Tenchi Muyo! (天地無用! Tenchi Muyō!), is an anime and manga series about a boy named Tenchi Masaki and the alien women that love him.
The Original Series, Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki, was a six episode OVA (Original Video Animation or Direct-to-Home Video) series; released in Japan in 1991–92. As its popularity grew, it spurred a seventh episode (also known as the Tenchi Special) and the standalone Mihoshi Special. In 1994, the second OVA series was created and released, featuring episodes 8–13. From 2003 to 2005, a third OVA series was released, with episodes 14–19, centering around the three goddesses introduced in the second OVA series.
Before the popularity of series like Love Hina, Tenchi Muyo! set the benchmark for a series with a milquetoast/meek but kind male lead surrounded by attractive but often bizarre women, an anime subgenre which would later become common. These would be called harem anime.
Tenchi Muyo! was one of the early successes for AIC, the animation company behind it, which went on to create El-Hazard, Battle Athletes, Oh My Goddess!, Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure and many other anime series. The main artist for the series is Kajishima Masaki.
Canon
Series
Summary
The three major series continuities are Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki, Tenchi Universe, and Tenchi in Tokyo. The first series, TM!R, is the original OVA (Original Video Animation) which introduces the core characters. The other two are spin-offs that utilize the same characters, with the addition of Kiyone Makibi, though the backstory is quite different from the original OVAs. The first of the spin-offs was Tenchi Muyo!, TV (also known as Tenchi Universe), in 1995; it is a twenty-six episode TV series that retells the original series differently. This anime was one of few anime to be broadcast on PBS affiliate KTEH San Jose, according to the ANN. Tenchi in Tokyo diverged from the initial concept, and is less popular among Tenchi Muyo diehards.
Tenchi Muyo! OAV series, Kajishima canon
The canon accepted by series creator Kajishima is as follows:
Animation
- Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki OAV 1 (episodes 1-6)
- Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki OAV 1 Special (episode 7)
- Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki OAV 2 (episodes 8-13 + the bonus episode 13.5)
- Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki OAV 3 (episodes 14-19)
- Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki OAV 3 Special (episode 20)
- Tenchi Muyo! Galaxy Police Transporter (aka: "GXP")
Other Materials
- Shin Tenchi Muyo! Jurai (novel, tells of Azusa's life from a boy to the events in episode 13)
- Shin Tenchi Muyo! Yosho (novel, tells of Yosho's life from a boy until he defeats Ryoko on Earth)
- Shin Tenchi Muyo! Washu (novel, tells of Washu's life from when she was found 20,000 years ago through the death of her friend Naja)
- Tenchi Muyo! GXP 01 (novel, novel form of the TV series with very little NB)
- Tenchi Muyo! GXP 02 (novel, 2006 release)
- Various doujinshi from Kajishima
- Various interviews with Kajishima
- The book 101 Questions and Answers of Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Oh-Ki (aka. 101 Secrets)
For more details about these materials, see Tenchi Muyo! FAQ
Tenchi Muyo! OAV series, Hasegawa canon
Naoko Hasegawa, co-writer of the first OAV series, uses a different canon, which includes the following:
Animation
- Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki OAV 1 (episodes 1-6)
- Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki OAV 1 Special (episode 7)
- Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki Galaxy Police Mihoshi's Space Adventure (also known as the Mihoshi Special), though except for the framing sequence, much of the story is an exaggeration by Mihoshi and is not canon as shown
- Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki OAV 2 (episodes 8-13 + the bonus episode 13.5). Note that although Hasegawa did not work on these OAVs, her novels include elements from them such as Azusa.
- Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki Manatsu no Eve (movie 2, known as Daughter of Darkness in English)
Other Materials
- Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki Manatsu no Carnival (radio drama)
- A series of 12 novels by Hasegawa, including the Manatsu no Eve book upon which the movie was based
Hasegawa also worked on the TV series, which includes her characters Kiyone and (in the movies) Achika, but the TV series is not considered to be in the same continuity.
Tenchi Universe
In the TV series (known only as Tenchi Muyo! in Japan) there are no sentient Jurai trees, Ayeka is not related to Katsuhito, and Washu is the person sealed in the cave. Kiyone has a major role in this series.
Animation
- Tenchi Muyo! (Tenchi Universe), 26 episodes
- Tenchi Muyo! In Love (movie 1)
- Tenchi Muyo! In Love 2: Haruka Naru Omoi (movie 3)
Tenchi in Tokyo
Shin Tenchi Muyo! (known as Tenchi in Tokyo in English), in 1997, is yet a third version of the story, but this time centered on Tenchi's high school adventures in Tokyo. It is also a twenty-six episode TV series and many of the main characters had some personality changes. Because it is completely different from the OVAs and first TV series, Tenchi in Tokyo is not as popular among fans.
