Ojou - Television Tropes & Idioms

alt title(s): The Ojou; Non Royal Princess

Please make way for the princess... PLEASE.

(Rhymes with "Oh, Joe".)

Literally, a formal Japanese word for "young lady", the term Ojou (often Ojou-san or Ojou-sama, as they are the more formal honorifics) is typically used in anime when refering to wealthy, high-class female characters.

This means that while they are often rich, and occasionally even an actual Blue Blood, the key point is that other people treat them as if they were royalty, whether or not they actually are. Some Ojou can actually attain their status simply by personality alone (often in high school settings), by being so heavily idolized that a fanclub springs around her and elevates her to a status far above that of those around her, and level violent reprisals against any who would treat her as a commoner.

Oftentimes, a wealthy Ojou is found in a leading role in the Absurdly Powerful Student Council. In fact, her wealth is often the Hand Wave explanation for the absurd power - they make the rules because they have money.

Ojou can often be boiled down into two types:

The first type is a generally kindly and unassuming girl, if not an outright Yamato Nadeshiko, who is surrounded by a phalanx of Ninja Maids and Battle Butlers if wealthy, or militant fanboys if not, who would not be less fanatical if they were protecting the Emporer himself. These followers (regardless of if they are paid servants or simply volunteer fans) are the ones proclaiming the ojou's higher social standing over the rest of the characters in this case, not the ojou herself. In these cases, the ojou might be a very gentle and sheltered girl (especially if she really is a Blue Blood) who is naive to the ways of the world, and wants to actively seek out and participate in all the "fun" things normal people do. A Closer To Earth version of this type of ojou (especially if she is simply a high school student elevated to ojou status by popularity alone) seemingly just ignores her fame, sometimes with amazing obliviousness, even as her fan squad jealously looks on.
The second type is often an overbearing girl who tries to declare her own higher status than the rest of the cast. Expect Princess Curls and maybe a noblewoman's laugh. Sympathetic versions may be tsundere, but antagonistic versions will often be something like the ultimate Libby with wealth and power added into the mix. You can also often tell the difference between these two types at a glance thanks to tsurime and tareme. A certain amount of naivite can afflict this type, as well, especially in the tsundere versions, where they assume that they can do everything they have always managed to get others to do for them, often with disasterous results. This type can also include a manipulative Stepford Smiler version of the trope, which fakes being the Yamato Nadeshiko type in order to accrue the popularity required to make herself an ojou.

Though together for the purposes of this entry, the ojou, or daughter of a high-society family, is written with distinctly different kanji than the oujo, or princess (literally "lord's daughter").

A character saying "oujo-sama to oyobi" (Lit. "Call me queen") implies something completely else entirely.

See also The White Prince for a Spear Counterpart of this trope.

Examples:

