Pseudo Harem

Episode 10

Things have certainly ramped up in terms of physical intimacy in Pseudo Harem! Visiting the home of a significant other is a major step in a relationship, especially when the guardians of the host are not present. I don't know why I keep thinking that this show isn't going to go that far due to its simple setup, but it continues to surprise me nonetheless. It's nice seeing Eiji and Rin act like a genuine married couple, as they're able to lean into that idea without too much embarrassment. Plus, that scene of them both in Rin's room, sitting on the bed, probably held more intimacy than a lot of other romantic comedies that aired this season. I do have to give Pseudo Harem credit for that, even though it almost seems to be going out of its way not to be explicit, you still feel a lot of progress is made. Remember that we technically never heard a verbal confession, these two still don't refer to each other as boyfriend or girlfriend, and the climactic kissing scene wasn't technically shown on camera. I would be frustrated about this in any other show, but everything revolving around the relationship is still adorable and impactful.

People say that you change when you hit certain milestones in life, and it's good to get that affirmation from Eiji and Rin's friends. Eiji's friends make a note of this jealously, while Rin's friends make a note of this in a more affectionately teasing way. Speaking of friends, it's nice to see the kouhai who was introduced before has evolved in a similar but unique way compared to Rin's approach as an actress. If anything, she probably takes the roles she's assigned a little bit too seriously and makes you wonder if this is how Rin would've been if she didn't have Eiji to act as sort of a goofy counterbalance to her steadfast approach. At this point, we're just watching these two play out their lives as they transition into adulthood, and it really makes me wonder what milestone the show will end on.

If I had to guess, maybe it would be with the dissolvent of the "harem" altogether? We've already seen the different roles Rin thought up begin to fade out the more these two advance as a couple, but she still seems to conduct herself like an underclassman around Eiji. He even points out here that she still refers to him with a very formal tone despite being a couple for a few months now, and she seems to be making the personas more detailed with their likes and desires. I like that Eiji is being more direct that he likes "Rin" and not the personas she comes up with, but the end of this episode may imply that she isn't ready to let them go. Maybe the idea is that she IS all of these characters, so rejecting one would still feel like a rejection to her, or maybe she isn't ready to have that degree of confidence in herself. Honestly, there are a few routes the show could go, and it's fun to think about.

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Pseudo Harem is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.