History MenageA3 / TropesMToR

** The trope gets a non-standard treatment with [=DiDi=]. Her harem of boyfriends runs into the dozens (none of whom satisfy her sexually), she may shrug and say "I've had him" at a male stripper in a randomly chosen club without surprising anyone -- but she is in many ways the purest of all the major characters. If someone called her a slut as if it was an insult, she'd be extremely confused. And unfortunately for her, [[JustForPun she doesn't come around]].

** Everybody calls [=DiDi=] solely by that nickname -- except Sandra, who usually calls her Desirée. Again, "[=DiDi=]" is a sort of contraction of her real name, but it's both slightly unusual and [[GagBoobs highly descriptive]].

* PantyShot: Gary [[http://www.ma3comic.com/d/20090404.html gets]] [[http://www.ma3comic.com/d/20090407.html one]], followed by the [[{{Fainting}} predictable]] (for him, at that time) [[http://www.ma3comic.com/d/20090409.html reaction]].

** Also, the band (eventually named "Zii and the Troublemakers" when they finally suddenly realise that they need a name) is a classic RockTrio (qv.). It doesn't quite match other types of power trio, except perhaps a twisted version of WithAFriendAndAStranger (Zii having very accidentally recruited her old friend Yuki and slightly newer problem Sonya).

* RockTrio: The band (eventually christened "Zii and the Troublemakers" when they finally suddenly realise that they need a name) has Zii on guitar, Sonya on bass, and Yuki on drums, with the first two presumably sharing vocal duties. The three of them don’t really work as any other sort of PowerTrio, though — they’re all a little too similar to each other in crucial ways — which would explain their problems gelling as a trio off stage.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ma3_mtor.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Keep talking; you'll surely get it right eventually.]]

** Some of the most notable early instances occur between Zii (the "victim") and [=DiDi=] and her, umm, [=DDs=]. [[http://www.menagea3.net/d/20080614.html It's played for laughs]], of course, but the events [[http://www.menagea3.net/d/20080731.html and Zii's reactions]] could easily be seen as fuel for, if not straightforward instances of, LesYay. Well, Zii does eventually turn out to be bisexual, so it's not surprising if she doesn't seem to mind.

** It also turns out that [=DiDi=] can weaponize the effect when she wants to -- as she demonstrates in [[https://pixietrixcomix.com/menage-a-3/break-in-a-new-student---start-book-8 the first strip of volume 8]].

* RealityEnsues:
** See how Gary loses his virginity, and the resulting emotional fallout. Similarly, see Zii's failure as Gary's wing-girl.
** Kiley's relationship with Matt. Using your partner to prove you're a better lover than the other guy will only make her leave you.
** When the muscular and energetic Maura bowls Gary over when going for a kiss, [[https://pixietrixcomix.com/menage-a-3/not-very-talkative/ it has consequences for him]].
** When Gary is more or less dragged into a threesome at the start of Chapter 10, he ends up going along with it out of obligation, but after things get really weird (James forcibly intervening in Tracy giving Gary a blowjob due to his issues, leading to what amounts to fighting over his manhood), Gary walks out on them because even an ExtremeDoormat has a threshold for tolerating rampant idiocy that can be crossed, and won't stick around if it is.

* PinchMe:
** When Gary wakes up handcuffed to Yuki, he deduces that he's dreaming, so he tries to wake himself up by supplying his brain with a sensation that it can't replicate from memory -- groping her breast. Then he realizes that he's awake. This moment has FridgeBrilliance attached; he HAS groped breasts before, but not when he was awake -- only when Zii and [=DiDi=] slept in his bed after he'd already passed out.
** Later, [[https://pixietrixcomix.com/menage-a-3/dreams-do-not-pinch Amber invokes the trope in a small way]], to convince Gary that he's not just dreaming of her. Gary seems convinced, though he does point out a problem with the test in this case.

* ParallelPornTitles: ''[[Franchise/HarryPotter Perry Hotter]], [[http://www.ma3comic.com/d/20081118.html Part 16]]'', ''[[WesternAnimation/KimPossible Kim Pussyble]]'' and ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187512/ Spank Her, She's French-Canadian]]'' (both November 13, 2012, NSFW), ''[[Film/{{Barbarella}} Boobarella]]'' (September 29, 2012, NSFW), ''[[Franchise/ArchieComics Elizabeth And Veroniqe]] [[https://pixietrixcomix.com/menage-a-3/all-of-them XXX Part 12]]'', ''[[ComicBook/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch Sabrina the]] [[https://pixietrixcomix.com/menage-a-3/all-of-them Barely Legal Witch]]''. The first is a gay porn film, the second and third feature Chanelle, ''Boobarella'' involves both her and Amber, and the last two are again part of Amber's [[{{Pun}} body of work]].

