Three Leaves, Three Colors

Three Leaves, Three Colors is a delightful and heartwarming slice-of-life anime series that debuted in 2016. The series' original Japanese title is Sansha Sanyou, but it is also widely recognized by its English translation. The show runs for an exciting single season containing 12 entertaining episodes full of laughter, friendship, and an intriguing school setting where much of the narrative takes place.

The series is centralized around the daily lives of three distinctive high school girls placed in opposing situations and carries contrasting personalities. However, they share the common thread of their names being associated with "leaves" as represented in the title of the series. The central characters are Yoko Nishikawa, Futaba Odagiri, and Teru Hayama, each bringing unique charm, wit, and personality to the series.

Yoko Nishikawa is depicted as a once-wealthy girl who encountered a drastic life change when her affluent family lost their wealth, leaving Yoko to strive for survival and self-dependency. Despite her shifted circumstances, she maintained her well-mannered, refined demeanor, which sometimes awkwardly conflicts with her current predicament in the series. Her character provides a deeper perspective on classism, self-identity, and resilience.

Contrastingly, Futaba Odagiri is presented as a bubbly, energetic, friendly girl with an insatiable appetite. She is not particularly concerned with maintaining a sculpted figure, preferring the absolute joy of eating tasty food over social appearances. Her character brings a refreshing take on the social pressure many young girls feel about their bodies. Futaba's down-to-earth personality and comedic approach to food articulate the idea that popularity and social acceptance can be achieved without fitting into societal ideals.

The final character, Teru Hayama, might look like an innocent and kind-hearted young lady from the outside, but she possesses a somewhat cynical and blunt personality that surfaces comically. She has a complicated relationship with cats, wherein her constant endeavors to become friends with cats often end in disaster. This aspect of Teru’s character adds a touch of silliness and light-heartedness to the series' narrative.

The series focuses on the formation of an unlikely friendship these three girls form, navigating through high school life and beyond. Each character's story is interwoven beautifully with the others, portraying their journey as they grow closer while overcoming their personal challenges. The narrative is light-hearted yet poignant, emphasizing the value of friendship, companionship, resilience and personal growth.

The anime stands out for the depth it provides to each character, showing different facets of their lives and personalities, and allowing the audience to connect with them on a more individual level. It elucidates their struggles and successes, tackling concepts like socioeconomic class, friendships, self-identity, and lighthearted school drama enveloped in a cute, comedic, and easy-going storyline, which progresses throughout the series.

Created by studio Doga Kobo, the animation is clean and vibrant, characterizing distinct features of each character and environment that enrich the storytelling experience. The show's dialogues are filled with humor, creating a jovial atmosphere that continues throughout the series. It’s a perfect fit for people who appreciate comedic timing and observational humor, as the narrative extensively uses these elements.

The series also contains a delightful soundtrack that perfectly complements the storyline. The musical score harmonizes seamlessly with the series' overall tone, intensifying moments of humor, intensity, or emotion, and further amplifying the narrative's atmosphere.

Three Leaves, Three Colors does not necessarily take the audience for a rollercoaster of twists, but rather it gives them a calm, warm, joyous journey of everyday life experienced through the lens of three unique young women. It touches upon the essence of friendship and the coming-of-age process, perfectly balancing humor, warmth, and life lessons. For viewers, it provides a pleasant escape into the mundanity of school life, lined with friendship, laughter, and a touch of heartfelt emotion. Despite their unique quirks and conspicuous differences, these three young ladies' friendship underscores the core message of the series - that in friendship, petty differences become insignificant and opposites can converge harmoniously.