Harem lead, a character that is always present in an eroge/visual novel and the anime adaptation of it. If you didn’t know, they are the most important character in visual novels or an anime adaptation of it. I say that because most of the time, people tend to focus on the girls too much but forgets about the most important thing, the person that all the girls love, the person that you play as (visual novel), the person you will see every time, the person who ties all these things together.

Maybe it’s the fault of the studio who makes the harem visual novel/anime. Yea, the girls are the main reason why you play/watch the visual novel/anime, but if the harem lead himself is a P.U.S.S.Y. (Procrastinating Undecided Slow Sissy Youth) or if he is nothing special, it makes us wonder why the girls like him in the first place. We will think that he does not deserve the company of beautiful girls. Thus, decreasing the enjoyment (for me anyway). Unfortunately, that’s the usual type of harem lead, the one you see most of the time.

The lack of story and character development in harem leads makes them bland. To me, a harem lead is equally as important as the girls, and neglecting such an important character is a bad idea. Well, if you’re watching/playing the anime/visual novel for the story, then story and character development in harem leads is very important. If you’re into the series for the cute girls and fanservice, then, such things are not needed.

Ever since I started playing CLANNAD (my first visual novel) recently (still playing it by the way), I found out about one thing. There are big differences between harem leads in animes and the ones found in visual novels. Anime harem leads tend to be ‘uncertain’ and they have a hard time choosing the right girl for them. Visual novel harem leads on the other hand, are quite different. In visual novels, you get to choose one girl depending on what you do and how you react, and that’s it. Then the story continues with the girl you have chosen, and you get to make more decisions to make the girl happy and in most visual novels, to unlock ’special scenes’.

So, if you think that the harem leads found in visual novel adapted anime sucks, think again. It’s the animation studio’s job to arrange all the girls’ paths together, including the harem lead. Since visual novels are meant for decision-making, it’s the same for the anime version as well. It’s not an easy task and most studios fail to do so. They have to add more ‘character’ to the harem lead since the harem lead is not dealing with only one girl, he is dealing with all the girls.

If your favorite girl is not ‘the right one’ for the harem lead, don’t blame him for not making the right choice. It’s obvious that in visual novel adapted anime, the harem lead will almost always pick the ‘main girl’, unless it’s Shuffle!’s Asa-ending. In visual novels, YOU are the one who makes all the decisions, so, of course you won’t complain. Just like us, the harem lead is not comfortable seing girls cry. But there’s no choice, the harem lead must end up with someone, even if it means that he has to break the other girls’ heart.

An example of a good harem lead is Aizawa Yuuichi from Kanon. Almost everyone agrees with me if I say that Yuuichi is the best harem lead out there, with Okazaki Tomoya from CLANNAD in a close second place, or vice versa. Both of them are way better than the usual harem leads. Yuuichi is a nice guy who is good in being funny and charming the girls. Tomoya is a delinquent who is even funnier, and he is an interesting character who has his own problems and backstory. So, aren’t those the qualities that are needed in every harem lead?

A bad example of a harem lead would be none other than Itou Makoto from School Days. Ughh..I hate that guy. I haven’t even finish watching School Days, dropped it at episode 4 and watched the last episode, but I know what happens in the anime. He takes advantages over the girls’ feeling for him and he breaks the girls’ heart. An innocent anime at first, and it changed into the exact opposite of it later. But I’m not saying that he deserves what had happened to him in the last episode, that’s too cruel. Anyway, he is still a bad harem lead. If you have watched the anime, you know what I mean.

But the the most important thing that makes a good harem lead is the story itself. So, both Kanon and CLANNAD have excellent stories, way better than most visual novel/anime. The fans love the stories in both of those title, and they automatically love the harem lead as well. Because the harem lead is the one who starts the story and who keeps the story going. The harem lead reacts and take actions depending on what’s happening. So, yea, without the harem lead, there is no ’story’.

Well, that’s it for now. There are many other factors that makes a good harem lead, but these are some that I know of. Everyone have their own preference and their own ideal harem lead. The number of good harem lead is decreasing lately, so I’m looking forward to seeing more of the good ones in the future. In other words, I’m wating for another hit visual novel by Key and the anime adaptation of it by KyoAni. Also, you won’t get any cookies for finding out that I’m a CLANNAD fan.^^

Then, I ask of you, what makes a good harem lead?

~Setsukyie~