At some point, all anime fans have been there. Whether you’re watching the grand adventures of an isekai protagonist or a thrilling romance, the words “It should have been me!” have left our lips. When I first started watching anime, isekai, and adventure-oriented anime got those words out of me. But as Yama No Susume and Yuru Camp pushed me into the wild, I realized adventure abounds.
But that envy remained. Why? Because I couldn’t replicate ecchi and harem shows. I tried polyamory once, and it’s the equivalent of a vegan burger, all hype, no bite. A healthy polyamorous relationship brings more responsibility than you might think. There won’t be thirsty girls fawning over and accosting you in public. All I got from that experience was more responsibility, affection, and less free time. And those are all things I detest. So back to ecchi and harem shows I went. At least there I could live vicariously through the characters. And hopefully, with this extra cultured list, you can also live vicariously through some lucky MCs.
Shows That Make You Yell “It Should Have Been Me!” — Mayo Chiki!
I have to admit my biases here. To me, this is one of those shows that commits no wrong. Mayo Chiki! was one of the first shows I watched, and it was the show that introduced me to the joys of reverse traps. Everyone says #nohomo until they realize they like a waifu because the waifu has boyish qualities. My descent into weebdom happened within two weeks, so trust me when I tell you I wasn’t ready for that personal revelation.
Filled with mouthwatering, soul-satisfying ecchiness, Mayo Chiki! is one of those shows I believe everyone should watch at least once. The show centers on Kinjirou Sakamachi, a high school student with a mom and sister who are nuts about wrestling. Unfortunately for him, he often becomes an unwilling grappling partner for the two. With no other option than to take the hits, Kinjirou develops an abnormal tolerance for pain, but with that tolerance comes severe gynophobia. His fear is so great that it causes him to get nosebleeds and pass out when he comes in contact with women.
Kinjirou’s misfortune is compounded after discovering that the popular male student/butler, Subaru Konoe, is actually a girl! After that, not only is he blackmailed into keeping Subaru’s secret by her master, but that same master offers to help him overcome his phobia. And how will she help him with that? By forcing Subaru to subject Kinjirou to all manner of ecchi goodness, making viewers yell, “It should have been me!” Studio Feel animated the 12-episode Mayo Chiki! TV anime adaptation. Should you wish to see the end of this story, the manga and light novel have concluded.
And You Thought There Was Never a Girl Online?
Do you like thigh-highs and twin tails? Of course! Is it safe to assume you’re fond of tsunderes and delusion waifus? That’s a rhetorical question, as everyone is. Are you perhaps interested in JKs with rocking bodies? NetoYome has all of this and more! This show is so wonderfully ecchi that it’s 100% responsible for all my kinks. Seeing Ako and Schwein in twin tails, swimsuits, and maid costumes gave me a joy I never thought possible. Every time Ako attacked Rusian, I couldn’t help but think, “It should have been me!”
When Hideki “Rusian” Nishimura gathers the courage to propose to a character in the RPG Legendary Age, the player he’s smitten with not only rejects his proposal. But she reveals that she is actually a middle-aged Oji-san. Heartbroken, Rusian lives the in-game single life for two years until a guildmate pesters him into a one-sided marriage. But when he agrees to meet his guildmates in real life for the first time, he’s surprised to see his in-game wife, Ako, is a thoroughbred hottie (and so are his other guildmates)! And what’s more, she’s convinced that she and Rusian are actually a married couple.
But Ako’s infatuation with him delves into the delusional. So, the real-world version of his guild sets out to convince Ako that there’s a difference between game love and reality. Crunchyroll streams the Project No.9 animated, 12-episode anime. NetoYome’s novel and manga have concluded.
Shows That Make You Yell “It Should Have Been Me!” — Miss Caretaker of Sunohara-sou
Women who are older than me but look younger are my Shangri-La. The only enjoyable part of my teenage years was dating college girls. I wish I knew how well I had it back then. Because finding outgoing, youthful-looking older women in your 30s is hahahahahaha. So sometimes, I relieve the days of my youth by watching shota-based harems. And since I prefer the slow-paced entertainment that slice-of-life shows bring, Sunohara-sou no Kanrinin-san was for me. And hopefully, it’s made for you too.
