Reviews for Pseudo Harem

Who needs 100 girlfriends when you can have 1 girlfriend with 100 personalities? Giji Harem takes “get you someone that can do both” to the next level and is one of the most satisfying seasonal romances you’ll see. A nonstop heartwarming ride that’ll have you covering your face and gushing like an idiot. Eiji and Rin are one of the cutest couples around, and what makes them standout in a crowded field of romance shows lately is the romantic progression! Going from a kouhai-senpai relationship with the personality switching acting gimmick to a full blown relationship, dates, kissing etc all in the same season isalmost unheard of these days and makes this a must watch for any romance fan.

Giji harem was an amazing time for me. The persona switching gimmick was something different and I like how it was a way for Rin to communicate her feelings with Eiji under the guise of practicing her acting skills. Episodes were idyllic bliss and went by in a flash. Every scene with the two leads together just felt like a cuteness overload and I would’ve been content with just seeing 12 episodes of them goofing off. But what made this such a memorable experience is that we see the two of them develop so much throughout. Usually gag series just kinda stay as gag series, but it’s clear the author had a plan in mind and wanted the couple to grow together which is beautiful. Rin slowly goes from only being able to express her emotions via the personality switching to saying how she feels on her own. Eiji gets the courage to tell Rin how he feels to her and not just her characters, and by the end of the series we see a couple that’s able to be themselves around each other. My only real complaint about it is that the off screened some of the big turning points in the story which seemed odd to me as a creative choice. With a little bit of common sense you can easily see the shift in the relationship and fit the pieces together, but I really think it would’ve been nice to show those moments to the audience!

I think this might be Hayamin’s magnum opus. She truly shines like never before in this show because of the number of personalities she portrays. We see a range that I didn’t know she had and she brings Rin to life. The chemistry that she and Eiji’s seiyuu have shines through and makes their relationship that much sweeter. Normally I talk about the animation and art, but this is a show that truly is elevated by amazing voice acting. It does of course look great too, Rin is genuinely a star girl and the amount of screenshots I have of her just looking cute is astonishing.

If you’re a romance fan and just want to watch something that’s pure, no fanservice, no uncomfortable scenes, no spineless MC who can’t tell a girl how he feels, just two people that fall in love and get a satisfying conclusion this is the one it’s really as simple as that. It’s as advertised and I will certainly miss it.

Giji Harem gets a very easy 10 personalities out of 10

Here's why you should watch Pseudo Harem: 1. Hayami Saori - If you're a fan of her, you will definitely enjoy this one. The role she's playing has her utilizing her talent in every corner, so you get to hear every kind of voice aside from the renowned soft-spoken tone you'd hear from her usual roles. Not to mention having her character being an actress, you would get an endless amount of talent just oozing in every second of her screentime. Let's not forget the other guys as well, they do well to commend the character and help make Rin stand out as well. 2. Just Cute - Likethe many roles her characters have to strap into, you get many scenarios with the main couple that are enjoyable to watch for romance fans. Blushing, rizzing main heroine endlessly, holding hands out of nowhere, or getting close, it's the whole package for your romance delicacy.

Biggest Downside of Pseudo Harem:

No Build-up/Storytelling

- The anime is only interested in showing you cute scenes and has no actual scenario creation. There's no plot cohesion either, so you're constantly jumping from one cute scene to another without proper build-up or connection between scenes. It may seem like a plus for not having your romance being sidetracked by the other plot, but the lack of plot means there is no chance for character development except for cute moments or random drama it sometimes throws once in a while.

Other than that, you get an experience equivalent to getting diabetes. As much as I would appreciate the anime having storytelling, think of it as a large dose of sugar sweetness that keeps going nonstop without a break. It's a good ride, try it if you want to.

Thank you for reading.

