My-Otome

My-Otome (舞-乙HiME) is an anime series created by Sunrise. Directed by Masakazu Obara and written by Hiroyuki Yoshino, it is a spinoff of My-HiME anime series and as such My-Otome takes place in a new setting with new main characters.

The series originally premiered on TV Tokyo from October 6, 2005 to March 30, 2006. An OVA sequel to the series, My-Otome Zwei, has been made and released in Japan, and a prequel, My-Otome 0~S.ifr~, has been completed. The series is licensed for North American distribution by Bandai Entertainment. Zwei leaves the story open for future sequels, and Sifr for future prequels.

A new series was announced in June 2008, however no further information has been released. The initial announcement did not indicate whether this series would take place in the world of My-HiME or My-Otome, nor whether is would be a sequel or prequel to either series. Incomplete information indicates that this new series may in fact be Sora Kake Girl, which shares most of Otome's staff, rather than a new Otome series.

Story
My-Otome's story takes place in the distant future on the planet Earl, colonized by immigrants from Earth centuries ago. "Old technology" has survived in the form of nanomachines that allow female virgins to take the role of Meister Otomes - bodyguards, attendants and warriors that serve the royalty of various kingdoms.

Arika Yumemiya has come to Windbloom Kingdom in search of her mother, whom Arika knows was an Otome. On her arrival she meets the top Coral Otome student, Nina Wáng, and Windbloom's heir to the throne, Mashiro Blan de Windbloom. The series follows Arika's progress as a student at Garderobe Academy and the machinations of those desiring the destructive power of the old technology for themselves.

Related works
The My-Otome manga follows an alternate storyline; in it, Mashiro Blanc de Windbloom is actually a male imposter attending classes at Garderobe as a replacement for the real Mashiro after she was 'killed' but later it is revealed that he is Mashiro's twin brother and the true heir. The manga was serialized in Shōnen Champion.

A spin-off manga titled My-Otome Saga Ryuu to Otome no Namida (舞-乙HiME列伝(マイオトメ・サガ) 竜と乙女の涙), set 100 years into the past of the My-Otome anime, was serialized in MediaWorks' Dengeki G's Magazine between February 2007 and July 30, 2007, containing five chapters. The manga is accompanied by a novel based on the same premise and characters but with a different title, My-Otome Saga Ayane Korin ♥ Hen (舞-乙HiME列伝(マイオトメ・サガ) アヤネ降臨♥篇), which is being published by Tokuma Shoten under their Tokuma Dual Bunko label. This novel and manga are part of the My-HiME Big Bang Project, a plan to release a large amount of products related to My-HiME and My-Otome in Japan in the year 2007. As of now, only 6 products within this project have been revealed so far.

There is also a spin-off manga called My-Otome Arashi, which takes place immediately after the events of My-Otome.

In addition, there's also a PlayStation 2 Game called "My-Otome: Otome Butoushi!!" (舞-乙HiME 乙女舞闘史!!), which narrates all the main story outline of My-Otome, and highlights all the Dance Fights between Otomes.

Theme songs
"'Opening themes"'
 * "Dream☆Wing" by Minami Kuribayashi (Ep. 1–15)
 * "Crystal Energy" by Minami Kuribayashi (Ep. 16–25)
 * "Fierce Sky/Raging Earth" (猛る空/揺らぐ大地) by Yuki Kajiura (Ep. 26)

"'Ending themes"'
 * "Otome wa DO MY BEST desho?" (乙女はDO MY BESTでしょ?) by Mika Kikuchi and Ami Koshimizu (Ep. 1–26)

"'Insert songs"'
 * "Kaze to Hoshi ni Dakarete..." (風と星に抱かれて...) by Minami Kuribayashi (Ep. 24)
 * "Hoshi ga Kanaderu Monogatari" (星が奏でるものがたり) (4th Stanza) by Ami Koshimizu (Ep. 22)