List of My-Otome terminology

This is a list of the terminology used in the My-Otome anime and manga series. Many terms differ slightly between the anime and the manga.

Otome
Otome are elite female warriors, employed by important political figures as bodyguards. Their powers and skills are vast making them by definition supersoldiers (in a unorthodox fashion as they are also technically magical girls), as Nao explains to Arika the military strength of any country is measured by the number and quality of its Otome. On the planet Earl, where the series takes place, only one place exists where Otome are trained: Garderobe Academy in Windbloom Kingdom, where the ancient technology powering Otome is kept.

Otome receive their powers from nanomachines injected into their blood which granted peak-human strength and limited healing abilities. However, said nanomachines are vulnerable to the prostate specific antigen (PSA); acting as an antigen, PSA causes an Otome's body to develop immunity against nanomachines (and any future injections), rendering her permanently powerless. Therefore, Otome cannot engage in sexual intercourse with males.

The Japanese word "otome" (乙女 otome) means "maiden", which can be considered to the Otome's forced virginity. This is, however, not the way it is spelled in the original title of My-Otome (舞-乙HiME), which only uses the first kanji of the word. In the manga, Otome are officially called 乙-type HiME (乙-type Highly-advanced Materialising Equipment), and this designation is briefly seen on a GEM screen (but never addressed) in the anime.

Meister Otome
A Meister (pronounced an MaiStar) Otome is an Otome who is a qualified graduate. This proves through the design of the GEM.

Contract
A contract is a pact between an Otome and her master, whom she is appointed to protect. It is enforced by the Otome's GEM. The contract restricts the use of Otome powers, only allowing it upon the master's explicit authorization. It is not merely a technical term; the Otome and her master share their pain, and if one of them dies, so does the other.

If an Otome without a permanent master faces a need to utilize her powers, she can forge a temporary contract to allow her interim master to grant the needed authorization. Interim contracts are logged in Garderobe Academy.

Robe
A Robe is an Otome's powered suit. It provides her with super-strength, the ability to fly and materialize her Element, and, apparently, life support in outer space or at least above the upper atmosphere assuming the My-Otome universe still applies most of the rules of the normal world. Most Robes have prehensile ribbons or coat tails the number of which vary, some are used for support or extra appendages while some can be used offensively as blades. Most Robes also have distinctive glowing ring like structures around the ankles and wrists as well as other glowing accessories on other parts of the suit. They usually glow when in flight. A few robes have extra unique abilities such as Sara's which can turn invisible.

Robes are voice-activated. Once the GEM is unlocked by the master, the Otome can materialize the Robe by saying "Materialize!" The GEM then displays the initials of the Otome and her master, as well as the gemstone-themed code name of the GEM/Robe, and proceeds to materialize it.

Robes provide considerable physical resistance even to the apparently unprotected head but are not completely failsafe. Under sufficient external force, a Robe may break and shatter. Also, if the GEM's connection to the master is disturbed, the Robe will disappear, reverting the Otome to the clothing she had on before materializing it.

GEM
A GEM (Generable Enigmatic Matrix) controls an Otome's access to her powers. The name "GEM" is actually a pun, as GEMs are named after actual gemstones and resemble them. They always come in pairs, one is worn on an Otome's left ear and the other is on a ring of the Otome's Master excluding the Columns, Pearls and Corals. This is purely ceremonial however as physical contact is all that is required evidenced by Mikoto who holds her GEM in her belly.

Except for the Five Columns, the GEM requires authorization from the Otome's master before it allows her to materialize her Robe. It is never clear how Meister GEMs are made in the anime; in the manga, it is explicitly mentioned that Meister GEMs cannot be made. In either case, GEMs are preserved when an Otome cancels their contract, as is evidenced by the Pure White Diamond, the Sky Blue Sapphire and the Abyssal Green Jadeite. However, the Excel Elegance White Onyx is never shown after Fiar is killed by Midori.

REM
REMs (Reinforceing [sic] Enigmatic Matrix) are Schwarz-modified versions of GEMs. The only one known to exist is used by Midori. It resembled a large green lense worn on the back of a glove granting its user strength near that of a Robed Otome, via nanomachines, before breaking down after a short time. Youko modified it to last indefinitely until depowered.

In the manga, Arika Yumemiya also uses a REM for a short period of time after the Founder is revived. It is loaned to her by Midori because it allows her to materialize the Sky Blue Sapphire's Robe without confirmation from Mashiro and, more importantly, without the Founder's assistance.

Element
The weapon of an Otome, which she is able to materialize. Elements can take virtually any form and have multiple special powers.

Butou
Formal ceremonial battles between Otome. Students may also engage in them. All of these special battles must be approved first, as they are subject to strict rules and procedures. Like with all other My-Otome terms Butou is a pun, it means Dancing Performance.

Garderobe
The academy for training otome as well as the absolute authority on all ancient technology as established by Fumi Himeno to prevent their abuse which led to great wars during her era (this policy was changed however after Mashiro convinced Natsuki to share some technology with Midori to save the people of Aswad, more technology was loaned again to Aries to stop the meteor). Politically separate from all other nations (despite being within the territory of Windbloom City as Natsuki pointed out to Sergey in Episode 2) and ruled over by its principal, it is also a political neutral ground (much like the United Nations) and the most vital element to all the nations with massive funds and sponsorships being poured into the campus from all over the planet.