When a harem evolves to the point that it consists of only one girl, you get Pseudo-harem. This anime is perfect for those who love harems filled with lots of girls with different personalities but just can't choose who to simp over. Or maybe you just want to see two well-adjusted and kind-hearted adolescents having lovey-dovey moments. This anime is the equivalent of powdered sugar-covered candy. Every part of it is sweet and delightful: the colorful animation, the serene background music, and the way the characters interact. Simply amazing. Right off the bat, though, the story doesn't have one plot. It's more of a compilation oftheir sweet daily lives. But then again, this anime doesn't really need a plot when it's pretty much visual diabetes. It was meant to make you giggle and punch the air with joy and a slight hint of jealousy like an idiot, and it succeeds in doing so.

The animation is pretty good and well-suited for this type of anime. It's not visually stunning or anything, but it does the job of capturing the cute and wholesome tone of the show.

The OST is also much appreciated. It gives off that 2010s romcom anime feel. The OP can easily be on my no-skip list; play it on the speaker and put it on full volume.

The MC in this anime is very likable. He's not dense or annoying. He's supportive, humorous, and his voice is surprisingly nice to hear. He's not a plain beta male like in some anime. He knows he likes the heroine and sometimes even confesses his "love" to her but cleverly hides it by saying things like "Oh, it's just acting" or "Oh no, I'm confessing to one of your personalities." But I think the creator isn't very subtle about showing that he indeed really likes her.

As for the heroine, oh boy, where do I start? She's genuinely amazing. A girl that can "transform" into any type of girl that you want, but at the same time, remain the same sweet and lovable girl that she is. You can't get anything better than that. The author was definitely daydreaming when they created her. If she's based on someone the author knows, then I'm seriously envious of the author for ever meeting someone like her. Every time she smiles, I just want to get on my knees and propose to her. She radiates so much sunshine, energy, and positivity that if you put Enoshima Junko next to her, they would start pulling at each other like magnets.

Highly recommended for those with a sweet tooth.

The "harem" genre has often been viewed negatively in the anime community as a whole. Most of the time, whenever there's a new show that is tagged with harem, watchers ignore it, and in result, it gets underappreciated despite their potential to actually do better than what people think it would be (atleast some harem). Unfortunately, this is also the case on "Giji Harem", as the title suggests that it is a harem, when it is actually not. As for the story, it's rather simple. The narrative mainly focuses on both the main character and the main heroine's "moments", which some people might not likethat much, as other shows doesn't really follow this kind of format. Personally, it really works with the show's idea of showing how their relationship develops. Focusing equally on other characters would make this show bad. Though, what really stands out in this show is the idea of 'one girl, one harem' which no one has ever seen in this medium. Sure, there were mindbreaking ideas like having 100 girlfriends (I'm talking about you Chadtarou), or alien girls, or whatnot, but this one just blasted all of those, ate the cake, and left no crumbs.

Art-wise, it's also fairly simple. Nothing really ground-breaking aside from the fact that they did the character designs justice. Most of the characters that were shown up to episode 3 were all manga accurate, which is very nice to see. High quality animation is not really necessary as the show's straightforward nature serves its purpose well.

Another two that really stood out in this anime, aside from the trope itself, are both the voice actors and the opening song of this show. Hayami Saori and Okamoto Nobuhiko really did their characters well, if not, too well. The way they portrayed their characters really felt genuine and gave huge impact throughout the show. Additionally, the opening of this show perfectly works. The vocal duo complementing each of their voices are so good, and the lyrics are also accurate on what this show is trying to portray. It also felt like Rin and Eiji were the ones singing.

