A Twitter user caused controversy in the anime community after claim that the popular series “Naruto” was the one that “invented” the concept of the 'protagonist trio' composed of two men and one woman. This “Naruto” trio is formed by the characters Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno, who, according to the user, They established a format that was 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 leading trio with 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 existed long before “Naruto.” For example, one user noted: “It would be Touch, right?», in reference to the 80s manga and anime that features a trio of protagonists. Others mentioned “Hokuto no Ken,” “Dragon Ball,” and “Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibouken” as previous examples.

Furthermore, 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 have mentioned that in “Naruto”, the team actually consists of four people, as Kakashi Hatake, the team leader, is also a core member.

As the discussion intensified, some users started sharing other examples of protagonist trios dating back decades. One user wrote: «There's Pokémon!», referring to the trio formed by Ash, Misty and Brock. Classic series such as “Rurouni Kenshin“,“JoJo's Bizarre Adventure“, and even “Samurai Champloo“.

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

Source: Yaraon!