Giji Harem

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Haven't you ever questioned yourself whether a harem manga could have quality romance and paper-piercing (or screen-piercing) character chemistry? How about... whether a harem relationship could be established between only two people? Enter Pseudo Harem: perhaps the most wholesome and endearing "harem" experience you'll ever witness. Perhaps because it's not actually harem and is low-key brilliant.

The premise is dead-simple: first-year student Rin Nanakura and her upperclassman Eiji Kitahama are members of a high school acting club. Eiji laments his apparent lack of popularity with girls. Rin, having some budding affection for the unlucky senpai, decides to humor him by acting out the recurring harem stereotypes: ... the cheeky devil, the cool beauty, the tsundere, the spoiled princess, and so on. Eiji accepts the game enthusiastically, and lighthearted flirting between him and Rin's multiple personas ensues.

Now, you could imagine this would be a one-trick pony—and don't get me wrong, it would still be enjoyable if it were—but the author actually intends on developing his characters. They make palpable—if subtle—progress as a pair, and the fact that both Rin and Eiji become so engrossed in acting out the harem scenario that they tend to lose track of the authentic Rin persona adds a solid layer of complexity to their dynamic and gives them some natural challenges to overcome (though it's hasn't yet been focused on thus far, and the series has maintained its lighthearted tone). What is this sorcery? Solid writing in my short-form, episodic romcom? You bet it is!

It's no secret that stories like this almost entirely rely on the strength of their characters and their interactions—and Pseudo Harem, despite having only two prominent characters, actually manages to stay consistently fresh and entertaining, carefully avoiding some of the most common romcom pitfalls and giving a new take on the old tropes. For instance, Eiji seems utterly oblivious to Rin's feelings at first, as per the expected trope for a male protagonist in his respective setting, but the extent to which he enjoys Rin's company very soon becomes evident—as is the fact that he's basically openly flirting with her, playfully drawing out her emotions instead of unknowingly shooting them down. This is not at all how a clueless person operates, and the subtlety is not lost there. This is exactly how you flirt, gentlemen: by mixing genuine affection with playful uncertainty that sets a girl's heart aflutter. The fact that his behavior stems from his own whimsical personality—rather than cookbook recipes often lampooned in other romcoms—is worth a lot.

Perhaps my favorite aspect is that the pair's interest in acting is meaningfully incorporated into both their personalities and their relationship to the best extent possible: they're both forward and expressive people, they bounce off of each other, joke around and ooze charisma, and so it feels completely natural that Rin would offer to play such a game with Eiji. So while the characters' backgrounds aren't deeply explored and we haven't yet seen a full range of their emotions (so far the content has focused almost exclusively on their fun times together), they have a strong, well-written personality core: their interaction basically writes itself at this point, and their onscreen chemistry makes them a joy to behold. When you enjoy watching a fictional character so much you want to be friends with them in real life, you know it's a good one!

All that said, I admit that over time my standards have dropped uncomfortably low upon witnessing many dozens of romantic comedies and dramas where the guy is always denser than a black hole and the girl is always shy enough to be only a step away from forgetting how to breathe, let alone confessing her love. Relationships like that are hardly fun to watch—and I can only imagine how *painful* they would be for the actual participants—but the most depressing part, to me, is that such obnoxious drivel is actually considered a good watch/read by the mainstream audience now (I mean, look at the ratings of something like Orange or Tsuki ga Kirei...). Almost like people unironically empathize with cardboard excuses for characters, eh?

Now, I'm fully aware that people aren't perfect and that not every pair is comprised of extroverted, highly sociable, top 1% human genetic material. What I'm disappointed with is that manga and anime is so brimming with examples on what NOT to do and be in a relationship. The vast majority of "romance" stories found therein would never work out if acted out in real life. Two blushing teenagers staring at their feet too afraid of uttering a word isn't romance at all; it's devoid of everything that makes human interaction *fun*. It's doing a disservice to the more reserved members of the audience by instituting a false notion that not committing oneself to expressing emotion in a relationship is par for the course and is enough to put two people on a crash course with each other's genitals. If someone were to act on such notion it would make the realization all the harsher: an unfun relationship falls apart very quickly—and you're lucky if it happens quickly enough not to torture you or the other party along the way. Yet at the same time, neither manga nor anime provides remotely enough exposure to healthy relationships and people actually making themselves an enjoyable company for their partner. You know—that old chestnut that enables romance in the first place.

