How to Build a Harem

Jon Mitchell

@paul-nebeling said in How to Build a Harem:

Battle: Little Apocalypse, Infinite Stratos

I think we may be talking past each other here (at least in the way I thought I was using the term)
of course this is all subject to opinion on how you define your terms - but to me a "battle harem" is a subtrope of the harem genre where the girls are fighters/team with the protagonist in a action oriented way - shield maidens and snipers and whatnot- think High School DxD (rivalries yes, but on same team in tournaments )

IS still qualifies - but so does Rokojouma! Battle harems may or may not be cooperative!

Paul Nebeling

@jon-mitchell I believe we are using the term differently. I use battle harem to refer to one where the spokes are (generally) competing with each other for the central person's affection/attention rather than one where they are just fighting. I honestly can't think of many LN where there isn't some sort of fighting going on. I won't claim to be using the term properly, but to me, the modified regrets to the internal dynamic rather than the external activity.

Edit to add: I followed the link in your post and immediately cringed because I'm one of those Philistines that does not consider SAO to be a harem.

SomeOldGuy

@paul-nebeling SAO is a wannabe harem. Lots of people wannabe in what isn't there. Kind of like Businessman Isekai.

Jon Mitchell

should we coin a new term? I'm ok with that
what do we call a non-romantic harem? (i.e. Businessman Isekai- where the attraction seems to be - everyone wants the protagonist to be their boss and/or dad, but not necessarily have a romantic interest)

stardf29

@jon-mitchell TVTropes has the Supporting Harem, which also includes cases where one girl is clearly the winning girl but other girls are in love with the guy. The basic idea is that the other girls exist more to appeal to the audience with their various character traits.

Jon Mitchell

@stardf29
I don’t think it fits forBusinessman I mean there may have been a fleeting crush, but the girls (other than his wife/goddess) weren’t in love with the protagonist

stardf29

@jon-mitchell The page does also allow for "other girls really like but aren't in love with the protagonist", so there's that...

If you really want a unique term, maybe Pseudo Harem? Though that could be confused for this...

Steelblaidd

@paul-nebeling said in How to Build a Harem:

use battle harem to refer to one where the spokes are (generally) competing with each other for the central person's affection/attention rather than one where they are just fighting.

That is a pretty nonstandard usage.

I agree that SAO is a stillborn harem. Though Kaoahara did right a 'non-canon' marry them all sort-of-ending (I keep wanting to write a fan fic continuation of it but cant figure out how to not make it a total lemon).
Disagree that the harem knowing all the potential members is a necessity.

@stardf29 I loike psedo harem, both the manga and as the term for a no romantic gathering around a central character.

Paul Nebeling

@steelblaidd "Stillborn harem" I like that. It truly fits. Yeah, Kawahara has written tons of add-on material for SAO. Some is canon and some is not. It muddies the waters quite a bit.

Since TVtropes has already assigned the term "Battle Harem", I suppose it's necessary to coin a phrase to describe what I mean. Competative Harem? I don't really like the flow of Non-cooperative Harem. Contested Harem? Fight-over-the-MC Harem? (That one kinda sucks.)

Jon Mitchell

@paul-nebeling

antagonistic harem
harem of rivals
dog eat dog harem

Steelblaidd

@paul-nebeling Frome TV tropes

the "Shuraba" ("Bloodbath") route, where There Can Be Only One and the contenders ruthlessly sabotage each other to secure mastery.

I think what you are describing is best termed a contested balanced harem. ( Roukiujoma being an uncontested balanced)

Paul Nebeling

@steelblaidd Color me confused on the difference between a balanced and unbalanced harem.

stardf29

@paul-nebeling I would consider an unbalanced harem being one where one girl (or sometimes two) is clearly the "favorite" to win. It's still technically a harem as the MC entertains the romantic affections of all girls and hasn't committed to that "favorite" girl yet but it's pretty clear that, barring a drastic authorial twist, only one girl has any real chance of winning.

Jon Mitchell

@stardf29
As it is now: Rokojouma is a good example of a balanced harem, For a while Elf Bride looked like it might be leaning towards being an unbalanced harem (and some would argue Businessman Isekei is another example) or for an anime example ToLoveRu

Steelblaidd

@jon-mitchell IS is also balanced.
It's one of those inverted pyramids of champagne glasses full of nitroglycerin, but balanced.

The opposite of the balanced is the satalite harem such as SAO, or Ranma 1/2

Paul Nebeling

@steelblaidd Funny way to describe it, but accurate.

Steelblaidd

@paul-nebeling Once you have seen the trick done it kind of sticks with you.
See example

durask

@jon-mitchell I think non-romantic or pseudo harem is where the author just piles up more and more female characters most of whom do not have romantic feelings for the MC.

I think Elf Bride is the most recent example that comes to mind. Then again, there seem to be two other couples in the making.

hopebestman

1-)You have to be somewhat OP MC.
2-)You have to be some level ass hole but inside a good person.
3-)You shouldnt have same type of girl. You need diversity. Loli , oppai , tsundere , etc...
4-)There should be a common enemy to hate and fight together.
5-)YOU NEVER EVER cant try to bang any of them. You have to be somewhat "impotent" guy or a clueless moron about girls.

PS: Depends on story , there could be some changes.

Jon Mitchell

@durask said in How to Build a Harem:

I think non-romantic or pseudo harem is where the author just piles up more and more ~~female~~ characters most of whom do not have romantic feelings for the MC.

Bookworm? Everyone wants Myne- but not in a romantic way