* RejectionAffection: Yuki's sexual pursuit of Matt, despite his flat refusal, is PlayedForLaughs for a couple of strips. He eventually succumbs out of {{pity|Sex}} when he discovers the nature of her problems, despite the fact that he's been refusing because he knows that she's likely to turn psychotically violent during sex. Note that (a) Yuki's interest is strictly for sex rather than love, for pragmatic reasons, (b) Matt [[spoiler:eventually succumbs out of {{Pity|Sex}} after Sonya has engaged in a little meddling]], and (c) they [[spoiler:do actually end the comic's run in a quasi-romantic relationship, despite everything]].

* RejectionAffection: Yuki's sexual pursuit of Matt, despite his flat refusal, is PlayedForLaughs for a couple of strips. He eventually succumbs out of {{pity|Sex}} when he discovers the nature of her problems, despite the fact that he's been refusing because he knows that she's likely to turn psychotically violent during sex.

** Yuki and Kiley. Each is moe on their own, together, they bring out each other's positive traits. By making to the call to Kiley and agreeing to therapy, Yuki shows her willingness to change for the better by overcoming her fear of penises in order to pursue a relationship with Gary. While Kiley's efforts to help Yuki emphasises her supportive nature (despite her own issues) and her willingness to help. Bonus points for [[http://www.menagea3.net/strips-ma3/the_real_woman shared]] [[http://www.menagea3.net/strips-ma3/start_crying woobie moments]], which ups the moe factor ten times over.
** Kiley and Gary too, in their appearances together since hooking up there's usually at least one exceptionally cute/heartwarming moment.
** Also Gary and Yuki; of particular note is their first kiss.

* NonNudeBathing: Justified when the {{bi|TheWay}}sexual Zii finds herself developing an obsessive sexual crush on InnocentFanserviceGirl [=DiDi=], which is unnerving for both of them. Zii comes up with a simple solution; [=DiDi=] just can't get naked, ever, in case it drives Zii crazy. She'll even have to shower in swimsuits. The first problem with this turns out to be that [[https://pixietrixcomix.com/menage-a-3/just-wash-yourself-in-swimsuits DiDi isn't much less desirable in her choice of swimsuits than she is naked...]]

** Various geeks are seen repeatedly at the comics store. One, Aaron, eventually gets a name and a few lines.

** A cross-comics example; there is a French-speaking mother and daughter pair who are apparently also seen in ''Webcomic/SandraOnTheRocks'' in Paris, and in ''Webcomic/StickyDillyBuns''; the young daughter has a talent for [[https://pixietrixcomix.com/menage-a-3/if-you-hurry-you-can-catch-her seeing embarrassing incidents,]] leading to very similar verbal exchanges each time.

** New character Tracy [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/more_of_a_tease provides a makeover]] -- or at least a dramatically new hairstyle -- for the {{Gonk}}-ish Eulice, of all people. Actually, as 80-something gargoyles go, SheCleansUpNicely, especially because she looks unusually ''happy'' with the change. It even makes her slightly less {{cranky|Landlady}}.
** When Matt inveigles Gary into a sexual foursome, he prepares by attempting to spruce Gary up considerably, including manscaping, an enema, and [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/even_better_than_glasses a complete change of clothes]].

* ManlyTears: [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/no_need_to_cry_for_me He sure misses the good times.]]

** [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/better_than_i_thought Sonya on Zii]] when the former has stirred up some drama from Yuki.
** Senna executes an attack on Gary [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/i_mean_human-alone here]]. It's a relatively mild example, but it serves Senna's usual purpose of keeping Gary off balance.
** And getting back to [=DiDi=] (who ''is'' well-equipped to implement the trope, especially as she DoesNotKnowHerOwnStrength) -- [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/i_can_confront_him this accidental attack on Kiley]] would be less cruel if it weren't for the latter's crippling ACupAngst. But anyway, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/if_it_has_to_be_someone_else things soon turn downright painful for Kiley]]. Though [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/what_comes_naturellement she does achieve a sort of psychological compensation shortly afterwards]].
** It also turns out that [=DiDi=] can weaponize the effect when she wants to -- as she demonstrates in [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/break_in_a_new_student_-_start_book_8 the first strip of volume 8]].

** After the competition between Yuki and Sonya [[{{Pun}} climaxes]] with Yuki's "penis = tentacle" problem being revealed, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/never_want_to_see_you_again we get this exchange]].