Animation
- Shin Tenchi Muyo! (26 episodes)
Movies
There are also three movies: Tenchi Muyo in Love!, 1996; Tenchi Muyo: Manatsu no Eve (The Daughter of Darkness), 1997; and Tenchi Muyo in Love 2: Haruka Naru Omoi (Tenchi Forever), 1999.
Movies 1 and 3 are intended to be in, and match with, the Tenchi Universe continuity. Movie 3 concludes the Tenchi Muyo! TV (Universe) series.
The continuity of movie 2 is more complicated. It is written by Naoko Hasegawa, who co-wrote the first OAV series and wrote several Tenchi novels in Japanese; the movie is based on one of her novels.
Movie 2 is sometimes believed to be in Tenchi Universe continuity because of the presence of Kiyone and because Ayeka refers to my brother's tree instead of your tree while speaking to Katsuhito. Neither of these are related to Tenchi Universe; Kiyone is present because she is from Hasegawa's OAV-based novels, and the Ayeka line is a misleading translation. In Japanese, a name or title may be used in some circumstances where English would require a pronoun; saying brother's tree to Katsuhito does not mean that her brother is someone other than him.
Tenchi Muyo in Love 1 (1996)
Tenchi Muyo! in Love was the first Tenchi movie, and takes place within the Universe timeline.
The movie is about how the gang must save Tenchi from utter disappearence by capturing a criminal named Kain, which had traveled back in time to destroy Tenchi's mother, Achika Misaki so that Tenchi isn't born to threaten his conquest of Jurai. In order to save Achika and Tenchi, Tenchi and crew travel back in time to the year of 1970 to protect Achika.
Manatsu no Eve (Midsummer Night's Eve, 1997)
Tenchi Muyo! Manatsu no Eve is the second Tenchi movie.
The movie is about a girl named Mayuka who appears out of nowhere claiming to be Tenchi's daughter. Ryoko and Ayeka are jealous and/or suspicious, Sasami befriends her, Kiyone and Mihoshi are the same, and Washu suspects something. Mayuka turns out to have been created by the demonic villain Yuzuha, who wanted revenge on Yosho because after befriending Yosho as a child she was banished by the Juraians.
Tenchi Muyo! in Love 2: Haruka Naru Omoi (1999)
Tenchi Muyo! in Love 2 is a continuation of the TV series (Universe) and is the last of the movies. The movie takes place after Tenchi Muyo! in Love 1.
After a fight between Ryoko and Ayeka, Tenchi runs into the mountains to be seduced by a beautiful woman and follow her into a tree. He disappears and no one can find him. Six months later, the gang finally gets a clue to where Tenchi can be at and the hunt begins... but something is strange; Tenchi seems older and he seems to have found interest in another woman, named Haruna, and to have forgotten his previous life.
Manga
The Tenchi manga consists of two series, Tenchi Muyo! and Shin Tenchi Muyo! (the shin here means new and has no connection to the second television series, Shin Tenchi Muyo (aka Tenchi in Tokyo)), written by Hitoshi Okuda. They have been released in America as No Need for Tenchi and The All-New Tenchi Muyo!.
Unlike most anime/manga combinations, for Tenchi the anime came first, and the manga is considered unofficial. It is based on OAV series 1 and 2. Since the manga originally began in Japan before the release of OAV 2, the OAV 2 elements are not introduced immediately at the beginning. Because the manga is unofficial, new elements introduced in the manga do not carry over to the anime.
Spin-offs
The first Tenchi spinoff is the Pretty Sammy, the Magical Girl series, a magical girl series where Sasami is the lead character. The first use of Pretty Sammy was in the Tenchi Muyo! Sound File, a Japanese-only music video release. The same animation was used in the ending of the Mihoshi Special. In 1995, a three episode Pretty Sammy OVA series began, where Sasami, who is known as Sasami Kawai, magically becomes Pretty Sammy. The second Pretty Sammy is a TV series (titled in America as Magical Project S), which came out in 1996. This series is a separate continuity from the OAV series. Pretty Sammy also appears in the Mihoshi Special and in an alternate reality sequence in the Tenchi Universe series.
The second is Tenchi Muyo! GXP, which was released in 2001. The series takes place during the Kajishima version of the OVA continuity, directly after the events in the third OVA series, though it was released first. The main character of this twenty-six episode TV series is Seina Yamada, a friend of Tenchi Masaki who accidentally joined the Galaxy Police. Many characters from the Tenchi OAV series make appearances in this series, including the use of Seiryo as a major character and a full-fledged Tenchi Muyo! crossover in episode 17.
