Kara Dennison
July 29, 2024 
Harem anime are a strange beast. Some are surprisingly good (or, if they’re by Rumiko Takahashi, unsurprisingly good). Others are formulaic to a fault: stereotypical female characters with one notable trait fall for a boy who has little to recommend him. And yet, one of this season’s best anime, Pseudo Harem, takes its cues from the genre—albeit in a very inventive way.
Meet one-girl harem Rin and her senpai Eiji. Her many personas have captured his heart… but what about Rin herself? Read on and find out why this is a must-watch.
Meet the Harem
It all starts with a casual comment from Eiji, part of the tech crew for the school drama club. He mentions to Rin that he’d love to be a harem anime protagonist, with girls of all types fawning over him. As a joke, she starts to act out harem stereotypes to amuse him: the flirty Imp-chan, the standoffish Cool-chan, and (of course) the twintailed Tsundere-chan. Thus, the pseudo harem is born.
But under the many increasing roles Rin plays, one truth prevails: she’s got a massive crush on him. The different characters allow her to express those feelings, but will Eiji ever notice the actress behind the many faces? Or… does he already?
The Voice
The star of Pseudo Harem would have to be as unique a talent as Rin herself. And stepping into the role is Saori Hayami, whose broad range is evident across her many roles. You may have heard her as Yor Forger in SPY x FAMILY, Sailor Star Maker in Sailor Moon Crystal, or Ruby Rose in the Japanese dub of RWBY.
Hayami inhabits each of these harem staples with ease, bringing a unique voice to each of them. It’s an impressive range befitting of the school’s new star actress. Most of all, though, she brings a sweet believability to Rin herself. As confident as she may be when playing a role, she’s still a lovestruck teen hoping to be seen for who she really is.
The Romance
Harem anime ask who the protagonist will choose. In Pseudo Harem, we’re mainly just waiting for Rin and Eiji to figure things out. But as the series plays out, it exposes some interesting truths about the harem anime structure and the (lack of) romance at the center of so many of them.
In a recent episode, Eiji flat-out said that he’s not sure he’s experienced being in love yet, but he’d like to. Naturally this is a blow to the deeply smitten Rin, but it’s also an interesting point to consider. Even Eiji knows that harems aren’t about finding love so much as they are about feeling loved. Or, at least, feeling noticed. A harem like the one Rin creates for Eiji would probably never actually love him… but it’s kind of cool how its existence is a mark of her love for him. Now, will he notice? Or will she speak up?
Want more rom-coms? Check out the new manga Hima-Ten!
