History Manga / MaiOtome

[[quoteright:225:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mai_otome_l0.jpg]]

One night in the Windbloom Kingdom, Princess Mashiro Blan de Windbloom is assassinated in her sleep. Some days later, the main character, [[NoNameGiven an anonymous boy]], arrives in Wind City, capital of Windbloom. Using a gem passed down from his mother, he [[BodyDouble takes up the identity of Mashiro]] and joins Garderobe. The story follows his experiences in Garderobe and later his battles against those who would seek to destabilize the peace.

The manga is semi-related to the anime series ''Anime/MaiOtome''. At the start of production (despite common belief, they started at the same time) both the anime and manga production teams were given the basic premise, setting and character list, then allowed to go into their own directions. Hence, the manga has a vastly different story from the anime with a far greater focus on {{Fanservice}} and wildly different CharacterDevelopment. Additionally, a semi-sequel, ''Mai-Otome Arashi'', followed a short time later and continued the story, along with a non-canon {{Hentai}} chapter that took place at a hot spring.

----
!!Contains examples of:

* AlasPoorVillain: Oddly, despite otherwise being ''colossal'' [[TakeOverTheWorld power-hungry]] manaics, [[spoiler:Nagi and True Mashiro]] get this when [[spoiler:they’re both betrayed and killed by [[TheStarscream Sergey]]]].
* AllAnimeIsNaughtyTentacles: Kazuya's Slave.
* AloofBigBrother: Natsuki is outwardly cold and even a bit harsh to her younger sister, Alyssa, at least until someone threatens the girl. Alyssa even reveals that she designed the Maids with the hope that they would replace the Otome so that Natsuki would not have to be Headmistress anymore and Alyssa could spend more time with her.
* AbsoluteCleavage: You will never look at Fumi the same way after seeing her Otome... well, you can't really call it a [[VaporWear 'robe']], [[{{Stripperiffic}} can]] [[BreastPlate you?]]
* BadassLongcoat: Natsuki is much more badass in the manga than in the anime. [[spoiler:Mashiro]] gains one of these, from [[spoiler:Nagi]], of all people. [[spoiler:He immediately stops looking like a trapalicious crossdresser and more like Sephiroth's Little Brother.]]
* {{Berserker Tears}}: Shadow [=HiME=] Mai after she realizes how much Manshiro reminds her of Yuuichi.
* {{Bifauxnen}}: [[spoiler:Arashi.]]
* BigBad:
** As in the anime, [[AristocratsAreEvil Grand Duke Nagi Dai Artài]], ruler of the Artai Principality, is the mastermind behind the Schwarz, using them in his quest to conquer the Kingdom of Windbloom, destroy the Otome system, and TakeOverTheWorld. [[spoiler:[[DiscOneFinalBoss But unlike the anime]], here he is revealed to be an UnwittingPawn of the real Mashiro, who aims to control the world herself as [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen queen]]. Then [[AdaptationalVillainy Sergey Auguste Taiki]], the [[EvilChancellor Prime Minister]] of Windbloom, reveals that he [[TheManInFrontOfTheMan was manipulating both of them]] as part of his own plan to [[OmnicidalManiac destroy the world]].]]
** ''Mai-Otome Arashi'': [[AntagonistTitle The titular Arashi Dai Artài]], Nagi's brother, aims to [[AvengingTheVillain avenge him]] by taking over Garderoube Academy. [[spoiler:It turns out he's a [[SamusIsAGirl she]], and, like Nagi, [[DiscOneFinalBoss a pawn of her own subordinates]], the jewel-thieving Cosmo Beauties who seek a rare jewel from Garderoube.]]
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: Erstin in the first volume.
* ButtMonkey: Natsuki, more so than even in the anime.
* CombatCommentator: Irina, during Arika and Erstin's duel.
* CombinationAttack: Trinity Lover Strike.
* DemotedToExtra: Chie and Aoi are given a limited role, and the latter only appears on ''one page'' at the beginning.
** Tomoe gets demoted to about the same importance as some of the other background Otome, mainly serving to comment on Arika's fight with Erstin.
* TheDitz: Arika is [[CharacterExaggeration even more stupid]] here, though she makes up for her stupidity by being super [[strike:strong]][[{{Determinator}} determined]].