This makes Pseudo Harem all the more a refreshing—if somewhat simple—modern example of *how actual flirting between high school students is supposed to look like*, and makes me all the more thankful for its existence. I think we—as a community with a relatively high percentage of members who have not had a lot of successful romantic experience—need more of this: more charismatic, well-written, relatable characters that have the mental and emotional faculties to be enjoyable for each other; examples of characters that even the readers would want to spend more time with; quality role models. We need to be constantly exposed to the basics of functional romantic communication that carry over into the real world scenarios. Hopefully, Pseudo Harem will continue developing its characters and include more situations that could serve to demonstrate how people with genuine affection towards each other solve their relationship hurdles without letting them fester. For now, it's a solid, entertaining, and very recommended read for anyone who's into light-hearted comedy, fluffy romance, or both.

Pseudo Harem originated as a web manga published on Twitter but was eventually serialized, though the content of the two versions is said to be different; unfortunately, as of writing this review, I don't have the access to the serialized version so I don't know the extent of the differences. The web chapters are short and bound to lighten up your day, so be sure to check them out (an author-approved English translation by TheElusiveTaco is published regularly at MangaDex). If the magazine version is anywhere as good, I wholeheartedly endorse it just as well.

(TLDR at the bottom, and as always, thanks for reading)

I remember when I read the first 2 chapters and somehow confused myself into believing that this was an actual harem manga, then I put it on hold for the longest minute because I thought it was going to be something I would rather read later. I got back into this because I remembered this only had 4 pages per chapter, still thinking this was a legit harem manga. After re-reading the first 2 chapters, I found out that this was a legit pseudo harem as opposed to a normal one, then continued to fly through ... this at top speeds.

I am happy to say, I am glad I got back into this and finished it.

I won't lie, this isn't something I would then say "10/10 manga, don't be dumb like me", instead it is a little gem that more people need to know about.

The narrative is rather simple. As it says on the tin, it is quite literally a makeshift harem starring two characters within it. I am not too sure who would go to such great lengths to satisfy such a fantasy, but hey, I am not one to shame other people's fantasies, to each their own. And so, such activities revolving around the premise continue on and on into the story.

One thing with romance manga of this kind is that it uses its premise indefinitely for the sake of content, but this story does have a few diverging contents to add to its belt, such as Rin being part of the drama club which in turn the whole premise of the story makes more sense when it can be aligned that acting is essential for a pseudo harem of this kind to work. The story also doesn't seem to miss out on this part of an individual's life too, in a way that most other stories of this kind do where such activities are just a side aspect of one's life. There are multiple references back to the club, I think more than once we see the club in the flesh too. In addition to this, there is also Eiji's life actually being taken into account, he is a senpai soon moving into college/university, the story does make this relevant to every matter currently unfolding, again, not something just on the side only to conveniently show up later. I have to say that the level of detail for this story is not one to be underestimated, although universally this is basic, it should be understood that not a lot of manga like so go into this level of depth, or maybe I haven't seen enough, even so, this has good depth. I wouldn't call it grand worldbuilding, but this universe understands what should take place and where it is placed on how important it is. Makes for a solid story even if the outcome of it is simple on a superficial level.

Characters are good, one thing that does get me with characters is that everyone who isn't an MC pretty much has little to no importance. I can't say the story tried to remotely invest in the time to care about those side characters, it isn't necessarily a bad thing this has happened, however, they exist no matter, and there are quite a small bit this manga deals with. The odd 1 or 2 developed characters here would have made for a nice variety of cast honestly. Unfortunately, it is not here. But as mentioned at the start, the good story allowed for some real human characters with personally and chemistry to call their own. MCs here are really enjoyable honestly.

The art is average, honestly nothing great about it, it looks fine, but you could probably find the same thing within this genre particularly. Standard character design, no moment of showing off what the artist can do, it is really just fine and generic. At least it isn't bad.

