Why harem?

[DanielPotter]

About a year ago, I had no problems reading harem fanfictions, but I eventually came to start hating them to the point that I can't remember why I tolerated them in the first place.

I realized that there are now a lot of fanfictions, but just seeing a harem tag makes me immediately lose interest in even trying to read the synopsis.

I want to read fanfictions again, but I don't want to force myself, so I need help. What makes harem fanfictions so appealing that there are now just plenty of them out there?

Please give me your answers.

 

[K5Rakitan]

Wish fulfillment
Also, if you're hating what's available, it's probably time to start writing your own stuff.

 

[CautiousTitan]

Also, if you're hating what's available, it's probably time to start writing your own stuff.

This 100%. I think that's how some authors, including me, started writing. We felt like something we wanted wasn't being made so we made it ourselves. If you feel passionate enough about it, it may be worth looking into it OP.

As for why harem, whether fan fiction or not, is so prevalent, it's basically wish fulfillment. But also because that's what most people who watch anime are used to. Though, I do feel some sort of exhaustion from it as I get older of course. I liked girlfriend x girlfriend mostly because it was really funny and the blonde girl was a waifu. But I feel like the harem kinda made the story a little less interesting? As if there were too many girls, in a sense.

 

[Linkedlord]

I have similar problems , harem is generally really badly written and written in a way that makes everyone seem scummy , i honestly think it is popular because of a huge chunk of horny dudes also usually writing a couple of compelling charecters is difficult , writting lore for all 800 "pokemon" is pretty much impossible to do in any meaningful way

 

[CarburetorThompson]

Only harem series I really like is the Rosario to Vampire manga, and that’s mostly because half way throught part 1 the author just gives up on writing a harem story, and makes it into an action/battle story instead.

 

[J_Chemist]

Only harem series I really like is the Rosario to Vampire manga, and that’s mostly because half way throught part 1 the author just gives up on writing a harem story, and makes it into an action/battle story instead.

That's a hilarious way to put it and I am now going to read it.

About a year ago, I had no problems reading harem fanfictions, but I eventually came to start hating them to the point that I can't remember why I tolerated them in the first place.

I realized that there are now a lot of fanfictions, but just seeing a harem tag makes me immediately lose interest in even trying to read the synopsis.

I want to read fanfictions again, but I don't want to force myself, so I need help. What makes harem fanfictions so appealing that there are now just plenty of them out there?

Please give me your answers.

"Can't get babes IRL, so I'll write 'em myself!"

 

[Daitengu]

I was in the same boat. I was originally ok with harem. After having seen and read enough harem genre anime and stories, I just can't not break it down for technical writing. And I find them to be lacking in the character development department every time. Web novel harems are the worst. Everytime a girl is added, they get put in the background. The wheel spoke shape of harems by nature put the harem owner in the center and usually the girls don't interact with the other girls.

It's popular because it's a single person's lust and power fantasy but misses the romance and passion of piers in love. The axle is always the center and the spokes will never be on their level.

 

[Varstark]

About a year ago, I had no problems reading harem fanfictions, but I eventually came to start hating them to the point that I can't remember why I tolerated them in the first place.

You were reading fanfiction. If you didn't grow sick of them, I'd be very worried for you.

Problem with most harems is that most writers aren't the top something percent of men who know what it's like to balance several women at once, so you don't get anything resembling an emotional experience that would come from such a thing.

 

[Cipiteca396]

Harem is literally romance speed running. You get all the types and tropes, so there's appeal for literally everybody.

Of course, if you try to dial in on a single choice as the 'winner', you alienate everybody who came for the other characters. Thus the useless protagonist who can't choose, and the infinite boring status quo.

---

For the wish fulfillment, being desired is always nice. But there's also a measure of fate or poetry to some romance tropes. Like the heroic rescue, the helping hand, or love at first sight- those things engage the reader, even if they make said reader cringe.

Having more and more Fateful Encounters means more and more engagement, so Harem is strong. But... the more you get used to a trope, the less engaging it is and the more disengaging the cringe becomes.

 

[StrongArm]

I believe it can be done well, but it is almost never done well.
Most harem stories follow japanese manga tropes.
in japanese manga/web novels, the Protagonist never has the balls to make a move on any of the girls orbiting him
the characters are almost always one-dimensional fuck dolls who exist to boost the main characters ego
most harem stories have no relationship with logic or human psychology

but harems exist in real life too, dont they?

Wanna turn the genre on its head?
First, youll need an ALPHA protagonist. This needs to be an attractive, confident male, that has the ability to sexually satisfy multiple partners.

second, give the women of your story ACTUAL personalities. Maybe they love the MC but hate sharing him & compete with the other girls. maybe they get jealous and try to sabotage the other girls relationship with the MC. Maybe they get into vicious catfights.
Maybe a girl decides that she doesnt want to be just another conquest for the MC and decides to leave, thats right, THEY LEAVE THE HAREM.
Maybe a girl, angry that shes not the MCs #1 girl, gets mad and cheats, and later regrets.
maybe the girls start out hating each other, but slowly open up to each other, and fall in love & have bisexual orgies

Drama, life, emotions. A harem could be a gold mine of storytelling, if done well.

