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.
Also, the rankings of the best harem anime are updated monthly, so things can and do change. Consequently, we also add classic shows that might have missed the cut initially. We have tried to be as thorough as possible, but there are a lot of harem anime.
Want to know what new harem anime are coming out? Check out this rundown of all of 2025's shows.
Updated January 3, 2026 by Mark Sammut: A new year is upon us, but it is still too early to say if any of Winter 2026's harems are worth watching. So, we have updated this article with a quick picks section, along with There's No Freaking Way I'll be Your Lover! Unless...
Quick Picks: Best Harem Anime To Watch Right Now
While we will get to the full rankings in a second, this section will recommend a few shows depending on what somebody is looking for. I will try to cover the most basic harem categories, just to try and cover most requirements. If you are just looking for a series to watch and would rather not dive into the rankings themselves, the following table should be a useful place to start.
|
Recommendations |
Best Harem Anime |
Alternative Harem Anime 1 |
Alternative Harem Anime 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Best Traditional Harem Romance Anime |
The Quintessential Quintuplets |
2.5 Dimensional Seduction |
The Café Terrace And Its Goddesses |
|
Best Comedy Harem Anime |
The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You |
The World God Only Knows |
Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend |
|
Best Action Harem Anime |
Date a Live |
High School DxD |
Is This a Zombie? |
|
Best Classic Harem Anime |
The World God Only Knows |
To Love Ru |
Ah! My Goddess |
|
Most Influential Harem Anime |
Tenchi Muyo! |
To Love Ru |
Ranma 1/2 (Not Really Harem, But Has Elements Of It) |
|
Best Fanservice Harem Anime |
High School DxD |
2.5 Dimensional Seduction |
Heaven's Lost Property |
39 Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs
MyAnimeList: 7.32
Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- April 3, 2022
- Japanese Title
- Otome Game Sekai wa Mob ni Kibishii Sekai desu
- Studio
- ENGI
- Number of Episodes
- 12
- Based On
- Novel & Light Novel
- Creator
- Yomu Mishima
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
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.
The Best Isekai Harem Anime, Ranked
While not part of every series, many isekai anime feature harems. Here are the best isekai harem shows.
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).
38 The Testament of Sister New Devil
MyAnimeList: 6.68
The Testament of Sister New Devil
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2015 - 2016-00-00
- Creator(s)
- Tetsuto Uesu
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).
37 Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest
MyAnimeList: 6.72 (Season 1)
Arifureta: From Commonplace To World's Strongest
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2019 - 2025-00-00
WHERE TO WATCH
- Japanese Title
- Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou
- Studio
- Asread, White Fox, Studio Mother
- Based On
- Light Novel
- Creator
- Ryo Shirakome
- Number of Episodes
- 42
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
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.
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.
36 There's No Freaking Way I'll be Your Lover! Unless...
MyAnimeList: 7.67
There's No Freaking Way I'll be Your Lover! Unless...
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- July 8, 2025
- Japanese Title
- Watashi ga Koibito ni Nareru Wake Nai jan, Muri Muri! (Muri ja Nakatta!?)
- Studio
- Studio Mother
- Based On
- Light Novel
- Creator(s)
- Teren Mikami
- Streaming Service(s)
- YouTube
To be honest, I'm not sure whether to classify There's No Freaking Way I'll be Your Lover! Unless... As a harem or reverse harem. We rarely get yuri harems, and this one kind of works as both subcategories. Ultimately, I opted to include this anime as I believe fans of male-focused harems will generally enjoy it.
Renako wants to get over her middle-school awkwardness and actually make friends in high school, and she gets the perfect opportunity when she is saved by the popular Mai. The problem is that Mai wants to be more than just friends, a direction that Renako is reluctant to take. They decide to try both types of relationships, and things get even more complicated when other girls start to approach Renako.
There's No Freaking Way I'll be Your Lover! Unless... Is pretty darn hilarious, and it is refreshing to see a protagonist who is totally aware that they are being dragged into a harem.
35 Amagami SS
MyAnimeList: 7.28 (Season 1)
Amagami SS
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2010 - 2010
- Number of Episodes
- 39
- Studio
- AIC
- Based On
- Visual Novel
- Streaming Service(s)
- HIDIVE
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.
34 In Another World With My Smartphone
MyAnimeList: 6.10 (Season 1)
In Another World With My Smartphone
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2017 - 2023
- Japanese Title
- Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni
- Studio
- Production Reed, J.C.Staff
- Based On
- Light Novel
- Creator
- Patora Fuyuhara
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
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.
33 Monster Musume: Everyday Life with Monster Girls
MyAnimeList: 6.93
Monster Musume: Everyday Life With Monster Girls
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2015 - 2015
- Japanese Title
- Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou
- Studio
- Lerche
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator(s)
- Okayado
- Number of Episodes
- 12
- Streaming Service(s)
- HIDIVE
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.
32 Tsugumomo
MyAnimeList: 7.03 (Season 1)
Tsugumomo
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2017 - 2020
- Studio
- Zero-G
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Yoshikazu Hamada
- Number of Episodes
- 24
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
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.
31 Trinity Seven
MyAnimeList: 7.04
Trinity Seven
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2014 - 2015-00-00
- Studio
- Seven Arcs Pictures
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Kenji Saitō
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, HIDIVE
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.
30 The Shiunji Family Children
MyAnimeList: 7.12
The Shiunji Family Children
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- April 8, 2025
- Japanese Title
- Shiunji-ke no Kodomotachi
- Studio
- Doga Kobo
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator(s)
- Reiji Miyajima
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
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.
Every Harem Anime Of 2025
2025 is over, and the year had plenty of harem anime. Here are all of them.
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.