The Anime Trinity

URL: http://www.anime-faqs.org/misc/trinity.htm
Maintainer: Rob Maxwell <robu-san@excite.com>
Last-modified: March 16, 2006

The Anime Trinity is a growing phenomena in today's anime and manga where a distinct threesome of young girls appear as usually supporting characters in dramatic or romantic comedies although there are times when the middle girl of the trinity takes the role of the lead female, too. In a supporting role, the trinity are the friends of the (usually) female star of the story. In the lead role, the trinity often acts as a mini-harem.

The trinity is anchored by the middle girl. In a lead trinity, she is the star of the story and usually the most attractive one. In the supporting trinity, she is usually an ordinary looking girl. The star is often upfront while the co-star version is more averagely endowed.

The second girl is typically a "lolita". She is often a few years younger then the rest of the cast but, other times, she is the small age as them but, is simply quite short and small compared to the others giving her the appearance of being much younger. The short lolita is usually part of a trinity of classmates.

The third girl is often older, taller, bigger and frequently upfront. In a lead trinity, she can be the troublemaker. In the supporting trinity, she is the calm, reasonable, "wise old man". Obviously, in a classmate trinity, she is simply a "big girl" who merely looks much older than her true age.

There can be some variation in the trinity structure, especially in the early years, and other supporting characters can arrive later and play sometimes prominent roles of their own but, the trinity is there from the beginning and holds the strongest bond to the star, excluding a male romantic interest, of course.

The legendary mangaka group CLAMP would both use and reinvent the trinity in a number of their stories by introducing the support trinity and the reversed (boy) trinity.

	Aa! Megumi-sama - Is perhaps the first modern trinities. A lead trinity featuring the beautiful Belldandy, her little sister Skuld, and the troublesome older, upfront step-sister Urd.
	Cardcaptor Sakura - The first CLAMP trinities. The lead trinity features the adorable star Sakura, her lesbian best friend Tomoyo, and her romantic rival Meilin.
	Cardcaptor Sakura - The first supporting trinity appears. Chiharu with the fable telling boyfriend stands out along with the puppy lover Rika and the bookish Naoko.
	Cardcaptor Sakura - The first boy trinity appears with the guardian trio of Kero-chan the lion, Sakura's annoying brother Touyo, and the mysterious Yukito.
	Angelic Layer - The second CLAMP double trinity. This lead trinity features the daughter of the World Champion, Misaki, her kindergarten rival/teammate Hatoko and her boisterous best friend Tamayo.
	Angelic Layer - She slowly gains the support of some of her defeated opponents - Ringo the glamorous idol singer, the quiet Kaede, and the former regional runner-up "The Ice Machine", Sai.
	Yotsuba&! - This manga provides a good example of the supporting sister trinity. The "not pretty" Fuka is between her younger sister Ena and her older sister Asagi.
	Kamichu! - Yurie, the middle school goddess, gains new friends Matsuri and the younger priestess sister Miko to go with her long time friend Mitsue when her powers emerge.
	Kasimasi ~Girl Meets Girl~ - Gives us something of a mystery as to which is the true trinity. It starts with Hazumu-kun's friends, the attractive lesbian Yasuna, the petite childhood friend Tomari, and the wise, upfront Ayuki. Then the big change occurs, thrusting Hazumu into the middle of a lead lesbian love triangle trinity with Tomari and Yasuna.

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