This poses a dilemma. Either the six survivors could wait out their lives alone, or they could make the best of their situation and clone themselves to build a population for this barren planet. The latter is the decision that is made, and three centuries later countries have formed, filled with men. The more wealthy of the citizens have androids called "marionettes" do their work for them. Marionettes are made to look like the human females, and are quite limited for the most part in their abilities and interactions with humans. Saber Marionette J begins with the story of a poor boy named Otaru Mamiya and his encounter with a marionette named Lime who is unlike any other he has ever seen. She behaves and expresses herself no differently from a human.