** In a compounded version of the joke, Tess assumes that both [=DiDi=] and Zii are lesbians (rather than bi) because that's all she's seen of their behavior. [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/competitive-flirting-instinct She then deduces that Gary must be gay]], because, she says, a straight guy would have masturbated himself to death living with two such hot lesbians.
* MistakenForServant: When Gary and new character Isabelle bring a drunken Zii home to the apartment, Isabelle, who has a delusional impression of Zii's level of rock stardom, decides that if Gary lives there but isn't in a relationship with Zii, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/obvious_you_two_are_not_dating he must be Zii's butler]].

** For various reasons, Gary wants to give his new boss Yvan the idea that he (Gary) is an expert at picking up women, and Zii suggests [[ZanyScheme a plan whereby she will pretend not to know Gary but to be impressed by him]]. Unfortunately, the indie music bar she suggests as a venue for this turns out to be [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/what_i_was_looking_for full of women who share her fashion sense]].

* ModestyBedsheet: Actually mostly averted for much of the comic's run, with the art being quite relaxed about bare breasts. However, around 2015, the creators reduced the level of explicitness in an attempt to [[MoralGuardians increase advertizing revenues]], leading to a particularly egregious instance of the trope in [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/sonya_kidnapped_us this strip,]] with a sheet of apparently limitless extent shifting around arbitrarily to avoid exposed nipples.

--->'''Yuki''' ''ICK!'' I have that same pair of panties at home! [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/forget_the_daddy_stuff Guess I'll have to burn them now!]]

** [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/senna_and_sandra_-_part_2_-_1_and_2_of_7 Domenico Pedrazzini]] verges on a {{parody}} of the trope.

** In a 2015 bonus story associated with a Kickstarter ([[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/at_tcaf_-_dr_didi_ks_bonus_preview previewed here]]), some female cast members show up in "medical" outfits that show unprofessional amounts of cleavage, or more. However, this is a dream sequence.
** Peggy, a nurse who is usually depicted in realistic scrubs when on duty in the comic, is shown in a blatant naughty nurse outfit on [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/kickstarter_2015_-_help_us_fund_volume_7 the cover]] of [[WebcomicPrintCollection the print collection volume 7]]. However, this doesn't represent anything that actually happens within the story.

* NonNudeBathing: Justified when the {{bi|TheWay}}sexual Zii finds herself developing an obsessive sexual crush on InnocentFanserviceGirl [=DiDi=], which is unnerving for both of them. Zii comes up with a simple solution; [=DiDi=] just can't get naked, ever, in case it drives Zii crazy. She'll even have to shower in swimsuits. The first problem with this turns out to be that [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/just_wash_yourself_in_swimsuits DiDi isn't much less desirable in her choice of swimsuits than she is naked...]]

* NoSparks: After [=DiDi=] receives an unusually passionate kiss from Zii and a totally spark-free kiss from Gary, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/passionn%C3%A9 she naturally concludes that she's a lesbian]]. Eventually, Zii feels obliged to tell her that Gary is a clueless virgin, so her problem was with him rather than with men in general.

** On her first appearance, Yuki [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/pretty_intimately sits astride Gary's face]] and then [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/emergency_handcuffs get handcuffed to him]]. That part isn't his fault; admittedly, he does then deliberately [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/too_much_anime grope her breast]] while she's unconscious, but he's honestly convinced that she must be a figment of his imagination at the time. Then he finds himself [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/chuk lying on top of her, panting,]] just as she recovers consciousness. Much of this happens ''in public,'' but the real problem is Yuki's psychotic ''issues''; this incident almost gets Gary killed.

** Later again, the trope is played with when [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/there_is_nothing_strange Matt and Peggy encounter [=DiDi=] and Kiley in a motel corridor.]] Kiley and Matt are sort of in a relationship of sorts, and Kiley and [=DiDi=] were both previously regarded as probably straight, but to be fair, everyone has an excuse of sorts at this point. Still, despite Kiley's MotorMouth blathering, the fact is, everything ''is'' almost exactly what it looks like.

** [[http://www.ma3comic.com/d/20080823.html Poor]] [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/pulverize_your_world Gary.]]
** [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/looking_for_me Mr. Oyama is in Japan, right? Right?!?]]

** When [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/pom-poms Amber can't resist]] checking out if her breasts are really not implants:

** Later, Sonya does indeed do much the same thing, even more flagrantly (strip #676, November 24, 2012, NSFW). And for that matter, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/this_is_purely_therapeutic so does Kiley]], for very slightly different reasons. [=DiDi=] continues to permit this with very little protest.

** [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/halibut Gary feels this way]] about his past as an [[{{Troll}} internet troll]].

