Alright anime fans, it’s time to experience a new side of anime many of you might have heard about, but never really gave a chance to. For some of you, this might be your worst nightmare and click away. But hear me out- if you’re bored and looking for a break from that hardcore shounen or horror genre, and you want something seriously adorable and sweet (and a lot of times cliche but we can overlook that), I’m here to recommend something. That’s right, I’m talking about… the reverse harem genre. Get ready guys, here are some of my top reverse harems that I hope surprise you and make you crave more!

1. Ouran High School Host Club

A classic comedy and one of my all time favorite romances, Ouran High School Host Club teaches you to be careful in rich kid academies because you never know when you’ll knock over a hella expensive vase and be forced to pay for it by entertaining rich women with your charms. Yeah. It’s that crazy of a beginning. But don’t let it confuse you, this show is seriously hilarious, with unique boys and really amazing bonds that form between characters, many not outright romantic. 100% recommend for reverse harem newcomers.

2. Uta no Prince-sama

Hot boys plus hot songs? How could you say no? Uta no Prince-sama follows a young girl attending a prestigious music academy and meeting many, many interesting and flirtatious characters (I’m looking at you Ren) with awesome vocals, all looking to be the best idol out there- with the help of the main character’s amazing songs of course. Not only is the art gorgeous, Uta no Prince-sama’s music is legit and catchy. With four seasons filled with surprisingly interesting drama and driving conflict, this is one show binge you’ll find yourself singing along to while rooting for your favorite boys to succeed.

3. Kamigami no Asobi

What happens when the gods of the world start to lose their connections with humans? Well, Zeus throws them into a school with a human girl so they can learn how to love. Cue the supernatural fist fights. The concept of Kamigami no Asobi is pretty cool, but what makes this show even better is that the main character is not a silent, passive girl like many reverse harem protagonists unfortunately can be. She questions and argues and seems like she genuinely cares about getting to know the guys and understanding why they seem so jaded about love. In the end, my only complaint was that it was too short, but on the other hand, 12 episodes seems like the perfect amount for binging!

4. Dance with Devils

Another strong lead incoming! And she definitely has to be, because her harem is filled with demons! Everyone in Hell is searching for an item called the Grimoire, and our leading lady is the key to finding it, though she doesn’t know it herself. Despite having some dark undertones and pretty violent scenes, the show is comedic and at times adorable. Oh, did I mention that this was a musical? Yeah, they sing while they fight. And they’re pretty dang good at it too.

5. Amnesia

This has got to be one of my favorite harems design-wise, as the characters’ styles are very unique and striking. But while the look of this anime is great, I have a word of caution: this show is confusing. Like the title implies, the main character wakes up one morning and doesn’t remember anything. She has no idea who she is nor what kind of life she was living at all. Orion, a boy she meets when she opens her eyes, tells her it’s his fault she’s like this, and that he’ll help her find her memories. Great, she thinks, I’ll be out of this mess in no time. But nothing is ever that easy. Bit by bit, she discovers dark secrets about her past and about the boys she's friends with. And just when you think things are coming together, an accident happens, and she wakes up again on the same date as in the beginning, starting a new life over, each time with a new, strange boyfriend. Amnesia takes you on a twisting, dark story where bad things seem to happen too often. By the end, you’ll be sitting there, scratching your head, thinking, what did I just watch, though hopefully in a good way.

6. B-Project

Okay, I’ll admit it. I have a thing for singing boys. But I mean who doesn’t? Our protagonist doesn’t say much, but she is downright adorable. I love her design! Hired as an A&R manager for the idol experiment, B-Project, her job soon becomes watching over the boys and helping them with all the issues that come with being in the music industry. I love the songs in B-Project because they’re just as catchy as Uta no Prince-sama, and that’s a rare find for me. This relatively new anime is the perfect filler for the hole left by Uta no Prince-sama and has me hoping for a second season!

