TV-Series
Description
Juliet Nao Zhang is a character who originates from the nation of Artai. She is brought to the prestigious Garderobe Academy after being scouted by Sergey Wáng, with her tuition funded by the Artai government. At the academy, she holds the rank of a Pearl Otome, initially positioned as the number four student in her class. She dislikes her Western-sounding first name and strongly prefers to be called by her middle name, Nao.
In terms of personality, Nao is mischievous, clever, and enjoys teasing others, a trait that stands in contrast to the darker personality of her counterpart from the related series My-HiME. She is often sardonic and enjoys provoking her fellow students, with Shiho Huit being a frequent target of her sharp comments, particularly due to Shiho's distinctive curled hairstyle. Despite her troublemaking nature, she shows a caring side and acts as a big sister figure to younger students, offering them guidance on adult life, even if her advice is sometimes questionable. Nao is highly capable and skilled as an Otome, but she deliberately holds back to avoid being promoted to the elite Trias group, as she prefers a life free from heavy responsibility.
Nao’s primary motivation contrasts sharply with the ideals of a traditional Otome. She frequently states that her goal in life is not to serve a master or a nation, but to find a wealthy man and live a life of comfort and leisure. To earn money, she is not above engaging in small-scale schemes, such as selling candid photos of her classmates. She often skips her duties at the academy to spend time in the nearby city of Windbloom, where she leads a street gang known as the Stripes. Unlike her selfish personal goals, the gang, which amusingly consists of men she victimized in her previous incarnation, appears to operate for good causes, such as protecting younger students from harm and punishing criminals.
Nao serves as an upperclassman and room attendant to the protagonist Arika Yumemiya, as well as to her fellow Artai native Nina Wáng. Her relationship with Natsuki Kruger is notable; while they are allies, Nao retains a playful rivalry with Natsuki and enjoys teasing her, a dynamic that is significantly lighter and less antagonistic than in their previous incarnations. She has a close but somewhat enigmatic relationship with her street gang, for whom she acts as the leader.
Nao’s role in the story evolves significantly when she is reluctantly chosen to become the Fourth Column, a prestigious and powerful Meister Otome serving directly under the founder of Garderobe, Fumi Himeno. This appointment forces her to abandon her plans for an easy life. In this new role, she is given the GEM known as the Break String Spinel, or Wired Spinel. During the conflict with Nagi, Nao does not side with him but instead uses her position to work alongside the other Columns, including Natsuki and Shizuru Viola, to liberate Garderobe.
Throughout the series, Nao demonstrates considerable development. She transitions from a self-serving student trying to avoid work to a dedicated Meister Otome who accepts her responsibilities. She proves her loyalty by fighting to protect the academy and, in the OVA series My-Otome Zwei, she makes a significant sacrifice. She accompanies Nina Wáng on an expedition to the ruins of Artai, where she uses her abilities to restrain a powerful enemy, resulting in her being turned to stone.
As an Otome, Nao possesses notable abilities in combat. Even as a Pearl, her Element is unique, taking the form of a standard staff that can split into nearly a dozen razor-sharp, glowing red wires. She has masterful control over these threads, which are capable of cutting through steel and are used to slice opponents from a distance. In her Meister Robe as a Column, her Element changes to a large, powerful claw on her right hand, which reflects the design of her Child, Julia, from the My-HiME series. Her special attack with this robe is called the Bloody Stripe Circus. She is also known for being resourceful and prepared, carrying various practical tools and weapons on her person even when not in her combat robe.
In terms of personality, Nao is mischievous, clever, and enjoys teasing others, a trait that stands in contrast to the darker personality of her counterpart from the related series My-HiME. She is often sardonic and enjoys provoking her fellow students, with Shiho Huit being a frequent target of her sharp comments, particularly due to Shiho's distinctive curled hairstyle. Despite her troublemaking nature, she shows a caring side and acts as a big sister figure to younger students, offering them guidance on adult life, even if her advice is sometimes questionable. Nao is highly capable and skilled as an Otome, but she deliberately holds back to avoid being promoted to the elite Trias group, as she prefers a life free from heavy responsibility.
Nao’s primary motivation contrasts sharply with the ideals of a traditional Otome. She frequently states that her goal in life is not to serve a master or a nation, but to find a wealthy man and live a life of comfort and leisure. To earn money, she is not above engaging in small-scale schemes, such as selling candid photos of her classmates. She often skips her duties at the academy to spend time in the nearby city of Windbloom, where she leads a street gang known as the Stripes. Unlike her selfish personal goals, the gang, which amusingly consists of men she victimized in her previous incarnation, appears to operate for good causes, such as protecting younger students from harm and punishing criminals.
Nao serves as an upperclassman and room attendant to the protagonist Arika Yumemiya, as well as to her fellow Artai native Nina Wáng. Her relationship with Natsuki Kruger is notable; while they are allies, Nao retains a playful rivalry with Natsuki and enjoys teasing her, a dynamic that is significantly lighter and less antagonistic than in their previous incarnations. She has a close but somewhat enigmatic relationship with her street gang, for whom she acts as the leader.
Nao’s role in the story evolves significantly when she is reluctantly chosen to become the Fourth Column, a prestigious and powerful Meister Otome serving directly under the founder of Garderobe, Fumi Himeno. This appointment forces her to abandon her plans for an easy life. In this new role, she is given the GEM known as the Break String Spinel, or Wired Spinel. During the conflict with Nagi, Nao does not side with him but instead uses her position to work alongside the other Columns, including Natsuki and Shizuru Viola, to liberate Garderobe.
Throughout the series, Nao demonstrates considerable development. She transitions from a self-serving student trying to avoid work to a dedicated Meister Otome who accepts her responsibilities. She proves her loyalty by fighting to protect the academy and, in the OVA series My-Otome Zwei, she makes a significant sacrifice. She accompanies Nina Wáng on an expedition to the ruins of Artai, where she uses her abilities to restrain a powerful enemy, resulting in her being turned to stone.
As an Otome, Nao possesses notable abilities in combat. Even as a Pearl, her Element is unique, taking the form of a standard staff that can split into nearly a dozen razor-sharp, glowing red wires. She has masterful control over these threads, which are capable of cutting through steel and are used to slice opponents from a distance. In her Meister Robe as a Column, her Element changes to a large, powerful claw on her right hand, which reflects the design of her Child, Julia, from the My-HiME series. Her special attack with this robe is called the Bloody Stripe Circus. She is also known for being resourceful and prepared, carrying various practical tools and weapons on her person even when not in her combat robe.