* OneeSama: Challenged to seduce Sonya deliberately after they've already been having hate-sex for a while, manga fan Yuki [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/weird_cultural_thing asks for permission to address her by this term]] -- appropriately enough in that Sonya is the taller of the two. Sonya has to have the term explained, so the trope is very briefly {{Discussed|Trope}}.

** However, the limit is later enforced belatedly after [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/those_lively_curls one strip]] introduced a new character named "Jim" when that name had already been used once. In the [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/a_way_with_words next strip]], the new Jim is addressed as "James", and the tags attached to both strips were changed accordingly. (Actually, there had already been a James in the comic, but he only appeared in flashbacks and was only referred to fleetingly by name, so this wasn’t a problem.)

** Zii notes in [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/i_just_blew_it an early strip]] that her real name is Suzi, but nobody ever calls her that. Strictly speaking, "Zii" is just a contraction of Suzi, but it's unusual enough to count. Her ''last'' name is only revealed [[http://www.menagea3.net/d/20090804.html much later]].

** New character Peggy [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/you_hurt_by_dooooze demonstrates how this trope is performed]]. A little later, in the May 09, 2013 strip (#739, NSFW), she perhaps realises that she's got the job. Her first scenes (including dumping a bowl of pasta over her boyfriend's head in the course of breaking up with him) suggest a degree of flakiness of her own, but by the standards of the comic, she seems to be a beacon of sanity.
* OperationJealousy: One is executed with uncommon skill -- indeed, with manipulative genius by the [[ZanyScheme usual standards]] of this comic -- by Peggy on behalf of Sonya, under the name ''Operation [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/hey_jealous_zii "Hey, Jealous Zii."'']] Unfortunately, she's running on flawed prior intelligence, but her plan may work even so; she wants to get Sonya and Zii together, and Zii proves susceptible to her mind games. Weirdly, all Peggy actually wants is to improve Sonya's love life enough that Sonya stops having loud soap-operatic dreams, because they're currently platonically sharing a bed, and Sonya is keeping Peggy awake. (Peggy may also feel that she's working off a debt of gratitude to Sonya.) Switching Sonya's bass guitar for a snow shovel, pulling off a {{naked apron}} show, and baking high-quality cupcakes, are all far less zany elements to the scheme than they sound. The only snag, apart from her unreliable prior information, is that [[SurroundedByIdiots she has to work with Sonya]].

* PaintedOnPants: Most of the female characters (and for that matter, several of the male characters) [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/better_than_a_boring_old_spa wear tight-fitting clothes]] from time to time, if only by way of FanService; [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/your_blushing_bride Sonya is perhaps the primary exponent of the style.]] Two of the [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/like_all_cute_little_bunnies stage costumes that Jung designs for "Zii and the Troublemakers"]] certainly respect the trope.
* PaintingTheMedium: A technique occasionally present, in about as discreet a form as in most comic strips. The presence of a {{Stat Meter|s}} [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/more-than-a-lover measuring Zii’s libido]] (a [[ThingOMeter Libid-o-Meter]]?) reflects some video game influence.

* ParallelPornTitles: ''[[Franchise/HarryPotter Perry Hotter]], [[http://www.ma3comic.com/d/20081118.html Part 16]]'', ''[[WesternAnimation/KimPossible Kim Pussyble]]'' and ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187512/ Spank Her, She's French-Canadian]]'' (both November 13, 2012, NSFW), ''[[Film/{{Barbarella}} Boobarella]]'' (September 29, 2012, NSFW), ''[[Franchise/ArchieComics Elizabeth And Veroniqe]] [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/all_of_them XXX Part 12]]'', ''[[ComicBook/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch Sabrina the]] [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/all_of_them Barely Legal Witch]]''. The first is a gay porn film, the second and third feature Chanelle, ''Boobarella'' involves both her and Amber, and the last two are again part of Amber's [[{{Pun}} body of work]].

** [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/soaps_in_brazil See also Senna listening to Gary's story while eating chips.]]

** When [=DiDi=] and Maura end up fighting for Lynn’s favors, Lynn is very happy to sit and watch. (A little heartlessly, but hey, she didn’t make them do this.) Then the hotel room service waitress shows up with the meal Lynn had ordered — and [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/room-service she and Lynn end up sitting side by side, sharing the food and the show]].

** Later, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/dreams_do_not_pinch Amber invokes the trope in a small way]], to convince Gary that he's not just dreaming of her. Gary seems convinced, though he does point out a problem with the test in this case.

** Much later, the trope is played straight by [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/pretend_this_is_college Peggy, who offers [=DiDi=] sex]] out of pity for the latter's failure ever to achieve orgasm.

