History Anime / TheStoryOfPerrine

* ActionPet: Baron is not always reliable, but he's undoubtedly protective of Perrine, growling at and sometimes even attacking those who might threaten her safety.
* AdaptationDyeJob: Perrine is a blond in the novel, but a redhead in the anime.

* AmplifiedAnimalAptitude: Baron shows signs of understanding human speech beyond basic commands, but [[BrilliantButLazy whether he listens is another matter entirely]]. He's certainly smart enough to help collect firewood, and to hand [[spoiler:a starving, heat-stressed Perrine]] a water bottle unprompted.

** Marcel is likely based on a CircusBrat character who tells Perrine where to stay in Paris at the beginning of the book and never appears again. Here, he is a GuestStarPartyMember and a supportive friend to Perrine.

* BewareTheNiceOnes: Perrine is [[NiceGirl almost always kind and polite]], but she does have her limits. When some rival photographers doubt Marie's photography skills in Episode 10, she pointedly identifies the flaws in their sample photo, and in Episode 15, she declares that she would have let some bullies have it if not for her injured foot. One of the very few times that she does anything remotely violent is in Episode 23, when she strikes Baron on the head because she thinks he has gone too far in begging for free food from a shopkeeper.

* BrilliantButLazy: Perrine believes this is true of Baron, and tells Marcel that this is why Baron is difficult to train. Marcel does succeed to teaching the dog a few tricks eventually, which Baron remembers for the rest of the series.

* CanineCompanion: Baron the dog is a LoyalAnimalCompanion who accompanies Perrine throughout her journey, and she considers him a close friend.
* CanonCharacterAllAlong: Marcel seems to be a complete CanonForeigner at first, like most of the other characters from the first 16 episodes. However, the original book did have a [[AscendedExtra one-scene]] CircusBrat character who provides Perrine with some information about Paris when she first arrives there, a role that Marcel also ends up filling.

* ChekhovsSkill: Perrine can drive a carriage due to having traveled in one on her journey to France. This comes in handy several times in Maraucourt when other characters need a coach-driver at short notice.

* CircusBrat: Marcel is a young man who lives and performs in a travelling circus.

* CuteBookworm: Although she doesn't get the chance to do much of it during her travels, Perrine enjoys reading, and many of the other characters consider her cute.
* DeceasedParentsAreTheBest: Edmond was by all accounts a kind and capable man, and [[spoiler:Marie is also shown to be a {{Good Parent|s}} towards Perrine. Both of them are dead before the halfway point of the series.]]
* DefrostingIceKing:
** The Old Man at the Gates comes across as a greedy miser at first, but after getting to know Perrine (and being told off by Marcel), he becomes more helpful towards her. It is implied that this inspires him to start behaving more generously towards the other tenants on his property as well.
** Vulfran is strict and unforgiving, and his employees all live in fear of him, but it is shown early on that he is not without sympathy for others. [[spoiler:Perrine convinces him to be more considerate of his workers' welfare, and he initiates several construction projects to improve their quality of life.]]

* ExtremelyProtectiveChild: Perrine often has to provide emotional and physical support for her ailing mother. [[spoiler:She later shows similar care towards her grandfather, especially when he is grief-stricken by the news about his son's death.]]
* GuestStarPartyMember: Marcel joins Perrine and her mother on part of their journey, as they help him catch up with his family.
* GuileHero: Perrine relies on her wits more than once. In Episode 4, she comes up with a convincing lie on the spot to prevent some Austrian soldiers from searching her family's carriage (where they are sheltering a Croatian rebel).

* HeartwarmingOrphan: [[spoiler:Perrine becoming an orphan garners sympathy from both the other characters in the story and the audience. It doesn't hurt that she works hard to [[EarnYourHappyEnding earn her happy ending]] and that her presence ends up changing the community in Maraucourt for the better.]]
* HeroicDog: Although he sometimes causes trouble, Baron is a loyal companion to Perrine and even [[spoiler:saves her life when she falls unconscious from malnutrition]].

