Ojou-Sama Characters in Anime: Everything You Need to Know

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A complete guide to ojous and how they’re portrayed in pop culture
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The ojou-sama trope is used in anime to refer to young ladies of high status who are often strong-willed and commanding. The trope reaches across all different types of media and the term ojou-sama multiple meanings in Japan. In this article, we break down the ojou-sama trope, the different meanings of the phrase, and give examples of characters who fall under the trope in anime, manga, movies, and more!

What is an ojou-sama in anime?

In anime, an ojou-sama is a wealthy, high class young woman who is treated like royalty by other characters. There are multiple types of ojou-sama characters, but they are typically powerful young women who thrive because of their status. Ojou-sama is a formal Japanese word that translates to young lady.

Section 1 of 7:

The Ojou-Sama in Anime

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  1. The ojou-sama (pronounced o-joe sa-ma) character trope is typically characterized by thriving women with powerful personalities. Ojou sama characters tend to be strong and commanding, have long blonde hair, hime cuts , and are often polite, refined, and naive. There are usually three different subtypes of ojou sama characters–the “proper lady,” the “ice queen,” and the “royal brat.” [1]
    • Ojou sama characters often display integrity, dedication, and loyalty. Some are even willing to put their lives on the line for causes they believe in.
    • They usually pose with their hand curled in front of their mouth.
    • In Japanese, ojou sama is a formal word that translates to young lady.
    • Ojou sama is extremely honorific in Japanese culture, with the “o” prefix and “sama” suffix denoting high respect.
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Section 2 of 7:

Ojou-Sama Characteristics and Personality

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  1. Ojou sama characters are usually loved by others due to their wealth and status, with some even having entire entourages willing to defend them at any moment. At the same time, they are usually depicted as polite, refined, and naive. Along with their aristocratic charm, they often display integrity, dedication, and loyalty. Some are even willing to put their lives on the line for causes they believe in. [2]
    • Due to their royal treatment, some ojou-sama characters tend to believe they’re above others. This often results in personalities that range from cute and endearing to rude and mean.
    • Ojou-sama characters are known for their high-pitched “ho ho ho” laugh.
    • Ojou-sama characters tend to command others and boss people around.
Section 3 of 7:

Ojou-Sama Appearance

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  1. Ojou-samas in anime tend to have an elegant and commanding presence. They often sport long blonde hair, and hime cuts . Their hair is often drilled, which means they have ringlets that make their hair look like drills spiraling downward. Younger ojou-sama characters typically wear light-colored, frilly clothing, while older ojou-samas tend to wear straight, collared clothing.
    • Some ojou-sama characters wear ribbons and accessories, while others opt for a clean, simple look.
    • They’re known for posing with a hand curled in front of their mouth.
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Section 4 of 7:

Ojou-Sama Subtypes

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  1. Ojou-sama characters are usually loved by others due to their wealth and status, with some even having entire entourages willing to defend them at any moment. While ojou-sama characters tend to have strong, commanding personalities, the specific characteristics depend on the subtype of ojou-sama they fall under. [3]
    • The proper lady tends to be portrayed as the perfect woman. She is usually gentle, but has an inner strength that keeps her secure. She often has incorruptible morals and is portrayed as pure. She may be a bit unaware of how the world works, but that doesn’t dissuade her kindness.This is similar to how the characters are portrayed in Sailor Moon .
    • The ice queen is a woman who tends to have a cold heart and demeanor. She often takes the role of the antagonist due to her cold heart and demeanor. She is usually considered hard to love since she doesn’t love back, often has low enthusiasm when it comes to helping others, and tends to have no qualms about not being liked by people.
    • The royal brat is usually young, rich, and immature. She also tends to be demanding and boisterous. Since they tend to grow up surrounded by wealth and people at their service, royal brat characters often have little wisdom about the world and usually expect other people to bend to their whim. Think of characters like Bulma from Dragon Ball Z .
Section 5 of 7:

Examples of Ojou-Samas

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  1. Ojou sama characters are all over anime and manga. Think of your favorite dominant rich character, like Bulma, Videl, or Chi-Chi from Dragon Ball Z . Other examples of ojou sama characters in anime and manga include: [4]
    • Lady Tsunade from Naruto is the definition of ojou sama. She’s considered a princess since her grandfather is the First Hokage (the first village leader) and even holds the title of Fifth Hokage later in the series. So the village is naturally at her service. She also has the commanding personality to match, always standing up for herself and the people of the Hidden Leaf Village.
    • Chiyo Mihama from Azumanga Daioh isn’t a princess, but she still fits the ojou sama trope due to her status as a child prodigy. She even skipped up to the 10th grade as a child and is still at the top of her class. She is loved by her classmates, who sometimes use her tremendous intellect for their advantage. [5]
    • Tomoko Okano from Otoko Ippiki Gaki Daishou is beloved by others and is often served by them. She is one of the earlier ojou-sama characters, as Otoko Ippiki Gaki Daishou originally aired in 1969. [6]
    • Cynthia “Cindy” McDougal from the manga A.I. Love You is the daughter of IBN’s CEO. She left her mother’s home because of her poor relationship with her father. She frequently attracts guys because of her looks and status.
  2. Many video games follow a save-the-princess format, where you have to go on a quest to save a princess who has been captured. Although characters tend to fall into the damsel-in-distress trope, just as many have strong traits that make them fall under the ojou-sama trope. Those characters include:
    • Princess Peach from Super Mario Brothers is a prominent ojou-sama character. The Mushroom Kingdom literally is fiercely loyal to her, she has all the riches in the world, is strong-willed, and moves with the expected poise of a princess. [7]
    • Emilie “Lili” de Rochefort from Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection is the daughter of the ultra-rich oil tycoon Mr. Rochefort. Her life tends to be free of struggle, which is shown with how much time she spends in her mansion with her butler. She tends to be graceful throughout the game. [8]
    • Karin Kanzuki from Street Fighter is the hot-spirited daughter of Daigenjuro Kanzuki, the head of the Kanzuki family, and Nadeshiko Kanzuki. Her father is strict and tends to push her to do her best, as she is the heir to the Kanzuki family fortune. [9]
    • Yai Ayano from Mega Man Battle Network is the genius daughter of AyanoTech's wealthy CEO. She tends to be entitled with little patience or understanding of the world. [10]
  3. Live-action television shows are no stranger to the ojou-sama trope. Even though it’s most prominent in anime and manga, many characters shown in live-action shows and movies are textbook ojou-samas, including:
    • Although Princess Leia from the Star Wars films is the biological daughter of Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala, she was adopted by Alderaan’s royal family. She was trained to become the queen at a young age, so she’s used to ruling over others with strength and grace. [11]
    • Princess Ahim de Famille from the TV show Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger is the final member of the planet Famille’s royal family. She was born into royalty, but when her planet was destroyed by the space empire Zangyack, she vowed to get revenge and became a Gokaiger (Japan’s version of Power Rangers).
    • Lana Lang from the TV show Smallville isn’t a princess, but she’s still the talk of the town. She’s a strong-willed cheerleader at Smallville High who’s beloved by her classmates. She starts as just another cheerleader, but develops after she quits the sport and goes on adventures with Clark Kent, who would later become Superman. [12]
    • Lady Morgana from the TV show Merlin is the daughter of Uther Pendragon, the King of Camelot. She is initially kind-hearted, but becomes cold and ruthless after she’s betrayed by Merlin. She turns on her family and friends and vows to take over Camelot, no matter the cost.
  4. Although it doesn’t appear as frequently as it does in anime, manga, movies, and video games, ojou-sama is still a popular trope in books and music. Some examples include:
    • Hillary Thorpe from the novel The Nine Tailors is the daughter of Henry Thorpe and Lady Thorpe. She was once an heir to their fortune but loses it all thanks to a house guest. After the death of her parents, she is taken in by Lord Peter Wimsey, who mentors her and shows her his ways. [13]
    • Sara Crewe is the main protagonist in the novel A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett . She is a wealthy transfer student who has to adapt to a new life at a boarding school. She once lived in luxury, but has to learn the values of hard work, remaining curious and imaginative in the process. [14]
    • Yao Mulan is the protagonist of the novel Moment in Peking and the daughter of the wealthy Mulan family. [15] She is kidnapped during the Boxer Rebellion, which was an uprising aimed to take down the foreign imperialist powers, and sold to a human trafficking group. [16]
    • The song Daughter of Evil by Kagamine Rin tells the story of a young, mean princess who revels in her riches and demands loyalty and service from those around her. She even uses her power to decimate the village of someone who her crush is attracted to. [17]
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Section 6 of 7:

Why do people love the ojou-sama trope?

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  1. The strong personalities of the ojou-samas tend to contrast how noble people act in real life. Rather than being subdued and reserved, ojou-samas are confident, boisterous, and over-the-top. This powerful personality is one of the main reasons why people love the ojou-sama trope, as it makes for comedic, exciting situations. [18]
Section 7 of 7:

Final Thoughts

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  1. Across the anime community, ojou-samas are beloved for their personalities. The love is so strong that ojou-samas have become a mainstay in video games, literature, and media across the world. They hold high-status and are commanding and polite, yet naive and out-of-touch, making for exciting, comedic moments whenever they’re on screen.
    • Ojou-sama characters are a phenomenon across the world, with characters like Pacifica Northwest from the American television show Gravity Falls being a great example.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.japanesewithanime.com/2018/05/ojousama.html
      2. ↑ https://www.japanesewithanime.com/2018/05/ojousama.html#personality-ojousama
      3. ↑ https://www.japanesewithanime.com/2018/05/ojousama.html#personality-ojousama
      4. ↑ https://www.thegamer.com/dragon-ball-things-about-chi-chi-that-make-no-sense/
      5. ↑ https://myanimelist.net/character/247/Chiyo_Mihama
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/tTt5_Q5Gdeg?t=181
      7. ↑ https://www.thegamer.com/super-mario-princess-peach-backstory-explained/
      8. ↑ https://www.ign.com/wikis/tekken-tag-tournament-2/Lili
      9. ↑ https://www.cbr.com/street-fighter-characters-power-rangers-chun-li/1000/
      1. ↑ https://www.absoluteanime.com/megaman_nt_warrior/yai
      2. ↑ https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/star-wars-leia-facts/
      3. ↑ https://collider.com/kristin-kreuk-smallville-exit-explained/
      4. ↑ https://bobonbooks.com/2016/02/26/review-the-nine-tailors/
      5. ↑ https://greenishbookshelf.com/2024/01/10/a-little-princess-a-review/
      6. ↑ https://time.com/archive/6762181/books-big-little-talk/
      7. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/event/Boxer-Rebellion
      8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q46Osg9C4pA
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/aZPlwuzHt98?si=ci7Y7gQpn4n41KDq&t=370

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