Other versions of Tenchi Muyo! are also available as graphic novels, video games and radio dramas.
English Adaptions Distributor History
The manga is published in English in North America by Viz Communications. In Singapore it is published in English by Chuang Yi as No Need for Tenchi!
Pioneer USA (now Geneon Entertainment) has brought out most of the releases in the USA up to 2002. They released the Tenchi OAV series, the Mihoshi Special episode, both of the Tenchi Muyo! television series, and all three of the Tenchi Muyo! movies. Pioneer USA has also distributed the Pretty Sammy spinoff, with both the Pretty Sammy OAV's and Magical Project S TV series. On DVD the Mihoshi Special is released with Pretty Sammy, not with the rest of the Tenchi series.
OVA1 and OVA2 were released on DVD in the UK in 2004.
Funimation Productions licensed the second Tenchi Muyo! spinoff series Tenchi Muyo! GXP for distribution in the United States in 2003, and released it in 2004. FUNimation also licensed the third OAV series and released it on DVD starting July 2005. FUNimation has kept most of the original dub voice cast except for Petrea Burchard, who dubbed Ryoko's voice in the Pioneer releases. She is replaced by Mona Marshall in the GXP and OAV 3 series.
Main Characters
The names are in English order, with the surname after the given name. Their names also involve quite a bit of wordplay. One of the features that a Westerner would most likely miss is that just about all the main characters are both connected to space aliens and are Japanese, instead of foreigners.
- Tenchi Masaki (柾木天地 Masaki Tenchi), the hero of the series and grandson of a Juraian prince named Yosho and a Airaian priestess named Airi. He gains possession of a 'Master Key' called 'Tenchi', otherwise known as Tenchi-ken ('Sword Tenchi' in the English dub), that can form a lightsabre-like blade. He later receives a special ring from Tsunami that can create a Juraian battlesuit for him and acts as a 'Guardian System', protecting him. However, Tenchi also has the innate ability to create kou-ou-yoku ('Light Hawk Wings' or 'Wings of the Light Hawk'). He also has the very special ability of 'material conversion', the ability to convert energy to matter and matter to energy without entropic loss. In the OVA, he initially lives in the city with his father and visits his grandfather's shrine every summer, where he trains to become a Shinto priest and learns his family's special style of swordmanship (which happens to be particular to members of Jurai's Royal Family). However, Ryouko beams the house aboard her ship, while escaping from Ayeka. After it crashes, the house is was permanently relocated in the family right next to his grandfather's shrine. Due to his serious and responsible nature, he is compelled to invite all of the girls live with him in his house. Though they tend to get on his nerves, he would never forsake any of them. However Tenchi feels that he is not ready for a serious relationship, and in fact, to accept any one of the girls is likely to cause the others to leave. He prefers the family-like arrangement they have now.
- Tenchi's name means 'Heaven and Earth'. It is the same as 'Tenchi' in the Shinto Kojiki which contains some Japan's oldest myths and legends.
- In the first TV series, Tenchi Universe, Tenchi is similar in personality to the Tenchi of the OVA, but has no powers beyond the ability to use Tenchi-ken (and, apparently, the blessing of his royal ancestors should he decide to take Jurai's throne). Tenchi-ken is just a weapon and is not a Master Key, probably because there are also no intelligent Royal Trees in the TV series. Tenchi does attend school, but it is a long commute for him because he lives at his family's shrine that is in the mountains.
- In the second TV series, Tenchi in Tokyo, Tenchi is very different. He has no connections to Jurai and the Tenchi-Ken in that series is a Sword created from seven gems which he inhearted from his late mother. Ryoko separated the gems to prevent the Tenchi-Ken from being used against her again. Each of the six girls took six of the gems as a keepsake. Tenchi moved to Tokyo to train as a Shinto Priest under a friend of his Grandfathers. Eventually Tenchi got tired of the girls frequent visits and ordered them never to disturb him again, unaware it is all apart of Yugi's plan to separate the gems. At the end of the series Tenchi finds out that his family are the Planet Guardians whose job is to protect the planet from evil forces when the need arises.
- Tenchi's name means 'Heaven and Earth'. It is the same as 'Tenchi' in the Shinto Kojiki which contains some Japan's oldest myths and legends.