Slave
Mechanical intelligent lifeforms used by Schwarz and the cyborgs of Aswad and Midori. They serve a similar purpose to Orphans in My-Hime however to be activated a Slave's Lord establishes a contract with one by bleeding onto a large obsidian gem thus establishing a contract similar to that of otome. Slaves come in numerous different forms from fairly weak mass-produced types to the Meister Otome level ones that Asward uses. Midori's Gakutenou is a Slave.

Five Columns
The Five Columns are Meister Otome who do not have masters (their master is Shinso, Fumi Himeno), and can activate their powers at will. They appear to be the only military police of Otome (evidenced by how Mahya arrested Akane) and preside over all other otome as a military tribunal and military court. They hold authority in sanctioning and presiding over the graduation of otome. They also are tasked with policing ancient technology to keep them from being abused and their authority is considered above other otome and on par with the authority of various national leaders. They are numbered #1 to #5 which has no relevance to their actual rank, they appear roughly equal though excluding Gakuenchou Natsuki work independently across Earl. The Five Columns are:
 * 1) Sara Gallagher (Galacticamarine)
 * 2) Natsuki Kruger (Ice Silver Crystal)
 * 3) Shizuru Viola (Bewitching Smile Amethyst)
 * 4) Juliet Nao Zhang (Break String Spinel)
 * 5) Mahya Blythe (Swirling Dance Fluorite)

Nao is selected as the fourth Column during the events of the anime. It is unknown who previously held the title nor what caused her to abandon it.

Shinso
A Shinso is a deceased Otome who gave birth prior to her death, acting as the source of pre-Meister GEMs. Prior to the events of My-Otome, the only Shinso was Fumi Himeno, the first Otome, whose body was sealed inside Garderobe Academy. Fumi acted as the master to the Five Columns, faculty members and to Garderobe students. A separate back-up system is also built after Nagi's coup that allows otomes linked to the Shinso system to materialize for a few minutes before it breaks down.

During My-Otome, Schwarz creates their own Shinso from the remains of Lena Sayers to power their Valkyries into a tower on Fuka Castle in Windbloom. It emitted an intravenous wave that disrupted the Otome's GEM link dematerializing their robes and also mounted a large cannon powerful enough to deflect Natsuki's cannon blast.

The Shinso system differs slightly in the manga, it is expanded as the system that assists all Otome across Earl. Unlike the anime version the Shinso is also still conscious and continually talks to judges Otome personally through various automated statues that resemble themselves. The first Shinso is Fumi Himeno and then Lena Sayers who is still alive in the manga, the Shinso also do not need to be dead prior to integration but loses their physical form after. Another notable difference is that a large status of themselves appears on top of the Shinso Shrine.

Valkyrie
The Valkyries were Meister-level Otome created by Schwarz. Their master was Rena Sayers, Schwarz's Shinso. They used identical black Robes and GEMs, which were referred to as the Obsidians of the Darkness (呪詛の黒曜石 Juso no Kokuyōseki) and apparently modeled after the technology Schwarz used to summon SLAVEs. The Valkyries carried halberds as their Elements and could transform into fighters for speed and agility. In this mode, a team of Valkyries could perform a powerful attack known as the Dance of the Valhalla.

The Valkyries lost their Robes when Rena's body was destroyed for good by Arika Yumemiya, her daughter.

The name "Valkyrie" is a reference to My-HiME, where the Searrs foundation referred to the HiMEs as the Valkyries.

Administar (Guiding Star)
The Guiding Star, as it is known in legends, appears as a blue dot in the sky next to Earl's moon.

Legends said that when the Guiding Star turned red, all Otome would be released from their contracts. In the final episode, Miyu fulfills the prophecy by connecting to the Administar from underwater ruins (resembling Fuka Academy from My-HiME) and reprogramming it, effectively substituting each Otome's master with the Administar itself. When she does this, the star indeed turns red and the moon changes its coloring as well, although it later reverts to its original state.

Surrogate System
The Surrogate System is the temporary system which takes place if the Fumi System is down. The surrogate system is also an one-hour contract.

Unknown Entity
This is an entity with the ability to copy and petrify anything it's laser comes in contact with. The only origin of this is the asteroid, Thron 1, impacted by Arika Yumemiya. Arika used the Sword of Akatsuki instead of Rena's Bolt from the Blue. Since Arika came in contact with the asteroid itself, it originally appears in her form. After attacking Garderobe the creature is usually seen in a form resembling Fumi Himeno, it likely also possesses the ability to change into the forms of Miyu, Shizuru Viola, Maria Graceburt, Haruka Armitage and Juliet Nao Zhang.

MAID
Multi-purpose Assistant-type Independent Droid. A series of robots based on Miyu that are being developed in Aries.

Beautiful Power (Miryoku)
Miryoku is the name for special attacks used by Otome. Miryoku come in multiple varieties; some are used individually (such as Arika's Super Blue Comet) while others are performed in groups (such as Trinity Lover Strike, performed by Arika, Nina, and Erstin in chapter 43). Unlike the special attacks performed by some Otome in the anime (like Arika's Bolt from the Blue), Miryoku are not usually bound to specific GEMs, but rather to characteristics of the performing Otome; for example, Bust Impact, used commonly by Erstin, is an attack with a magnitude that varies directly with the user's bust size, and can only be performed by Otome with breasts F-cup or larger as is stated that a previous busty Otome could also use it.