** These twin tropes are discussed in [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/cheesy_scripts this strip]] and [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/sticky_facial the one immediately following]]; Gary and Zii agree that they prefer porn ''with'' plot (although Zii for one seems to be amused by the sheer badness of porn plots), while implicitly acknowledging that some doesn't have any.

** And [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/Treat_girls_right Dillon]], after Gary kisses him (under threat of violence from Yuki, note).

* ProfessionalsDoItOnDesks: Well, a table rather than a desk, but it’s still a horizontal work surface in a workplace... [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/In_reverse_upside_down Zii makes use of the backroom in the comics shop while on a break to engage in some research with Amber]]. Fortunately for her, Jung is merely snarky about this, rather than shocked — which is only fair, as some time later, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/sdb-you-guys-are-serious he turns out to have used that table himself, with Ramona]].

* QuietCryForHelp: A comedy version appears when [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/so_glad_you_found_me Kiley meets Peggy and Matt while being carried around by [=DiDi=]]]. The joke here is that [=DiDi=] is seeking medical help for the lightly injured Kiley -- but Kiley wants to be saved ''from [=DiDi=],'' having just done her a huge favor. [=DiDi=] can be terribly over-enthusiastic, and doesn't know her own strength.
* ReactionShot: Gary's appeal to three different women is illustrated through [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/did_you_guys_you_know their reactions to his tactless gabbling]].
* ReadingsAreOffTheScale: Used as a graphical joke; over the course of a few strips where Gary and Zii are confiding intimately in each other, Zii's [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness uncharacteristically-low libido]] is depicted [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/more-than-a-lover on a scale in the lower-right corner]], [[SomethingElseAlsoRises gradually rising]]. Gary offering to teach her his [[TheImmodestOrgasm Swirly-Go-Round technique]] [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/in-your-friend-zone causes it to explode]] (in a way that might make this an instance of ReadingsBlewUpTheScale if there were real physical objects involved).

** When the muscular and energetic Maura bowls Gary over when going for a kiss, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/not-very-talkative/ it has consequences for him]].

** A cross-comics example; there is a French-speaking mother and daughter pair who are apparently also seen in ''Webcomic/SandraOnTheRocks'' in Paris, and in ''Webcomic/StickyDillyBuns''; the young daughter has a talent for [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/if_you_hurry_you_can_catch_her seeing embarrassing incidents,]] leading to very similar verbal exchanges each time.

* RelativeError: Zii makes this mistake and rapidly makes herself look like an idiot as a result. (She’s unused to monogamy.) Erik is [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/in_for_a_good_time sweetly understanding]].

** For a variation, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/rubbing_them_against_my_lips Tracy gets to listen to James]] as he ''apparently'' receives a very effective blowjob from Gary.
** And as a sign of Gary's CharacterDevelopment at the start of volume 10, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/my-head-is-spinning when he hears Zii and DiDi getting frisky, he doesn't get frustrated – he just goes to visit Peggy]], his FriendWithBenefits.

** [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/5th_level_bride Yuki also dreams]] Zii into the role of Anime/CaptainHarlock, and Gary into that of [[VideoGame/SpaceChannel5 Ulala]], inverting their genders.

* NakedPeopleAreFunny: While the quite frequent nudity in this comic is largely a mixture of {{Fanservice}} and a fairly [[TruthInTelevision realistic]] depiction of people having sex, it is sometimes used for flat-out comedy, especially when someone walks in on [[HelloNurse the frequently confused [=DiDi=]]] or the [[ButtMonkey frequently embarrassed Gary]].

** And [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/what_the_hell_was_that?! Dillon]], after Gary kisses him (under threat of violence from Yuki, note).

** And [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/what_the_hell_was_that%EF%BC%9F Dillon]], after Gary kisses him (under threat of violence from Yuki, note).

* ManicPixieDreamGirl: The plot and style of this comic mean that this trope was bound to appear and recur quite frequently, but simply because it is such a natural part of the story so much of the time, it ends up being deconstructed, perhaps accidentally.
** Zii is the primary candidate for the role, and it's likely a large part of her self-image. She shakes up the lives of Gary, Sonya, Angele, and to a lesser extent [=DiDi=], and it's clear that Erik sees her very much as some kind of manic pixie fantasy. However, her manic pixie actions eventually have consequences, largely in the form of Sonya, who becomes [[StalkerWithACrush infatuated with her]]; there are hints that her past relationship with Yuki may have followed a similar path. She also starts to suffer emotional twinges at the sight of her past conquests apparently moving on with their lives.