* DoesNotLikeMen: Erstin, to the point of panic attacks.
* EvilerThanThou: [[spoiler:True Mashiro and Sergey stake their claim as the true {{Big Bad}}s by betraying and offing {{Jerkass}} Artaian leader Nagi in a very bloody fashion to activate the Shinso. [[TheStarscream Then the latter does the same to the former]].]] Hoo boy.
* EvilTwin: [[spoiler:Evil versions of the [=HiME=] are resurrected to fight against their Otome counterparts. Arguably, this also covers [[ManBehindTheMan True Mashiro]], which makes for a harsh contrast to the more gentle twin, Manshiro.]]
* {{Expy}}: While none of the Five Columns/Pillars are present in the manga, the short-lived "superhuman Meister" Reira Mariposa bears a striking resemblance to the [[OjouRinglets heavily curled]] Rosalie Claudel from the anime.
** The resemblance is MUCH stronger with the [[strike:directly copied]] similar hairdo and ribbons of Youkihi in the Arashi manga [[spoiler: one of the Cosmo Beauty Jewel Thieves who drive the plot of the 'sequel' manga]]. Her character design, minus the Otome robe, is a direct copy of Rosalie Claudel - Reira Mariposa was the one who got the robe.
* FanNickname: The male Mashiro quickly became "Manshiro" to the fans (despite what Wikipedia says).
* {{Fanservice}}: *ahem*
* FightingYourFriend: Arika vs. Erstin, although Shiho brings this about by [[ManipulativeBastard manipulating]] (by taking advantage of Erstin's inability to stay with Nina) and mind controlling Erstin. Arika is willing to go through with this, while Manshiro is initially determined to stop it until Natsuki talks him out of it.
* ForWantOfANail: Nina's character arc is decidedly different as a result of Sergay not being her father, and [[spoiler:her future master Nagi being killed when Sergay begins his plan]].
* GadgeteerGenius: Alyssa.
* {{Gainaxing}}[=/=]GagBoobs: Erstin, whose boobs are actually described as being "F Cup".
** That, and Arika insists that, among the Corals, Erstin's chest is ranked number one. Needless to say, they get emphasized at every opportunity.
* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: [[spoiler:True Mashiro- wheras the anime Mashiro was at worst a naive RoyalBrat who grew into a kind ruler, True Mashiro is actively malevolent, having [[ManBehindTheMan manipulated Nagi]] into causing the events of the story and planning to TakeOverTheWorld. [[EvilCripple And she’s in a wheelchair as she does this.]]]]
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: Reito ''rips his own cyborg heart out and detonates it'' to protect Manshiro and Arika.]] Natsuki also tries to make a HeroicSacrifice by [[spoiler:replacing the Shinso (thus laying down her life) to restore the power of the other Otome during the final battle. Lena beats her to it though, so Natsuki has to settle for TakingTheBullet in the shoulder for Erstin.]]
** Erstin also tried doing this herself once [[spoiler: by throwing herself up against Evil Natsuki's Slave with a grenade. Needless to say, this didn't work.]]
* IfItsYouItsOkay: Erstin to Manshiro. Also, believe it or not, ''[[spoiler: Nagi]]'' to Manshiro.
* IWantGrandkids: Lena is indicated to be this in ''Arashi''
* LargeHam: [[strike:Assistant]] Inspector Haruka Amiteji, Windbloom's ''Goddess of Justice''! Rarely seen without both a megaphone and her trusty [[{{BFG}} 300MM Enforcement Cannon]].
* LighterAndSofter: In comparison to the anime. [[spoiler: Erstin's not a mole and she doesn't die, Nina doesn't turn evil, Nagi is revealed to be a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold pretty okay guy after all]] and actually makes a HeroicSacrifice to save Manshiro...]]
** [[DarkerAndEdgier Then again]], [[spoiler:that was one [[LudicrousGibs messy]] sacrifice, Nagi and True Mashiro get TearJerker [[AlasPoorVillain death scenes]], and Mai from ''Manga/MyHime'' is revealed to have been sealed away for God knows how long before she finally gets reunited with Yuuichi and Mikoto...]]
* LukeIAmYourFather: [[spoiler:Rad/Reito]] says this to Arika when he takes her to meet Lena, who is alive, but doesn't recognize her daughter at all.