* HisStoryRepeatsItself: [[spoiler:Both of Perrine's parents pass away from illness, with Perrine helpless to prevent their deaths despite her best efforts. When her grandfather nearly dies from grief, however, it's her care for him that saves him.]]
* HonorBeforeReason: While traveling alone with minimal provisions, Perrine gives the owner of a flower shop nearly all of her money to partly compensate for Baron's destruction of his stock. When he realizes how poor she is, he actually tries to return her money, but Perrine insists that he keep it, even though she lacks any means of earning more. She is notably shown regretting this decision afterward.
* IJustWantToBeLoved: Independent and capable though she is, Perrine's deepest desire after reaching Maraucourt is to be loved and accepted by her grandfather. This is one of the reasons she resolves not to reveal her true identity to him--she fears that she will lose his affection if he finds out that she's his granddaughter.

* IntergenerationalFriendship: Fabry is an adult man, but is on friendly terms with the teenage Perrine and Rosalie. One episode even focuses on the three of them hanging out together on a Sunday.
* JustAKid: Perrine tries to keep the photography business running in Episode 16 when Marie is bedridden, but fails to attract any customers because she's seen this way. [[spoiler:Later on, some people doubt her skills for similar reasons when she becomes Vulfran's secretary.]]

* LimitedWardrobe: For more than half the series Perrine wears only the light yellow blouse/brown vest/red skirt/brown short boots combo seen above (and she adds the nice hat later). She switches to a dark blue dress while [[spoiler:working as Vulfran's secretary]], occasionally donning her original outfit when she has time off.
* LittleMissSnarker: [[DownplayedTrope She rarely shows it]], but Perrine certainly has the wit to turn on the snark when she's [[NotSoAboveItAll feeling playful]] or [[BewareTheNiceOnes especially annoyed]].

* NiceGuy:
** Perrine is nice and respectful to almost everyone she meets. The main exception to this is when she taps into her LittleMissSnarker side towards the rival photographers in Episodes 9 and 10, but she is chastised by her mother for it afterward.
** Marie is unwaveringly kind even to those who antagonize her, and is the one who imparts to Perrine that "If you wish to be loved, you must first love others", a lesson that stays with Perrine throughout the series.
** Fabry is a ReasonableAuthorityFigure who soon becomes one of the most supportive and trusted adults in Perrine's life after she arrives in Maraucourt.
* NiceToTheWaiter: Perrine is unfailingly polite to Vulfran's servants. She even insists on doing several chores herself, much to their consternation.
* NonStandardCharacterDesign: Baron has a noticeably more cartoony design than the other characters in the show, including other dogs. In a possible case of LampshadeHanging, many characters consider him strange-looking.
* NotSoAboveItAll: Although she is WiseBeyondHerYears, Perrine is not entirely above childish behavior sometimes, like teasing Marcel about yelling for his mother in his sleep. She is shown joking and playing around much more as [[spoiler:she becomes more comfortable living with Vulfran, especially after her true identity is revealed]].
* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: The normally kind and patient Marie bluntly rejects Perrine's idea to write to Vulfran and have him send someone to pick them up in Paris. [[spoiler:It's only on her deathbed that she reveals that Vulfran and Edmond are estranged, and that Perrine should not expect a warm welcome from her grandfather.]]
* OrphansOrdeal: [[spoiler:The hardest part of Perrine's journey and her DespairEventHorizon occurs after her mother passes away, and she also endures plenty of other hardships in Maraucourt as a result of losing her parents.]]
* ParentalSubstitute: Marcel starts seeing Marie this way as they travel together, and is honored when Marie refers to him as one of her children to some rival photographers. (She'd decided that explaining the full story to them would have been needlessly complicated.)
* PluckyComicRelief: Baron's antics are a constant source of levity throughout the show.
* PluckyGirl: Nothing short of [[spoiler:collapsing from starvation and illness]] stops Perrine from reaching Maraucourt, [[spoiler:surviving there on her own for some time on a meager wage, and eventually earning her grandfather's affection]].
* PreciousPuppy: Baron is the cutest thing ever!
* RightInFrontOfMe: While being unaware of Perrine's true identity, Vulfran declares right in front of her that he despises her mother and doesn't care for his grandchild.