For me, this is an easy 9/10. I know, it's too high for a show like this, but I've been trying to find this kind of show for such a long time it's crazy. I've probably seen most of the harem shows already, and this one really stood out on everything I've seen yet. Will I expect everyone to watch this show? No. Will I expect everyone to have the same rating as mine? No. Would I recommend this to everyone? ABSOLUTELY. This is easily one of the best harem (not harem) you'll ever see, ever. (Also listen to the full op!)

relaxing and entertaining. Objectively speaking, the series lacks several things, the animation is somewhat poor, and the relationship between them progresses somewhat quickly for the episodes that are broadcast... But the story is simple, it is close, and it is easy to immerse yourself in the interactions that the protagonists have in the different situations that occur. It relaxes me to watch each episode, and without realizing it I am smiling when I see the interactions with the different personalities that Rin plays. For that reason, the shortcomings are more than compensated for by the virtues it has, I definitely recommend this series if you like the genre. Approved byChayane.

No no, this anime is simply incredible. I have to say that at first I wasn't convinced and I was a bit creeped out, but each episode moved me more and more. I couldn't stop screaming with every scene of this anime. I have to admit, it touched my heart. I didn't expect much. Even at the beginning, the character designs are quite poor, but as the episodes progress, they improve more and more. I don't usually write in-depth reviews; I just write what I think at the moment and translate it as best I can. Character design 7/10. The truth is, the protagonist is a bit lackingfor me.

Romance 10/10, without a doubt the best.

Story 10/10. It's simple, but that doesn't make it bad. The pseudo-harem with an actress is partly original.

The score doesn't matter, since for me it's still a 10/10.

Insanely underrated show. A beautiful, wholesome romcom, where two people with a profound love for acting become quick friends and maybe even more? The artstyle is simple yet captivating, the character dynamics are to die for, and the story perfectly captures what it's like to meet someone and slowly fall for them as your relationship progresses. None of the "will they won't they" bullshit we often see in other romcoms, and I'd also like to shoutout how realistic everything around them also is. A very down to earth romcom, beautifully created, and profoundly enjoyable. Very slice-of-life, zero drama, so that might be too slow/lighthearted for some,but personally I really needed a wholesome, uncomplicated watch, and this is exactly that. Very similar energy to Cool Doji Danshi, so if you like either, you'll probably like the other as well.

Everyone should give this show an opportunity!

I went to read the manga after four episodes. Couldn't help it, I fell in love with the main characters. Both of them. Rin is absolutely out of the curve: she's funny, talented, interesting. But at the same time, her character feels real, human, not a stereotype or some superhuman made to fill a role. Her being a talented actress doesn't make her feel unnatural when balanced with her other personalities traits. She's cute and charming without that felling that she was handmade by god to represent those traits, so many other female characters in romances feels like they were methodically designed to be themost perfect being in the world, up to their weaknesses, but not Rin. She’s perfectly human, but interesting, normal, but unique.

And there’s Eiji. Yes, there IS Eiji. Damn, why in the world we have so many stupid, lackluster, uninspired and foolish male protagonists all over animes in general? Eiji is the proof that the male part in the romance can be an interesting person and still be relatable. Holy crap, he’s funny, he’s really funny! He’s just a high school boy fooling around and he’s damn funny for it. Sorry for venting this out, but damn, after 573 Kiritos and, worse, 819 Shinji Ikari, I’m glad to see a male character that properly works as a regular human being. He’s not somber, he’s not bullied, he’s not a loser, he doesn’t need to be run over by a goddamn truck to be interesting. Again, he’s just a kid, fooling around and making jokes to see the girl he likes smiling and that’s incredibly refreshing to watch.

That’s mostly what I wanted to say. This anime is about its characters. Period. Really, that’s it. There’s no incredible plot. It’s just their interactions in different situations while they grow up and figure out their feelings. That’s it. And I know full well that’s not for everyone. If that’s not for you, don’t feel bad about it, the short gag format doesn’t work that well in a 24 minute episode if you can’t appreciate this kind of slice of life. But if you, like me, can have a good time just enjoying good characters interacting, give this show a chance. It’ll be worth your time.

Thanks for reading.

Honestly, if you are single, watch only if you have a wish to kill yourself. Do NOT make the mistake i made by watching this when im single. Rin is by far one of the best female protagonists ever, shes probably the cutest too. This entire anime is so cute it was actually hurting me to watch. I say eiji, (male protag) is kinda basic. You will find background characters like him in most animes, theres not much special about him which made rin fall for him. The romance scenes being present and almost no bullshit makes this a pretty enjoyable binge watchable show.

