It’s a common term for the genre of certain TV shows and comics, especially Japanese ones.
In the modern context, it just refers to ANY story with lot of female characters surrounding one male character.
Relationships may range from simple friendships to romantic interest, but usually there’s some element of conflict or jealousy as different girls try to grow closer to the boy and get in each other’s way.
Basically, shows with that kind of character balance started being called “harem” shows sarcastically (One inexplicably popular protagonist dude with several women following him around, who then get sarcastically called his “harem” by jealous, less-popular dudes… which also describes most of the show’s fanbase; such shows have an element of male fantasy fulfillment to them) especially once there were enough of such shows to establish a familiar pattern, and to be considered a genre in and of themselves.
Good lord, Yes I adore the idea of the original context of the word – “domestic spaces of woman where they can socialise but still be kept safe a pure” yes still problematic but still better then the modern reading of the term of “A group of people I could have sex with”
Pfhahaha, is this suddenly South Park? Or any other adult show that has kids in adult situations, like Boondocks? Okay so maybe harem isn’t that kid unfriendly, atleast if you ignore the original romanceless sexual meaning and ignore all the outright sexual pervy stuff in the animes.
poor te fahn….good thing no adult was listening, or that would´ve been even more awkward. i´m picturing epic spit takes and weird questions about sarnothi mating habits here ;-D
Minion, — not Friend, not Hareem, Minion.
Ms. Pricess Dr. Terrorhammer requires minions.
Not odalisks, not henchpeople, not servitors,… wait! Sidekick! Te Fahn could be Selkie’s sidekick!
Considering how Anime uses that word, where one girl in the “harem” can end up with the protagonist and the rest usually end up as friends, and sometimes the protagonist is female, and sometimes the Anime doesn’t resolve the romantic tension, and sometimes even the original source material doesn’t resolve the tension, the mistake is understandable.
I wondered before if sarnothi consumed human media before all this. Also what their own might look like. The reverse broadcast by the bad guy emperor suggests the tech for it exists.
I’m going to assume the word she was trying to directly translates could be summaries as”domestic space for female congregation”and Human culture doesn’t have any terms for such things that is not couched is a bunch of other implications
I don’t know why people are so shocked about kids knowing the word “harem”. I’m pretty sure it came up at times in kids’ cartoons like Ducktales when I was little.
Selkie: “Of course yous didn’t! Membership into Dr. Terrorhammer’s Harems is very selective and requires successful completions of the obstacle course and a Japanese school trip style Test of Courages!”
Te Fahn: “S-s-sos I can’ts be in the harems?”
Selkie: “Didn’t say can’ts. Said not yet.”
Te Fahn: “…………………….. Oh my.”
…
Who taught an eight year old the word Harem.
or does Te Fahn read for fun?
I find it interesting that Selkie seems to recognize the word herself.
Any good anime?
“It’s a reverse harem! This is a reverse harem!”
https://youtu.be/btnOadpMclA
It’s a common term for the genre of certain TV shows and comics, especially Japanese ones.
In the modern context, it just refers to ANY story with lot of female characters surrounding one male character.
Relationships may range from simple friendships to romantic interest, but usually there’s some element of conflict or jealousy as different girls try to grow closer to the boy and get in each other’s way.
Basically, shows with that kind of character balance started being called “harem” shows sarcastically (One inexplicably popular protagonist dude with several women following him around, who then get sarcastically called his “harem” by jealous, less-popular dudes… which also describes most of the show’s fanbase; such shows have an element of male fantasy fulfillment to them) especially once there were enough of such shows to establish a familiar pattern, and to be considered a genre in and of themselves.
Good lord, Yes I adore the idea of the original context of the word – “domestic spaces of woman where they can socialise but still be kept safe a pure” yes still problematic but still better then the modern reading of the term of “A group of people I could have sex with”
It’s like how the word Gay originally didn’t have anything to do with sex but now it’s the only definition that people can think of.
Who automatically thinks about sex when they think about gay people?
Well, even in the modern usage, I think there’s a lot more associated with “gay” than sex.
Because it originally meant happy a Gay Place like a proper Gentlemans pub as in a place you could get shut of the women.
I find it interesting that Selkie seems to recognize the word herself.
Whoops, replied in the wrong place!
She prob watches japanese cartoons, where harem is a common sub genre.
I feel kind of sorry for Tekh here. 🙁
Unless Selkie invites him too… or Amanda offers again? That’d be nice.
Selkie’s face in the fifth panel made my morning! XD
Pfhahaha, is this suddenly South Park? Or any other adult show that has kids in adult situations, like Boondocks? Okay so maybe harem isn’t that kid unfriendly, atleast if you ignore the original romanceless sexual meaning and ignore all the outright sexual pervy stuff in the animes.
proof you haven’t watched enough anime.
The original meaning of ‘Harem” had nothing to do with sex.
It’s just “the room where the women and children live.”
Te Fahn’s word mix up is funny. Her realization of that error is cute. Selkie’s reaction is both.
poor te fahn….good thing no adult was listening, or that would´ve been even more awkward. i´m picturing epic spit takes and weird questions about sarnothi mating habits here ;-D
Minion, — not Friend, not Hareem, Minion.
Ms. Pricess Dr. Terrorhammer requires minions.
Not odalisks, not henchpeople, not servitors,… wait! Sidekick! Te Fahn could be Selkie’s sidekick!
Is this deliberate ship-teasing, Dave? XD
“That word did not mean what I thought it meant.”
Considering how Anime uses that word, where one girl in the “harem” can end up with the protagonist and the rest usually end up as friends, and sometimes the protagonist is female, and sometimes the Anime doesn’t resolve the romantic tension, and sometimes even the original source material doesn’t resolve the tension, the mistake is understandable.
So what you’re saying is that Te Fahn watches anime.
It’s set in sort-of present day U.S. on an Earth that is almost identical except it also has Sarnothi living on it.
So: yes. Obviously.
I wondered before if sarnothi consumed human media before all this. Also what their own might look like. The reverse broadcast by the bad guy emperor suggests the tech for it exists.
I think Selkie’s gotta be another eight years older before she starts seriously considering adding ‘personal harem’ to her evil plans.
That said, Te Fahn would be an excellent choice of partner to help keep the ‘evil’ part of her evil plans in check.
4 years older. Middle School girls are awful, horny little things.
some words do not translate well AT. ALLS.
I’m going to assume the word she was trying to directly translates could be summaries as”domestic space for female congregation”and Human culture doesn’t have any terms for such things that is not couched is a bunch of other implications
“No, Te Fahn, my harems is boys only! Tehk is going to be in my harem and you’re going to be one of mys lieutenants.”
I don’t know why people are so shocked about kids knowing the word “harem”. I’m pretty sure it came up at times in kids’ cartoons like Ducktales when I was little.
“Eating sunlight” — would that be photosynthesis?
Yeah, I don’t think she only mixed up the word “friend.”
I suspect the slip of the young to be more prophetic than Freudian.
Selkie: “Of course yous didn’t! Membership into Dr. Terrorhammer’s Harems is very selective and requires successful completions of the obstacle course and a Japanese school trip style Test of Courages!”
Te Fahn: “S-s-sos I can’ts be in the harems?”
Selkie: “Didn’t say can’ts. Said not yet.”
Te Fahn: “…………………….. Oh my.”