- Ryoko (魎呼 Ryōko), a girl who is in love with Tenchi. In the original OVA series, she is a 5,000 year old wanted criminal resurrected by Tenchi. As a hybrid clone of one of Washu's ovum and Masu ('Mass'), a simple but powerful lifeform, Ryoko has a lot of powers. She also has access to and travels in a spaceship named Ryo-Oh-Ki. In addition, though unbeknownst to Ryoko herself, the three red round jewels that she has are Washu's jewels, which apparently have a connection to the power of Goddess Washu. Currently, Ryoko has only one of these gems, with the other two sealed in the master key, Tenchi-ken. She also enjoys drinking sake and is a bit of a alcoholic. In the OVA she merges with Zero a creation from Dr. Clay, Washu's rival, who had impersonated her. The result is it allows for Ryoko to have more emotional feelings. "Ryōko" is given to mean "spirit caller". While Ryoko is a common girl's name, it can also be given a more explicit reading of "dragon-and-tiger fight", referring to the sex act.
- In both TV series, Ryoko is an infamous space pirate and not related to Washu.
- Ayeka (阿重霞 Aeka, spelled Aeka in Singapore), a princess of Jurai, a particularly powerful and wealthy planet, who has found her way to Earth. She has a Royal Tree named Ryu-Oh and her Key is shaped as a ornament that she always wears. She is also infatuated with Tenchi. Her full name in the OVA is Ayeka Masaki Jurai (柾木阿重霞樹雷 Masaki Aeka Jurai). Ayeka is very formal (which comes across as snootiness), but most of her bad qualities are drawn out by Ryoko. The two constantly bicker, often over who is going to have Tenchi. In the OVA, Ayeka was once engaged to her half-brother Yosho. (In the Juraian Royal Family it is not uncommon to marry a close relative). When she came to live on the earth she found her brother's Royal Tree alive which meant he must still be alive. She eventually found out that Tenchi's grandfather, Katsuhito, is actually her brother, Yosho. Despite that revelation, she recognizes that she is actually in love with Tenchi and has chosen to continue pursuing him instead of her half-brother. The romanization of her name in the Pioneer English subtitles is "Ayeka" instead of "Aeka" to clarify its pronunciation for Western viewers. Her name is believed to be derived from "aekanaru", meaning "frail" or "delicate", which is her usual personality. An old reading of "aeka" is "willowy", or "requiring the assistance of a man". The tree is of course referenced in the "soul of the ship", and further connects to "spring" and the "awakening of sexual desire". In Japanese mythology, the willow tree is known as a "demon repeller", so she is the opposite of Ryōko in this regard as well.
- Sasami (砂沙美 Sasami), a princess of Jurai and Ayeka's little sister. She has a trigger-like key and her Royal Tree is Tsunami-no-ki. She is a sweet soul who does all the cooking, and is often the most reasonable person in the household despite her young age. In the OVA, her full name is Sasami Masaki Jurai (柾木砂沙美樹雷 Masaki Sasami Jurai). Like all the other girls, she is in love with Tenchi. She is Ryo-Oh-Ki's best friend (particularly in 'cabbit' form) and the two are usually found together. In the second Tv Series she is Ryo-Oh-Ki's owner. In the OVA, her very being is intertwined with the original Royal Tree of Jurai, Tsunami-no-ki, due to an accident that happened when she was young — when Sasami reaches adulthood, she will become Tsunami. On some posters, the kanji characters composing her name mean in turn "Sand Beach Beauty". Those shown here represent the colloquial Japanese word which means "little one" or "tyke".
- Washu Hakubi (白眉 鷲羽 Hakubi Washū), Washu, the greatest scientific genius in the universe, is a different character depending on the series. She has a number of innate powers but she rarely uses them, preferring to solve problems with reason or technology that she has designed. In the OVA, she is over 20,000 years old. Also in the OVA, she is the mother of Ryoko, and creator of the Souja and Ryo-Oh-Ki. She constantly tries to get that "last" bit of data from Tenchi, failing usually due to Mihoshi when she enters the lab. Like the other girls, she is in love with Tenchi, despite the difference in their ages, though she disguises it as scientific interest. She is quoted in saying that she will only bear another child if it's Tenchi's. In the OVA, Washu's origin is simple, yet complex — she is in fact an incarnation of one of the three greatest goddesses (the 'Choushin') that govern the universe. Out of all the girls she is the most prudent and doesn't fall into enemy traps as easily as Tenchi or the other girls would. The kanji comprising her name mean "Japanese prisoner" serially, which refers to her original appearance, trapped in Kagato's ship, or when she was trapped in stasis for 700 years in the first TV series. But the name "Washū" is an ancient one for Japan; specifically, the region around Osaka, which recently became a technical center of Japan, also once known as Yamato. Washu's hair is in a form derivative of a certain costume from Noh plays, hair intended to resemble the (usually black) legs and claws of a crab. For her, it's a red crab, because this is a food specialty of Osaka.