Giji harem is cute, fun, and heavily carried by the phenomeonal voice acting from some of the industry's most beloved. The story is cute, refreshing, and I leave every episode with a goofy grin on my face. I'm biased towards the story because I've finished the manga, but I will say somehow the adaption is full of so much charm and character it's unreal. Shikimori-san, Angel Next Door; there's been a trend of giving school romance more animation budget than they frankly need or deserve. Giji harem goes heavily in the other direction. I was very, very skeptical when I saw the studio's track record,and I was prepared for a dumpster fire to match the frankly appalling and cash-grab feel the entire studio reeks. And, in a way, they kind of pumped out the exact level of animation quality as you'd expect. Giji harem has what I would call 'bare-bones' animation. The characters doesn't move much, it's choppy enough that I swear I can see the keyframes, and I've seen the same tree asset like twelve times.

**HOWEVER**. And this is a *big* however. The studio has done a phemeonal job of keeping in with the original manga's artstyle. Unusual facial expressions, some purposefully dubious anatomy, a graphite-like line style, pleasantly pastel and gradiated backgrounds - Giji Harem feels like. Well. An adaption of a manga. It feels like someone took Giji Harem, and, directly from the pages, animated and gave life to the most important part of the series - the characters, and their wacky reactions. The series' strongest points are the almost amateurish art style with it's light and funny banter. Taking that, adding some great actors, and the entire story simply comes to life, with no need for fancy effects, or roto-cam, or heartstopping art.

The two protagonists are, of course, the star of the show. It's rare to see a romance where both parties are just so damn attractive and fun to watch. As a girl myself, watching anime women is...frustrating, at the best of times. It's like watching a whole different species walk across the stage, bug-eyed and whimpering 'onii-chan'. At the worst of times, it means dropping the whole series and scrubbing your skin to get the ick off. And even in shoujo romance, the female lead is often a mary sue with no redeeming features other than 'nice'. Nanakura, with her questionable approach to flirting, is surprisngly relatable and a blast to watch. She's likeable, weird, interesting, fun to watch, and she doesn't act like her brain runs on a cracked version of windows vista. The love interest, Kitahama, is also a joy to watch. He's shameless, loud, and a total class clown. He's weird, but in the same way that your class had that one weird kid, or the guy that was too social. He's weird, in a normal guy way. Something that the empty shell of harem protagonists should learn. He bumbles sometimes, but he's kind, considerate, and has surprising depth. He also doesn't treat women as a totally different species.

Watching Giji Harem, you *root* for these two. The simplistic artstyle, excellent adaption of the source material, and the voice acting give it a solid 9/10 for me. It loses a point for a less-than-stellar OST and music choice.

This anime really took me back when I first watched the Saekano movie. a classical romance Senpai and Kouhai,straightforward plot, without unnecessary distractions, and the smooth storyline were truly refreshing.the ending was exactly what I had hoped for. Watching romance anime like this always brings back nostalgic feelings, reminding me of those moments when emotions and hopes were woven into every scene. It feels like revisiting that time when my heart would flutter, following the romantic journeys of characters that felt so real—especially in those classic, vanilla romances that perfectly capture the sweet simplicity of love without the need for drama or complexities.

