No I totally agree! Harem trope can be entertaining in some cases but it’s very rarely done well, in this case, he is just that impressive that i feel understanding with everyone in his “harem” that looks up to him. Plus not all of them are romantically interested in him. The lizard shows pure loyalty towards him. That one ginger Lady is interested in him but it doesn’t get mentioned every time shes on screen, you can see she is professional! Their commander, idk if shes sincere or joking but their interactions are just pure entertainment. Esther too, she cares about him but she would choose her life over his and I am not even little sad about it, because she cares about him obv and would swear revenge for him but her priority didn’t change just bc she met him.
The guys are all super entertaining too so not much to say about it. Idk if author is male or female but I have respect for the way they write their female cast, it’s really good
none of the female characters look like simps to me. We're at 110 chapters and none have expressed an actual romantic interest in the ml. So far it has been pure admiration from strong women who are their own people, not just there to brainlessly lust after the ML. They're setting up a harem-like situation for sure, but with the writing being this deep/entertaining, i'm sure it won't feel unearned.
Maybe that's my perspective because i attempted to watch the rising of shield hero, which to me appears misogynistic. At the very start 2 very strong females appear who are pretty much carrying the ML through his adventures, but at the same time request to be bonded to him as slaves (one who used to be a slave very specifically wants to continue being one for the ML). At this point i gave up on the series, because that shit is what i hate about a harem.