Anima

+Anima (+ア二マ) are humans who possess animal-like abilities known as an Anima (ア二マ), although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. They are able to partially, or in some cases fully, transform into a particular animal.

Markings
Each +Anima has a symbol or birthmark-like etching on their bodies, indicating and relating to what Anima-Spirit lives within them; for example winged +Anima have two marks where their wings grow from, and fish +Anima have markings on their necks which symbolize gills.

Metamorphosis
The ability to fully transform into an animal is called +Anima Metamorphosis (ア二マ完全変身). This is considered a particularly powerful skill, with few +Anima able to use it.

Cultural Roles
Different cultures hold +Anima in different regards.

Astaria
In Astaria, knowledge of +Anima is few and far between, and as such the people typically think of +Anima as something strange, dangerous and scary, so within Astaria +Anima are considered outcasts.

Sailand
The people of Sailand treat +Anima as less than human, so they are sold into slavery. Even associating with +Anima is illegal in Sailand, and no-one is safe from the stigma; Myrrha the crown prince fled the country after becoming a +Anima.

Kim-un-kur
The people of Moss Mountain, the Kim-un-kur, treat +Anima very differently to much of the rest of the world. They consider having an Anima to be a great honor and something to be proud of. +Anima rise to high standing within the culture, and this is a point of contention in their relations to other cultures.

Naturally
Obtaining an Anima is exceedingly rare, and typically happens during a near-death experience. The Anima is absorbed through sheer will and need to survive. It is most common for children to become +Anima.

It is also possible for one to transfer their Anima into another, such as Riiya giving his Anima to Senri, or the mad bear Anima Amurui infecting others.

There has only ever been a single recorded case of a person, Cooro, being born as a +Anima.

Artificially
It is possible to implant an Anima into a person making them a +Anima, although this can be unstable. The process has been practiced secretly by Astarian researchers, including Aaron Newt and Fly Greena Aight, for a long but uncertain amount of time.

Losing an Anima
A person will lose their Anima when they no longer need it. For those who gained their Anima as children, they will typically lose it around the age of maturity, when they find it easier to integrate into society and live a normal life; some will keep their Anima for longer, but it is dependent on the person. The Kim-un-kur are an exception to this, since Anima are an integral part of their culture, their Anima tend to stay with them for their entire lives.

Since those who receive their Anima artificially are typically unstable, the Anima can leave them at any time, and sometimes at inconvenient times leading to serious or even fatal injuries.