* SecretKeeper: [[spoiler:Fabry is the first person in Maraucourt to find out Perrine's real name and the fact that she's Vulfran's granddaughter. He agrees to keep this knowledge a secret, though Rosalie eventually suspects that he knows more than he lets on.]]

* SilkHidingSteel: Marie is a gentle, frail woman who hardly ever raises her voice, but she also firmly refuses to acquiesce to the demands of rival photographers, and [[TurnTheOtherCheek her kindness]] is ultimately what gets the other photographers to leave her and her family alone.

* SpiritedYoungLady: Perrine is kind, courteous, and familiar enough with societal expectations to avoid making faux pas while dining with Vulfran (despite the worries of Vulfran's servants). At the same time, she is also highly independent and intelligent, and doesn't hesitate to voice her displeasure when she perceives injustice. When Perrine first arrives at Vulfran's mansion, it is noted that she feels more comfortable lying in a bale of hay than being in her fancy new bedroom. She additionally enjoys reading, has or develops multiple non-domestic skills (including coach-driving, fishing, whittling, and bilingual interpretation), and at one point expresses aspirations to become a doctor.

* StrongFamilyResemblance: Perrine inherited Marie's features and Edmond's red hair and pale complexion. [[spoiler:Grandmother Françoise immediately notices her resemblance to Edmond upon first seeing her, which ultimately leads to Vulfran suspecting and discovering Perrine's true identity. When Vulfran regains his eyesight, he comments that he would have instantly recognized Perrine as Edmond's daughter had he been able to see.]]
* StubbornMule: Palikare usually averts this trope, being very cooperative throughout Perrine and Marie's journey. [[spoiler:However, he steadfastly refuses to enter the horse market when Perrine tries to sell him.]]

* TextileWorkIsFeminine: Perrine knows how to sew and sometimes makes her own clothes.
* ThickerThanWater: [[spoiler:Even though Perrine is given a couple of opportunities to live a potentially happy lifestyle and knows that her grandfather might not welcome her with open arms, she still presses onward to Maraucourt to honor her parents' wishes. When she gets there, she does everything she can to appeal to Vulfran without giving away her identity. Her devotion to him, along with Grandmother Françoise mentioning [[StrongFamilyResemblance how much Perrine resembles Edmond]], is what eventually leads Vulfran to suspect that Perrine is his granddaughter.]]
* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: [[spoiler:Despite her poor health, Marie is a [[GoodParents kind, intelligent, and loving parent]] towards Perrine... so she naturally passes away before they reach Maraucourt.]]
* TraumaCongaLine: [[spoiler:Perrine has to sell nearly all of her family's possessions (including their beloved donkey), loses both of her parents, nearly dies a couple of times, adopts a fake identity out of fear of rejection, lives for some time in poverty during which she has to make most of her own provisions, is faced with her grandfather unknowingly insulting her mother in front of her, gets embroiled in adult politics and responsibilities, relives the grief of losing her father when her grandfather eventually learns of his death, ''and'' fears losing her dog and her grandfather as well (but fortunately does not) before she [[EarnYourHappyEnding earns her happy ending]].]]
* UnknownRelative: Perrine keeps her identity as Vulfran's granddaughter a secret from him and most of the other people in Maraucourt, [[spoiler:even after she becomes his secretary and starts living with him at his mansion]].

* WiseBeyondTheirYears: Perrine is very mature and resourceful for her age, providing critical emotional and physical support for her mother [[spoiler:and later her grandfather]]. This also serves her well during the period of time that she [[spoiler:lives and travels alone]].

