And so we get to the childhood friend characters which almost all Harems are plagued with. There are many scenarios when dealing with childhood friends in harems but the most commons ones are:
A) The main character and his childhood friend have lived close together for many years, close enough for them to consider each other family. Over the years though, they tend drift apart or continue to see each other as family. They are usually reunited by entering the same class together calling attention to themselves by other friends and characters. One of the friends (main character or childhood friend, it seems to be 50-50) has always wished that the two were more than friends. In the childhood friends case, other characters tend to move in on her territory, pushing their way into her wishful romance with her childhood friend, thus the harem commences. (In this case, sometimes the main character may not even have deep feelings for the childhood friend) Or in the main character's case, he has always been interested in his friend but can never tell her. Then once again, other characters show interest in him making things more complicated.
B) The second scenario mostly seen is, a long time before the story starts, the main character is seen helping the character that will end up being the childhood friend character. Because of this the childhood friend will immediately harness affection for said main character. This most of the time ends with a promise made between the two when either of them have to move away cause a drift between the two friends. Years later, the friend returns, usually ending up being much cuter than one would think possible, attracting the eyes of every other student she passes, of course she only has her eyes set on her friend though. ( Also the main character probably has forgotten the promise by now, sometimes, doesn't always happen )
The reason why these childhood friend characters command so a role in harems is because the guilt route is played when cycling the list of potential characters the main characters chooses. One thinks that since they played a major part in the main characters life and have known each other since they were kids, it's obvious that they should be together. If it doesn't happen that way, what became of all those years past and whatnot, it makes you feel sad for the childhood friend. It doesn't always end up being the childhood friend the main character ends up with, but a good majority of the time it does. Because of this, sometimes anime / manga forgo even having a childhood friend character.
Note : The Childhood Friend character can also encompass the archetype of being a tsundere.
Characters Featured:
Naru Narusegawa (Love Hina)
Rinko Kuzaki (Omamori Himari)
Domina Hikari (Domina no Do!)
Helga Kinosaki (Inumimi)
I'm always rooting for the childhood friend, who somehow always appears to be the most attractive out of the rest of the girls in a harem, but they almost never get their light of grace. Man, there is no justice anymore.
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