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World's End Harem: Here's Why This New NSFW Anime is Controversial


World's End Harem, the new anime series based on the Japanese manga written by LINK and illustrated by Kotaro Shōno, is considered to be the most controversial anime in 2022 so far, and it's easy to see why. Directed by Yuu Nobuta (The Faraway Paladin) and animated by studios AXsiZ (Wagamama High Spec) and Gokumi (Seiren), the erotic science fiction anime is loaded with explicit scenes that are censored on Crunchyroll and other streaming platforms.

If you're wondering why World's End Harem has sparked a lot of controversy, read our explanation in this article.

World's End Harem
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Credit: AXsiZ & Gokumi
World's End Harem

Set in a dystopian future, World's End Harem follows the story of Mizuhara Reito, a young man waking to a world where the "Man-Killer Virus" has wiped out 99.9% of the world's male population, except for approximately one million survivors who were put into cryostasis before being infected. Reito is one of them, and being a male, he's treated like a god-like figure and he's tasked with repopulating the world. There are a few other male characters in the series, but you can see where this crazy premise is going.

Why is World's End Harem controversial?

World's End Harem
click to enlarge
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Credit: AXsiZ and Gokumi
World's End Harem

Just like 2021's Redo of Healer, World's End Harem was criticized for its erotic fantasy elements and absurd premise. The harem genre in Japanese anime and manga has long been controversial. Many critics consider harem titles repetitive and misogynistic. Critics pointed out the genre's typical formula: a male protagonist is flocked by women (usually 3 or more), and many titles involve sexual scenes.

In World's End Harem, the protagonist refuses to take advantage of the many women approaching him. Instead of indulging with the harem, he pushes it away, holding out for his childhood girlfriend, Elisa Tachibana. Unfortunately, Elisa went missing three years ago, and Reito must resist the temptation thrown at him.

What's that temptation? Since Reito is one of the only five men in Japan who somehow developed immunity to the MK Virus, he is required to participate in a breeding program by impregnating as many women as possible so that their children can repopulate the world.

Related: Redo of Healer Controversy Explained: Here's Why It's The Most Controversial Anime Show of 2021

There are limitations when it comes to sexual content in mainstream anime, so that's why a series like World's End Harem has scenes censored on mainstream platforms like Crunchyroll. Most anime fans won't consider World's End Harem a full-on hentai, but it's close.

However, the Blu-ray release of the anime contains the uncensored version and "Forbidden scenes". If you're interested in watching the uncensored version of World's End Harem, you can read our guide here.

The first season of World's End Harem is already over, and there's no assurance that there will be a second season. If you want to continue the story by reading the manga, you can start reading Chapter 54, titled Reunion, which is part of Volume 8 of the series.

For more articles like this, take a look at our Anime and Geek Culture page.