* MeaingfulEcho: Just before Marie dies, she tells Perrine, "If you wish to be loved, you must first love others." After a tragic fire claims the life of two children, Perrine uses the same phrase to convince Vulfran to attend the funeral of the children.

** Marie is unwaveringly kind even to those who antagonize her, and is the one who imparts to Perrine that "you must love others before they will love you", a lesson that stays with Perrine throughout the series.

* AmbiguouslyBrown: Downplayed: Marie is notoriously darker-skinned than her daughter, but it ''is'' mentioned that she's from India (and in fact, some flashbacks show her wearing a ''sari'').

Notable as the title character being one of the first voice roles for a then-teenaged Creator/HiromiTsuru, eight years before ''Anime/DragonBall'' sent her career into the stratosphere.

* DownerBeginning: The first episode begins peacefully, with Perrine talking cheerfully to some Bosnian men... and it cuts to a local graveyard where [[WidowWoman Marie]] is tearfully mourning for the dead Edmond, and Perrine has to comfort her.

Like the original book, it follows the adventures of the French-Indian teenager Perrine Paindavoine as she reaches for the northern village of Maraucourt, where her grandfather lives, and makes a life for herself there. It quite expands on the story, however, to make it last longer: it begins ''before'' Perrine, her IllGirl mother Marie, their donkey Palikare and Perrine's [[PreciousPuppies puppy]] Baron's arrival to Paris (how the book began, save for [[CanonForeigner Baron's presence]]) and follows the two there, before it more or less retakes the original plot...

* ExtremelyProtectiveChild: Perrine often has to provide emotional and physical support for her [[IllGirl ailing mother]]. [[spoiler:She later shows similar care towards her grandfather, especially when he is grief-stricken by the news about his son's death.]]

* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: [[spoiler:Despite her [[IllGirl poor health]], Marie is a [[GoodParents kind, intelligent, and loving parent]] towards Perrine... so she naturally passes away before they reach Maraucourt.]]

* LimitedWardrobe: For more than half the series Perrine wears only the light yellow blouse/brown vest/red skirt/brown short boots combo seen above (and she adds the NiceHat later). She switches to a dark blue dress while [[spoiler:working as Vulfran's secretary]], occasionally donning her original outfit when she has time off.

* SpiritedYoungLady: Perrine is kind, courteous, and familiar enough with societal expectations to avoid making faux pas while dining with Vulfran (despite the worries of Vulfran's servants), but she is also highly independent and intelligent, and doesn't hesitate to voice her displeasure when she perceives injustice. When Perrine first arrives at Vulfran's mansion, it is noted that she feels more comfortable lying in a bale of hay than being in her fancy new bedroom. She additionally enjoys reading, has or develops multiple non-domestic skills (including coach-driving, fishing, whittling, and bilingual interpretation), and at one point expresses aspirations to become a doctor.

* SpiritedYoungLady: Perrine is kind, courteous, and familiar enough with societal expectations to avoid making faux pas while dining with Vulfran (despite the worries of Vulfran's servants), but she is also highly independent and intelligent, and doesn't hesitate to voice her displeasure when she perceives injustice. When Perrine first arrives at Vulfran's mansion, it is noted that she feels more comfortable lying in a bale of hay than being in her fancy new bedroom. She additionally has or develops multiple non-domestic skills (including coach-driving, fishing, whittling, and bilingual interpretation) and at one point expresses an aspiration to become a doctor.

* SpiritedYoungLady: Perrine is kind, courteous, and familiar enough with societal expectations to avoid making faux pas while dining with Vulfran (despite the worries of Vulfran's servants), but she is also highly independent and intelligent, and doesn't hesitate to voice her displeasure when she perceives injustice. She additionally has or develops multiple non-domestic skills (including coach-driving, fishing, whittling, and bilingual interpretation) and at one point expresses an aspiration to become a doctor.