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Anime & Manga

B-Ko Daitokuji from Project A Ko. Enough money and manufacturing capability to build multiple Humongous Mecha overnight.
Asuna Kujo from Maison Ikkoku
Michiru Kaioh from Sailor Moon is an interesting example of this, in that it is never stated that she is actually filthy rich, and we never have any idea who her parents are, but the fact that she owns a Stradivarius violin and a gigantic condo with its own aquarium (with Haruka) and is a world-famous violinist and painter in her own right (enough so to get double-billing with the world-famous pop sensation The Starlights in the Stars season) still makes her part of this trope. In fact, Usagi, in a memorable episode, wherein she is feeling she is not classy enough or worthy enough of Mamoru, stumbles upon Haruka and Michiru in a theater in a park, where Michiru is up on stage playing her violin and looking classy, and then proceeds to bounce a lemon on her violin while playing it with her eyes closed. Usagi declares Michiru to be the "ideal Princess" and pitifully follows her around for the rest of the episode, hoping she'll get some of it by osmosis or something. Michiru also, notably, has a mirror which always shows her the truth and has the ability to sense when things are coming, and has wavy, aquamarine hair.
- Rei Hino (Sailor Mars) is also an ojou. She goes to a private Catholic school and her dad's a big politician.
- It was clearly mentioned in the manga that both she and Haruka are rich, not as much as Hotaru's and Rei's fathers, but had loads of money.
  - Specifically through a good number of patrons.
Kumiko Yamaguchi in Gokusen is the granddaughter and heir presumptive of a yakuza boss and is called ojou when at home.
Himemiya Chikane in Kannazuki No Miko.
Christine "Chris" Robbins from Itazura na Kiss is the perfect example of a non-Japanese ojou. Her mother is a beautiful, famous actress from Hollywood, her father is the president of a major bank, and she has ties with nobility. Charles was even invited to her wedding.
Aeka and Sasami in Tenchi Muyo both count, though Aeka comes to mind first.
Fujino Shizuru in Mai-HiME, one of the rare ojou with lighter-colored hair.
Gowa Misuzu in Gasaraki.
The Macross series possesses a few of these but plays with the trope some. Mylene Jenius in Macross 7 fits much of the bill for wealth and eventually quasi-mystical power, but she has an aversion to the responsibility and expectations her social position (daughter of a pair of war heroes) places on her and, aside from her sweet ride, dislikes flaunting her money too much; Sheryl Nome in Macross Frontier is somewhat more traditional, although she usually conceals her identity in public to avoid being mobbed. Interestingly, both possess light hair, Mylene being cotton-candy pink and Sheryl being strawberry blonde. Hilariously, Mylene's (undesired) bodyguards literally call her an ojou even though she lives in a democracy.
Ogasawara Sachiko in Maria-sama ga Miteru.
- Actually, the vast majority of characters in the show are this, with Yumi being a notable (and purposeful) exception - even if they don't act the part, all the girls' families are filthy rich. Sachiko is the most extreme example in personality, however.
Mikage Aya in Ayashi No Ceres, another light-haired example.
Sylia Stingray in Bubblegum Crisis.
Umi Ryuzaki in Magic Knight Rayearth. (Fuu Hououji and her sister Kuu also fit the bill, but they're both more modest and ladylike, whereas Umi goes out of the way to make sure we know it and even borders a bit on Rich Bitch at first.)
Konoe Konoka and Yukihiro Ayaka in Mahou Sensei Negima.
- Setsuna refers to Konoka as 'ojou-sama', as she is the daughter of the head of the Kansai Magic Association.
Mutsu Emiho in Final Approach.
Chiyo-chan in Azumanga Daioh, though she defies pretty much all of the stereotypes other than "Big Fancy House" and "has her own power and influence", and the latter is because she's cute, smart, and well-liked.
Jinguuji Kanade in Gokujou Seitokai.
Tohno Akiha in Tsukihime. She personally thinks she'd be a horrible evil bitch by now instead of a tsundere if she hadn't met Shiki.
Nanami in Revolutionary Girl Utena.
Kurosaki Sayoko and Minazuki Mahiru in Mahoraba. Kurosaki Asami's friend, known only as Sa-chan, tries to portray herself as an ojou as well, but whether she is or not is left an open question in the anime.
- In the manga, the answer is revealed. She isn't - she just has a small inheritance and plays up the image in order to get attention.
Kamishirou Rin and Kazetsubaki Kuriko in Maburaho.
Miki Hanakain in Tenshi Na Konamaiki.
Saya Takagi in High School Of The Dead.
Eri Sawachika of School Rumble goes by Ojou to several characters. Also a notable Tsundere.
Meiko Akizuki in Marmalade Boy fits the basic character type, though not the full stereotype; she has lighter hair and isn't a member of the Student Council (one of her love interests is the council president, though).
Aizawa Minto in Tokyo Mew Mew.
The Pretty Cure multiverse seems to like them, with Honoka of Futari Wa Pretty Cure and both Komachi (Cure Mint) and the aforementioned Karen (Cure Aqua) of Yes Pretty Cure 5.
Mint Blancmanche of Galaxy Angel. For some reason, Mint seems to be a popular name for Ojous.
The dream-world version of Nagato Kaya in Mugen Densetsu Takamagahara Dream Saga.
Lottie and Sara in Soukou No Strain both come from rich families, as, it is implied, do most to all Reasoners.
Mami Honda from Super Gals! is ridiculously rich in the anime.
In Lucky Star episode 7, Konata gets hooked on Mari Mite and starts acting like an Ojou.
- Her classmate Takara Miyuki, however, lives like an ojou; she lives in a Big Fancy House, and her other friends go to an academy where they exchange greetings like those in MariMite.
Katherine in Kaze No Stigma, from a "famous American fire mage family".
Rue in Princess Tutu, though she fits also into Dark Magical Girl.
Saori Kido in Saint Seiya. She's even called ojou-sama by her butler and some of the Saints in canon.
Tomoyo Daidouji in Cardcaptor Sakura, although younger than most.
- Don't forget about Mei Ling.
