Harem vs Reverse Harem

First of all, let me tell you what I mean when I say "harem" and "reverse harem" because different people seem to have varying definitions of these two terms which are frequently used in the world of anime and manga.

Harem - is a subgenre of anime and manga characterized by one male protagonist surrounded by three or more women who at one point or other start to develop feelings of love for him. The love may or may not be reciprocated as long as the element of romance or sexual tension is there. Animes I've seen that I would classify as harem are Clannad and Kanon.

Reverse harem - is the reverse of a harem in the sense of there being one female protagonist surrounded by three of more men who at one point or other start to develop feelings of love for her. And just like in a harem, all that's needed is a hint of romance or sexual tension between the guys and the girl. Animes I've seen that I would classify as reverse harem are Ouran High School Host Club, The Story of Saiunkoku, and Fushigi Yuugi.

Personally, I like reverse harems better than harems mainly because I like my anime and manga with lots of hot guys in it. And I find the notion of three or more guys fighting over the same girl quite exciting and romantic. On the other hand, I hate watching anime with lots of stupid, frivolous-minded girls fawning over one guy. In the case of Clannad and Kanon, however, I was able to tolerate the girls because the main male characters are hot anime guys.

In conclusion, there is really no contest between harems and reverse harems in my book. I would choose a reverse harem any day simply because there are more hot anime guys in it. Hehe... ;)

Ouran High School Host Club Chapter 81 Update

(Warning: This post may contain spoilers.)

Oh, my god! Chapter 81 didn't disappoint at all! I was grinning and giggling like a high school girl in love all throughout. And as I expected, Tamaki was incredibly cute! (So was Kyoya, by the way.) Haha! But I felt a pleasant tingle when Tamaki kissed Haruhi. And the scene near the end was just so sweet... The only thing I didn't like about it was that it was too damn short! I can't wait for the next chapter to come out. When will it come out, anyway? Grr... this is going to be another marshmallow test. Hmph! Hehe.

Can you blame me though? I mean, this is how chapter 81 ended:

It's so sad that the manga is now coming to an end. I had originally heard that the last chapter would be chapter 83, but just tonight I read in a forum somewhere that chapter 82 is going to be the last one. Oh, say it ain't so! I still want more!

On another note, I heard that season 2 of the anime is in the works. Now that is good news, if it's true. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Ouran High School Host Club Chapter 81

Aghhh! I can't stand it! Chapter 81 of the Ouran High School Host Club manga was supposed to be out by July 24 but I still can't find it online. There are a lot of previews though, and people are talking about how this is where Tamaki plans his first date with Haruhi and where the two of them have their first kiss. Ohhh... I can just imagine how cute Tamaki will be! Haha!

But I'm also sad to hear that Ouran High School Host Club will end at Chapter 83. (Is that true?) I mean, there are still many things that are unresolved. There's Kyoya's situation for one. And what about the Hitachiin twins? Will the last three chapters of Ouran High School Host Club focus solely on Tamaki and Haruhi? Well, I like Tamaki and Haruhi as a couple, but I kind of like Haruhi with Kyoya too. And I also like Haruhi with Kaoru... or was it Hikaru? Haha! I'm obviously a confused person when it comes to love. Not! Hehehe... Anyway, I've been waiting two months for Chapter 81 to come out and I'm about to fail the marshmallow test. I want it now! ;P

Anime Recommendations: Good Anime Love Stories

Recommending animes to watch can be a tricky thing. I've been to many forums where they say that an anime that I didn't particularly like was the "best anime" they've ever seen. Of course I understand that different people have different preferences, but my point is that recommendations should be taken with a grain of salt... whatever that means. Haha!

I'm going to divide my recommendations into categories. This one is a list of anime titles that I would recommend to those looking for "kilig" or otherwise want to feel like high school kids falling in love for the first time. I have to warn you though that some of these anime contain violence and gore as well as love and romance. The list is in alphabetical order and only contains anime that I have seen from start to finish. Take a peek into the first episodes of each by watching the videos.

Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO) Anime Summary and Review

(Warning: This post may contain spoilers.)

Great Teacher Onizuka is a totally ridiculous yet lovable anime about a 22-year old, crazy, over-the-top, good-for-nothing, ex-gang leader named Eikichi Onizuka whose dream in life is to become a high school teacher just so he can get close to all those high school girls. After several failed attempts at passing the exam to qualify as a teacher and even more disastrous attempts at getting hired, he gets a lucky break when a school principal notices his passion for never belittling students (since he was always belittled by his teachers when he was in school). Unfortunately, he gets assigned as the class adviser to the most notoriously problematic middle school class ever, and to his dismay doesn't even get to see any high school girls at all.

But between Eikichi Onizuka's idiotic antics and highly unconventional teaching methods, his students are gradually learning not only from textbooks but also from life itself. As I was watching the 43-episode series, I found myself wishing I had had a teacher like Onizuka when I was in high school. Because... while Eikichi Onizuka may not fit the description of a "good role model" or even a "good teacher" for that matter, what with his bad habits and all (e.g. smoking, being a ladies man, breaking the law, etc.), the life lessons he teaches his students impacts their lives in a big, positive way. And when all is said and done at the end of the day, his students are better off having known him.

This is an anime that I would definitely recommend watching. Who knows, you might even learn a few things from the Great Teacher Onizuka. :)

Added bonus:
The opening and ending themes are very catchy tunes that you can listen to all day and sing in the shower.