- Mihoshi Kuramitsu (九羅密 美星 Kuramitsu Mihoshi) is a Galaxy Police detective. In the OVA, she constantly enters Washu's lab and breaks things, sleeps often, and is the most lucky of the Galaxy Police (though she is also quite competent). Mihoshi is love with Tenchi and thinks that their meeting was fated. In the OVA, in what has to be one of the best examples of "sometimes the apple does fall far from the tree", Mihoshi is actually a direct line descendant of Washu. In the OVA, her Grandfather is the Grand Marshall of the Galaxy Police, which means that she has access to the very best cutting edge technology that the GP has. She has a special custom cruiser controlled by the AI called Yukinojo and a special subspace cube that has many unknown features. Also has a weird form of luck that defies normal probabilities, enabling her to get into places that she should not be able to. Like Sasami she is a cheerful and carefree person. Although she is from another planet, she is one of a character type in Japanese popular fiction, reappearing in other anime: the girl who doesn't have to deal with the troubles of ordinary people, and who just lives in the sun, indicated by her tan. Her blonde hair refers to "the sun in her hair", a similar mark of special status. No antipathy to Westerners is intended by this type. Her name refers to the planet "Venus", but in the Western sense as "Pretty Star", not the Chinese sense of "metal star". In the TV series and movies, Mihoshi is partnered with a woman named Kiyone Makibi.
- Ryo-Ohki (魎皇鬼 Ryō'ōki), the cabbit. Ryo-Ohki is Ryoko's pet in the OVA and the Tenchi Universe series while Ryo-Ohki is Sasami's pet in Tenchi in Tokyo. In the OVA storyline, she was created by Washu using a sample of a creature called Mass along with a dirt sample. In the OVA, when not being used for transport, Ryōko's ship transforms into a cabbit, a cross between a cat and a rabbit. Like her feline half, she is insatiably curious and constantly getting into trouble. Like her rabbit half, she can eat several times her own weight in carrots. In the OVA, Ryo-Ohki prefers to hang out with Sasami rather than Ryōko because Sasami is much nicer to her. Westerners utterly miss the huge build-up in that Ryo-Ohki literally means "Dragon King", and before its first appearance is considered a ruthless criminal ship that Mihoshi is pursuing. Later in the OVA and manga, thanks to an incident involving the raw material she was made from, Ryo-Ohki gains two "cabbit-girl" forms — an adult form and a child form. However she chose to remain with the child form because the adult form is too hard to walk with. The child form is considered unstable where the slightest shock will cause her to revert back to her cabbit form. In Tenchi in Tokyo she can transform into a giant pink mecha-like cabbit robot.
- Noike Kamiki is a character introduced in the third OVA series. She is the adopted daughter of Seto Kamiki Jurai, grandmother of Ayeka and Sasami. She was also at one time both a Galaxy Police Officer, and Mihoshi's partner. She is sent to Earth supposedly after being selected by Seto as Tenchi's fiancée, and soon becomes as much a member of his extended family as the other girls. However, it is quickly revealed that this is only a cover story, and that she is actually there to monitor the situation in the Masaki home; with so many powerful and important people living under one roof, the Juraians are keen to keep a check on them all. Her past is a mysterious one, and she frequently suffers from upsetting dreams or visions of a young girl being rescued by a figure who resembles Tenchi, an event she has no memory of.
- Kiyone Makibi (真備清音 Makibi Kiyone) Kiyone, first appeared in the novels by Naoko Hasegawa, one of the scriptwriters for the first season of Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki OVA. She later appeared in the Tenchi Muyo! special "Galaxy Police Mihoshi's Space Adventure" and later became a staple in the TV series timeline, is Mihoshi's partner. Long-suffering and constantly dragged down by Mihoshi, (Even though she graduated from the Academy with Honors) who gets on Kiyone's nerves more than anyone's. Unlike Mihoshi she is a good detective and does know how to use the Galaxy Police Equipment properly. One thing she has in common with Tenchi is she is also a victim that is forced to live with him and the other girls on earth (In the first TV Series she and Mihoshi move into a low cost apartment because she doesn't want to be a burden on Tenchi). Like the other girls, Kiyone is in love with Tenchi, but too busy with her duty (and keeping Mihoshi in line) to do anything about it. In the second Tv Series her personality is much different than it was in the first Tv Series. Kiyone does not appear in Kajishima's canon — In that continuity Tenchi's mother is named Kiyone and Mihoshi's old partner is Noike.
