Tenchi Muyo!
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| Tenchi Muyo! | |
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| 天地無用! (No Need for Tenchi!) |
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| Genre | Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Harem, Romance, Science Fiction |
| OVA: Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki | |
| Directed by | Masaki Kajishima (original creator) Hiroki Hayashi (OVA 1) Kenichi Yatani (OVA 2) Kenichi Yatagai (OVA 2-3) |
| Studio | AIC VAP Pioneer LDC FUNimation Entertainment |
| No. of episodes | 20 |
| Released | 25 September 1992 |
| Runtime | |
| OVA: Tenchi Muyo! Mihoshi Special | |
| Directed by | Kazuhiro Ozawa |
| Studio | AIC Pioneer LDC |
| No. of episodes | 1 |
| Released | 25 March 1994 |
| Runtime | |
| TV anime : Tenchi Universe | |
| Directed by | Hiroshi Negishi |
| Studio | AIC Pioneer LDC |
| Network |  TV Tokyo Cartoon Network Cartoon Network ABS-CBN |
| Original run | 2 April 1995 – 24 December 1995 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| TV anime : Tenchi in Tokyo | |
| Directed by | Yoshihiro Takamoto |
| Studio | AIC Pioneer LDC |
| Network | TV Tokyo Cartoon Network Cartoon Network |
| Original run | 1 April 1997 – 23 December 1997 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| TV anime : Tenchi Muyo! GXP | |
| Directed by | Shinichi Watanabe |
| Studio | AIC VAP FUNimation Entertainment |
| Network | NTV FUNimation Channel |
| Original run | 3 April, 2002 – 25 September, 2002 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Movie: Tenchi Muyo! in Love | |
| Directed by | Hiroshi Negishi |
| Studio | AIC Pioneer LDC |
| Released | 20 April 1996 16 August 1996 |
| Runtime | 95 min. |
| Movie: Tenchi Muyo! Daughter of Darkness | |
| Directed by | Satoshi Kimura |
| Studio | AIC Kadokawa Shoten Pioneer LDC |
| Released | 8 August 1997 31 March 1998 |
| Runtime | 60 min. |
| Movie: Tenchi Forever! | |
| Directed by | Hiroshi Negishi |
| Studio | AIC Pioneer LDC |
| Released | 24 April 1999 10 October 1999 |
| Runtime | 95 min. |
| Manga: No Need For Tenchi! | |
| Authored by | Hitoshi Okuda |
| Publisher | Kadokawa Shoten |
| Serialized in | Comic Dragon Jr |
| Original run | 16 December 1994 – 9 June 2000 |
| No. of volumes | 12 |
| Manga: The All-New Tenchi Muyo! | |
| Authored by | Hitoshi Okuda |
| Publisher | Kadokawa Shoten |
| Serialized in | Comic Dragon AGE |
| Original run | 26 July 2000 – 9 December 2005 |
| No. of volumes | 10 |
| Related works | |
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Tenchi Muyo! (天地無用! Tenchi Muyō!?), is an anime, light novel, and manga series about a boy named Tenchi Masaki and the alien women that love him.
The original series, Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki, is a six episode OVA (Original Video Animation or Direct-to-Home Video) series; released in Japan in 1992–93. As its popularity grew, it spurred a seventh episode (also known as the Tenchi Special) and the stand alone Mihoshi Special. In 1994-95, 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. This is then followed by a special twentieth episode which centered around some of the remaining plot threads towards Tenchi's mother, as well as Noike, who was introduced in episode 15. The series can be somewhat confusing to newcomers because it has several continuities.
Before the popularity of series like Love Hina, to American fans Tenchi Muyo! set the benchmark for a series with a somewhat meek but kind male lead surrounded by attractive but often bizarre women, an anime sub-genre (harem comedy) which would later become common. The TM franchise is also well-known in having a manga developed after an animated version was released, when typically the reverse is true.
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 Masaki Kajishima.
The name of the manga is a play on words. Tenchi muyō (天地無用?) in Japanese means "This way up", a phrase written, for example, on boxes to show they should not be upturned. The word muyō also means "unnecessary", thus with a lead character "Tenchi" this name could also mean "unnecessary Tenchi" and is more often than not translated to "No need for Tenchi" (even so far as the episode titles for the first TV series to have the running gag of having the titles start with "No need for...") The name 'Tenchi' also means 'Heaven and Earth' so one could also take the title to mean "No Need for Heaven and Earth."
Contents |
[edit] Canon
[edit] Series
[edit] Summary
The three major series continuities are Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki, Tenchi TV/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 back story 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 member station KTEH San Jose, according to the ANN.
Note: Among hardcore TM!R fans, the term "canon" applies only to those anime, novels, doujinshi, and interviews that Kajishima-sensei has created. This is because Kajishima-sensei is the creator of Tenchi and everything else Tenchi-related not created by him is a non-canon spinoff. Thus when fans discuss "canon Tenchi," there is no confusion.