* MindControl: Shiho hypnotizes Erstin into fighting Arika.
* MythologyGag: The girl that Tomoe Marguerite was... getting friendly with... in the 'Super H' chapter was more or less her [[TheDragon evil minion]] in the anime, where Tomoe was a major antagonist. If they were doing that in the anime continuity too, [[FridgeBrilliance that would at least explain why she was so willing to listen to Tomoe all the time...]]
** When the 'Dark [=HiME=]' show up, Shizuru is disappointed that there isn't one of her (as this is based off of the Mai Hime manga, where Shizuru was not a Hime, but Haruka was) and starts to think about what hers would be like. The image she comes up with is basically a comedic version of [[PsychoLesbian Shizuru Fujino]] from the ''Anime/MyHime'' anime.
* NaughtyNuns: [[spoiler:Yukariko's "Dark Hime" counterpart, complete with a very {{Stripperiffic}} outfit which looks nothing like a nun's habit and a "So many men, so little time!" attitude.]]
* NinjaMaid: MIYU and the robots designed after her.
* NoNameGiven: Every time Manshiro has said, or tried to say, his real name he either gets cut off or (the one time he said it) the audience doesn't get to read it.
* OneWingedAngel: [[spoiler: Sergei turns into a giant black monster at the very end, followed by an AGodAmI moment.]]
* PantyShot: Quite a few prominent ones in the first chapter.
** Also present in the SuperH extra [[spoiler: courtesy of Manshiro himself, forced into wearing the short-skirted Garderobe outfit, complete with panties.]]
* PowerTrio: Arika, Nina and Erstin.
* PsychoLesbian: Yukino's EvilCounterpart. Unlike all other incarnations of her, she's the dominant and aggressive partner.
* RagsToRoyalty: Subverted. [[spoiler:Several times. Mashiro was originally meant to be a 'Kagehime' (Shadow Princess), or a stand-in for the deceased Princess of the Windbloom family. Then we learn that the original Princess Mashiro isn't really dead. THEN we learn that Princess Mashiro had a twin... Mashiro, who was secreted away as a backup plan in case Princess Mashiro snapped and went on a rampage. So Mashiro goes from being a fake stand in, to a worthless accessory, to the lone inheritor of the Windbloom Royal Family line in the space of a few manga chapters.]]
* SmugSnake: Nagi.[[spoiler:..up until his gory death.]]
* SternTeacher: Miss Maria, much more so than in the anime. She even carries a riding crop around!
** The Founder, (Fumi [[spoiler:and later, Lena]]) tends to assign harsh penalties to Otomes, taking most or all of their points for minor infractions and making it difficult to gain hearts. [[spoiler:Lena even insists that Arika call her "Shinso-sama" rather than "Mother" when others are around]].
* TookALevelInBadass: [[spoiler:Mashiro.]] No less than THREE TIMES: [[spoiler:The first, upon inheriting Nagi's BadassLongcoat, and gaining the mental fortitude to oppose Sergei's plans. The second, upon manifesting the 'Mashiro Naru Kongouseki'(Pure White Diamond) and proceding to cut the Otome version of Kagutsuchi in half with a SINGLE ATTACK. The THIRD, upon using the 'Mashiro Naru Kongouseki' SuperAdmin powers to manifest all the Otome's abilities through him, gaining a white-shelled armor with 8 angel wings, and procedes utterly slaughter the penultimate bigbad of the series. This even carries onto the Arashi manga, where Manshiro - in a maid's uniform - manages to send someone molesting Nina flying with a single kick. And later on, he gets the BadassLongcoat back...]]
* UnusualEuphemism: Manshiro refers to his arousal at being around half-naked girls who have no idea he is actually male with "My Element is Materializing!" and "I think my Element is going to discharge!"
** Again, in the SuperH extra, he uses "Element exploded" after a particularly... provocative scene.
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: CatGirl Mikoto can turn into an actual cat.
* WholesomeCrossdresser: Manshiro.
* WorthyOpponent: Midori gives Manshiro a rose to lay at the tomb of the Meister she killed during her escape, saying, "Even though she was my enemy, she was still a strong woman."