Alternately,
if you are doing a historical or fantasy, where nobility is common, you can have your MC have multiple arranged marriages, to secure a bloodline.
Maybe those wives dont even love the MC


If you are a lady,
then have your male harem fight. men do not share. very rarely will males be okay with other men fucking 'their women'
when your FMC becomes romantically involved with one male, have another one get angry and leave\find another woman- maybe hell still be attracted to the FMC and cheat.
Maybe the FMC realizes at the end, that she has been playing with the hearts of these men and regrets it

MAYBE THE MALE MC GETS TIRED OF BEING SEXUALLY EXHAUSTED AND RUNS AWAY TO LEAD A SLOW LIFE IN A SMALL FISHING VILLAGE!!!!

 

[TotallyHuman]

MAYBE THE MALE MC GETS TIRED OF BEING SEXUALLY EXHAUSTED AND RUNS AWAY TO LEAD A SLOW LIFE IN A SMALL FISHING VILLAGE!!!!

Quality title of a japanese ln right there

 

[CarburetorThompson]

That's a hilarious way to put it and I am now going to read it.

If you like weak to strong stories, it’s probably one of the best ones I‘ve read.

 

[Sabruness]

you read harem fanfiction. that's your entire problem. 95% of all harem fanfiction is cringey self-insert OC author delusions. it's one of the things that gives fanfiction a bad rep.

 

[CupcakeNinja]

About a year ago, I had no problems reading harem fanfictions, but I eventually came to start hating them to the point that I can't remember why I tolerated them in the first place.

I realized that there are now a lot of fanfictions, but just seeing a harem tag makes me immediately lose interest in even trying to read the synopsis.

I want to read fanfictions again, but I don't want to force myself, so I need help. What makes harem fanfictions so appealing that there are now just plenty of them out there?

Please give me your answers.

usually because harems come with pussy ass MCs who even if they actually fuck the heroines, still act like cherry boys and get all embarrassed. Fucking looking like they're gonna nut at the barest of touch from them, all flustered and blushing.

All heroines have to do is act cute and all sins are forgiven, cuz the mcs are portrayed as "kind" instead of the simp they are. Smh don't know how to slap a bitch.

Plus, the women are usually so goddamn BORING. Its FIne to not be unique, but falling so easily for a dude just cuz they do like one nice thing is dumb. Or because they treated them differently. "You talk to me like I'm a normal person, so now i love you" if they're idols, for example. They often have no real personality other than being obsessed with the MC for some unfathomable reason.

i mean, there are still a lot of good harem stories with decent harem members and MCs, but a majority arent written good and the main focus seeks to be the harem instead of any story, or the plot always directly involves a heroine.

 

[DiscoDream]

About a year ago, I had no problems reading harem fanfictions, but I eventually came to start hating them to the point that I can't remember why I tolerated them in the first place.

I realized that there are now a lot of fanfictions, but just seeing a harem tag makes me immediately lose interest in even trying to read the synopsis.

I want to read fanfictions again, but I don't want to force myself, so I need help. What makes harem fanfictions so appealing that there are now just plenty of them out there?

Please give me your answers.

The idea of having choices, combined with the lack of action the original author gave their mC's, make easy fanfic fuel.

 

[KidBuu699]

My opinion:

Think about a food that you like. It doesn't have to be your favorite but something that you enjoy. Now imagine starting today that 8 out of the 10 times you eat that specific food that it isn't good. How long will it take for you to stop enjoying that food completely? That you will stop getting it or even seeing it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

That is what I would say is responsible for the harem hate if in the beginning you accepted it. With harem stories being the go to for wish fulfillment with a Mary Sue or Gary Stu, you will be swimming through a lot of garbage before you find a decent one to read.

 

[SilvoidVorstellung]

About a year ago, I had no problems reading harem fanfictions, but I eventually came to start hating them to the point that I can't remember why I tolerated them in the first place.

I realized that there are now a lot of fanfictions, but just seeing a harem tag makes me immediately lose interest in even trying to read the synopsis.

I want to read fanfictions again, but I don't want to force myself, so I need help. What makes harem fanfictions so appealing that there are now just plenty of them out there?

Please give me your answers.

One of the problem with most harem is that, most of the protagonist isn't empathetic for the reader, makes you think 'does he even deserve having all this women love and affection thrown at him?'

Some said it's because of Beta MC that made it intolerable but making him a sociopath with a fuck up moral isn't the way either. He needs to have a human experience; the pain he's going to go through, the happy moment, the sad moment. There's going to be a time for his good intention to backfired and make the situation worst, and there's going to be a time that his belief are going to be challenge, and he could either change or stay.

The second problem is there isn't a lot of conflict, you expect there should be a lot of conflict for forming such harem, it could be the girls are hating each other and the protagonist need to bond their relationship somehow, it could be one of the girl refuse to accept the harem and tries to break apart the group so she could have him for herself.

There a lot more but I'm to lazy to write.

In layman's term, the character need to be well-written or there's to many harem member, (an amateur should create only 2 at most.).

In slice of life, creating bad confict could make your writing worst so handle with care.

 

[Pujimaki]

Smut + Harem. So reading it is worthwhile. Harem who has beta Mc is the most boring one, at least the Mc should smash the girls so it's worth spending time.

 

[Silver_Sky]

I'm actually a bit different, I mostly read harem simply because I love romance stories the only problem with that is ITS REALLY HARD TO FIND A DECENT 1 ON 1 ROMANCE. Now I'm not saying harem is good romance (it's not) there's quite a few members in each harem story so I fill in quality with quantity even if it buggs me sometimes.

 

[WingsOfPhantasy]

The character I root for never gets chosen, whether in Source Material or a normal romance fic, so Harem it is.
Also horni.