** In early strips, it seemed to verge on a RunningGag that Zii was prone to constantly — and ''usually'' unintentionally — cockblocking Gary.
** Sonya arrived (due to Zii trying to [[ThrowTheDogABone throw Gary a]] [[{{Pun}} boner]]) just as Yuki was volunteering to model at least topless for him.
** It seemed at one point that everything in the world was conspiring to keep Matt from giving [=DiDi=] a toe-curling orgasm, from nosy roommates to [[GroinAttack Japanese girls afraid of penises]] and accidents with chilli sauce.

** However, the limit was later enforced belatedly after [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/those_lively_curls one strip]] introduced a new character named "Jim" when that name had already been used once. In the [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/a_way_with_words next strip]], the new Jim is addressed as "James", and the tags attached to both strips were changed accordingly. (Actually, there had already been a James in the comic, but he only appeared in flashbacks and was only referred to fleetingly by name, so this wasn’t a problem.)

* PoorCommunicationKills: Much of the plotting around the time of the band's first gig was built around this trope. For example, Kiley and Matt had an affair that included mutual therapy sessions in which each dealt with some problems they'd had with other people -- without ever mentioning those people's names, which would have allowed them to discover that they had several shared acquaintances. Then they went to the gig and met those people. Likewise, [=DiDi=] and Peggy managed to have a conversation about the former's previous and current boyfriends, without ever mentioning their names, with hilarious results. If they could all use personal names a bit more often, life would be much easier for them.

* PunnyName: A pun on ''menage a troix'', roughly French for "threesome".

* RomanticComedy: The creators describe this (partly) as a rom-com, and there are certainly aspects of the genre here. The comedy part is definitely present, and most of the plots involve quasi-romantic relationships, but the comic has a slightly cynical view of love, which can be hard to distinguish from sexual obsession or deranged stalking here, and no relationship has yet proved convincingly permanent.

* NoNudityTaboo:
** [[InnocentFanserviceGirl [=DiDi=]]] has little or none, at least to the point of assuming that everyone sleeps in the nude. Her own "bathrobe" consists of a skimpy babydoll and a thong.
*** Of course, her assumption is right, at least in that household -- even Gary, who for a time kept finding a gay man in his bed, didn't slip into a pair of sweats.
*** After she modelled naked for Gary at Yuki's request, Yuki asked her to be naked around Gary ''all the time''. She acted innocent while agreeing, saying that she'd do it if it would help his art, although clearly she was still hoping to seduce him.
** Matt and Senna don't bother with putting any clothes on when Sandra walks in on them having sex, although they do for Gary (in order to keep him from lapsing into a coma). Much later, in strip #815 (November 12, 2013, NSFW), Senna casually strips naked (with astonishing speed) rather than have Gary see her in unfashionable underwear.

** When Matt inveigles Gary into a sexual foursome, he prepares by attempting to spruce Gary up considerably, including manscaping, an enema, and [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/even_better_than_glasses a complete change of clothes.]]

* ManicPixieDreamGirl: The plot and style of this comic mean that this trope was bound to appear and recur quite frequently, but simply because it is such a natural part of the story so much of the time, it ends up being deconstructed, perhaps accidentally. Zii is the primary candidate for the role, and it's likely a large part of her self-image. She shakes up the lives of Gary, Sonya, and Angele, and to a lesser extent [=DiDi=], and it's clear that Erik sees her very much as some kind of manic pixie fantasy. However, her manic pixie actions eventually have consequences, largely in the form of Sonya, who becomes [[StalkerWithACrush infatuated with her]]; there are hints that her past relationship with Yuki may have followed a similar path. She also starts to suffer emotional twinges at the sight of her past conquests apparently moving on with their lives.\\\
Gary, for his part, is practically manic pixie bait, attracting not only Zii (as a friend) but also the dangerously deranged Yuki, the ditzy Sonya (briefly), and the {{narcissist}}ic Senna. However, although he's the sort of man who dreams of having a manic pixie make his life more interesting, he has two problems; first, none of those girls get the trope quite right, but second and more seriously, he seems to be totally incapable of learning the sort of life lessons that a ManicPixieDreamGirl is supposed to teach.

** And getting back to [=DiDi=] (who ''is'' well-equipped to implement the trope, especially as she DoesNotKnowHerOwnStrength) -- [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/i_can_confront_him this accidental attack on Kiley]] would be less cruel if it weren't for the latter's crippling ACupAngst. But anyway, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/if_it_has_to_be_someone_else things soon turn downright painful for Kiley.]] Though [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/what_comes_naturellement she does achieve a sort of psychological compensation shortly afterwards.]]

