Mao Otoha is a first-year student at Seirei Private High School. From a young age she studied classical ballet and developed enough proficiency to win prizes in competitions. Her everyday life changes when Meisa Hinata, the original user of the top idol avatar Hana in the virtual world known as Aikatsu Planet, suddenly disappears. Mao is asked to take over as Hana, and she agrees, keeping her dual identity a secret from everyone around her. The avatar Hana was originally created by Izumi Watanuki, and before Mao took it over the character was known as a lone wolf and an unapproachable idol, but under Mao the avatar becomes much more sociable and approachable. In personality Mao is bright, honest, and active, with a sincere willingness to give her best effort to any new challenge. She is cheerful and straightforward in her interactions. Her motivation to become a top idol is not driven purely by ambition; she wants to achieve that goal alongside her close friends. She values her relationships deeply and draws strength from them. Her closest bond is with her childhood friend Shiori Motoya, whom she has known since elementary school and with whom she spends much of her time. She also forms strong ties with the model Ruli Tamaki and the senior idol Kyoko Umekoji, and together the four of them aim to rise to the top of the idol world. Over the course of the story Mao undergoes significant development. She starts out trying to maintain the secret of her identity, but as the narrative progresses she decides to reveal the truth and commit openly to her dream of becoming a top idol. This decision marks a turning point in her confidence and clarity of purpose. In the later stages of the series she competes in the Planet Princess Grand Prix and wins the title after an intense battle against Rose, the avatar of Meisa Hinata. After her victory she opens her own cafe called Bloomy Cafe and continues her idol activities, eventually advancing to her second year of high school and organizing a major gratitude event for those who supported her. In terms of notable abilities, Mao is a naturally gifted dancer thanks to her classical ballet foundation. As Hana she uses swing cards to equip dresses infused with the power of Dressia, allowing her to participate in high-stakes stage battles against rivals. Her preferred swing type is Fairy, which was originally classified as Flower in earlier iterations, and her key Dressia is Aurora Pegasus.