[edit] 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, The Night Before the Carnival (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! GXP: Galaxy Police Transporter
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 loss of her child to politics. The death of her friend Naja is not discussed.)
- Tenchi Muyo! GXP 01 (novel, novel form of the TV series with very little NB)
- Tenchi Muyo! GXP 02 (novel, 2006 release)
- Tenchi Muyo! GXP 03 (novel, 2006 release; contains lots of stuff not seen in the anime)
- Various dōjinshi from Kajishima
- Various interviews with Kajishima
- The book 101 Questions and Answers of Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Oh-Ki (also titled 101 Secrets)
For more details about these materials, see Tenchi Muyo! FAQ
[edit] Tenchi Muyo! OAV series, Hasegawa canon
Naoko Hasegawa, writer of episodes 3 and 5 the first OAV series, uses a different continuity, which includes the following:
Animation
- Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki OAV 1 (episodes 1-6)
- 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 as an exaggeration by Mihoshi and is not considered canon.
- Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki Manatsu no Eve (Tenchi Muyo! Daughter of Darkness)(movie 2)
Other Materials
- Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki Manatsu no Carnival (radio drama)
- A series of 13 novels by Hasegawa, including the Manatsu no Eve book upon which the movie was based upon.
A few characters from OAV 2 (episodes 8-13.5), such as Tokimi, Emperor Azusa, and Empress Misaki, make appearances in Hasegawa's novels. However, the episodes and events from OAV 2, as well as episode 7, do not take place in Hasegawa's canon.
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.
[edit] Tenchi Universe, a.k.a. the Negishi canon
Called the "Negishi canon", after Hiroshi Negishi, the director who was the main creative force behind the series and connecting movies, Tenchi Universe (known as Tenchi Muyo! TV in Japan) has no sentient Jurai trees, Ayeka is not closely related to Katsuhito, and Washu is the person sealed in the cave. Kiyone has a major role in this series. Also, this series has a stronger emphasis on Ryoko, as shown in the show's opening credits and in some episodes, as well as Tenchi Forever.
Animation
- Tenchi Muyo! TV (Tenchi Universe), 26 episodes
- Tenchi Muyo! in Love (movie 1)
- Tenchi Muyo! in Love 2: Haruka Naru Omoi (Tenchi Forever!) (movie 3)
Other Material
A manga, also written by Negishi, was produced as a tie in to TMiL2, though it is uncertain if this manga is part of established Negishi canon:
- Tenchi Muyo! In Love 2: Eternal Memory (manga)
[edit] 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 was met with mixed reviews among fans.
Animation
- Shin Tenchi Muyo! (26 episodes)
[edit] Movies
There are also three movies: Tenchi Muyo! in Love, 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 originated from Hasegawa's OAV-based novels, and the Ayeka line is a misleading translation. In reality, the movie is an animated version of the Hasegawa novel of the same name, and is part of her continuity. 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. Furthermore, in the Universe series it is never demonstrated that she has a brother.
Tenchi Muyo! in Love (1996)
Tenchi Muyo! in Love was the first of the Tenchi films, taking place within the Universe timeline.
The movie is about how the gang must save Tenchi from utter disappearance by capturing a criminal named Kain, which had traveled back in time to destroy Tenchi's mother, Achika 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.
Tenchi Muyo! Daughter of Darkness (1997)
Tenchi the Movie 2: The Daughter of Darkness (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 Jurai.
Tenchi Forever! (1999)
Tenchi Forever! (Tenchi Muyo! in Love 2) is a continuation of the first TV series (Tenchi Universe) and sequel to the original film.
After a fight between Ryoko and Ayeka, Tenchi runs into the mountains to be seduced by a beautiful woman and disappears. Six months later, he is found with a woman named Haruna and he has forgotten his previous life.
[edit] Manga
The Tenchi manga consists of two series, Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-oh-ki and Shin Tenchi Muyo! (the shin here means new and has no connection to the second television series, Shin Tenchi Muyo) are 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 non-canon. 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 non-canon, new elements introduced in the manga do not carry over to the anime.
Manga series released in the US:
- "No Need for Tenchi" series! (Volumes 1-2, earlier half of volume 3, 4-6, first half of 7, and 8-12.)
- "No Need for Tenchi: Magical Girl Pretty Sammy" (Later half of Volume 3, based on the "Pretty Sammy" OVAs. Not thought of as part of the manga storyline)
- "No Need for Tenchi: Tenchi in Love" (Second half of Volume 7, based on the first Tenchi movie. Has characters from the Tenchi Universe timeline. Not thought of as part of the manga storyline)
- "Tenchi Muyo: Sasami Stories" (A collection or reprint of several of the Sasami related events that happened in the No Need for Tenchi! manga series. However, the book itself is in the new smaller format, and also features bonus comics in the back that were printed over the years. The bonus comics are not thought of as part of the overall manga story.)
