Most anime of this genre aren't anything special, but that doesn't mean there aren't any worth watching.
The once-ubiquitous "battle magic school harem" type of anime that was all so popular in the mid-10s has basically disappeared by now. They were supplanted by endless isekai series, which get the same criticisms of being generic.
That said, I felt this was a perfect time to actually go through a (now dead) genre, and while most of it is just whatever, there are a few anime that are actually worth watching.
High School DxD
Often considered one of the earliest examples of the genre, High School DxD standardized the setup for it. It might feel tropey because of that, but it's still worth watching even if you don't like the genre: the action gets progressively crazier, and the anime feels like a battle shounen the more you watch. Just be aware that roughly a half of S3 is not canon.
Date A Live
At this point, the public opinion on Date A Live has made multiple circles. From viewers thinking it's generic while it started airing, to the series actually getting a decent amount of fans — and then to S3 being a disaster from the production standpoint.
Thankfully, S4 convinced many people that the franchise is worth sticking with. S5 is going to air this April, and viewers have never been more hyped for DAL: it seems that the story will conclude somewhat soon. In general, these series work better if they get multiple seasons — you can see a trend in this very list.
Chivalry of a Failed Knight
Fans often praise Chivalry of a Failed Knight (Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry) for actually resolving the harem aspect of the series in its very first arc — when the main couple actually gets together. While some elements of the harem genre remain, this isn't the kind of anime that you can confidently call one. Regardless of the strict definitions, it's just a solid story altogether with a very competent protagonist.
Strike The Blood
While Strike The Blood is technically not a battle magic school harem — the school part is mostly irrelevant here — it is often lumped together with other series for the sake of defining it. However, in reality, it's closer to a harem version of A Certain Magical Index (Toaru Majutsu no Index), and it can be surprisingly fun at times.
The super-complicated world of Strike The Blood gets progressively more convoluted as the series goes, but we get enough urban fantasy action to offset that. And the series is actually completed, which means you get to see the end of the story.
The Testament of Sister New Devil
The Testament of Sister New Devil (Shinmai Maou no Testament) might not be "good" in the traditional sense, but it does one thing well. Sure, the story is pretty basic — but you aren't going to be watching this series for plot anyways. The only reason you'd be watching this anime is for its over-the-top fanservice, which pushed the boundaries of what is acceptable in TV anime. At that, The Testament of Sister New Devil excelled.
Most anime of this genre aren't anything special, but that doesn't mean there aren't any worth watching.
The once-ubiquitous "battle magic school harem" type of anime that was all so popular in the mid-10s has basically disappeared by now. They were supplanted by endless isekai series, which get the same criticisms of being generic.
That said, I felt this was a perfect time to actually go through a (now dead) genre, and while most of it is just whatever, there are a few anime that are actually worth watching.
High School DxD
Often considered one of the earliest examples of the genre, High School DxD standardized the setup for it. It might feel tropey because of that, but it's still worth watching even if you don't like the genre: the action gets progressively crazier, and the anime feels like a battle shounen the more you watch. Just be aware that roughly a half of S3 is not canon.
Date A Live
At this point, the public opinion on Date A Live has made multiple circles. From viewers thinking it's generic while it started airing, to the series actually getting a decent amount of fans — and then to S3 being a disaster from the production standpoint.
Thankfully, S4 convinced many people that the franchise is worth sticking with. S5 is going to air this April, and viewers have never been more hyped for DAL: it seems that the story will conclude somewhat soon. In general, these series work better if they get multiple seasons — you can see a trend in this very list.
Chivalry of a Failed Knight
Fans often praise Chivalry of a Failed Knight (Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry) for actually resolving the harem aspect of the series in its very first arc — when the main couple actually gets together. While some elements of the harem genre remain, this isn't the kind of anime that you can confidently call one. Regardless of the strict definitions, it's just a solid story altogether with a very competent protagonist.
Strike The Blood
While Strike The Blood is technically not a battle magic school harem — the school part is mostly irrelevant here — it is often lumped together with other series for the sake of defining it. However, in reality, it's closer to a harem version of A Certain Magical Index (Toaru Majutsu no Index), and it can be surprisingly fun at times.
The super-complicated world of Strike The Blood gets progressively more convoluted as the series goes, but we get enough urban fantasy action to offset that. And the series is actually completed, which means you get to see the end of the story.
The Testament of Sister New Devil
The Testament of Sister New Devil (Shinmai Maou no Testament) might not be "good" in the traditional sense, but it does one thing well. Sure, the story is pretty basic — but you aren't going to be watching this series for plot anyways. The only reason you'd be watching this anime is for its over-the-top fanservice, which pushed the boundaries of what is acceptable in TV anime. At that, The Testament of Sister New Devil excelled.
