The mysterious woman who gifts young Tetsurou his ticket aboard the Galaxy Express 999, Maetel is as beautiful as she is wise. Throughout their journey, she offers unwavering support and guidance to Tetsurou. Known for her tranquil and nurturing demeanor, Maetel also possesses an enigmatic aura and shows no hesitation in defending herself or those under her protection from harm.
Maetel holds admiration for individuals with genuine courage and passion but disdains bravado, arrogance, and anger, viewing them as self-destructive traits. She strongly opposes actions taken solely for self-preservation and encourages people like her companion, Tetsuro Hoshino, to adopt a more insightful perspective towards others.
In her youth, Maetel already valued true strength, opposing her mother's plan to transform everyone on La Metal into androids. Despite Emeraldas' warnings, she was somewhat naive, eager to reconcile with her mother. Through numerous battles and interactions with Emeraldas, Captain Harlock, and Tochiro Oyama, Maetel evolved into a tough yet compassionate individual, striving to discover the best qualities in people that lead to enlightenment beyond societal norms.
As described by Leiji Matsumoto:
"[Maetel] is the woman who travels alongside an adolescent boy’s dreams. She has traveled with millions, tens of millions of boys so far. In fact, there are as many Maetels as there are boys. That's why she can appear in any story. All boys have encountered Maetel in various forms. The same goes for Antares or Emeraldas or Harlock. They all intersect, and they can each be separate stories on their own. So if you change perspectives, you can create countless stories. Characters like Shadow and Emeraldas, who were girls in their adolescence, have met someone called Maetel in their hearts, from childhood, or during their dream-filled times. It’s a train ride through one’s mind, or the train that travels alongside one. And each person has a different journey...."
(Sources: Anime Interviews: The First Five Years of Animerica, Anime & Manga Monthly, First Printing in 1997. Toki No Wa Wiki)
