Stance on Harems and what do you think make them bad? Also if you were to write a Harem, how much do you think would be the number limit of members.

[RepresentingPride]

The problem is they didn’t know what they were doing or did. Compare this revenge with “Devil Returns to School Days.”

Also, I’m not into rape revenge.

The "saint" bitch was manipulated, but the sword heroe and the commander know exaclty what happen to them and even try to fight against it but can't.
For the Rape, well tor that one, he had a good reason with what they have done to him.

 

[AnonUnlimited]

The "saint" bitch was manipulated, but the sword heroe and the commander know exaclty what happen to them and even try to fight against it but can't.
For the Rape, well tor that one, he had a good reason with what they have done to him.

The thing is, I’m okay with beat downs and pushing someone a torturous death, but straight rape is something I can’t ever be on board for.

Main reason being it has the potential to start a new life and procreate. Granted, I do believe sex is more than just procreation, but I’m completely against it if there is a possibility of a child being born from an extreme act of hatred.

 

[RepresentingPride]

The thing is, I’m okay with beat downs and pushing someone a torturous death, but straight rape is something I can’t ever be on board for.

Main reason being it has the potential to start a new life and procreate. Granted, I do believe sex is more than just procreation, but I’m completely against it if there is a possibility of a child being born from an extreme act of hatred.

I can understand the last part, but it never happen in manga, except in Berserk, that why I want Grifith to die so much.

 

[AnonUnlimited]

I can understand the last part, but it never happen in manga, except in Berserk, that why I want Grifith to die so much.

If the villains do it, I’m fine because it’s all the more reason for revenge. However the revenge has to be worth it.

It’s just I can’t root for a protagonist who doesn’t care about innocent life being involved. There is nothing more innocent than a baby or young children.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

If the villains do it, I’m fine because it’s all the more reason for revenge. However the revenge has to be worth it.

It’s just I can’t root for a protagonist who doesn’t care about innocent life being involved. There is nothing more innocent than a baby or young children.

Pussy.

 

[AnonUnlimited]

Pussy.

Cat.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Cat.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

I prefer polyamory where the all the characters have agency to pursue others as well if they please. For me personally, I cap the primary lovers of the MC at 4, but there can still be some friends with benefits and other circumstances for temporary love interests.

 

[Tsuru]

In my story, I can either go the harem route or another route which will surely get me hunted down like the plague by mostly all my readers.

I've read a good deal of comments from all over the place with most people saying that they hate harems. I have a general understanding why people hate harems. (bad characterization, stupid plot, etc)

I've never come to hate the genre of harems though. I'm curious what do you guys think makes a harem bad and also how much do you think makes a good harem.

1? 2? 3? 4? Etc. Let me hear any and all thoughts!

3
Triforce
Mushoku (proof)
(+logical : the 3 days of the weekend to pamper them)


Anything in the world. Have people like or dislike.
But its just like food.
Its not that you hate it.
You simply never discovered a chef good enough to prepare what you hate into a good dish.

 

[FebyA]

What makes it bad is probably not letting the readers develop enough care and liking for the harem members.

It's the same problem with writing any bad character (harem or not).

If you keep moving on from one girl to the next and forgetting the old one, that's also bad.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

In my story, I can either go the harem route or another route which will surely get me hunted down like the plague by mostly all my readers.

I've read a good deal of comments from all over the place with most people saying that they hate harems. I have a general understanding why people hate harems. (bad characterization, stupid plot, etc)

I've never come to hate the genre of harems though. I'm curious what do you guys think makes a harem bad and also how much do you think makes a good harem.

1? 2? 3? 4? Etc. Let me hear any and all thoughts!

I do hate the genre of harem. That is because anything that belongs in the genre of harem didn't put enough into the worldbuilding, the relationships, and the plot for the harem to arise naturally and be as normal and fun to read as a monogamous relationship. It should not be a notable tag. Instead, there should be so many amazing elements with the romance, the magic, the conflict, etc. that other, better tags should crowd out the harem tag so much that you can't put fit it because of the tag limit.

