Tenchi Universe

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

Those days were like one big carnival we thought would never end.

The first television series based on Tenchi Muyo!, Tenchi Universe (also known as Tenchi Muyo! TV) tells a similar story to Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki, but in a longer manner. The first half of the series, "Earth Adventure", introduces the main characters, and a short arc that explores various fantasy worlds ("Time and Space Adventures") follows. The show's second half, the "Space Adventure" arc, follows Tenchi and the gang as they travel to Jurai to attempt to stop a coup. This show is its own specific continuity; although it shares almost all of the chief characters from the OVA, many aspects of the story and characterization are changed from the OVA.

This series was followed by two movies, Tenchi Muyo! in Love (released after the series' conclusion) and Tenchi Forever! (Tenchi Muyo! in Love 2: Haruka Naru Omoi, released in 1999), which are both set in the same continuity.

Tropes used in Tenchi Universe that are not on the Tenchi Muyo! page (or are averted/subverted) include:

Ryoko: I'm lonely. [dies] Hey Ryo-oh-ki! Where shall we go next?

  • Evil Counterpart: Kagato, who is the ruler of Jurai and master of the Jurai power in this canon, wields his own dark counterpart to Sword Tenchi. While the original sword is a thin, katana-like sword with a light blue blade, Kagato's is a larger sword resembling a broadsword with a black-and-red blade.
  • First Girl Wins: Ryoko. Though it's not directly stated, the implication isn't exactly subtle. Especially after the second movie in the continuity.
  • Flanderization: This is one of the most common complaints about this series. Most notable amongst the changes are Mihoshi being demoted from Genius Ditz to The Ditz, Ryoko and Ayeka's feud becoming less important to the story, Washu becoming an egomaniacal Mad Scientist with two pop-up dolls to proclaim her greatness ("Washu, you are a genius!", "Washu, you are the greatest!"), Ryoko becomes a much less likable Jerkass, Ayeka is a Bitch in Sheep's Clothing, and Tenchi becoming more wishy-washy and easily flustered (compared to the OVAs). The trope is completely averted in the second movieTenchi Forever!, since the film attempts to tell a much more subdued and personal story.
  • Friendly Enemy: When Kiyone first arrives at the Misaki estate, she makes it her mission to arrest Ryoko. Ryoko, for her part, is completely nonplussed and seems content to just share a drink with her. By the end of the episode, the "enemy" part of the equation is completely erased.
  • Friendly Tickle Torture: Ryo-ohki unintentionally does this to Sasami after being scared into hiding by Mirei.
  • A God Am I: Kagato flat out says this almost word-for-word.
  • How We Got Here: The entire series.
  • Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: Each episode is titled "No Need for..."
  • Incest Is Relative: Averted in this series, which was a major surprise compared to the originals. Washu is simply a mad scientist who was imprisoned on Earth for making doomsday devices and other bizarre inventions, Ryoko is "just" a space pirate, Ayeka and Sasami are no relation to Katsuhito, Tenchi is related to Katsuhito only through his mother's side of the family, and there's no word on whether or not Mihoshi is related to Washu (though that is doubtful).
  • Jerkass: Ayeka and Ryoko in some episodes.
  • Kabuki Sounds: Tenchi Universe used them for the title card and the eyecatches.
  • Karaoke Box: Episode 16
  • Like a Badass Out of Hell: Strongly implied to be how Kagato acquired his dark Jurai powers; he's literally been through hell and back!
  • Market-Based Title: Tenchi Universe was simply known as Tenchi Muyo! in Japan, and Tenchi Forever! was released as Tenchi Muyo! in Love 2: Haruka no Omoi in Japan.
  • The Millstone: Mihoshi, especially towards Kiyone and Washu. So long as Mihoshi and Kiyone are together, Kiyone's career seems to only slide further into ruin.
  • The Movie: 1996's Tenchi Muyo! in Love and 1999's Tenchi Forever! are set in the Universe continuity.
  • The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Nagi to Ryoko, occasionally bordering on Foe Yay; she wanted to be the only person to defeat Ryoko, and she would even help Tenchi's crew just to protect Ryoko from her other enemies.
  • Rashomon Style: Ryoko and Ayeka tell wildly opposing stories of the same event at least twice in the series.
  • Refrain From Assuming: In the English version, the theme song is called "Tenchi Muyo!" (same as the Japanese version), not "Love Will Leave You Crying".
  • Scooby-Dooby Doors: Subverted; in episode 14, Tenchi and company attempt to use a door invented by Washu to secretly board another ship, only to discover that the door has a very limited range of use.

Tenchi: And why didn't we use this earlier, Washu? Tell me, please.
Washu: Its radius is only 800 meters. It doesn't work like it would in a cartoon!

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