Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-37185619-20181020220225/@comment-26509240-20200414200700

Sourcedartonline wrote: The actual literall definition of a harem is the part of the household reserved for wives and concubines.

Yes, but there aren't harems where the canon ending happens before the harem part. They hang around together because they're all friends independant of Kirito, especially Asuna and Lizbeth, and Asuna and Sinon, the former being friends before Lizbeth even meets Kirito.

I don't know why people are so resistant to the fact that this series just isn't a harem. Very same reason as everything else people hate when MC becomes "friends" with a lot of girls. Comes off as pseudo harem and etc. Even if the MC is gay and has a spouse, having a group of girls who's basically there way past their own arc similar to To aru, gets the same treatment. IMO, Kirito got himself a lover, and the girls are just there to tag along because there really isn't much to do in their lives given that Kirito was a big turning point for them. Sort of sad they don't get a lot of screen time in the anime besides whenever it concerns Kirito. Oh and about the anime, that had a huge part in it too. From what I remember from the manga and the LN, Kirito was more like Shirou from fates or Touma who just has to help others which leads to girls liking him, but not chasing after him. Sort of like crush on a savior/friend kind of thing. The anime seems to be a bit too pushy about the waifus in the series rather than the main waifu, Kirito. Like damn, trap Kirito looks a lot more unique than some of the girls or it might just be my bias that he stands out being the MC and all.