First Impressions: Shuumatsu no Harem

The age old conundrum of ‘what if you were the last guy on earth’ question is answered, in a way, in Shuumatsu no Harem by Kotarou Shouno and LINK as a disease has wiped out almost all men in the world. Only a select few men have survived and it is their genes that can save mankind.

The setup sounds ridiculous and cliché but the way it handles it initially is refreshing. The world has become a very different place with women the only survivors with struggles rampant, chaos everywhere as people come to realise the world as they know it has shattered into pieces. Initially seeing the ruined landscape, those who have suffered, how they now live and the repercussion of such an epidemic is fascinating to see.

The remaining, surviving men are immune to this, their genes hold the key to a cure. Each has their own back story but so far it hasn’t gotten into them in detail with more to awaken. They are treated like kings, like saviours because of the value they hold. It is certainly interesting to see as they set about to impregnate as many girls as possible to produce offspring immune to the disease so man can be saved.

This leads to all sorts of luscious and erotic scenes as the men take their dream to reality and have their way with innumerable beautiful women. It’s a pipe dream so often thought of but here it’s taken with a darker, more serious tone. Scenes rage from vanilla sex, fantasies played out to more suspect ways with attempted rape and drugging showing this is not as desirable as it may sound.

As that last part may hint at all is not as it seems. There are factions, secretive groups behind the scenes up to something that will have a lasting impact and for their own gain. How this will be treated and how it will be grown throughout is one of the highlights I am looking forward to.

The art is beautiful, the girls are drawn to almost perfect levels, to the idealisation of the female form as large breasts and curves in the right place are the go to look but it’s not just in looks where they differ. Many personalities and styles catered are to with feisty girls, quiet girls, lolis and even psychotic, no nonsense girls who do not take no for an answer and will do whatever necessary to keep their race alive.

One of the things I haven’t taken a liking to is the main character Reito and his reluctance to sleep with any of the girls and produce what could be the cure to this disease. It is the typical wimpy male lead in that department at least. He isn’t stupid though; he is an intelligent person but wants to find his long lost friend. This is admirable in a way but moronic in just about every other way. Would you put the world at risk to look for your friend? Even in a medium where suspension of disbelief is needed that takes a lot to digest.

That is my only real complaint with the series so far but going by the chapters I’ve read he might be taking a back seat in many chapters which is a relief. He can grow on me and I’m sure he will, partly at least, but it’s a tired old cliché that holds it back.

My hopes are high for this series, main character aside it has a lot of potential with things moving behind the scenes which could lead to some stark revelations and its premise however ridiculous can and will lead to a lot of great ecchi scenes. I can only hope it continues that way.

Mangaka: Kotarou Shouno (Art) and LINK (Story)

-This first impression was based on the first 10 chapters available-