I finally found my dream. So call me reckless or whatever, but I'll do it.
-Arika Yumemiya
A 2005 series, from the creators of Mai-HiME.Sometime in the future, on a distant colony world that has almost forgotten about Earth, the rulers of the various nations are accompanied by super-powered female bodyguards called "Otome". These Otome are ordinary girls who have been transformed into fearsome weapons of war through training and nanotechnology, acting as protectors and military deterrents. The Otome are admired as the pinnacle of grace and beauty, to the point where every little girl wishes to be one when they grow up.Only one place in the world possesses the Lost Technology needed to create Otome: Garderobe Academy, an elite private school in the city-state of Windbloom. Arriving at this place is fourteen-year-old Arika Yumemiya, an energetic young girl determined to follow in the footsteps of the mother she never knew and become an Otome. Armed with a mysterious amulet and no shortage of bull-headed ignorance, Arika wins her way into Garderobe only to discover that the road to becoming an Otome is much harder than she ever dreamed.As Arika trains to become an Otome, a conspiracy to seize control of Garderobe's Lost Technology begins to take form, linked to a cult known only as "Schwartz". The realities of Arika's idealist dream- and what it means to be an Otome- slowly come to light as the world ticks towards all-out war and the deadly powers of the Otome are called into service.The series is notable for virtually recycling the entire cast from Mai-HiME, with lots of in-jokes based on the differences a character might have between the two series: for example, a Yandere character in Mai-HiME is in a happy and content relationship with the girl she lusted after in the original series. The last few episodes imply that the series exists in the same universe as Mai-HiME.Mai-Otome is every bit as fun a ride as its predecessor, and in spots is strongly reminiscent of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Highly recommended.Followed in 2006-2007 with Mai-Otome Zwei, a four-episode OVA. A three-episode prequel, named Mai-Otome 0~S.ifr~, has also been released, featuring Arika's mother, a young Miss Maria, and two canon immigrants from the Alternate Universe novel series Mai-HiME Destiny.Has an attendant manga, which actually started first and was produced at the same time. Opinion over that one remains divided. Keep in mind that it was never meant to be a direct adaptation, and they were just given the same concept.Available in North America from Bandai Entertainment for English-speaking viewers, although it's inexplicably retitled My-HiME Z: My-Otome.For more information on the characters themselves, please direct your attention to the Mai-Otomecharacter sheet.
Aristocrats Are Evil: Grand Duke Nagi and King Argos of Cardair certainly don't have the best interests of the world in mind.
Attempted Rape: Arika nearly succumbs to this, until Sergey and Nao show up.
Authority Equals Asskicking: Among the Otome, the Meisters get all of the most powerful weapons, GEMs, and spiffy-looking costumes. Holders of this position are usually of high status - heads of state or members of the royal family.
Beach Episode, lightly subverted: The beach turns out to be the starting point of a grueling survival test. Everyone besides the students (and Shiho, who loses a straw draw and has to hold down the fort), however, is enjoying themselves until the time comes to evaluate the students' meals.
Beam-O-War, subverted: The beams from Natsuki's BFG and Schwarz's Wave Motion Gun collide, but one of them is knocked off course and disables the Fumi system a second time.
Body Count Competition: Haruka requests one with Shizuru just before they battle an army of Slaves.
Break the Haughty: Attempted by Shizuru and Chie with Tomoe, but it doesn't work. There's also Mashiro, whose entire character-arc is basically one giant Break the Haughty.
Catch Phrase: Shiho's "Maki maki!", part of her Running Gag. Other characters (mostly Chie) conk her over the head later for doing it during "serious" events.
Character Development: Used well with Mashiro, who starts as a bratty and reckless princess, and emerges from the story's central conflict as a confident leader and much less of a jerk.
Cool Ship: Ultimate Desert Dreadnaught Suzushiro. Essentially a submersible battleship that floats on/dives into sand. Haruka enjoys being The Captain a little too vocally. Unfortunately does not get to see much screen time...
Dark Is Not Evil: The Aswad dress in all black and are capable of summoning Slaves, but their leader is actually benevolent, if somewhat confrontational.
Every Episode Ending: The closing theme song fading in. There are a few different versions of the fade-in, depending on the mood at the end of the episode.
Fake Defector: Chie joins the Valkyries to keep an eye on Tomoe, but finds out that they have a system in place that prevents her from disobeying orders.
First Name Basis: Much more common in this series than in Mai Hime, as characters who would otherwise use last names tend to use first names, or titles in more formal situations.
In the Name of the Moon: Subverted by Haruka: She shouts a dramatic "kick-your-ass" speech and leaps into battle before Yukino gives her permission to use her Robe.
