist.

6 Romantic Killer

MyAnimeList: 8

Romantic Killer is in a weird spot since it is an unapologetic parody of reverse harem, and its shonen-style humor might not hit the mark with everyone. However, the show should still appeal to fans looking for a piece that can scratch their genre itch.

Related

8 Atypical Anime To Watch If You Like Romantic Killer

Romantic Killer is not the only anime series that subverts stereotypical characteristics while hilariously evading romance at all costs.

Anzu has no interest in boys, preferring to spend her time on games and junk food; unfortunately, a magical being suddenly appears and flips her life around, casting her as the unwilling lead in a harem universe. Despite initially seeming to mock everything that harems and romance stories stand for, Romantic Killer gradually develops into a surprisingly effective example of both genres. Anzu is a contender for the best female lead in the reverse harem world, and she is accompanied by male characters who have surprising depth. The premise seems uncomfortable at first since the guys appear to be mind-controlled, but this element is eventually subverted.

5 The Story Of Saiunkoku

MyAnimeList: 7.98 (Season 1)

This time around, the main girl in The Story of Saiunkoku is the daughter of a noble family who dreams of becoming a government official. However, the show is set during a time when women weren't even allowed to pick their husbands.

Related

10 Most Overused Powers In Anime

Anime has introduced fans to some ridiculous and unique powers, but these powers in particular have been recycled too many times.

Shuurei Kou, the main girl in question, found an opportunity when the new and lazy emperor asked her into a six-month fake marriage, so she could handle his government responsibilities in his stead. Together with the emperor's all-male retinue, they transform the monarch into a responsible man, and whatever romance blossoms along the way is counted as bonus pay. The Story of Saiunkoku is notable for its proactive protagonist and historical setting, two elements that not only set it apart from many reverse harem anime but also elevate it above many of its contemporaries.

4 Hakuoki ~Demon of the Fleeting Blossom~

MyAnimeList: 7.37 (Season 1)

Tired of the usual hapless schoolgirl getting in debt or servitude to several gorgeous guys? Then Hakuouki is a breath of fresh air as it picks the Edo era of Japan (the 1600s to 1800s as the setting. In it, Chizuru Yukimura is looking for her missing father when she gets entangled with the Shinsengumi, Japan's special police force.

Related

10 Post-Apocalyptic Anime Everyone Should Watch

Anime can tell some pretty grim stories. These post-apocalyptic tales left a huge impression on viewers.

Turns out they are also looking for her father. Hence, she now has to work with them, which isn't too bad considering how some of the members were single and ready to mingle. It also helps that they all represent several shades of masculinity with little to no physical imperfections. Who knew looking for one's father could be a fun dating opportunity?

Hakuoki puts romance on the back burner for most of its run, allowing the main relationships to develop naturally rather than forcing their growth through melodrama. As a historical series with hints of fantasy, the anime is effective and engaging.

3 The Wallflower (The Seven Metamorphoses Of Yamato Nadeshiko)

MyAnimeList: 7.72

The Wallflower is quite the riot as it compels four physically near-perfect shoujo anime male stereotypes to live with a girl who has a unique look. The girl's name is Sunako Nakahara, and it's intentional that her name is quite close to a horror movie staple, Sadako (Samara in the US) from The Ring. Why must they live with her? Her filthy rich aunt wanted to teach Sunako how to be a woman, and apparently, the best way to do that is by introducing her to four men who are clueless about feminity.

While repetition sets in after a while, The Wallflower is comfortably among the funniest reverse harem anime; more importantly, the characters' relationship change throughout the series, and it is not love at first sight.

2 Mysterious Play

MyAnimeList: 7.61

Mysterious Play, better known as Fushigi Yugi, is one of the most fun reverse harem anime in existence. A young high school girl named Miaka Yuuki gets transported to a mysterious fantasy world where she turns out to be a prophesized priestess who has the power to summon a god that will grant three wishes. Before that, though, she must find her bodyguards or celestial warriors to protect her. Unsurprisingly, they're all spindly male soldiers, and two of the most attractive ones want Miaka for themselves. The others are just there for flings or to add up to the conundrum.

Fushigi Yugi is a cult classic that arguably does not get enough attention in this day and age. Isekai fans should definitely take the time to check out this series as it has aged relatively well, despite feeling a bit rushed in places. The reverse harem aspect is given a fair amount of attention without hogging the limelight from the core story, which is pretty great.