They believe that Naruto invented the 'protagonist trio'

A Twitter user has caused a stir in the anime community after claiming that the popular series "Naruto" was the one that "invented" the concept of a 'protagonist trio' made up of two men and a woman. This trio in "Naruto" is composed of the characters Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno, who, according to the user, established a format that has been replicated in other popular franchises such as "Black Clover", "Jujutsu Kaisen" and "Chainsaw Man".

To "prove" his point, the user shared examples of other series that also feature a trio of protagonists of the same gender configuration. However, this statement quickly generated a wave of responses, both supportive and critical, leading to a viral discussion about the history and evolution of this concept in anime.

In the community comments, some users mentioned that this setting already existed long before "Naruto". For example, one user noted, "It would be Touch, wouldn't it?" in reference to the manga and anime from the 80s that features a trio protagonist. Others mentioned "Hokuto no Ken," "Dragon Ball," and "Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibouken" as previous examples.

In addition, it was highlighted that in some of the series mentioned by the Twitter user, the main trio does not exactly follow the proposed pattern. One comment notes, "That in Chainsaw Man is not the main group." Others mentioned that in "Naruto," the team actually consists of four people, as Kakashi Hatake, the leader of the team, is also a core member.

As the discussion intensified, some users began to share other examples of leading threesomes dating back decades. One user wrote, "There's Pokémon!" referring to the trio of Ash, Misty, and Brock. Classic series such as "Rurouni Kenshin", "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure", and even "Samurai Champloo" were also mentioned.

This debate has generated a broader reflection on the evolution of anime and how certain narrative formulas are repeated and reinvented over the years. While it is undeniable that "Naruto" popularized the structure of the 'protagonist trio' in its generation, claiming that the franchise "invented" this concept ignores the many previous works that also explored similar dynamics. The richness of the narrative in anime lies precisely in its ability to adapt and reinterpret known formulas, creating new stories that resonate with different audiences over time.

Source: Yaraon!