Out of the many romance animes I've watched this is one of the most wholesome ones. An unique thing about it is that it's fast paced and it might feel like you are just watching a compilation of short moments at first. The progression between these two is also fast which makes it different from other romance animes. Rin is really cute and because of her acting you get to see so many different versions of her which is lovely. They did a good job of making teen romance feel like the most beautiful thing ever. I wish this anime was more popular because itdefinitely deserves its rating, if not higher. If you love watching wholesome stuff this is the one :D

If I had to use a word to summarize "Giji Harem" it would probably be wholesome. The romance in this anime is incredibly sweet, and I found myself constantly smiling at their interactions. I must admit that I did not have high expectations based on the name which seemed a bit cheesy, but I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I ended up liking this. I was however, very confused about the pacing in this show. What I mean by that, is that the show has issues in how to pace the plot. The story tends to jump around as the two main characters, NanakuraRin and Kitahama Eiji, develop their blossoming relationship. There isn’t a clear plotline that the show follows, and at times, it’s hard to tell how much time has passed between episodes or even between scenes in some cases which tends to get confusing and harms the watching experience. Towards the later stages of the show it starts to skip a LOT and the time jumps seemingly get bigger as the plot moves in such a quick pace. This leads to the anime feeling a bit rushed. I wasn’t a fan of the art style and animation either as it felt too simplistic. It’s hard to describe, but when compared to romance series from larger studios, the visuals just seem very basic and they lack a certain flair.

With the negatives out of the way, I liked that the last episode truly feels like it wraps the story up and gives a satisfying conclusion, which is again after a rather large time jump where it also does not get specified just how much time was skipped. Nevertheless, the story is finished and without spoiling too much I feel like this project does not require further seasons as the story is complete. I really want to praise the Japanese voice actors of the two main characters as they did a fantastic job in giving life and depth to the characters which was really important. Both of them are very known names and have appeared in many popular Animes, so I suppose it was to be expected of them.

This romance feels very different from the usual romance. The "Harem" aspect is honestly pretty creative and works most of the time. I ended up enjoying this a lot, especially cause of the dynamic the two main characters have. The way they interact and flirt is just so unique and adorable. It does have some issues and flaws but the positives outweigh it, leading to a very good romance anime. I think that avid romance fans such as myself will truly enjoy "Giji Harem", and I would recommend giving it a try. I think you won't regret it.

I'll be honest and admit this show surprised me. I was not expecting Pseudo Harem to be so well done, and I mean every single aspect of it is better than average, and as a result I discovered that I had become far more interested and invested than I had expected going into it cold, having never heard of the manga before picking up the show on its 7/4/2024 initial air date in the US. The Voice Actors are on point, with the two mains doing an amazing job. Saori Hayami as Rin somehow manages to make 5+ separate characters sound believable, with consistent vocalperformances providing a solid base for the visuals to ground themselves on.

Artstyle is simplistic but deceptively so. A lot of character is displayed and conveyed despite the limitations the manga author used that the animation team had to adapt to. Heck, even Senpai has the flattest, most matte eye's I've seen on a main character in a while, resembling flat grey pac-man's, but somehow this show manages to make it work. I suspect Senpai was depicted in an intentionally bland manner to make the contrast between him and Rin and her various personas that wider and it results in Rin's performances being apparent and impactful. And lets not pretend that Rin's personas aren't the true main character(s) of the show, be it in their artstyle, plot relevance or how they are voiced they manage to steal the focus of any scene they are in.

Plot is well paced and so far hasn't felt rushed or disjointed, like when large amounts of source material is skipped. Some parts of the story do require a certain level of suspension of disbelief but hey, its a shounen romantic comedy for god's sake. To avoid any spoilers lets just say that this show actually delivers what it promises, which is rare enough to be a damned good reason to watch the show all by itself! Senpai does feel a bit of an "audience self-insert character" but the sheer entertainment that occurs as he is introduced to the various personas that Rin switches into and out of completely makes up for it. Watching him debate which character is the best and failing and ending up wanting to buy chocolate for all of them is completely understandable dilemma, as I'd have a hard time choosing one myself and suspect everyone else watching would as well.

Simply put, I'd recommend giving the show a chance if you haven't yet.

Plus its not like Tsundere-chan would be happy if you watched it or anything! What kind of idiot would think that?