Kotonoha Katsura (pictured above) from School Days.
Ayumi Himekawa and Shiori Takamiya from Glass Mask. Ayumi is another ojou with lighter hair (downright blond in the old series), though Shiori is more of a traditional black-haired one.
- In Ayumi's specific case, it's actually deconstructed in the way this affects both her (lots of people think Ayumi is using her parents' fame and wealth to further her career, but she'll have nothing of it) and Maya (one of the reasons she thinks Ayumi is superior to her, which again doesn't amuse her).
An overseas version of this is Layla Hamilton from Kaleido Star.
A more Tsundere version is Eri Fujisawa, the assistant of the Ryoukufu team in the third Slam Dunk OAV. She's nicknamed "ojousan" by Michael Okita and even by her coach, goes to one really exclusive school for rich kids (lampshaded often in the dialogues) and sometimes is more of a boss than the coach himself..
Ryoko Katsuragi in Penguin Revolution is Vice President of the Student Council and The Ojou of her school... except she's actually a guy. Everyone at school still thinks she's gorgeous, though.
Mayu Miyuki from Ai Yori Aoshi, who mixes this with Rich Bitch when she's not around Kaoru.
Wang Liu-Mei and Louise Halevy from Gundam 00.
Nagi Sanzen'in of Hayate The Combat Butler, with a dash of Tsundere thrown in for extra moe points.
- The perpetually lost Isumi Saginomiya fits the trope even better then Nagi; her profile in the manga even calls her the one most worthy of the title "Ojou-sama", and in the omake to Volume 5, chapter 52, Nagi and Sakuya actually discuss why she qualifies as the most ojou of the ojou-samas. Look it up here and here
- The newly introduced Athena also qualifies. Since Nagi and Athena were originally the same character, it makes sense
A rather tragic (and light-haired) Ojou is Hiroko "Hiro-chan" Kaizuka from Naru Taru.
Genius Cripple Madoka Otowa from Get Backers (who also owns a Stradivarius, oddly enough).
Kihel Heim from Turn A Gundam is a blonde, but fits in otherwise. Her little sister Sochie is more of a Tsundere.
Code Geass has two, one on each side of the conflict (though neither one is directly involved in the fighting). Milly Ashford, the president of the school's Absurdly Powerful Student Council, whose family runs the academy everyone goes to. Kaguya Sumeragi was the head of a powerful house in Japan who, despite her young age, is treated much like a princess and has a high social status.
- Also, three of Milly's friends are also Ojous to some degree. Nina Einstein mixed this with Shrinking Violet and later Psycho Lesbian, Shirley Fenette was this and the Naive Everygirl, and Kallen Kouzuki mixed the Ojou and Ill Girl images when she was in school to cover up her Action Girl escapades.
Relena Darlian/Peacecraft from Gundam Wing is both The Ojou and The Oujo. A more traditional Ojou is Sylvia Noventa.
Tamaki Reika's image song is actually called "Super Ojou-sama".
Most of the female characters in Hana Yori Dango (excepting the poor to the point of absurdity main character and her best friend), notably Shizuka, Domyoji's sister Tsubaki, and Sakurako, although the latter is more typified by her less... pleasant... attributes.
Tatsuki Iizuka from Hyakko, though she doesn't quite give off the Ojou-sama vibe.
Karen Ayanokouji from Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka is this type of character. She has the curls, the laugh and tries very hard to please her classmates with her fortune, but ultimately ends up trying way too hard.
Satella Harvenheit from Chrono Crusade, who happens to be a redhead.
Hirasaka Kayuki from The Record Of Fallen Vampire, complete with Big Fancy House (with The Thing That Goes Doink) and a ridiculously fancy kimono closet.
She doesn't fit the trope, but it's worth noting that Enma Ai's assistants always address her as "ojou". (Not usually "ojou-san or -sama", which is odd since she's their boss... but they're all pretty used to each other after centuries together.)
The sweet-looking, wavy-haired Belgium in Axis Powers Hetalia. She seems to be a subversion, though: the "Meeting of the World" strip and anime has her as The Ojou, but Himaruya's drafts portray her as a Bokukko.
Platina (Platinum) Berlitz in the Pokemon Manga.
Taiga from Tora Dora appears to have the funds—at least enough to live in a huge apartment on her own, financed by her parents. Of course, her small stature and violent outbursts don't really make her give off the vibe.
- Ami is perhaps more indicative of this trope.
Midori from Telepathy Shoujo Ran.
Houjou Reika of Goshuushou-sama Ninomiya-kun is an ojou and is called as such by her servants who call her ojou-sama and her juniors at high school who call her ojou-senpai.
Sumi Kuroi from Moetan
The anime only character Lulu De Morcerf in Shugo Chara.
Kunugi-tan from Binchou-tan, who is also somewhat of a lonely rich kid, despite living in a mansion loaded with meidos.
Isabella from Paradise Kiss is more or less an Ojou trapped in a lonely rich boy's body.
Tsumugi Kotobuki (a.k.a. Mugi-chan) from K-On! is a light-haired example.
Sharon Rainsworth, her mother Shelly, and her grandmother Sheryl from Pandora Hearts belong to one of the most powerful families in the series. Oz's younger sister Ada can be an example of this as well.
Yurika from Chocotto Sister.
Hime and Sherwood from Princess Resurrection are both blonde examples.
Ai from Shin Chan
Kodachi "The Black Rose" Kuno from Ranma One Half. She and her brother Tatewaki even live in a traditional Japanese palace.
- Also Mariko Konjou, the cheerlader who pursues Kuno.
Ichinensei ni Nacchattara: Miho, an elementary schooler.
Hyuga Hinata in Naruto. She's the heiress to the currently largest individual clan in Konoha, and apparently has a Big Fancy House..
Tamao Kikunoi from "The Wallflower" is insanely rich and referred to as a princess many times in the series. Even her fiance calls her "Ojou-sama".
All but one of the harem from Princess Lover also qualifies. Two of them are actual Ojous, and the remaining seems to be the head of a large fashion company.
Kagami Kuro from Kodomo No Jikan is the second type. She's no Yamato Nadeshiko, though.
Touka from Saki is a classic version.

