Directed by Masakazu Obara and written by Hiroyuki Yoshino, it premiered in Japan on TV Tokyo from September 2004 to March 2005.

[3] The story centers on Mai Tokiha, a seemingly ordinary high-school girl who has recently transferred to the prestigious Fuuka Academy with her younger brother, Takumi.

As they arrive at the Academy, Mai finds herself bound to a Child, a part-spiritual, part-mechanical creature, that can only be summoned and controlled by girls with the HiME mark.

Mai is told that she is one of twelve girls who have the aforementioned mark, and that they must use their powers to protect everyone from Orphans, monstrous creatures with abilities similar to the HiME's Children.

Mai is very reluctant to become involved at first, because of her protective role towards her brother, but the other HiME quickly begin to manifest around her, each with very different motivations and goals for using (or not using) her powers.

As the Orphans become more numerous and aggressive, Mai joins the other HiME's fight against them to protect those around her, including her friends, who are even drawn into the conflict as well.

The series features a group of students and staff at Fuuka Academy, with the emphasis on the female cast.

The main characters are the hardworking, caring Mai Tokiha, the catlike Mikoto Minagi, and the cold beauty Natsuki Kuga.