I'll be honest, Giji Harem left me underwhelmed. As a romance anime enthusiast, I thought I'd found my next obsession. Instead, I got a simplistic, predictable storyline that failed to deliver emotional depth. The premise sounds cute: girl crushes on senpai, senpai falls in love, they confess, and get married. But trust me, it's not. The conversations between Eiji and Rin dominate 95% of the screen time, making it feel like an endless, sappy date. I nearly dropped it by episode 5, but my curiosity kept me going. The only redeeming quality is Rin's multiple personalities - tsundere, cute, cool, and devil. It's entertaining to see heradapt to Eiji's desires. But Eiji himself? Mediocre face, talentless except for drawing, and utterly dependent on Rin.

What bothers me is the lack of:

1. Character development: Eiji and Rin feel like cardboard cutouts.

2. Conflict: No real obstacles or challenges in their relationship.

3. Emotional connection: I didn't feel invested in their love story.

I've watched better romance anime with more nuanced storytelling and memorable characters. Giji Harem feels like a missed opportunity.

Pros:

1. Unique concept (Rin's multiple personalities)

2. No unnecessary fan service or ecchi content

3. Refreshing change from typical harem anime tropes

Cons:

1. Weak storyline

2. Underdeveloped characters

3. Lack of emotional depth

Recommendation: Only for die-hard romance fans seeking a lighthearted, easy watch.

Final Thoughts: Would I rewatch it? Probably not. Would I recommend it to friends? Only if they're desperate for a romance anime fix.

Rating Breakdown:

Story: 4/10

Characters: 5/10

Romance: 8/10

Overall Enjoyment: 5/10

Total: 5/10

This anime won't stay with me for long, but hey, at least it tried.

Welcome to the review of a much awaited adaptation manga adaptation. Maybe too "awaited". It honestly felt like a small studio saw that for some reason no one decided to adapt this semi-popular romance manga and decided to give it a go. The results are what you would expect. The story is pretty cute, with a very positive and feel-good vibe. Its not a story with a lot of hard-hitting and thought-provoking elements because, honestly, it doesn't need to be. It's what a weekly rom-com should be while trying to be as inoffensive as possible and it achieves of making the viewer watch the showwith a smile. The story is definitely the best part about the show (mainly because the source material already did a good job). Of course, because its a romance anime, it sometimes accepts some plot-holes in order to advance the story, especially at the ending (even though I thought the last episode was the best).

Now we are done with the good things because I want to move on to the very bad stuff, the animation and music. Honestly, the only positive I can find in the technical side of the show is Rin's voice actor being very good. Other than that the show fails miserably, making us wonder why they even bothered animating the panels. The animation is very bad, its very rigid and slow, shots linger for too long and its clear when you pay attention that the backgrounds had no thought put into them. The music is even worse, the opening is actually one of the worst songs I have ever heard and the ending song is very forgettable. The music during the show is also so bad its distracting from the scenes and sometimes the show just says "fuck it" and just doesn't do music for a scene at all. It feels like a lot more love could have gone in this show and its kinda sad to see such a nice manga receive such lackluster treatment.

That's why my final rating for this show is a 6.5/10. It can be enjoyable and fun but I just can't really recommend an anime that is so clearly worse than a manga that isn't even that impressive artistically.

Most adorable Rom-Com I watched. Rin is just too cute. VA went on full throttle for sure. Since all of this is in description, it doesn't count as a spoiler. Girl is acting multiple personalities to create a pseudo-harem for the guy she admires. This is what show is about. Subjectively i gave it 10/10, objectively i would give it 8/10. I gave it 10/10 because show is very enjoyable and Both MCs are very adorable together, the way they act, the way they treat each other. Born out of friendship and goofing around, grown into romance. Very healthy, enjoyable and cute anime. VA generally isvery gentle with her voice and voices many gentle characters, but seeing her in all her various character personalities was truly amazing. That's the main reason i gave it 10/10. Being a VA is 1 thing, but adapting to multiple personalities at the same time is truly amazing. and MC herself Nanakura Rin is very cute and adorable.