- Sakuya Kumashiro is a character from the second TV series (Tenchi in Tokyo). Tenchi meets her after he moves to Tokyo to begin his Shinto Priest training. She takes a liking to him which gets on the Tenchi girl's nerves, particually Ryoko and Ayeka. Eventually Tenchi starts to care for her to and they spend a lot of time together. However; Washu, who was the only one not fooled by Yugi's plan suspected that Sakuya might be a part of Yugi's plan whever she knows it or not. Washu is able to analyze Sakuya secretly and discovers she is Yugi's Shadow. Yugi ends up destroying all traces of Sakuya's identity causing all the normal people to forget about her. Shortly afterwards Yugi is successful in reabsorbing Sakuya back into herself and Tenchi was a little late to save her after Washu told him the truth about Sakuya.
Secondary Characters
- Nobuyuki Masaki, Tenchi's father, who is not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Is also a Peeping Tom and tries to encourage Tenchi to be more active towards women. In the OVA's he is a descendant of Yosho (Katsuhito), while in the TV series he is just Katsuhito's son-in-law, although in the first TV series he addresses Katsuhito as father. In the OVA3 series it is revealed that Nobuyuki is living with Reiya, an old friend of the family and, the two of them have moved into an apartment that is in the city (Though he is a minor character in the OVA's only in both of the TV Series however he is more of a support character.)
- Katsuhito Masaki, Tenchi's grandfather (on his mother's side). In the OVA, Katsuhito Masaki, also known as Yosho (Yōshō), fled Jurai over 700 years ago to "retire" on Earth. He was once the greatest swordsman on Jurai. Tenchi's mother died when Tenchi was young. Currently Katsuhito is a Shinto Priest who is not only training Tenchi be a Shinto priest but also the knowledge of his Jurai Swordsmanship skills so Tenchi can be his successor. Yosho was arranged to be married to Ayeka, but left. Since he is half Earthling, it would have caused a controversy on Jurai. Not all Juraians liked the idea of mixed blood heritages and he used Ryoko's attack as an excuse to slip away to Earth. In the OVA, he expected that Ayeka was trying to track him down and arranged for Tenchi to fight Ryoko so that his grandson would go in his place to Jurai. However, he miscalculated and things did not go as planned. In the first TV series he is still known as Yosho and is related to Jurai's royal family, but is not a close relative to Ayeka or Sasami. He is still known as the greatest swordman to have ever lived.
- Azaka and Kamidake, Ayeka's Guardians who serve and protect Ayeka. Though they are not around her all the time they come whenever she needs them. They can generate a barrier that allows them to protect Ayeka and paralyze their target though their powers pale in comparison to the power held by the Royal Trees of Jurai. In the OVA they are minor characters and serve as doorposts to the Masaki home whenever they are not needed. In the first TV series storyline they actually have been downloaded with the personalities of the two legendary Jurai knights to whom they are named after. Near the end of the series the original Azaka and Kamidake are resurrected by Yosho. This is because Yosho knows that they are going to need their help against Kagato. In the second Tv series They have some hidden beam armaments hidden behind their log shells.
- Azusa, the Emperor of Jurai. Only appears in OVA episode 13 and briefly in Tenchi Muyo! GXP episode 25. Azusa is the father of Yosho, Ayeka, and Sasami. He strongly disapproves of Ayeka's interest in Tenchi, and also greatly underestimates Tenchi's abilities. He is the head of House Masaki, though Funaho rules the house while he is on the throne of Jurai.
- Funaho, the First Queen of Jurai. Only appears in OVA episode 13 and briefly in Tenchi Muyo! GXP episode 25. Funaho is Azusa's first wife, and the mother of Yousho. She also serves as Jurai's Minister of Intelligence, and sees right through Yosho's "Katsuhito" disguise. She is a distant descendant of Masaki, the sister of the first ruler of Jurai, but considers herself to be an Earthling.
- Misaki, the Second Queen of Jurai. Only appears in OVA episode 13 and briefly in Tenchi Muyo! GXP episode 25. Misaki is Azusa's second wife, and the mother of Ayeka and Sasami. She possesses immense physical strength, and is the commander of the royal bodyguards. She is from House Kamiki of the Royal Family.
