Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki

The original continuity of the Tenchi Muyo! franchise, consisting of three six-episode OVA series and two special episodes. The spinoff series Tenchi Muyo! GXP and Tenchi Muyo! War on Geminar (Isekai no Seikishi Monogatari in Japane) are both part of this continuity.

The first series, released from 1992-93, was mostly introductions to the major characters, who join Tenchi's Harem via a Debut Queue. Episodes 5 and 6 bring in the first major villain, the space criminal Kagato. The second series, from 1994-1995, includes some major revelations about the characters' pasts and features a new villain, Dr. Clay. The third series, from 2004-2005, focuses more on the characters' families and resolves some lingering issues from the first two parts.

"Ayeka: Scumbag Kagato: Is that a term of affection, Princess, or do you just not like me?"
 * Ancestral Weapon: The Tenchi Sword/Master Key, which is also a Laser Blade.
 * All There in the Manual: Masaki Kajishima released several Doujinshi and Light Novels expanding on the background of this continuity; part of the reason for GXP was to help explain some of this to the anime-only fanbase.)
 * Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever: Ryoko becomes a massive stone version of herself while fighting Kagato, yet he's still able to defeat her.
 * Authority Equals Asskicking: The Juraian Royal Family.
 * Big Bad: Kagato in the 1st OVA. Subverted in the 2nd and 3rd with
 * Blade Run: Used by in his fight with Kagato. To stand on a Laser Blade!
 * Boobs of Steel: Surprisingly appropriate, by appearances -- Misaki is not only older than the actual harem in general, but due to some circumstance, Misaki seems unbeatable by any of the other girls as far as protecting her daughters is concerned.
 * Born Lucky: Mihoshi, who lucks into solutions -- and into situations that her superiors need to keep secret from their superiors.
 * Brother-Sister Incest: Several examples, the most prominent being Ayeka and Yosho's arranged marriage (although the actual marriage never happens.)
 * It starts with the foundation of the Masaki clan. Royal clans are descendants of one of the First Emperor's wives. In the case of the Masaki clan, it was Masaki Jurai, his sister. Yeah.
 * Somehow, the one-word answer of "Jurai" feels like enough to describe this trope. The fact that this family is ultimately stronger whereas inbreeding humans would actually more susceptible to disease proves that Juraian customs are indeed in line with Juraian genetics.
 * Call to Adventure: Katsuhito does this to Tenchi using Schmuck Bait.
 * Camp Straight: Seiryo Tennan, otherwise known as the pink-haired guy who almost marries Ayeka.
 * Chekhov's Gun: During the first part of the original series, Ryoko's earring flew pretty much completely under the radar.
 * Chekhov MIA: A very subtle example. In episode 4, Mihoshi's computer lists a few of Kagato's past crimes. If you pay attention to it as it fades into background noise, one of the crimes is the kidnapping of a "female student" from the Science Academy. Two episodes later, this turns out to be Washu (though of course she was actually a professor)
 * Mihoshi asks Washu if she is the student, and Washu face-faults. Her students are pranksters...
 * The Chessmaster: Z
 * Dark-Skinned Blond: The Kuramitsu family. Word of God says that the entire Seniwan race looks like this.
 * Dreaming of Things to Come / Oracular Urchin: Sasami has dreams of both Kagato and Tokimi before they are introduced in the OVA.
 * Dude Looks Like a Lady: Misao Kuramitsu. If not for a few certain physical features, he would easily be mistaken for Mihoshi. Don't worry though, by GXP he looks like a man, albeit a very pretty one...
 * Earthshattering Kaboom: Part of Misao's plan to "rescue" Mihoshi.
 * Everyone Is Related: See the Tangled Family Tree below.
 * Evilly Affable: Kagato has wiped out planets, wreaked chaos throughout the galaxy, enslaved Ryoko, and come very close to killing Tenchi. However, that doesn't mean he can't apologize to the girls for walking in on them in the onsen, tossing off one-liners in battle, or even congratulating Tenchi on his victory after he is mortally wounded and just before he evaporates.

"Kagato: Tenchi, same name as the sword. Tenchi can't be copied. Very clever, Tsunami... You've won, boy."
 * Or:


