Ask John: What are Some Examples of Romantic Triangle Anime?

Question:
When the idea of a “romantic triangle” comes up in anime, most people probably think of at least 2 shows – Macross and Nadesico; at least to my mind, they are the most well-known examples. What other (perhaps not as well-known) examples are out there?

Answer:
Ironically, when I hear the term “romantic triangle” in reference to anime, the show that I instinctually think of is neither Macross nor Nadesico. I think of Kimagure Orange Road and the touching, heart-rending relationship between Madoka, Hikaru, and Kyosuke. In fact, I’ve virtually certain that there are far too many love triangles in anime for me to be able to name them all. There are probably many that I’m unfamiliar with. So instead of attempting to compile a comprehensive list, allow me to compose a list arranged by theme.

The conventional romantic triangle, I think, involves one boy forced to decided between two girls who are both attracted to him. Examples of this theme include Macross, Nadesico, Orange Road, Onegai Teacher, Tenchi Muyo, Kanon, Ichigo 100%, and Urusei Yatsura. Anime shows including Petit Cossette and Cream Lemon: White Shadow vary the circumstances slightly by making one of the two girls a ghost.

The opposite example would be one girl who must choose between two potential boyfriends. Such a situation comes up in Maison Ikkoku, Fushigi Yuugi, My Hime, and Hana Yori Dango. Shows like DearS and Final Approach put a slight spin on this theme by making one of the competing girls the boy’s sister.

Then there are a few more unusual love triangles. In Akazukin Chacha, boys Riiya and Shiine both fight over Chacha’s affection, but Chacha is totally oblivious that the two boys love her. Sentou Yousei Yukikaze develops a bizarre love triangle in which Jack Bukhar is infatuated with pilot Rei Fukai, but Lieutenant Fukai only loves his jet fighter Yukikaze. (And Yukikaze seems to return Fukai’s devotion.) And then, possibly the most surprising love triangle I’ve ever seen in anime comes in the OVA Boku wa Konomana Kaeranai, in which a young man must choose between a heterosexual relationship with his girlfriend or a homosexual relationship with a male friend when both potential partners are obsessively in love with him. (It’s a yaoi anime, so you may be able to guess how it ends.)