TV-Series
Description
May is a cyberdoll, designated model G-99(D)-JPS, created by the Cyberdyne Corporation. She arrives at the apartment of the engineering student Kazuya Saotome after he accidentally places an order for a cyberdoll while attempting to repair his computer, which had been infected with a virus planted by his rival Kotaro Nanbara. Initially, May is only twelve inches tall, roughly one-sixth the size of a normal human, and is intended to serve as a robotic maid.
In terms of personality, May is innocent, cheerful, and often childish or naive. Despite her simple demeanor, she displays surprising insight and emotional sensitivity, always striving to understand and respond to Kazuya's feelings, likes, and needs. She is deeply loyal and devoted to Kazuya, seeing him as her master and later as someone she cares for romantically. Her primary motivation is to be useful to him and to remain by his side, though she also develops a desire to protect him and the other people she comes to care about. May's maid program evolves over time, making her behavior increasingly human-like and granting her resistance to a retro-cybervirus that threatens other cyberdolls.
May's role in the story is central as the titular character. Her arrival triggers the main conflict: Nanbara and the Cyberdyne Corporation attempt to repossess her because Kazuya cannot pay for her. She is the focus of the romantic and comedic tensions among the cast, and her gradual development from a simple programmable doll into a more autonomous being drives the later narrative. She also becomes embroiled in a larger plot involving a time-traveler and a dangerous virus.
Key relationships define her journey. Kazuya is her owner and primary emotional anchor; she feels strong affection for him and often competes for his attention with his human friend Kasumi Tani, who is also interested in him. The other cyberdolls dispatched to retrieve May—Sara, Rena, Kei, and Mami—initially oppose her but eventually become allies and friends. Nanbara serves as an antagonist early on, though he later develops an infatuation with May after she is upgraded.
May undergoes significant character development. She begins as a small, obedient machine limited to simple commands and household tasks. After Kazuya is forced to return her, a mysterious figure known as Cyber-X upgrades her to a full-size, seventeen-year-old appearance, granting her greater mobility and a more expressive emotional range. Later, when a virus threatens all cyberdolls, May volunteers to be infected so that a cure can be developed, demonstrating selflessness and courage. Her personality is further explored in an OVA episode where an accident splits her consciousness among five miniature copies, each embodying a distinct aspect of her character.
May possesses several notable abilities. As a cyberdoll, she can control traffic lights and simple electronic devices, and she can connect to personal computers to exchange data. Her small size allows her to perform tasks in tight spaces and often creates comedic situations. After her upgrade, she gains human proportions and can interact with the world on equal footing. Her evolved maid program grants her immunity to the retro-cybervirus, making her unique among the cyberdolls. By the end of the series, it is stated that she has the capacity to give birth, further blurring the line between machine and human.
In terms of personality, May is innocent, cheerful, and often childish or naive. Despite her simple demeanor, she displays surprising insight and emotional sensitivity, always striving to understand and respond to Kazuya's feelings, likes, and needs. She is deeply loyal and devoted to Kazuya, seeing him as her master and later as someone she cares for romantically. Her primary motivation is to be useful to him and to remain by his side, though she also develops a desire to protect him and the other people she comes to care about. May's maid program evolves over time, making her behavior increasingly human-like and granting her resistance to a retro-cybervirus that threatens other cyberdolls.
May's role in the story is central as the titular character. Her arrival triggers the main conflict: Nanbara and the Cyberdyne Corporation attempt to repossess her because Kazuya cannot pay for her. She is the focus of the romantic and comedic tensions among the cast, and her gradual development from a simple programmable doll into a more autonomous being drives the later narrative. She also becomes embroiled in a larger plot involving a time-traveler and a dangerous virus.
Key relationships define her journey. Kazuya is her owner and primary emotional anchor; she feels strong affection for him and often competes for his attention with his human friend Kasumi Tani, who is also interested in him. The other cyberdolls dispatched to retrieve May—Sara, Rena, Kei, and Mami—initially oppose her but eventually become allies and friends. Nanbara serves as an antagonist early on, though he later develops an infatuation with May after she is upgraded.
May undergoes significant character development. She begins as a small, obedient machine limited to simple commands and household tasks. After Kazuya is forced to return her, a mysterious figure known as Cyber-X upgrades her to a full-size, seventeen-year-old appearance, granting her greater mobility and a more expressive emotional range. Later, when a virus threatens all cyberdolls, May volunteers to be infected so that a cure can be developed, demonstrating selflessness and courage. Her personality is further explored in an OVA episode where an accident splits her consciousness among five miniature copies, each embodying a distinct aspect of her character.
May possesses several notable abilities. As a cyberdoll, she can control traffic lights and simple electronic devices, and she can connect to personal computers to exchange data. Her small size allows her to perform tasks in tight spaces and often creates comedic situations. After her upgrade, she gains human proportions and can interact with the world on equal footing. Her evolved maid program grants her immunity to the retro-cybervirus, making her unique among the cyberdolls. By the end of the series, it is stated that she has the capacity to give birth, further blurring the line between machine and human.