Harem (genre)

Harem (ハーレムもの, hāremumono; "harem works") is a genre of light novels, manga, anime, and video games focusing on a main character surrounded by multiple potential romantic or sexual partners. The term "harem" derives from the historical harem, a secluded part of a household reserved for women, and refers by analogy to a man associated with multiple women. Originating in Japan in the 1970s, its popularity increased during the late 1980s and 1990s with the advent of dating simulator games. The genre often features a protagonist who is surrounded by three or more suitors, love interests and/or sexual partners. Harem works are frequently comedies that rely on self-insert protagonists which allow projection for the viewer, often accompanied with an ensemble cast of supporting characters. A story featuring a heterosexual male or homosexual female protagonist paired with an all-female harem is informally referred to as a female harem or seraglios, while a heterosexual female or homosexual male protagonist paired with an all-male harem is informally referred to as a male harem, reverse harem, or gyaku hāremu (逆ハーレム). Although originating in Japan, the genre later inspired variants in Western media.