- Nagi, the bounty hunter. She is a character in the first TV series only. In the first TV series, Nagi is a recurring character who is obsessed with capturing the one fugitive to ever elude her: the space pirate Ryoko. Like Ryoko, Nagi has spiky light-blue hair and elongated ears, suggesting that they could be of the same species. However, Nagi has no special powers, and instead must rely on a sword, an energy whip, and her impressive fighting skills in combat. She is known as the best bounty hunter in the universe. At the end of the series she passes on a chance to fight Ryoko because she is badly injured from her previous battle against Kagato. She decides to help the group against the Jurai fleet because she doesn't want anyone else to take Ryoko's life. She is able to hold off the main fleet for awhile allowing Tenchi to go face Kagato. She also has her own pet cabbit, which serves as a spaceship. However, Ken-Ohki is male, and madly in love with Ryo-Ohki.
- Minagi, who exists only in the manga adaptation of Tenchi Muyo, looks exactly like Ryoko, with the exception of two crescent-shaped marks on her cheeks. From a genetic standpoint she would be considered Ryoko's daughter, but considers herself Ryoko's younger sister. She was created artificially when Yakage, an apprentice of Washu, stole a sample of Ryoko's DNA and spliced it with his own. While similar in both appearance and abilities to her "sister", Minagi is very different in personality. She is highly enthusiastic, very polite, and shows no interest in alcohol. While Minagi becomes a pirate, her activities are more akin to the stories of Zorro or Robin Hood than to Ryoko's former career, as she targets only corrupt governments and merchants.
- Naja Akara, Washu's best friend from her days in the academy, appears only in Masaki Kajishima's novels (though it is speculated she appears in OAV 3, and may be the true identity of another character). A philosophy major born at the Jurai Royal Academy, Naja was Washu's first friend at the academy, as well as her research partner. The two worked on many projects for several years, including researching the three gems. It was Naja and Washu's efforts that were responsible for the Jurai Royal Academy shifting into the Independent Royal Academy, and together (by hacking the Academy's network), they stumble upon information regarding the Lighthawk Wings, and the power of Jurai's Royal Family. Sadly, she vanished several thousand years ago during a pirate attack on planet K1190, and was presumed dead. Washu attempted to clone her friend back to life, but failed to truly replicate Naja, as the clone was a much different person than Naja. As Washu and the clone continued the research Washu and the real Naja had been involved in, the clone spiritually possesed a powerful, male Ryoko prototype, changing his/her name to Kagato. The rest is history. It should be noted that Naja and the originall Kagato are depicted differently art-wise; Kagato/Clone Naja is depicted with square mini-specs similar to the OAV Kagato's round ones, as well as red lipstick, and a similar collar. The original Naja has none of these things.
Villains
- Kagato is the main villain in the first season of the OVA series and first TV series. What impresses Mihoshi most about his record is that for centuries he has been plundering and destroying sacred sites around the universe. The collar of his costume resembles a clerical one, and on it he wears a three-armed emblem composed of the same sort of arms that a crucifix is made of. The interior of his ship has an organ and in its two rows of gothic arches resembles a Christian cathedral. It is named the Sōja, which means "temple consecrated to several gods," and so refers to the plundered artifacts. Thus is a powerful opponent of all these Japanese characters (except Kiyone) concocted. The significance of these references is lost on Westerners. His name is given in kanji as "God Ego Man" but in common Japanese, the name merely means "heel".
- In the first OVA series, Kagato was once Washu's student, and assisted her in creating Ryoko before capturing Washu in her own ship, Souja, which he took as his own. Like Ryoko, he is a Masu-hybrid humanoid and due to his high willpower, can seize control of Ryoko to have her do his bidding. For five thousand years, Kagato scoured the galaxy for hints of the secret of Jurai's power, which he believed was connected to the ultimate power of the universe. Every time he examined a ___location for clues, he would destroy it after he finished, ensuring that no one else could replicate his research. Eventually he discovered that Jurai's power came from the original Royal Tree called Tsunami, but his plan to capture her was thwarted by Tenchi, who killed Kagato in single combat.
- Masaki Kajishimi's novels shed a little more light on Kagato. After her friend, Naja Akara, went missing and was presumed dead, a grief-stricken Washu attempted to clone Naja using some of her DNA. The clone, however, exibited behavior much different than the real Naja. Once the clone was born, she and Washu experimented on creating a being to control the power of the gems (research that would eventually lead to Ryoko's birth). During this time, the Naja clone spiritually possesed a male Ryoko prototype (because of its power), and took the name "Kagato". Shortly thereafter, Kagato sealed Washu away, and persued his own goal of the "Unified Field Theory". After this, Kagato, with the help of an enslaved Ryoko, went on a 5,000 year crime spree that gained him his reputation. He is also the reason that Azusa came to meet Funaho, as he had lost in battle against Kagato, and fled to Earth. Kajishima himself has hinted that Kagato may still be alive in some shape or form. This is presumably referring to the Naja clone, who's body still may exist (she only spiritually possesed the prototype, not physically).