----

** [[DarkerAndEdgier Then again]], [[spoiler:that was one [[LudicrousGibs messy]] sacrifice, Nagi and True Mashiro get TearJerker [[AlasPoorVillain death scenes]], and Mai from ''Manga/MaiHime'' is revealed to have been sealed away for God knows how long before she finally gets reunited with Yuuichi and Mikoto...]]

** When the 'Dark [=HiME=]' show up, Shizuru is disappointed that there isn't one of her (as this is based off of the Mai Hime manga, where Shizuru was not a Hime, but Haruka was) and starts to think about what hers would be like. The image she comes up with is basically a comedic version of [[PsychoLesbian Shizuru Fujino]] from the ''Anime/MaiHime'' anime.

* YourCheatingHeart: Akane finds out that Kazuya was never faithful to her, and he is actually a member of Schwarz who was seeking to make contact with Arika. [[BewareTheNiceOnes She]] is not pleased.

* BigBad: Like in the anime, [[AristocratsAreEvil Grand Duke]] [[DragonAscendant Nagi di Artai]] is the one [[DiabolicalMastermind manipulating]] everyone in his quest to destroy the Otome system and TakeOverTheWorld. [[spoiler:''[[DiscOneFinalBoss Unlike]]'' [[DiscOneFinalBoss in the anime]], he’s revealed to be an UnwittingPawn of ''the real Mashiro'' (heavily implied to be [[Anime/MaiHime Mashiro Kazahana]]), who aims to control the world herself as it’s [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen queen]]. Then ''[[AdaptationalVillainy Sergey]]'' betrays her and becomes the FinalBoss.]]
** In the sequel manga ''Mai Otome Arashi'', [[AntagonistTitle the titular Arashi]] di Artai, Nagi’s brother, returns to [[AvengingTheVillain avenge him]] by taking over Garderoube Academy. [[spoiler:It turns out he’s a [[SamusIsAGirl she]], and, like Nagi, [[DiscOneFinalBoss a pawn of her own subordinates]], the jewel-thieving Cosmo Beauties.]]

Okay, now forget any idea you might have had that this would be a dark, intriguing international story. Right, now that that's squared away, onto the real plot.

* AlasPoorVillain: Oddly, despite otherwise being ''colossal'' [[TakeOverTheWorld power-hungry]] [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkasses]], [[spoiler:Nagi and True Mashiro]] get this when [[spoiler:they’re both betrayed and killed by [[TheStarscream Sergey]]]].

* AlasPoorVillain: Oddly, despite otherwise being ''colossal'' [[TakeOverTheWorld power-hungry]] [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkasses]], [[spoiler:Nagi and True Mashiro]] get this when [[spoiler:they’re both betrayed and killed by [[TheStarscream Sergey]].

** Then again, that was one [[LudicrousGibs messy]] sacrifice, Mashiro gets a TearJerker death scene, and Mai from ''Manga/MaiHime'' is revealed to have been sealed away for God knows how long before she finally gets reunited with Yuuichi and Mikoto...

* MythologyGag: The girl that Tomoe Marguerite was... getting friendly with... in the 'Super H' chapter was more or less her evil minion in the anime, where Tomoe was a major antagonist. Huh... you know, if they were doing that in the anime continuity too, that would at least explain why she was so willing to listen to Tomoe all the time...

* NaughtyNuns: Yukariko's "dark Hime" counterpart, complete with a very {{Stripperiffic}} outfit which looks nothing like a nun's habit and a "So many men, so little time!" attitude.

* AlasPoorVillain: [[spoiler:Nagi, the real Mashiro]].

* {{Bifauxnen}}: [[spoiler:Arashi]]

* EvilerThanThou: [[spoiler:Sergey]] stakes his claim as the real BigBad by offing {{Jerkass}} Artaian leader Nagi in a very bloody fashion to activate the Shinso. Hoo boy.
* EvilTwin: [[spoiler:Evil versions of the [=HiME=] are resurrected to fight against their Otome counterparts. Arguably, this also covers the ''real'' Mashiro, which makes for a harsh contrast to the more gentle twin, Manshiro.]]

* GadgeteerGenius: Alyssa
* {{Gainaxing}} plus GagBoobs: Erstin, whose boobs are actually described as being "F Cup".

** When the 'Dark HiME' show up, Shizuru is disappointed that there isn't one of her (as this is based off of the Mai Hime manga, where Shizuru was not a Hime, but Haruka was) and starts to think about what hers would be like. The image she comes up with is basically a comedic version of [[PsychoLesbian Shizuru Fujino]] from the ''Anime/MaiHime'' anime.

'''Contains examples of:'''

* TakeThat: A description of Erstin's "boob attack" against Arika is a clear dig against the ridiculously-proportioned girls of ''Eiken''.

The manga is semi-related to the anime series ''Anime/{{Mai-Otome}}''. At the start of production (despite common belief, they started at the same time) both the anime and manga production teams were given the basic premise, setting and character list, then allowed to go into their own directions. Hence, the manga has a vastly different story from the anime with a far greater focus on {{Fanservice}} and wildly different CharacterDevelopment. Additionally, a semi-sequel, ''Mai-Otome Arashi'', followed a short time later and continued the story, along with a non-canon {{Hentai}} chapter that took place at a hot spring.

** Then again, that was one [[LudicrousGibs messy]] sacrifice, Mashiro gets a TearJerker death scene, and Mai from {{Manga/Mai-HiME}} is revealed to have been sealed away for God knows how long before she finally gets reunited with Yuuichi and Mikoto...

** When the 'Dark HiME' show up, Shizuru is disappointed that there isn't one of her (as this is based off of the Mai Hime manga, where Shizuru was not a Hime, but Haruka was) and starts to think about what hers would be like. The image she comes up with is basically a comedic version of [[PsychoLesbian Shizuru Fujino]] from the ''{{Mai-HiME}}'' anime.