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Reverse Harem Anime Catch-Up Marathon: Nil Admirari, Yume 100, Dame x Prince, Scared Rider Xechs and Magic-Kyun

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My marathon started in March of last year with two seasons of B-Project, fourth/last season Uta Prince No Sama and  Phantom of Twilight. I usually blog my review before I start with watching the next anime but at the rate I'm going it will take me forever to get it all done. I decided to watch the remaining anime one after another without blogging and I finished it all by December. The last time I had this marathon was from the time I first discovered reverse harem. But unlike before, this time I feel like I was losing my mind and I'm going to quit watching reverse harem anime for good.  Well almost. The only way for me to blog all these anime would be in one go...again. I'm just going to keep 'em all short. Disclaimer: As usual I have not played any of the games. 


Nil Admirari no Tenbin (The Scales of Nil Admirari ~The Mysterious Story of Teito~) 12 episodes

Taisho Era didn't end in 15 years but continued for 25 more years. Tsugumi Kuze witnessed her brother afflicted by a cursed book or tome. The trauma gave her the ability to distinguish the cursed books and made her an important asset of the Imperial Library Intelligence Asset Management Bureau.


The bureau or Fukurou consists of bishonen members and she has to live with the gorgeous men. The retro sepia mood is reminiscent of Meiji Tokyo Renka and Hanayaka Nari since they are both period-themed. Meanwhile, the character designs remind me of Diabolik Lovers. Turns out they are from the same artist, Satoi. As well as of Ozmafia and Norn 9 too. My favorite bishonen are Hayato and Akira. The opening credit was modern-ish but cute.

I liked that it started with the most unassuming harem members and worked on its way up. I didn't notice right away that they were doing a character per episode. I was just enjoying the ride and not overthinking things.

It's not spectacular but it was so easy to watch and satisfying to finish it.  I was looking forward to watching it compared to before. Or it may be because I'm longing for something good to watch after all the idol shows and Phantom.

I just didn't like how all the conflicts of each character were compressed in the last few episodes. It 's too much. And twists upon twists. The explanation of how the tome is created seems hazy to me now. But the ending to a certain character is a nice surprise. 


Yume Oukoku to Nemureru 100-nin no Ouji-sama (100 Sleeping Princes and the Kingdom of Dreams) 12 episodes


The heroine finds herself transported to a world of dreams filled with princes. Together with Navi, Kihel and Avi they travel to fight the dream eaters or yumekui.

It's watchable since I was able to watch half of it in one go.  It's isekai and instead of the guardians/warriors,  the heroine meets a LOT of princes. At first, I was afraid if they will cram all 100 princes within 12 episodes. I'm glad they didn't and showcased more than a handful only. I loved the character design of the princes and they're all uniquely different and memorable.  Ironically, I do not have a favorite prince but visually speaking I think I like the Mad Hatter. But I'm not a fan of the almost obsidian eyes of the other characters. It looks like they were infected by alien parasites.

Sengoku Night Blood will now be my go-to example of how to not cram all the characters in an anime adaptation. There's another reverse harem anime but I have yet to post a review about it. There's also Yume Oukoku to Nemureru 100-nin no Ouji-sama: Short Stories ONA featuring the other 53 princes.

I find the premise very shallow but I was still in for the princes. I was enjoying the different number of princes in hopes it will turn around once we see the side of the villains and Kiel's memory. But after watching the last two episodes it left me feeling depressed. There's no full-blown romance too. I feel duped. Okay, some otome games do not have a name for the heroine like Amnesia but they didn't even bother for her backstory or her feelings or whatever.  She's just the means to satisfy the end of introducing the princes. She did not even meet a single princess. I mean they would all have at least a queen mother or a princess sister, right?


Dame x Prince Anime Caravan 12 episodes


Princess Ani of the small country, Inako, attends the signing of a treaty. She meets the princes of two other powerful countries and their idiosyncrasies.