I enjoy a lot of things, and yes, Pseudo Harem was one of them. It is quite wholesome with explicit progression you can feed off from, not everyday manga like these come out so it made for a better read, especially with how fast this is to read.

TLDR: Very simple romance manga that does things slightly better than the rest in the narrative aspect.
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At the end of the day, will you get too much out of this? No. Unless you value things highly. But it is a good read one that I would recommend to quite literally everyone I know interested in the genre. It is short too, only having 4-page chapters for each chapter which makes this a <12 hour day read if you are fast, there isn't a ton of text to read anyway. If I can read this with no fuss, you can too. But this just goes to show that the cheesy "never just a book by its cover" is all the more true. Maybe I should add a "get a better vocab understanding and read carefully as to what is happening" on the end of that because I apparently can't do either of the two lol.

But yes, don't be like me. Don't skip this one as I did.

Eiji Harem is a beautifully crafted work of Art... and One that deserves more appreciation.

Sparked by innocence and carried by wholesomeness, it never loses its charm.

Not much can be said about the story, its as simple as it can get. The Characters are also not all that complex, but there is this layer of genuinity that makes the said experience so sweet and adorable.

I was juggling between work, sickness, procrastination, and studying for an entrance exam. So something as comforting as this manga was indeed a need.

While I did flop the exam...

I am glad I read this manga before the exam... ...

This manga may not be a critical masterpiece... however, it is indeed a work of wonder and comfort for the reader <3

Wholesomeness 10/10

Kawaii 10/10

Story 7/10

Manga, as with other forms of literature or artistic expression, doesn't always have to be exciting or particularly meaningful. This is a short (each chapter is only 4 pages long), fluffy, and wholesome read that can cheer you up if you're sad and make you want to fall in love with an adorable kouhai. If you're looking for romantic development or plot you won't find it here. It is very enjoyable to read though, and heartwarming.

Aside from the simple plot, the manga scores very high for me. Art is objectively decent, but the facial expressions are masterful and Rin's eyes are drawn ... adorably. The two protagonists have very good chemistry and are both very likeable characters.

As good as it gets? Probably not. A fun heart-warming story none-the-less? Most definitely.

Psuedo Harem or Gigi Harem is a take on the harem genre that sort of gives you everything you want without the pain of having to choose a girl at the end of the series. I say sort of because it never really made me feel like there were multiple people and that the way they used the harem kinda was just for jokes and for the occasional heart-warming / super emotional moment. Which I find to be good.

Compared to other manga like Quintessential Quintuplets, this one lacks the same drama so ... if you were expecting something like that based on the name, I recommend you change your expectations or reconsider reading the manga.

Chapters are short, around 4 pages each, and it's all pretty damn fun. More similar to a 4-koma with plot, you feel me?

all in all it was a fun ride from start to finish even if the wait for chapters seemed long. 8/10

There's no reviews for this great manga yet!! Might as well write one now!

Giji Harem, or the anglicized Psuedo Harem, is a romcom manga by Yuu Saitou. The premise behind it is simple- you have a drama student, Nanakura Rin, with a crush on her senpai, Kitahama Eiji. To gain his attention, she uses her acting skills to act out different personalities to fulfil her crush's dreams of having a harem.

Story: 7
It's a nice, simple romcom story. Nothing special but it's a good idea, playing on Rin's acting prowess to create a harem rather than separate characters.
Art: 7
Also a 7 because while the art ... is cute it's nothing spectacular, nothing to really write home about.
Character: 9
Here's where the story is great. Every few chapters, you have a new persona of Rin, be it Cool-chan or Tsundere-chan (no, not Senjougahara). Each persona is nice and mixes trope with comedy perfectly. The main character is a somewhat clueless lead, like so many romances, but it works well as you have a balance of Rin trying to seduce him in a way with her acting.
Enjoyment: 9
I personally loved every chapter but chapters have been quite sporadically released (at least where I read oof). They are a tad bit too short for my taste... but each is amazing.