The size doesn't matter. It is the capability of the author to handle it. Typically means, at most, a trio. There are those with more though.

The only harem stories I have enjoyed: Industrial Strength Magic (I hesitate at calling it a harem, because the love goes in all directions, but I think it counts under the definition), AnimeCon Harem (I was a little iffy about it. It has some dark themes), and another I don't want to search for.

Also, enjoy. https://forum.scribblehub.com/threads/build-a-harem.16004/

 

[GabrielTenma]

I do hate the genre of harem. That is because anything that belongs in the genre of harem didn't put enough into the worldbuilding, the relationships, and the plot for the harem to arise naturally and be as normal and fun to read as a monogamous relationship. It should not be a notable tag. Instead, there should be so many amazing elements with the romance, the magic, the conflict, etc. that other, better tags should crowd out the harem tag so much that you can't put fit it because of the tag limit.

The size doesn't matter. It is the capability of the author to handle it. Typically means, at most, a trio. There are those with more though.

The only harem stories I have enjoyed: Industrial Strength Magic (I hesitate at calling it a harem, because the love goes in all directions, but I think it counts under the definition), AnimeCon Harem (I was a little iffy about it. It has some dark themes), and another I don't want to search for.

Also, enjoy. https://forum.scribblehub.com/threads/build-a-harem.16004/

Goofy thread. Was a funny read.

 

[l8rose]

This is definitely the first time I've seen a take like this. I don't really get it but that's prob just me. You're right about the members becoming fine with it for stupid reasons though. I also agree with the fact that most of the modern-day harems should not be possible but still exist somehow, weird how almost no one points it out most of the time.

Just personal preference but probably influenced by my past poly relationships and the fact that I kind of like it when the characters feel like complete entities on their own. I prefer characters who have more driving their purpose than just getting that D (or V).

Exactly. I can tolerate harems in stories where it makes sense (such as Ancient China with nobles having multiple wives) but most of those seem to end up boiled down to monogamy with extra steps.

All that makes me realize I didn't answer the harem size thing. If I was to write a harem story, probably have only three, maybe four, lovers in it. It just feels like, after that point, the harem members start becoming non-entities or feel like they're just tacked on. But it's kind of true about any stories with large groups.

 

[Sylver]

Unfortunately, some negative comments from my story come from readers expressing their disappointment and sudden disinterest in continuing my story after the introduction of the secondary character, who challenges the female lead for her partner. They say that they don't like harems and then drop the story after.

Which hurts, undoubtedly so. I never considered my story to be a harem, more like a polygamy, a relationship between 3 characters.

But what bites is that I do put focus and attention toward my characters, their separate goals and desires, and even the conflicts they have. I think at that point the problem could be that people judge based on patterns from what they've read before and assume they can predict how this pattern ends.

And really, I can't blame them. I'm guilty of doing the same, I've dropped stories and maybe I would have enjoyed them if I stuck through.

I don't know how to fix that issue, aside from adding the Polygamy tag to the story and explain in a response to the before mentioned comments that the story isn't a harem nor does it become one later one. None of them replied but it is what it is. I suppose these issues come with the Smut genre and its reputation. My desire to write a character driven fantasy romance that includes smut, action and adventure is likely to be passed or skipped because of the frowned upon reputation that Smut stories have :/

 

[NotaNuffian]

I hate harems when it becomes a collectathon. Where women are "captured" and then left in storage without screentime.

Also, I kind of hate harems if they aren't even going through kisses, BJs or even just anal.

Yes, talking smack and flirting is nice and all, but foreplay can only last so long.

 

[Mr.J]

I used to like Harem series. Tenchi Muyo being a long time favorite. Love Hina and Negima were also good series. I'm a sucker for love triangles, so Harem series tend to be that turned up to 11.

I think those series worked best because they had plots outside of the romance, and likeable casts.