- In the first TV series, he has a different appearance than his OVA counterpart, is connected to Jurai's Royal Family, and was a great swordsman. He would have been the legendary swordsman instead of Yosho but he had been obsessed with power, Yosho defeated him and then disappeared from Jurai. Kagato's name was erased from Jurai's records. But years later Kagato would return to pose as Yosho, having discovered Eternal Youth, and became Jurai's King. He then framed Ayeka for treason, which was all part of his plan for vengeance against Yosho. This forces the Tenchi Family to leave Earth to journey to Jurai to clear their names.
- Dr. Clay is the main antagonist from the second OVA series. He was a colleague of Washu, prior to her capture by Kagato, and was highly jealous of her superior intelligence. At some point, he came into the employ of a mysterious and powerful extra-dimensional being known as Lady Tokimi, who ordered him to bring Washu to her. To this end, Clay had his creation Zero replace Ryoko, copying her form, powers, and even memories. However, Zero also did something she was supposed to be incapable of: she copied Ryoko's emotions, which led her to defy her creator. In the end, Clay was arrested by Mihoshi, and the dying Zero was merged with Ryoko. However, Tokimi's servant D3 modified the memories of both Clay and Zero to conceal Tokimi's existence.
- Z is the antagonist of the third OVA series, though his first on-screen appearance was in the second (albeit in silhouette only) OVA's short clip Here Comes Jurai Part 2. Serving Lady Tokimi, he is given orders to monitor Tenchi Masaki but not to interfere with him. He immediately disobeys her orders, and when he tampers with a communication from Mihoshi to her family, he sets in motion the chain of events that make up much of the story of the third OVA series. When his attempt to manipulate others into killing Tenchi fails, he attacks him directly in an attempt to eliminate him as a rival. Z is a being of great power, even capable of punching holes through planets seemingly without effort, and like Tenchi he can produce kou-ou-yoku ('Light Hawk Wings'), five of them to Tenchi's three.
- Yugi is the main antagonist from the second TV Series. She is a Mutant Juraian created 3,500 years ago. She caused trouble on Jurai, until she was sealed away by Empress Hinase. Her pod landed on earth and she laid dormant until an earthquake broke the seal. She wants to build a kingdom on earth which she couldn't do on Jurai. But first she had to separate Tenchi and the girls because the Planet Guardian Gems which form the Tenchi-ken are the only thing that can interfere with her plan. So she creates Sakuya Kumashiro to help manipulate Tenchi to help keep him separated from the girls when he moved to Tokyo for Shinto Priest Training and also created three servents Hotsuma, Tsugaru, and Matori to help carry out her mission. She also takes a liking to Sasami after they meet in Tokyo and wants to include her in her kingdom, but is unaware that Sasami has no interest in that sort of thing.
- Yakage is the first villain of Okuda's Tenchi Muyo manga series. Previously one of Washu's assistants, Yakage specialized in swords and swordplay, and even designed the energy sword used by Ryoko. However, he ran off on Washu, stealing some of Ryoko's DNA and mixing it with his own. After that, he began raising and training his Ryoko, named Minagi, to be a superior warrior, and to make her the one to wield the ultimate sword. At the same time, he began researching the method to create the ultimate sword. The full extents of his research are still unknwown, but he did discover many powerful blades. The culmination of his work was a dual-bladed, artificial Lighthawk Sword. he had managed to stay alive so long to further his studies by cloning himself each time he was near death. However, the cloning wasn't perfect, making each clone weaker than the last. The final Yakage was too weak to live for long, and through a combination of his deteriorating body, and inferiority of his artificial sword against tenchi's real one, he was struck down by Tenchi.
External links
- FUNimation's Official Tenchi Muyo! Site
- Pioneer's Official Tenchi Muyo! Site
- AIC's Official Tenchi Muyo! Site
- Formerly the Unofficial AIC BBS FAQ and now the Tenchi Muyo! FAQ
- Anime on DVD Essential Tenchi Muyo! — the brief overview of the series
- Tenchi Muyo! Primer - the overview of each series of Tenchi Muyo!
- Tenchi Muyo Another Universe — Very Useful Resource Site coving all of the Tenchi Series, Movies, and Spin-Offs as well as the latest news.
- Tenchi in Tokyo — Wiki dedicated to the Tenchi anime series.
- Tenchi Muyo Information Archives — Has a archive of screenshots from Tenchi Episodes and has a Character Guide that explains the character differences between each of the Tenchi series.