Overall a 8 for this series because while it is amazingly enjoyable, each chapter leaves me wanting a bit more, and the art/comedy isn't revolutionary in any way.

tl;dr: It's a cute and short story for a few good laughs, but pretty disappointing if you're looking for any romantic progress


Story:

Really simplistic. Most chapters follow the senpai who loves the various tropes that Rin can play out (as indicated by the title) and each revolves around a short almost skit like segment where she puts on a few tropes and senpai reacts to them. There are a few longer-lasting developments here and there, but it's mostly just repetition for a majority of it

Art:

Art looks nice, characters look well drawn and blushes are drawn to perfection. Pretty much the only necessities in a rom-com
...
Character:

Characters are a mixed bag really. I like both the leads, and they have funny interactions with each other and seem perfect for one another...but by god the author reallly doesn't want their pairing to get together. It starts to reach a point where every passing by chapter that has a hint of progression only to be squandered by senpai's a-typical density, only sprawls a "C'mon seriously?" type of reaction

Enjoyment:

I think the character part spelled out what I think of the manga. Honestly though, if they ended up getting together and continue on from there I would instantly love it more and probably disregard the infuriating previous chapters, but we'll have to wait. I think it's a good manga if you enjoy cute boy-girl interactions, with little side character involvement/drama, but if you're the type of wants a proper romance in your rom-coms, I'd shy away

Giji Harem or Pseudo Harem is probaly one of the most heart-melting story I have ever read and I biasly thing it's the romcom that every romcom want to be like with very compelling story and yes, very shocking, an actual plot and an actual ending.
It's a manga that give you everything you want in a romcom manga without the extra steps of drama or love triangle. At the start, Giji Harem got me with its beautiful artwork and the very creative take on the genre (a girl pretend to be a harem) but after 10 to 30 chapters in, I actually got invested in ... the two protagonists cause their chemistry is just so great and as time go on you can actually see the development in their relationship.
The plot point of Giji Harem doesn't require any drama (as mention before) but get delivered to the reader in a very gently and subtle way cause you know what is going to happen through the build up that the author give us through everysingle chapter. However, it doesn't feel forced but very sastisfying and heart-warming.
Eventhough, Giji Harem is kind of a short read, I enjoyed it throughoutly and it sure one of the less popular manga that deserve more attention

Don’t let that MAL synopsis fool you. At its core, Pseudo Harem is really just a simple, (deadly) cute everyday, romantic story between the senpai Eiji and the kouhai Rin.

Although my love for this manga initially and still stems from my preference for male senpai x female kouhai dynamics, Pseudo Harem does amazing in what it offers. You can’t expect much plot in this kind of manga, but you do get diabetes from the cuteness of the art and romantic chemistry present.

For that, it’s an easy 10/10, but obviously not for people who want more than mere fluff. It does what it wants and sets ... out to do, and that's enough for me.

This is actually a pretty quick read despite the chapter count. It's relaxed, nothing crazy, just a silly little romance story with a good ending. I don't really have much more to say about it, honestly. For people who dislike the basic boring harem trope, this is a good breath of fresh air. It's like the Saiki K of the romance genre, if Saiki K wasn't already the Saiki K of the romance genre.

The characters were fun and entertaining, and I wouldn't say I latched onto any in particular, but I didn't dislike anybody. It's a wholeheartedly pretty calm story, and worth reading imo.

I'll do ... my ratings. First number is my rating, second number is my expected rating for the average person.

Main characters: 10/10 | 9/10
Side characters: 8/10 | 7/10
Plot: 9/10 | 8/10
Art: 8/10 | 9/10
Romance: 10/10 | 9/10
Comedy: 8/10 | 8/10
Ending: 9/10 | 9/10

Yeah so the story's about some girl (MC girl) from drama club that likes this guy (MC guy). The premise started as a joke between the two, with MC girl taking on multiple personalities such as "tsundere-chan", "cool-chan", and "cheeky-chan" (based on the translations I read.)

So pretty much as of ch. 116 (that I binged read from chapter 1 in a night), every chapter is pretty much a "wholesome romance" that's so sweet that I swore I contracted diabetes somewhere along the way. This manga has pretty much taught me what an actual waifu looks like (which apparently... a basic personality that just happened to ... a crush) and god I want a romance rn...

... yeah not much "actual plot" happens but you know, sometimes a sugar factory is all you need.

8/10