It's quite blatantly clear that Giji Harem was adapted from a 4 koma. The lack of any actual concrete side characters, focus on activities at hand, and the simplistic nature of the interactions and characters blend together to a 4-koma show. It's not necessarily bad as a 4-koma, but when animated as a full cour show, there's much to be desired. Depending on who you ask, the relationship and interactions between Rin and Eiji can be endearing. And it's not that bad. Eiji's definitely a sort of carefree doofus that Rin somehow falls in love with. Maybe his bouts of kindness, or how he's funny, thejunior acting star Rin does in fact like Eiji. It's not that hard to imagine, and the romance and dialogue, while a bit cringe sometimes, makes sense in the context of the show. Eiji whimsically brings up his desire to have a harem, and Rin obliges and somehow that becomes the larger focal point of the show. This is fine and all, but I was hoping for more in-depth interaction, to be honest.

For example, one of the bonding scenes that are important is when Eiji gets sick and Rin takes care of him. This is great and all, but the scene lasts for about a minute and none of the details are really shown. You'd think that Eiji and Rin would be going through more emotion and there'd be a lot to talk about. Eiji apparently being all alone at home and sick while Rin gets to take care of Eiji. A heartwarming scene in a romance show, but it just goes through the motions where Eiji expresses some thanks and Rin gets a bit embarrassed and the scene is over.

That's kind of the theme of the show. While there's a lot of interaction between Eiji and Rin, they are by nature a bit more shallow despite the entire show revolving around their relationship. Again, when Eiji and Rin go shopping, the shopping part is barely shown. Them picking out clothes is barely shown.

While activities are pretty much explained as minimally as possible, so are the side characters. The side characters are honestly quite strong. Rin's little sister and her friends are pretty fun when the show decides to actually give them screen time, and Eiji's classmates and fellow drama club members have good synergy. Yet, because it's a 4-koma, none of the promising side characters are featured too often or very deeply.

Despite a show like Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko! also being 4-koma, because the story is written in more detailed and slower paced manner, the end product looks a lot nicer. While the animation obviously is also simplistic due to it's 4-koma nature and more likely, just low budget, that's not necessarily the reason why the show was worse than it could have been. It's just that the original adaption material doesn't really fit the constraints of a full cour seasonal anime show.

Pseudo Harem is one of the best rom-com anime I've ever seen. Sometimes, rom-com anime becomes very annoying because of too much unnecessary scenes. But Pseudo Harem is not like that. There isn't a single episode which made me bored. Every episode was enjoyable. I didn't expect this much enjoyment. It has exceeded my expectations. If I have to say about the characters, I'll say Rin and Eiji both are really great characters. They are one of the best couple of 2024. As for Rin, she is one of cutest anime girls I've ever seen. Every personalities played by her are really wonderful. I love everyversion of her. Imp-chan, Tsundere-chan, Cool-chan, Spoiled-chan, Imouto, Demure-chan etc. every single one of them is my favourite. How she changes the voice tone suddenly and quickly is a great thing to enjoy. As for Eiji, he is a cocky person. But I like his personality. He always cares for Rin. I'm glad that Pseudo Harem has a happy ending. The anime has adapted the full manga and gave us a complete adaptation. I'm also grateful to the mangaka for ending Rin and Eiji's love story in a perfect way. Because most of the time, we don't get to see a proper ending like marriage between the couples in rom-com anime.

Hayamin and Nobuhiko-san both did a great job voicing their characters. But I have to specially say something about Hayamin. I have been a fan of her for a long time. After watching Pseudo Harem, my respect for her has increased more. Her versatility as a voice actress truly shines in Pseudo Harem, where she voices Rin and effortlessly switches between the various "girlfriend archetypes" (tsundere, kuudere, etc.) with distinct voice tones. Her long career has honed her ability to do that in Pseudo Harem. She uses subtle pitch shifts, pacing and emotional inflections to bring each persona to life. This skill, paired with her natural charisma, makes Rin’s transformations a highlight. It’s a testament to her talent that she can make such rapid switches feel seamless and authentic! Nobuhiko-san was also able to perfectly express Eiji's cocky nature through his voice.