 * Excalibur in the Rust: When Tenchi first sees the Master Key, a physical blade had been affixed to the hilt. This blade was in a state of extreme disrepair, prompting Tenchi to exclaim, "What a rusty old piece of junk!"
 * Forbidden Fruit: The reason Tenchi enters Ryoko's shrine in the first place.
 * Genius Ditz: Mihoshi.
 * Heel Face Turn: Zero switches sides when she refuses to kill Tenchi.
 * Hello, Nurse!: Washu does this For Science! Borderline Fan Disservice, considering she's supposed to have the body of a twelve year old.
 * Hermaphrodite: Washu explains that Kagato was born as one but cast out his female side due to his hatred of women.
 * Incest Is Relative: All over the place in this series.
 * Kabuki Sounds: Used gratuitously to, for the most part, punctuate beats.
 * Loads and Loads of Characters: Though they're mostly All There in the Manual, which tends to cause confusion in viewers who watch the 3rd OVA.
 * Maligned Mixed Marriage: Mixed marriages are looked down upon by Jurai in the OVA continuity. Its the main reason why Yosho left Jurai because he couldn't stand the prejudice. When Ryoko attacked Jurai, he saw it as an opportunity to leave and never return despite his promise to Ayeka that he'd return and marry her.
 * Meet Cute: Parodied; thanks to a prank arranged by Sasami, Ayeka and Ryoko try using shojo manga as a relationship guide. ... A month or so after they'd already met Tenchi.
 * The Mole: The shape-shifting robot Zero, who ends up merging with Ryoko.
 * Mood Dissonance: During her introduction, Mihoshi's scanner discovers "the infamous criminal" Ryo-Ohki in the immediate vicinity, and she seriously lists the atrocities committed by the ship (and Ryoko), including blowing up a few hundred planets. An incomprehending Ryo-Ohki happily eats her gun.
 * No Export for You: Many Tenchi Muyo! fans outside Japan don't view the entire series as a whole including the Doujinshi and Novels released by Kajishima-sensei. This causes them to miss out on important information, and the lack of this causes a severely ignorant case of Americans Hate Tingle.
 * Nonchalant Dodge: 's first move in the fight against Kagato.
 * Noodle Incident: In OVA Episode 3, Tenchi and Ayeka talk in a remote work shed during a rainstorm. Nothing terribly affectionate is seen happening, but in Episode 4, Ryoko (who read Ryo-Ohki's memory) claims Ayeka was "rather aggressive" with him. While it could be a joke, Ayeka's flustered reaction suggests it might have creedence...
 * One Steve Limit: An aversion becomes a plot point, with Tenchi (the boy) and Tenchi (the sword).
 * The Original Series
 * The Other Darrin: Dub only. Subverted in the 3rd OVA; Rebecca Forstadt had already replaced Ellen Gerstell as Mihoshi in Tenchi in Tokyo, as did Bob Papenbrook with Katsuhito and Nobuyuki, who both previously been voiced by Jay Hopper, and Mona Marshall had already replaced Petrea Buchard as Ryoko in GXP. Also played straight in the third OVA with Mari Devon replacing Jennifer Darling as Lady Tokimi, although the latter did return to voice Ayeka.
 * Physical God: Sasami/Tsunami; also, in OVA3
 * Schmuck Bait: Deliberately used by Katsuhito in the first episode. He warns Tenchi not go down to the cave near the Masaki shrine, because he knows Tenchi will disobey and end up releasing Ryoko.
 * Serial Escalation: The third OVA likes to do this.
 * She's All Grown Up: Sort of; Tsunami has said that Sasami will grow up to look like her. And, needless to say, this bit of information completely demoralizes Ayeka and Ryoko.
 * Shout-Out: Kagato blows up Mr. Spock in the fourth episode.
 * Misao's ship The Chobimaru is a giant sphere that can destroy an entire planet. In other words, it's the Death Star.
 * GXP makes a few shout-outs to Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki as well.
 * Sigil Spam: In the OVAs, Doctor Clay imprints his personal mark on virtually everything he owns. Washu knows this, and is able to locate the bridge of his spaceship because it is right behind said mark on the hull.
 * Skinship Grope: The baby does it to Mihoshi in episode 8 of the OVA.
 * Space Opera: Subverted. Most of the Space Opera elements are here, but the series mostly takes place on Earth.
 * Tangled Family Tree (See for yourself)
 * Transformation Sequence: Averted as Tenchi, Ayeka, Ryoko, and Mihoshi all change into their Super Modes instantaneously and usually off-screen.
 * Too Kinky to Torture: Ryoko.
 * Subverted almost immediately after that scene in episode 2; Tenchi (the sword, not the boy) makes a good point on how it doesn't allow anyone unworthy to so much as touch it.
 * Also subverted in episode 13. Washu got some good film of it as well.
 * Voluntary Shapeshifting: Zero (later merged with Ryoko) and Washu (sort of; it's more like Volunatary Ageshifting)
 * What Happened to the Mouse?: Katsuhito's cat appears only in the first episode of the OVA. It was never seen again through the rest of that series. It is implied that Ryoko, upon her release, killed it. Also, Sasami's pet weasel-thing wasn't seen again after Sasami and Ayeki's introduction, it may have died in the crash.
 * Chibi, the cat, was a stray that Tenchi had found and Ryoko was using her powers to keep it alive. She later reabsorbed the power she gave it and used it as the base for the reborn Ryo-ohki.
 * The weasal can't be dead...the main part of the ship where it was, was in a pocket dimension. It's probably fine, and goofing off in Washu's lab.
 * Word of God: Tenchi marries everyone except Ryo-Ohki. That's why they call it the Tenchi Solution.
 * World of Woobie: Both Tenchi and the girls have moments where you feel sorry for them.
 * You Are Number Six: Z's full/real name is Z-0001332536893.
 * Zigzag Paper Tassel: The entrance of the cave where Ryoko was trapped had a shimenawa hung from the walls which also encircled a large rock hanging from the ceiling.