Maya Tendō is a second-year student and head of the 99th graduating class in Seisho Music Academy's Actor Training Department. Born to a renowned stage actor father and prima donna mother, her theater-immersed upbringing instilled a drive to pursue "position zero"—the center stage spotlight—and shaped her belief that existence is validated through performance. Her training includes classical ballet since 2005, modern dance and jazz dance from 2006, vocal music and flute starting in 2007, violin since 2008, and equestrianism added in 2014. She attended Shōyō Private Junior High School and gained professional stage experience as Little Cosette in Higashimatsu Musical's *Les Misérables* (2014), Jeanne in *The Umbrellas of Pont Neuf* (2016), Puck in Seasons Theater Troupe's *A Midsummer Night's Dream* (2016), and Grace in Hokokudo Musical's *Naked* (2017). Maya has thigh-length brown hair typically styled in a half ponytail with two framing strands, royal purple eyes, and a theater-projected voice. She wears Seisho's gray blazer uniform with a red ribbon tie, a red button-up dress casually, a blue leotard for practice, and an elaborate revue costume comprising a black jacket with gold accents, gray knife-pleated skirt, and red pelisse. Her revue weapon is a rapier. Reserved yet intensely focused, Maya prioritizes self-improvement despite innate talent, rejecting complacency to pursue higher artistic heights. Her competitive drive surfaces in revues, where she critiques opponents mid-performance. She possesses a large appetite and secretly diets, though Claudine Saijo reassures her about her physique. Privately, she fears ghosts and excels academically except in art—her fever dream-like drawing skills lead her to skip art classes. Claudine Saijo, her primary rival and partner, earns Maya's admiration for passion and work ethic. Their dynamic evolves from one-sided rivalry to mutual respect, highlighted by Maya singing "I had always been looking at you" in their duet and owning DVDs of Claudine's childhood performances. Koharu Yanagi views Maya as a "destined partner" after witnessing her collaborative stage presence and seeks to surpass her. With classmates like Futaba Isurugi, Maya demonstrates collaboration, analyzing the Tamamo-no-Mae role by blending ghost-story traditions with action interpretations. Across media, Maya's portrayal shifts: the stage play depicts her as self-centered and distant, engaging Claudine boastfully and culminating in a hysterical stab during a performance. The anime and movie show gradual softening after losing the top star position to Karen Aijo and Hikari Kagura. This defeat reduces her untouchability, making her more approachable; she comforts Claudine post-loss and joins group activities, though subtle visual framing implies lingering distance. In her final Seisho year, she applies to the elite New National Theater Troupe, reflecting unyielding ambition for greater stages. Claudine's path to France's Théâtre du Flamme underscores their impending divergence, complicating their partnership. Post-graduation, Maya joins the New National Theater Troupe under a strict self-training regimen, aligning with her challenge-seeking ethos. Claudine's absence marks a new phase of independence.