Harem Hero

You know he is The Hero. You know he is surrounded by an army of girls. The girls may be the standard Magical Girl, the Cute Bruiser, the Action Girl... The girls are often of super-powered origins or are amazingly talented in someway. All these girls are romantically attracted to him one way or another. He may or may not have wanted this army of powerful, talented girls. Either way, he has an overpowered harem, and he is to use these girls to his advantage to save the world. Generally, there are two types of harem heroes:


 * Type 1: Hero lacks power to fight the threats by himself and lets powerful heroines fight against them. Since the main fighting force for Type 1 characters are heroines, he tends to gain additional, powerful female characters as the story progresses. The hero in type 1 generally acts as a power generator support to the girls. Often, these heroes do not want to accept the reality of their power, and are quite weak willed; frequently they wish that things would go back to the way it was before. A type 1 hero is extremely similar to Pokemon trainers, but with all the Pokemon replaced by girls.


 * Type 2: Hero can fight against threats by himself, holding his own against enemies if required. In this setting, heroines often function as a Faux Action Girl, or as True Companions in battle. In reality, there are sub-categories of type 2.
 * Type 2A are the heroes that lack experience and are still somewhat innocent in the new world they are dragged into. They are initially treated as Type 1, but eventually evolve and willing to learn how to fight.
 * Type 2B are heroes that are strong and are willing to fight from the onset of the series. It should be noted that the harem still plays a major role in fights, but are not a dominating fighting force—as the protagonist is often the strongest character on the team.

Note: a character who evolves into Type 2 too late in the story would have to be viewed as Type 1.

For the kind of harem that fights alongside the Harem Hero, see Battle Harem.

Anime & Manga

 * Sakura Taisen: Ichiro Ohgami was one of the earliest originators of this trope and has elements of both a Type 1 and a Type 2.
 * To LOVE-Ru: Rito is a Type 1 with absolutely no offensive nor defensive capabilities; he's just an Ordinary High School Student.
 * To his credit, he is perfectly willing to throw himself into the thick of it when he seriously needs to, and will always try to defend the girls around him. Luckily for him, To LOVE-Ru is by no means a fighting manga.
 * To Aru Majutsu no Index: Touma definitely classifies as type 2B.
 * Mahou Sensei Negima: Negi has a group of female students who accompany him on his adventures. He is a Type 2B, being a Badass on his own right, and takes several more levels later on.
 * Infinite Stratos: Not only does Ichika Orimura possess a harem, he is also willing to fight alongside the girls who are skilled IS Representatives from other countries, even if he's inexperienced himself. His position swing between Type 2A and 2B. As his co-homeroom teacher Maya Yamada once stated, with his force of six representative pilots, each with their own unique custom IS, he has more than "enough to start a war".
 * Sekirei: Minato depends on his Sekirei and does not fight, hence he is a type 1. He also provides a supporting role, acting as The Smart Guy. He can also power his Sekirei with a kiss.
 * To be fair to him, this is a game with rules. Sekirei are the only ones who should be battling by the rules of the game.
 * To be even MORE fair, an Ashikabi (sp?) is the lifesource of Sekirei...kill them and ALL their Skirei perish. Likewise, any Ashikabi worth their salt will quickly realize most Sekirei are FAR stronger then humans. Getting into a fight with one is a VERY BAD THING. And yet, Minato is the first (only?) Ashikabi to DIRECTLY take on a Sekirei (see the "escape"/Kuno arc and, to a lesser extent, the Green Girl, Sekirei of Water, First Wing, and Last Wing arcs [and the Wind arc in the anime]). He's one of the rare Ashikabi that puts his own life on the line to protect the Sekirei, both his own and others.
 * Zero no Tsukaima: Saito Hiiraga is granted the powers of the Gandolfr upon establishing a contract with female lead Louise Valliere. He's very willing to fight alongside with the rest of the girls from the very onset of the series, making him a Type 2B. Later on, his classification is entirely justified:.
 * Hyakka Ryouran Samurai Girls: As skilled as Muneakira Yagyu is with a sword, he never fights with it, and usually acts as a support to the female lead and the rest of the haremettes; he is a Type 1. In this case, this is also justified as it's revealed he possess the abilities of a General; the girls having established a contract with him answer to a General as a Master Samurai and fight for his behalf.
 * Again, to be perfectly fair, it's not that he won't/doesn't want to fight, it's that he CAN'T. Any time Jubi's power is invoked, he's restrained in chains. More like a Type 2B with Restraining Bolt.
 * Hidan no Aria: Kinji(hysteria mode) is definitely a 2B. His other side,however...is a type 1..
 * Uhmmm...again, to be fair, he does what he can WITHOUT invoking his abilities...and often (oddly) this is quite a bit.
 * Rozen Maiden despite the lack of sexual tension (most of the time), it's still about a guy, surrounded by girls with supernatural powers, who use him as a 'battery'. Type 1, in other words.
 * Kore wa Zombie Desu ka?: the protagonist Ayumu jumps very early on in the series into combat as well as earning his harem on the way through. Type 2B definitely.
 * Rosario + Vampire: Tsukune Aono was a Type 1, since he couldn't fight until he (unwillingly) Took a Level in Badass much later in the series. From that point on, he turns into a Type 2A, but couldn't hold his own when it comes to the strongest opponents, since he still turns to the female lead to wrap up some of the work. The sequel manga, however, ascends him to a full-blown Type 2B.
 * Maken-ki!: Takeru is a Type 2A. He does not fight originally, until he mans up and trains for his weakness.
 * Kämpfer: The male Natsuru is a Type 1.
 * ...and the Female type 2a (she don't WANT to fight...). [As an aside, this is one where harem "boy" is more scared of his own harem than of any of the opponents. ("Akane-Chan!" Cl-ick. "WHO YOU CALLING CHAN?!??!??!")
 * Martian Successor Nadesico: Akito "I just want to be a cook!" Tenkawa is a Type 2A. He initially fights under protest because he's the only pilot they have, but later he makes the choice to fight largely to protect people he cares about, much to Yurika Misumaru's delight.
 * Night Wizard: Renji is a standard Type 2B.
 * Omamori Himari: Yuuto is a type 1, even though he later trained to be powerful, his powers are generally activated by chance and are used to augment the powers of the female leads.
 * In the manga, he's more 2A, especially recently. He's still weak, but he can use his ability consciously and starts participating in fights.
 * Tenchi Muyo!: Tenchi is a very interesting Type 2B, but it REALLY shines in the OVA. He is the most powerful and capable fighter in the universe, but characters have stated that Tenchi could become a Commanding Type 1 if he wanted to considering his Harem house is the strongest military force in the entire universe. Luckily he's on the good guys' team.
 * Basically any series that Masaki Kajishima gets his hands on, including Parallel Trouble Adventure Dual and Isekai no Seikishi Monogatari.
 * Asobi Ni Iku Yo: Kio is a Type 1.
 * Zettai Karen Children is a lopsided example: Minamoto has only fatherly affection for his charges, all of whom are in middle school - a fact that he is VERY EMPHATIC on, despite many attempts by others to prove otherwise. However, The Children all love him in a decidedly un-childlike way, so it still qualifies as a harem of sorts. As for type, it hovers somewhere between Type 1 and Type 2B - Minamoto is a normal, unpowered human, and as such can't do much about the ESPER-class foes they usually fight, but he DOES qualify as a Badass Normal, and will put his life on the line for The Children without hesitation if he sees a chance to make a difference.
 * Hakurou of Utawarerumono. Most of the biggest badasses in his army happen to be his haremettes.
 * Gods, Touka and Kurara make a helluva frightening team. That said, Hakurou would probably be 2A growing into 2B.
 * Yumeria is a clear 2A example. Tomokazu initially works as a 'battery' for his growing and highly-varied Harem, but gradually learns how to join the fight directly as well.
 * Ichiban Ushiro no Dai Maou Sai Akuto is a 2B
 * Shukufuku no Campanella tend to vary but Leicester leans towards type 2B.
 * Change 123 has Kosukegawa, a type 1 example who essentially has four girls in one interested in him due to their multiple personalities. Additionally, more girls join the group later, though most of their "advances" are unfortunate coincidences or misunderstandings...or ploys. Averted slightly in that two of the personalities try to play matchmaker.
 * In Nagasarete Airantou, Touhouin Ikuto started as a 2A then became a 2B.
 * Sora no Otoshimono Tomoki is type 1 with his Angeloid harem, though this may just be because his anti-Angeloid strategies all have to do with charming them...
 * Bakemonogatari has Araragi Koyomi, he doesn't just fight for his harem, or with his harem, he fights his harem! 2B all the way.
 * Issei from High School DxDis a type 2A
 * Naoe Yamato is a version of Type 1 in the anime of Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai!. While he can fight, his combat abilities are very poor compared to his harem. His true strengths lie as a tactician and the harem is much more effective if he is coordinating them.