The opening and the ending song are one my most favourite anime songs. When I listened to Gohobi's "Blouse" first time, the word came to my mind is "cute". It's the cutest song I've ever listened to. Sometimes it feels like Rin and Eiji are singing this song. I was very glad when I saw that Hayamin performed the ending song "Ad-lib". It feels like Rin is singing. The song has became very enjoyable with her beautiful voice.

If you want to watch a romance anime with a pure love story with satisfying conclusion were there are no fanservice, no uncomfortable scenes, no love triangle and one-sided love, no annoying MC who can't confess love, Pseudo Harem is the right anime for you.

Pseudo Harem is one of my most favourite rom-com anime.💝 There aren't many anime like this. I can surely say that no one will be left without enjoyment

This is an early review, so I won’t make any definitive decisions on the quality of the anime. What I will say is what I like and dislike about it at the moment. I am very happy with their casting decisions for Nanakura and Kitahama. They play into their parts exceptionally well. I think Hayami probably has a better range of voices than Okamoto, but both are seasoned pros in the Japanese VA industry and they wear those long hours of work and diligence proudly. I am also pleased with the animation quality so far. We don’t need the next AoT or anything crazy, but Nomad (responsiblefor animation of Jashin-chan) isn’t holding back on making the anime look like the manga has come alive. Nanakura and Kitahama are very well expressed, particularly Nanakura, and we are never starved for solidly drawn scenes.

These two characters are the only ones with depth, no other characters get more than a few frames of screen time, which means these two have to play off of each other in order to keep things interesting. I think the hope is that by keeping characters limited, they can emphasize the contrast between Nanakura’s different bits better. Personally, I think that using side characters more would allow a better representation of Nanakura’s acting capabilities through reflection. She is convincing on her own, but in a way we only get a sense that everyone is aware of her different characters through implication, for example when the president claims that’s a thing she does every now and then when Kitahama is around. It would be nice if we can see more of natural Nanakura when she isn’t with “Senpai”, or more of Kitahama when he isn’t around Nanakura. Again, this plays out more like a yonkoma (4-panel) manga than a more story-driven manga (and the source is relatively similar in that regard).

What I think Giji Harem gets right is embracing this dynamic and bringing out the richness of Nanakura and Kitahama’s relationship. What is most interesting is that the main character here is in fact Nanakura (we never get internal dialogue from Kitahama, but we are always hearing Nanakura’s). With the main character being Nanakura, that also means we can toss out the oblivious MC (instead we have an oblivious deuteragonist). Kitahama is not completely oblivious though, in some ways he seems more aware than he lets on but he often leans back on thinking Nanakura is acting, and it shows he isn’t entirely sure what her baseline personality is.

This is probably the part that hits the hardest, that Nanakura goes through a lot of effort to make Kitahama feel better and he ultimately sees her characters more than he sees her. He undoubtedly has a great time with her, in fact their dialogue is some of the best I’ve seen out of an anime that laser focuses on two characters. The dynamic is not quite a reversal of the one which we see in Teasing Takagi-san, Kitahara is much more aloof than Takagi when he teases Nanakura and Nanakura is much less standoffish when it comes to being teased by Kitahara, but the strength of the dynamic is at least very similar. It could be that he sees for who she is but doesn’t have a great sense of why she acts the way she does, even when all of the background characters are painfully aware.

All in all, with only three episodes out I am excited to see where this show takes us. I find myself laughing and smiling almost every scene and even if Nanakura isn’t getting Kitahama to confess, I think she’s already won his heart. If anything it seems like he’ll just one day find himself married to Imp-san, Cool-san, and Tsundere-chan and realize he never even confessed.