Just like any other story, Harem series can be good or bad depending on the writing. Lol.

i was upset a lot with negima cuz originally i started reading for the harem years ago but I love how negi came to be known as the OG lightning god lol. The story was so fun it was ok, besides we kinda got a sort of harem ending in UQ which ended some time ago

I write my FMC to be strong, so if there one woman who try to seduce the MC, she would mostly die.

I don't have anything against harem, but I don't understand it either, I don't know how they can accept to share this easily, make some scene about it or fight for it anything, don't accept it.

I more or less accepted it in mushoku tensei, since there was implication, scenes about how they perceive it, and the three wives have characters, they are not bland or forgotten after a fun night together or didn't become a side pannel to just look at it.

it's not hard to understand though. Even irl there are more and more examples of this, some do it for riches, for convenience, the taboo nature of it. Ultimately though ig it comes down to the personality of the girls and their quirks, I don't ever see a male harem working out irl though but to each their own

Only watched the two seasons of the anime for Rosario. Is the ending good overall?

the vampier one? I began reading the manga a couple years ago but it started taking a turn I didn't like, and come to find out it really went there, pink haired mohka goes bye bye? no thanks, felt like NTR, yeah sounds weird but it's like she got shafted for the other her

So, I don't really like Harems or Reverse-Harems.

Yes, it's possible for multiple people to fall in love with one person and for one person to fall in love with multiple but I always felt like people should just go the extra step and make it a polycule (share the love, people!). Most harem stories almost always end up with low interactions between the non-target of the harem or the members just accept it and treat it like it's no big thing. The members of the harem end up not feeling like real characters at all. Plus, a lot of these stories are set in worlds where having a harem would not be normal but it's just glossed over.

Eh, just cuz a person is with many people and said people accept it doesn't mean those people are gay or bi, now that's a sort of unrealistic expectation IMO.

 

[AstreiaNyx]

Harem stories are popular here, but they're not really my cup of tea. There's always a bunch of characters chasing after one person, and honestly, the whole 'catch ‘em all' thing just feels kind of shallow.

I'd much rather read about characters developing real connections with different people, with actual reasons to care about each other. Harem just feels repetitive, like there's no room for the interesting stuff that happens in more complex relationships.

 

[J_Chemist]

When in a relationship with multiple women, the women should be loved and attended to equally and uniquely to suit their needs and affection requirements. They should also be aware of the shared relationship. So long as all parties are consenting and satisfied with the conditions and activities within the group, a Harem is green for go. I'm a dude and wouldn't share a woman so I have no idea how the Reverse Harem stuff would work, so I only have the perspective from an individual with a Male-centered Harem.

However, if this is not the case and the Male is a scumbag or there is an imbalance in the relationship (i.e. favoritism or exclusion from activities in some capacity), then that is a no go and must be addressed.

In most stories, most harems fail to meet the proper conditions and skew the details to benefit the MC (both male and female) by glossing over necessary and extremely important details within the relationship. Or, the authors cheat by making the characters as interesting as cardboard and overly attracted to the MC/Harem Center (HC) without much reason. I dislike reading harems because of this fact, as very few authors have been effective at the multi-sided relationships. I cannot name any here on this site that I have read/glanced over that have done it properly either aside from maybe three, and it only highlights the lack of accuracy, knowledge, and true aims of the "Harem" making the books feel more like wish-fulfillment.

Granted, a "bad" harem can be done on purpose as well but doing it smartly is usually difficult and hard to do without looking like a chotch, but that's beside the point.

I personally don't mind utilizing harems in my stories but I do my best to provide proper groundwork for it rather than just shoehorn the characters in. Takes extra work but it can be worth it, with all of the character development opportunities and all.

 

[Hans.Trondheim]

I write harem-isekai, and I can say that I made my homework. My readers appreciate what I wrote, and I really tried to use all my characters (gave them seld motivations separate from the MC and use throughout the story) even after their 'introductory' chapters.

My harem count is already at 20 people. I still have three volumes left to write.

 

[LuoirM]

Me here to observe