** Early on, Zii volunteers to play Cupid for Gary. Unfortunately, she apparently keeps forgetting about this. Her one serious effort, introducing him to Sonya, is ''also'' intended to help Sonya find a new relationship -- probably well-meant, but also serving the double purpose of getting the increasingly infatuated Sonya off Zii's neck. (Which doesn't work out too well.) Later, as Gary stumbles into various relationships largely by accident, Zii evidently decides that her [[WithFriendsLikeThese help]] is no longer needed -- until the night when she realises that Gary is currently unattached, and resolves to help [=DiDi=] get him. [[ZanyScheme Which also doesn't work out as intended]].

** In a compounded version of the joke, Tess assumes that both [=DiDi=] and Zii are lesbians (rather than bi) because that's all she's seen of their behavior. [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/competitive-flirting-instinct She then deduces that Gary must be gay,]] because, she says, a straight guy would have masturbated himself to death living with two such hot lesbians.
* MistakenForServant: When Gary and new character Isabelle bring a drunken Zii home to the apartment, Isabelle, who has a delusional impression of Zii's level of rock stardom, decides that if Gary lives there but isn't in a relationship with Zii, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/obvious_you_two_are_not_dating he must be Zii's butler.]]

** Amber [[RuleOfDrama inexpli]][[RuleOfFunny cably]] assumes that [[spoiler:[=DiDi=]]] is Gary's abusive girlfriend "Yuki" when she meets them, then leaves before this can be clarified. This is cleared up later, though, with only a few minor comedy consequences along the way.

--->'''[[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/forget_the_daddy_stuff Yuki:]]''' ''ICK!'' I have that same pair of panties at home! Guess I'll have to burn them now!

* MrFanservice: most of the males in the strip are good-looking and get their {{shirtless scene}}s.

** Domenico Pedrazzini, as seen [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/senna_and_sandra_-_part_2_-_1_and_2_of_7 here,]] verges on a {{parody}} of the trope.

** Peggy, a nurse who is usually depicted in realistic scrubs when on duty in the comic, is shown in a blatant naughty nurse outfit on [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/kickstarter_2015_-_help_us_fund_volume_7 the cover]] of [[WebcomicPrintCollection the print collection volume 7.]] However, this doesn't represent anything that actually happens within the story.

*** Also, note thar he rolls naked with Zii ... in a pile of photos of naked guys. His pictures, that were wrinkled from him doing this so much. So really, yes, he's gay.

* NoSparks: After [=DiDi=] receives an unusually passionate kiss from Zii and a totally spark-free kiss from Gary, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/passionn%C3%A9 she naturally concludes that she's a lesbian.]] Eventually, Zii feels obliged to tell her that Gary is a clueless virgin, so her problem was with him rather than with men in general.

** On her first appearance, Yuki [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/pretty_intimately sits astride Gary's face]] and then [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/emergency_handcuffs get handcuffed to him.]] That part isn't his fault; admittedly, he does then deliberately [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/too_much_anime grope her breast]] while she's unconscious, but he's honestly convinced that she must be a figment of his imagination at the time. Then he finds himself [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/chuk lying on top of her, panting,]] just as she recovers consciousness. Much of this happens ''in public,'' but the real problem is Yuki's psychotic ''issues''; this incident almost gets Gary killed.

** Later, Sonya does indeed do much the same thing, even more flagrantly (strip #676, November 24, 2012, NSFW). And for that matter, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/this_is_purely_therapeutic so does Kiley,]] for very slightly different reasons. [=DiDi=] continues to permit this with very little protest.
* OldShame: Occurs in-universe. [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/halibut Gary feels this way]] about his past as an [[{{Troll}} internet troll]]. Also, Zii suffers at least a brief twinge of guilt when she recalls her past borderline-CastingCouch approach to recruitment for her band, and hastily changes the subject (strip #605, May 24, 2012, somewhat NSFW).

** However, the limit was later enforced belatedly after [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/those_lively_curls one strip]] introduced a new character named "Jim" when that name had already been used once. In the [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/a_way_with_words next strip,]] the new Jim is addressed as "James", and the tags attached to both strips were changed accordingly. (Actually, there had already been a James in the comic, but he only appeared in flashbacks and was only referred to fleetingly by name, so this wasn’t a problem.)

** Zii notes in [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/i_just_blew_it an early strip]] that her real name is Suzi, but nobody ever calls her that. Strictly speaking, "Zii" is just a contraction of Suzi, but it's unusual enough to count. Her ''last'' name is only revealed [[http://www.menagea3.net/d/20090804.html much later.]]

** New character Peggy [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/you_hurt_by_dooooze demonstrates how this trope is performed here]]. A little later, in the May 09, 2013 strip (#739, NSFW), she perhaps realises that she's got the job. Her first scenes (including dumping a bowl of pasta over her boyfriend's head in the course of breaking up with him) suggest a degree of flakiness of her own, but by the standards of the comic, she seems to be a beacon of sanity.

