Ahiru

Grew Up... a duck. And as a duck – and not even one that could talk! – Ahiru didn't have a huge role in the fairytale town where she was born. But when Drosselmeyer, the author of The Prince and the Raven, sees Ahiru pitying now-heartless prince Mytho, he decides spice his story up: by turning Ahiru into not only a girl, but also one with the ability to transform into the mythical Princess Tutu.

Living... at Gold Crown Academy, where she's a ballet student. Animals can attend Gold Crown, with Ahiru's ballet teacher himself being a cat, but they have to be able to talk first – something Ahiru can't do unless she's wearing a pendant that allows her to be human.

Profession... ballet student, though not a good one. Drosselmeyer may have turned this clumsy duckling into a girl, but he didn't turn her into a swan: Ahiru has all the grace of a duck, along with an unfortunate tendency to quack when she's overexcited. As Princess Tutu, she's much more graceful, but that doesn't carry over into ballet classes.

Interests... ballet, fairytales, and aiding others. As a duck stuck inside a fairytale – and especially now that she's living one as Princess Tutu – Ahiru is curious to learn about the world around her, especially since author Drosselmeyer seems awfully fond of tragedies...

Relationship Status... single, but pining. Ahiru clearly loves Mytho, but two things stand in the way of a relationship. First, Mytho's already involved with Rue, Gold Crown's star ballerina and Ahiru's close friend. Second, according to legend, when Princess Tutu confesses her love to the Prince, she will become a speck of light and vanish – forever.

Challenge... returning Mytho's heart to him. As Princess Tutu, Ahiru wanders trying to find the shards of Mytho's shattered heart and return them – and their associated emotions – to the heartless prince. But not all emotions are positive ones, and while Ahiru may have good intentions, she's less equipped to deal with a sad or afraid Mytho. As she tearfully says:  "I just wanted to make him smile!"

Personality... ditzy and clumsy, but also compassionate and determined. Duck, girl, and legend – Ahiru's multiple identities confuse even herself at times, and she often wonders which of them is truly her. Her kindness, however, remains consistent throughout her forms, and as Ahiru herself says, "my feelings are my own!"