Plot-wise, there’s not much. The show focuses on Aki Shiina, a countryside boy who, much to his displeasure, possesses quite a feminine appearance. Wishing to change this and become more “manly,” Aki moves to Tokyo and enrolls in a new school. When he arrives at his new dorm, he’s pleasantly surprised to find such a kind caretaker. But his woes follow him when he realizes that the rest of his housemates are all girls who also think he’s effeminate. Not letting that deter him, Aki proceeds toward a goal to become manlier.
And honestly, that’s it. It’s a slow-paced watch with a lot of boobage and pervy moments. That may not seem like much, but I appreciate the slowness, and it absolutely makes me think, “It should have been me.” Life is much too hectic, so I cherish anything that brings comfort. And bringing comfort is what this show does. The 12-episode SILVER LINK anime adaptation is streaming on Crunchyroll. And if you’d like to know how the story ends, Miss Caretaker of Sunohara-sou’s manga concluded in 2022.
Vermeil in Gold
Summoning familiars and magical creatures is, without a doubt, enviable. Even if you’re unable to summon a fierce beast, being able to have a horde of prairie dogs dig up an annoying neighbor’s yard sounds like a dream. But say you have the magical aptitude to summon something far better than a swarm of prairie dogs. Imagine you could summon a THICK demon who would steal your seed rather than steal your soul. That’s what Vermeil in Gold is about.
Kinsou no Vermeil follows the seemingly well-to-do Ortigia Academy of Magic student Alto Goldfield. Alto has a dream, a good dream, the best dream one can have! He wants to become a legendary mage. But, while his grades and studies greatly help him toward that goal, when he repeatedly fails his summoning class, failure seems to loom in his future. Desperate to avoid that, Alto turns to a derelict grimoire to solve his conundrum, and it works. But instead of a regular familiar, a bodacious demon heeds his call. With his newfound partnership, Alto finds someone to help him in his quest to be the best mage, a mage like no one ever was. And he also scores someone who’ll keep him up at night.
Few things have made me yell, “It should have been me,” as much as seeing Vermeil try to hump a dude that knew that would be his last shag. I usually dislike MILF-type waifus. The only thick things I like are steaks and wads of money. Yet I couldn’t take my eyes off Vermeil, and if you’re reading up to this point, I know you won’t be able to either. Kinsou no Vermeil streams on HIDIVE and Amazon.
Mother of the Goddess’ Dormitory — The Definitive “It Should Have Been Me!”
I’ve always liked the phrase, “When one door closes, another one opens.” For Koushi Nagumo, this saying is as honest as they come. When he loses his home in a fire, the middle schooler finds himself living on the street after being abandoned by his father until the slightly delusional Mineru Wachi rescues him. After a long streak of misfortune, Koushi finally finds a roof and warm meals. But that’s not all, as Koushi also finds himself living with five grade-A hotties who don’t care much for personal boundaries and decency.
Megami-ryou no Ryoubo-kun is, without a doubt, one of the best shota-harem shows of the past few years. It’s so playfully pervy that the minutes fly by so fast that the show’s over before you realize it. And unlike the previous shota-harem entry, these are all college girls, so there’s much to look at. Even more attractive is that the show highlights the girl’s personalities more often as they intermingle more than one would expect from a usual harem. This hooked me hard, as I preferred Kiriya and Serene over Athena. And while the two weren’t lead heroines, they always got their wonderfully pervy screen time.
The 10-episode Studio Asread TV anime adaptation is streaming on HIDIVE. And if ten episodes aren’t enough, since the manga concluded in 2022, you can read the full story to figure out who won Koushi’s heart. If anyone reading this makes doujins, please draw one about this show because there needs to be more.
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