Weird in a good way. Literally and figuratively colorful characters. The quest to spy the other kingdom is an excuse for a weak plot. But I think it's intentional. It's so odd that they travel with just a few bodyguards or none at all but at one point they have armies. Just when I think the storyline is intentionally so random or bizarre, they build up the relationships between the bishies. It's been a while since I watched a fun reverse harem. I enjoyed the first half but then it just dragged on and the humor waned. It could have been better if it was ONA format. They wasted the fun elements of the start by dragging it out. But confetti guy really makes me chuckle every time he's in a scene. I think he's my favorite guy in the series.

I think I developed an existential crisis on why am I watching reverse harem.   After a back to back of princes mobage to anime: Yume 100 and Dame Pri, I was about to call it quits. Enough with the mobile game adaptations. There I said it. But I never learn my lesson and I get myself worked up again whenever I see news of new reverse harem anime. Okay, I take it back, I enjoyed EnStar and so far with A3.

Scared Rider Xechs 12 episodes

Akira Asagi leads the sixth combat unit, IS in protecting the world from the attacks of Nightly O'Note. And managing their band when they are not being attacked.

The order of anime that I have watched reflects my interest so Scared and Magic Kyun were the least interesting for me. Well based on the first episodes anyway. But it's a good thing I picked these two last. I'll talk more about Magic Kyun later.

I think I started on the wrong foot because it seems confusing and serious. But I warmed up to it when it became light and fun.  I started to like the characters too. I find the character design and the sci-fi/mecha with magical boy-like transformations very refreshing. Plus a rock band! Not your usual otome setting but I'll accept it as normal compared to the weirdness of Dame Pri.

But it kinda sucked there's no band scene. Pretty much glossed over it with just freeze-frame.
I became aware in the last episode too that only three showed interest in her and not in a full-blown romance.  My favorite guy is Takuto with his tsundere-ness.

I've forgotten there are sad elements in the end but overall it left a good mark on me. I think Scared Xech Rider has the best resolution for me. 


Magic-Kyun! Renaissance- 13 episodes

Kohana Aigasaki enters to Hoshinomori Private Magical Arts High School where artistas hone their magic arts. She transferred to follow her mother's footsteps but does she have the talent?

My first impression of Magic Kyun was it's like idol anime but replace it with artists. So it came last on my list and it was good a thing because it has restored my faith in reverse harem anime again. Nice work, Serendipity!

The bishies look like they are from different reverse harem anime which I can't seem to pinpoint which anime but Anjou sticks out too much as of Olive of Angelique.  Turns out too the character design is by Yura Kairi of Angelique. And for someone who's not into idol anime my favorite guy turned out to be Ichijoji. I love his voice! The upbeat songs of the opening and ending credits makes me want to dance.

Overall, this the anime that I enjoyed among the 8 animes I finished for my backlog. But the final conflict left a bit of a bitter taste. I mentioned this on my All-Time Top 10 Reverse Harem Anime that Magic Kyun has awoken a lot of my dormant feelings with  La Corda Primo Paso. And just like La Corda I was feeling meh with the ending. I disliked Kohana's conveniently humongous sparkle/s. Looking back now, I was turned off with too with Kahoko in La Corda since she really didn't have a talent.

The anime is the epitome of Reverse Harem Garden. Kohana's art is ikebana so there's overflowing flowers from opening to ending credits and on each episode.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I prefer the otome game adaptations over the mobile game adaptations. I noticed though that I didn't straight up like any of the anime. There's always something like the start or the ending that I didn't like. But if I have to recommend, it would be Magic Kyun and with Nil Ad and Scared Rider Xech tied on the second spot. I really should be playing the games to give my reviews proper justice but as usual, I am still behind with manga, dramas and my pending reviews are starting to pile up now.

My condition to write my Top 10 reverse harem anime was to finish my anime backlog first. Even though I could start with the Top 10 without watching these and it has taken a toll on my sanity, I'm glad I was able to finish it. I feel like I can do anything now after overcoming a seemingly impossible task.  Now that I am past this hurdle I can focus on other projects now. Please look forward to it! :)

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