The Ultimate Guide to Understanding the Complexities of Modern Relationships

Highlights

The subgenre of harem anime has gained immense popularity by typically showcasing a male protagonist who attracts the romantic attention of several female characters. However, recent anime series like Girlfriend, Girlfriend and 100 Girlfriends have revolutionized this genre by introducing polyamorous relationships.

Both shows prioritize the development of emotional bonds between characters, breaking away from stereotypical character roles and adding layers of complexity. They also introduce a fresh type of protagonist in the harem genre who actively seeks connections with multiple love interests instead of selecting just one.

These shows offer a unique perspective that infuses humor and romance into the harem subgenre, making them highly recommended for fans seeking a refreshing change.

Harems have long been a staple of the anime medium, encompassing a wide range of genres from action to slice of life. However, there seems to be a noteworthy shift within the subgenre occurring right now. This Fall season introduces two exceptionally unique harem anime that push the boundaries of the harem subgenre in the realm of romance. These series, Girlfriend, Girlfriend and 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You, offer something distinct that sets them apart.

Both anime showcase some form of polyamorous relationships, which is not entirely new in this type of show. However, it is the way in which the characters navigate these relationships that creates an innovative trajectory. So, what precisely is the fundamental similarity between Girlfriend, Girlfriend and 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You?

The Standard

The harem subgenre involves a character who becomes the object of affection for the majority of the main cast in a series. This trope gained popularity in the late 90s and early 2000s, thanks in part to Ken Akamatsu's works like Love Hina and Negima!. Typically, this character is male and accumulates multiple female romantic interests throughout the series. This concept draws inspiration from Japanese visual novels and bishōjo games, where players control a main character who develops relationships with various potential romantic partners. The female love interests in these narratives often embody specific personality archetypes (known as "-dere" types), while the male lead is a generic character, acting as a representation of the audience and possessing qualities such as kindness and honesty that attract attention.

"Reverse Harem" refers to the same concept, but with a female protagonist and male love interests instead. In visual novels and similar games, the objective is frequently to pursue the unique path of each love interest and nurture that relationship, sometimes at the expense of the others, to ultimately lead to a confession of romantic feelings. While only one winner typically emerges, the tension arises from the protagonist's decision-making process, as each love interest inevitably falls in love with her. When these stories are adapted into anime, one route is often selected as the canonical ending, while the remaining love interests compete for the protagonist's affection.

More is More

Recently, there has been a focus on a unique type of harem where multiple love interests are pursued simultaneously instead of following a single route. These love interests exist in what can be described as a "Schrödinger's Lover" situation, as seen in shows like The Quintessential Quintuplets. In this show, one of the five heroines will marry the main character, but it remains unknown which one since they all look identical. This concept is also seen in Girlfriend, Girlfriend and 100 Girlfriends, where the main characters are compelled to develop romantic relationships with multiple partners simultaneously for specific reasons.

In Girlfriend, Girlfriend, the main character Naoya, known for his extreme honesty, has been hopelessly in love with his childhood friend Saki Saki. However, when another girl named Nagisa confesses her love to him, Naoya cannot bring himself to reject her and asks Saki for permission to date Nagisa as well. The humor in this show lies in Naoya's excessive honesty and his ability to see attractive qualities in anyone, which puts him at risk of adding more girls to his harem.

In 100 Girlfriends, protagonist Rentaro's immense popularity with various girls is a result of a mistake made by a god. This god accidentally assigned all the possible luck that Rentaro and his soulmates could ever hope to have. As a result, Rentaro is required to develop romantic relationships with each of his 100 soulmates, or else they will lose their lives when their luck runs out. Both shows have outlandish premises for the harem concept, but what connects them is the genuine development of emotional connections among the characters. Additionally, the competition between romantic suitors takes on a unique nature, as the love interests also develop special connections with their rivals.

Neo-Harem

Both titles stand out in the harem anime genre by going beyond the usual cookie-cutter characters based on common tropes and archetypes. Instead, they use these archetypes as a foundation for building more satisfying storylines. For instance, in Girlfriend, Girlfriend, Shino, the resident tsundere, embodies the archetype with her prickly and easily agitated personality, but also surprises with acts of kindness that she is unaware of. This disconnect between her self-perception and others' perception adds depth to the character. In 100 Girlfriends, the harem concept is taken to ridiculous proportions, just like the characters themselves in Girlfriend, Girlfriend. Both Naoya and Rentaro, as modern harem leads, confidently pursue romantic connections and don't shy away from developing relationships with the heroines they encounter.

Unlike previous main characters in the genre who often faced a selection dilemma or contrived plot obstacles, and slowly moved towards a single ending, the main character in these neo-harem titles simultaneously progresses multiple connections with the intention of forming relationships with all potential suitors. While variations of this idea have been seen in the past, such as in The World God Only Knows with its emphasis on visual novel aspects, those connections were often impermanent. What sets these two titles apart is their equal emphasis on each connection, which brings a refreshing comedy and genuine developments in the romance department. In an era when the harem subtrope is well-established, 100 Girlfriends and Girlfriend, Girlfriend manage to offer something unique and worthwhile.