Comic Books

 * Dwight McCarthy from Sin City has had the deadly ladies of Old Town back him up in almost every adventure he has taken part in.

Fan Fiction

 * Kyon: Big Damn Hero: Kyon starts as a type 2A.
 * In Flight: Shirou is a type 2B, although he tries hard to keep the reason for his power and experience (if not the fact itself) secret.
 * The Emiya Clan is continuation based off of In Flight, so it stands to reason that Shirou remains a type 2B hero (Although with Tenchi Solution, Happily Married, and Babies Ever After playing in). Several of his children have developed harems of their own however (Thanks in no small part to the BAR). Given who their father is, none of them are type 1, and almost none of them are type 2A.

Literature

 * Rand in the Wheel of Time series is basically a type 2A, although he develops his combat ability early in the series. But he started out as a villager who knew almost nothing about the outside world.

Video Games

 * Koihime Musou: In the original Visual Novels, Kazuto Hongou mixes between Type 1 and Type 2A. He can hold his own, having learned a few basics in kendo, but most of the fighting is conducted by his female generals.
 * The entire series of Sakura Taisen videogames qualify for this - as does the associated anime. The hero, in this case, tends to balance between 2A and 2B - always a combatant, but sometimes a green rookie at the start of the game.
 * Daiteikoku : Admiral of the Fleet Tougou is a 2B. Although he can also recruit an impressiv number of male badass admirals, a large force of female admirals he recruited can also join his harem.
 * Agarest Senki: Leonhardt and his descendants are a succession of Type 2Bs.
 * Takeru Shirogane goes through the full progression in the Muv-Luv series of Visual Novels: from Type 1 (being The Load of Squadron 207 in the first half of Unlimited) to Type 2A (being revealed to have amazing aptitude at piloting but still not fully accustomed to his new world in Unlimited's latter half). Due to a plot twist he returns as Type 2B with the same squadron in Muv Luv Alternative.

Western Animation

 * Adventure Time Finn is a type 2A who is still treated as too young for romance by at least some of the princesses who call on him to save the day heroically.