Intimate Healing: Arika on Erstin, then Sergey on Arika, and Akira on Takumi, all within the span of two episodes.
I Was Quite a Looker: Maria used to be hot back in her days as an Otome, as evidenced by her appearance in Sifr.
Law of Chromatic Superiority: Averted, at least in theory. The first years wear a red dress, second years get dark grey, Meisters wear a wide variety and the said-to-be-strongest Lena wears blue.
Limited Wardrobe: Apparently, the Corals have to wear their school uniforms everywhere, even out in the woods.
Loads and Loads of Characters: The show reuses almost all characters from Mai Hime as secondary characters (which are a lot), plus adds a whole bunch of new, original characters. Interestingly none of the characters feel as superficial as some in Hime because Otome has a plot complex enough to give every character a meaningful role in it.
Moment Killer: Kazu and Akane are interrupted in a motel about to commence an evening of love when Cardair/Chaldea's royal guards barge in to carry the former off to his new life as king. Mahya Blythe later appears to apprehend Akane for her "misdemeanour". Mai-Otome Zwei continues in a similar vein with Mahya making moment killing something of a speciality.
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: The girls pour some salt in order to kill the monster in the pool in Episode 6... but it turns out that they used sugar instead, and it instead turns into a massive monster. Everyone assumes Arika got the wrong bag, but Tomoe had Miya had switched the labels.
Nothing Is the Same Anymore: Done surprisingly effectively, to the point of virtually abandoning the previous milieu of the show, complete with a new opening animation and opening song.
Onee-sama: Several characters, but exemplified most by Akane and Shizuru. It's something of a replacement for sempai at Garderobe.
One Steve Limit: Averted, seeing as there are two characters named Mikoto: one is a cat, the other is a goddess.
One-teacher school: while there are a few other adults in Guarderobe, Yukariko is apparently the only teacher, and she teaches all subjects, from PE to embroidery to chemistry.
Parental Abandonment: Most of the cast, notably, Arika, Nina and Mashiro, have lost their parents. The few characters that have their parents alive (such as Akane) only have them mentioned off-screen.
Pay Evil unto Evil: Shizuru screwing with Tomoe's head, then tossing her the first chance she got, would have been a majorKick the Dog if Tomoe hadn't done literally everything in her power to make sure she had it coming.
Nao deals with the thugs who tried to rape Arika by tying them to the back of a boat and dragging them through Windbloom's canals.
Phlebotinum Overload: The Robes are susceptible to breaking down if they sustain too much damage during a battle.
Also possible if the Otome draws too much power for the Gem to handle, as shown in episode 4 and Mai-Otome 0~S.ifr~.
Post Episode Trailer: And in them, all the characters are aware of their roles in Mai-HiME - to the point of jealousy of another character getting to use her CHILD. A lot of the Mythology Gags are in these, such as an almost word-for-word re-enactment of the Mai Hime trailer in which Yukariko takes Midori's claim to be 17 at face value.
Precocious Crush: Tomoe's desire for Shizuru begins when the former is a child, but it doesn't get squicky until Tomoe's about 15, when she starts doing actual harm to people she thinks are stealing attention from Shizuru. It culminates in her sexually manipulating Shizuru and forcing herself on her.
Right Behind Me: Nao complains about not wanting to join "The Old Ladies' Military Club". Maria, one of the "Old Ladies" is of course walking up as she does so.
Right in Front of Me: Takumi criticizes Mashiro's decisions as queen without realizing that he's speaking to her. He later apologizes for being overly harsh, but his words hit close to home.
Ring of Fire: Mai's, erm..."explosive" ultimate attack.
Schoolgirl Lesbians: At one point or another, Shizuru, Chie, Natsuki, Tomoe, and possibly also Miya. By implication, most of the Otome at Garderobe, if their Onee-sama is of that mind.
Spoiler Opening: Both of them, especially the one from episode 16 on (though that one jumps the gun because the big twist is revealed in that same episode. Oops.)
Super Soldier: Despite all pretenses, this is what Otome are if not government sponsored Persons of Mass Destruction. Leads to much angsting since many Otome are aware that they may have to one day fight and kill their fellow classmates. Or have already done so...
Suspiciously Specific Denial: When Shizuru is helping Arika study in episode 8, she casually asks Arika if she heard the loud noise throughout the city the other day. Arika claims she didn't, then also says she didn't hear an organ playing either.
Teen Genius: Irina, who's already studying advanced information and biological engineering in high school (she borrowed the book from Erstin, but still...)
Was It All a Lie?: Tomoe asks this after Shizuru refuses to join her. Shizuru admits to lying to her in order to teach her a lesson about toying with people's emotions. To say the least, the message didn't get through.
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