** In both the book and the series, the candy man in Paris gives Perrine a pair of candies. In the show, however, he does this when they first meet, whereas in the book, he does so to [[spoiler:to comfort Perrine after her mother dies]].

* DeceasedParentsAreTheBest: Edmond was by all accounts a kind and capable man, and [[spoiler:Marie is also shown to be a GoodParent towards Perrine. Both of them are dead before the halfway point of the series.]]

* HeartwarmingOrphan: [[spoiler:Perrine becoming an orphan garners sympathy from both the other characters in the story and the audience. It doesn't hurt that she works hard to [[EarnYourHappyEnding earn her happy ending]] and her presence ends up changing the community in Maraucourt for the better.]]

* CanineCompanion: Baron is a LoyalAnimalCompanion who accompanies Perrine throughout her journey, and Perrine considers him a close friend.

* EasilyForgiven: Perrine doesn't seem to harbor much of a grudge against Talouel and Theodor despite all the trouble they gave her during her time as Vulfran's secretary (which includes [[spoiler:Talouel causing her to fall and injure herself as well as Theodor ''shooting her dog'']]). Vulfran makes a point of mentioning this to Talouel, and it's implied in the final episode that Perrine continuing to treat them with kindness and respect causes them to put aside their remaining animosity towards her ([[GenerationXerox similar to how Perrine's mother had dealt with the rival photographers during their travels]]).

* ParentalSubstitute: Marcel starts seeing Marie this way as they travel together, and is honored when Marie refers to him as one of her children to some rival photographers. (She'd decided that explaining the full story would be needlessly complicated.)

* HateSink: [[spoiler:The baker who steals Perrine's money]] not only inflicts a crushing setback on Perrine when the latter is at her most alone and vulnerable, but also stands out among the antagonists of the series in that she is not shown to have any redeeming qualities or sympathetic motives for her actions.

* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: {{Downplayed}}. Rosalie's younger brother, Paul, occasionally annoys Rosalie and Perrine by being ConstantlyCurious and a TagalongKid, but he is almost never intentionally obnoxious. In fact, he is actively helpful at times, bringing useful supplies while Perrine is living in the hunter's hut and keeping Baron company when she is at work.

* DisneyAcidSequence: [[DownplayedTrope Extremely tame]] compared to most examples, but the scene in the opening where Perrine blows on a dandelion and then flies off by grabbing onto one of the seeds stands out, as such fantastical imagery is not seen at all in the rest of the show.

* LimitedWardrobe: For more than half the series Perrine wears only the light yellow blouse/brown vest/red skirt/brown short boots combo seen above (and she adds the NiceHat later). She switches to a dark blue dress when [[spoiler:working as Vulfran's secretary]], occasionally donning her original outfit when she has time off.

** An odd example: In the book, Perrine comes across some wild duck eggs while living at the hunter's hut and collects a few as food. In the show, she finds some as well and considers eating them, but decides not to out of sympathy for the parent ducks.

* LimitedWardrobe: For more than half the series Perrine wears only the light yellow blouse/brown vest/red skirt/brown short boots combo seen above (and she adds the NiceHat later). She switches to a dark blue dress when working as Vulfran's secretary, occasionally donning her original outfit when she has time off.

* MeanBoss: The head manager, Talouel, shows little concern for the well-being of his employees and often lords his authority over them.
* MoodWhiplash:
** The show often alternates between hopeful and sad moments. One of the most jarring examples may be [[spoiler:the end of Episode 15, in which Perrine and her mother finally reach France after a narrow escape from wolves, only for her mother to almost immediately fall unconscious from illness]].
** The cheerful ending theme about Baron is played after every episode, no matter how sad or bleak.

* DoomedByCanon: The story starts off [[AdaptationExpansion before the novel begins]], so [[spoiler:Marie's death]] more than 20 episodes in comes as less of a surprise to those familiar with the original work.