7. Akatsuki no Yona

Akatsuki no Yona is a legend among reverse harems for me. In a fictional land, Yona is a typical sheltered princess, spoiled by her sweet father who is also the Emperor. At first, it seems like a feel-good romance. But then her father is murdered by the one person she trusted the most: her cousin Soo-won. Soon, she is driven from her home with the same weapons that once protected her, as the empire comes under the control of her father’s murderer. Yona, however, doesn’t let herself just fade into history as a banished princess. She stands up, steels herself, and learns how to fight back. With her attendant Hak, she travels the countries in search of the four legendary dragons who once unified the land, in order to take back her throne. Not only is this plot amazing, Yona is just as perfect: she’s strong, dependable, driven, and caring towards her friends. If you’re looking for a warrior princess on a mission to fix the world with her hot harem of boys, definitely check this anime out!

8. Yumeiro Patissiere

This anime is cute and sweet to the point where you get diabetes! And I’m not just saying that because this takes place in a confectionery school. Our adorable main character is scouted by a world-renowned pastry chef to attend an equally famous school, where she learns the hard way that only having natural talent isn’t good enough to succeed. However, with the help of her three male teammates and a cute little pastry fairy, the protagonist competes in competitions, honing her skills and showing everyone that she has what it takes to be the best. The first season of this show focuses mainly on the competition aspect with just a hint of romance, which I appreciated greatly. It’s paced just for my taste and is honestly an adorable experience.

9. Hanasakeru Seishounen

You’d think politics and romance wouldn’t make for a very good reverse harem, but this anime puts your doubts to rest. You are introduced to the main character who wishes to learn the truth about her past, as she has lived her life in mostly isolation. Her father agrees to tell her, but only if she plays his “marriage game,” in which she must choose a husband out of the suitors he has prepared for her. Eager to finally learn her history, she decides to play, and unknowingly enters her father’s complicated political world. On her search for a husband, the main character learns about the conflict growing in a wealthy, but unstable country, and her role in solving its problems. I first watched this anime when I was younger, and the politics surrounding it were very confusing. Yet, I still stuck with it because it intrigued me and kept me hanging in suspense. It has a very complex and well done plot and will not disappoint.

10. Brothers Conflict

So your father remarries, and you’re told that you’ll be moving in with your new brothers in a new house. Our main character is very excited for this change, and the experienced harem viewers all know where the plot is going from here. So she opens the door, says hello all shy and cute, and then is introduced to her 13 step-brothers. I almost dropped my laptop. Even for a harem anime, this a lot of boys, and they’re all from the same mother. On the bright side, there’s a lot of variety in characters, and I really enjoyed many of the brothers. It may not be the most exciting reverse harem, but it’s got really cute and romantic moments that’ll make your heart melt. Just don’t think about how one woman popped out 13 boys with no problem.

11 or THE TRASH PICK. Diabolik Lovers

Alright, so I know this one is infamous in the anime community for being literally horrible. The plot’s simple enough at first: a girl leaves her orphanage to stay with a family her caretaker recommended. Only this family is full of just brothers, with no parents, pets, nor neighbors and- oh yeah, they’re all sadistic vampires. Surprised? I mean, she sure was. Yui, the protagonist, discovers she was offered as a sacrificial lamb to the house of powerful vampires and now belongs to them as their personal blood bag. And with these boys being spoiled brats and severely messed up in their heads, they treat her horribly, to the point where I want to scream and tear out my hair. This harem actually terrifies me, as there is no indication of love whatsoever in the guys. It’s only towards the very end does it seem like one boy cares for her ever so slightly. And to add to this frustration, Yui. Never. Fights. Back. She’s so passive it’s infuriating!

Any logical person would be running at the first chance he or she got, but no she has to stay and figure out what the heck is going on. Ugh! So you must be wondering why I’m recommending this to you. To be honest, this show is my ultimate guilty pleasure. Sure, the boys are downright horrible, but for some reason I keep watching to see if they have any inch of compassion or love in their bodies, and sometimes it seems like they do. The brothers’ backstories are all dark and saddening and against your better judgement makes you feel for the jerks,. I know I made this sound like a horrible show, but if you’re ever looking for some really dark romance, Diabolik Lovers is perfect. It’s not for everyone, however, because there are no healthy relationships at all. Plot- and design-wise, though, it’s great.