* PaintingTheMedium: A technique occasionally present, in about as discreet a form as in most comic strips. The presence of a {{Stat Meter|s}} measuring Zii’s libido (a [[ThingOMeter Libid-o-Meter]]?) [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/more-than-a-lover in one strip]] reflects some video game influence.

* ParallelPornTitles: ''[[Franchise/HarryPotter Perry Hotter,]] [[http://www.ma3comic.com/d/20081118.html Part 16]]'', ''[[WesternAnimation/KimPossible Kim Pussyble]]'' and ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187512/ Spank Her, She's French-Canadian]]'' (both November 13, 2012, NSFW), ''[[Film/{{Barbarella}} Boobarella]]'' (September 29, 2012, NSFW), ''[[Franchise/ArchieComics Elizabeth And Veroniqe]] [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/all_of_them XXX Part 12]]'', ''[[ComicBook/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch Sabrina the]] [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/all_of_them Barely Legal Witch]]''. The first is a gay porn film, the second and third feature Chanelle, ''Boobarella'' involves both her and Amber, and the last two are again part of Amber's [[{{Pun}} body of work]].

** When [=DiDi=] and Maura end up fighting for Lynn’s favors, Lynn is very happy to sit and watch. (A little heartlessly, but hey, she didn’t make them do this.) Then the hotel room service waitress shows up with the meal Lynn had ordered — and [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/room-service she and Lynn end up sitting side by side, sharing the food and the show.]]

** Later, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/dreams_do_not_pinch Amber invokes the trope in a small way, to convince Gary that he's not just dreaming of her.]] Gary seems convinced, though he does point out a problem with the test in this case.

* PornStash: Gary has a substantial stash of videos -- until he gets rid of them out of emotional confusion after meeting his favorite porn star, Amber, and coming to see her as a human being. Zii and Dillon are more inclined to keep collections of photographs of sexy subjects that they've taken in real life, and aren't detectably embarrassed by this.

** [[http://www.ma3comic.com/comics/mat20101007.png Sandra, after [=DiDi=] unexpectedly kisses her]].
** And [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/what_the_hell_was_that%EF%BC%9F Dillon, after Gary kisses him]] (under threat of violence from Yuki, note).
** [[http://www.ma3comic.com/d/20110224.html Gary (now the victim), courtesy of Senna.]] (As she says, his life is better than a Brazilian SoapOpera.)

* ProfessionalsDoItOnDesks: Well, a table rather than a desk, but it’s still a horizontal work surface in a workplace... [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/In_reverse_upside_down Zii makes use of the backroom in the comics shop while on a break to engage in some research with Amber.]] Fortunately for her, Jung is merely snarky about this, rather than shocked — which is only fair, as some time later, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/sdb-you-guys-are-serious he turns out to have used that table himself, with Ramona.]]

* QuietCryForHelp: A comedy version appears when [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/so_glad_you_found_me Kiley meets Peggy and Matt while being carried around by [=DiDi=].]] The joke here is that [=DiDi=] is seeking medical help for the lightly injured Kiley -- but Kiley wants to be saved ''from [=DiDi=],'' having just done her a huge favor. [=DiDi=] can be terribly over-enthusiastic, and doesn't know her own strength.
* ReactionShot: Gary's appeal to three different women is illustrated through [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/did_you_guys_you_know their reactions to his tactless gabbling here.]]
* ReadingsAreOffTheScale: Used as a graphical joke; over the course of a few strips where Gary and Zii are confiding intimately in each other, Zii's [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness uncharacteristically-low libido]] is depicted [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/more-than-a-lover on a scale in the lower-right corner,]] [[SomethingElseAlsoRises gradually rising]]. Gary offering to teach her his [[TheImmodestOrgasm Swirly-Go-Round technique]] [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/in-your-friend-zone causes it to explode]] (in a way that might make this an instance of ReadingsBlewUpTheScale if there were real physical objects involved).

** When the muscular and energetic Maura bowls Gary over when going for a kiss, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/not-very-talkative/ it has consequences for him.]]

** And as a sign of Gary's CharacterDevelopment at the start of volume 10, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/my-head-is-spinning when he hears Zii and DiDi getting frisky, he doesn't get frustrated – he just goes to visit Peggy,]] his FriendWithBenefits.

* ProfessionalsDoItOnDesks: Well, a table rather than a desk, but it’s still a horizontal work surface in a workplace... [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/In_reverse_upside_down Zii makes use of the backroom in the comics shop while on a break to engage in some research with Amber.]] Fortunately for her, Jung is merely snarky about this, rather than shocked — which is only fair, as some time later, he turns out to have used that table himself, with Ramona.