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Rozalin of Disgaea 2 is both a literal demon noble and accessory to Well Excuse Me Princess.
Yai in Mega Man Battle Network, a mini-Ojou of the Chiyo-chan sort. Her wealth and connections are often a plot point. They're also how she manages to stay afloat as a NetBattler without her friends' natural talent: she just buys outrageously expensive chips.
- Her Mega Man Star Force Expy, Luna, is also a mini-Ojou, as well as her class' president.
Lili from Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection is the daughter of an absurdly rich oil magnate from Monaco that has screw-the-rules money from his franchise (Though, by Tekken 6 that rule seems to have no effect when he was on the verge of bankruptcy). She, however, spends most of her time with her butler, and is quite graceful throughout.
Mitsuru Kirijo from Persona 3 is red-haired, the Student Council President, and the daughter of the president of the Kirijo Zaibatsu.
Lady Riddel in Chrono Cross is a somewhat meek and retiring ojou, though she has her moments of bravery.
Karin Kanzuki from Street Fighter.
Rei Iijyuin from the first Tokimeki Memorial game. She's actually a Wholesome Crossdresser who acts like a tough and aloof guy, but has a hidden gentle and girly side which comes afloat if you get her as your girlfriend.
- The more straight-up Ojou is actually Yukari Koshiki, daughter of a rich family and very courteous, naïve and sweet. Megumi Mikihara, Shiori's best friend, also is a bit of this and of Shrinking Violet.
Lady Priscilla of Carleon from Fire Emblem 7, a redheaded and melancholic Ojou who's quiet and polite as well as a mounted Staff Chick who can become a Magical Girl through promotion.
Yukiko Amagi from Persona 4. Her Social Link is the Priestess Arcana, even.
Remilia Scarlet is the Ojou of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. As for influence, well... she IS a powerful vampire...
- Also, ghost princess Yuyuko Saigyouji is the Oujo of Hakugyokurou.
- And exiled moon princess Kaguya Houraisan is the Oujo of Eientei with Eirin and a horde of rabbits to keep her company.
Sapphire of Disgaea 3 is an Ax Crazy example of this. Very nice to Almaz though except for one accidental attack and the time he needed to be puched to get him in line.
Lady Bow of Paper Mario is a Boo version of this.
Arcueid Brunestud. Very wealthy despite literally having no source of income, presumably based on a fortune that was amassed 800+ years ago. Check. Big house? Castle Brunestud, plus some vaguely alluded to mansions. Check. 'Real' Princess, check. Blond haired, white skinned. No tall dark and bishoujo here. Bit of a lonely rich grown up kid but other than that mostly just a strangely friendly demeanor. Oh, and supernatural powers. Tied to her being a princess in the first place. She's also called the White Princess, if that helps.
Remi Himekawa from True Love, a Hentai game, is one of thesssseerrr I mean so I've been told.
Yurika Kirishima from Project Justice is an odd amalgamation of qualities from both types of Ojou. Like the first type, she is unassuming and naive (although her desire for a normal life is to escape her current life as a hired assassin), but lacks the vocal fanbase that worships her every move. She has the physical features of the second type (Princess Curls and tsurime eyes), but lacks any of the personality traits of that type. She is still portrayed as high-class and implied to be rich, at least compared to her best friends Akira and Zaki.