- "The All New Tenchi Muyo!" (Volumes 1-10, up to Volume 9 stateside. Set in the same story and time (It is a continuation of the No Need for Tenchi! manga) as the first book series, but with a smaller page format. Introduces several new characters that weren't in the original manga.)
[edit] 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 Japan in 2001. The series takes place during the Kajishima version of the OVA continuity, and is set a year after the events of the third OVA series despite being released first chronologically. 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 Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki make appearances in this series, including the use of Seiryo as a major character and a full-fledged Tenchi Muyo! crossover in episode 17.
Sasami: Mahou Shoujo Club, currently shown in Japan as 2006, is recognized as the third spin-off with Sasami, known here as Sasami Iwakura, as the main character. The animation style here is saccharine compared to the other titles, but the hold over characters from the franchise (particularly Misao of Pretty Sammy) are still fairly recognizable.
Other versions of Tenchi Muyo! are also available as graphic novels, video games and radio dramas.
The series Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure is also thought to be related to the Tenchi Muyo universe. Mecha from Dual! appear in Tenchi Muyo! GXP, Kiyone, Ramia, and Misao appear in a brief easter egg cameo in the series' OVA special, and there is much speculation concerning the ancient civilization that the character "D" is from. Kajishima has hinted that Dual! does, in fact, relate to Tenchi Muyo!, although most of the details are purely speculation on fans' part.
[edit] English adaptations 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 OAVs 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. A single boxset was released in the UK which includes OVA1, OVA2 and the Mihoshi Special.
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/Geneon releases. She is replaced by Mona Marshall in the GXP and OAV 3 series.
[edit] Locations
- Alpha – A planet from the Tenchi Muyo OVA series, ruins on the planet were attacked by Kagato but otherwise nothing else has been seen or said of it.
- Balta- an autonomous planet within the Juraian territories, named after and ruled by the Balta family, which were also the rulers of the old Balta pirates guild.
- Beta – a planet from the Tenchi Muyo OVA series. The only mention in the series is that several people disapeared in the planet's mystery spot once.
- Chobimaru – in the Tenchi Muyo OVA series it is a planet-sized space ship belonging to the Kuramitsu family and operated by the Galaxy Police. Inside it has oceans, plants, and animal life along with the artificial structures. The ship also has firepower capable of destroying an entire planet.
- Galaxy Police Headquarters - A giant space station shaped like an arc. It houses many Galaxy Police officers and acts much like a massive police station.
- Galaxy Academy - Three massive ring worlds together that are the size of a solar system. Many cultures and races co-inhabit this place which houses both scientific and military schools as well as many civilian merchant areas.
- Jurai — The seat of the powerful Juraian Empire, the homeworld of First Princess Ayeka, and the abode of intelligent trees descended from a goddess in the anime Tenchi Muyo!.
- Raynza Republic- A unknown number of worlds that borders with the Juraien empire's territory, but not with the rest of the Galactic Union. Are now allies with Jurai thanks to a political marriage.
- Seniwa - Home planet of the Kuramitsu family and one-time rival of Jurai.
- Tolane - A planet administered by the Galatic Science Academy, where Kagato had kidnapped Washu and taken Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki as slaves.
- Tokimi's Temple- A massive area of altered space and time where the three ultimate goddesses resided at one time. The area is made of many worlds with chaotic geometries.
[edit] Trivia
- The creator of Tenchi Muyo!, Masaki Kajishima, named several of the characters after locations in his Okayama Prefecture hometown. [1]
- The baby first aid for choking infants depicted in OVA2 episode 1 'Hello baby' is slightly incorrect. In a proper procedure, one does not hold a newborn upside down, but reinforces their head and holds them in appr. 35-40 degrees. For further direction see Heimlich Maneuver
- When first aired on Cartoon Network's Toonami in America, Cartoon Network did some editing to the character's lines. The girls (mostly Ryoko) often drink 'tea' throughout the series. However, their 'tea' is often poured and distributed like sake, a Japanese rice wine. Characters often begin to blush, slur their words together, hiccup, and slowly decline in their mannerisms as they chugged down their 'tea.' This was done to prevent backlash from the more conservative American audiences. The delivery of lines from the characters, however, implies that the characters are aware of the double entendre (ex.: "You can't drink THAT kind of 'tea' at school!")
- In addition to substituting 'tea' for sake, Cartoon Network also painted swimsuits on several female character to cover up nudity during bathhouse scenes, and carried out extensive edits for language and other adult content, including references to sex, masturbation, and 'peeping'.
- Characters from a second AIC property, El-Hazard, have cameoed in Tenchi Muyo! and vice-versa. However, these cross-overs are more on the line of fan service.
- Guardians of Order published an English-language role-playing game based on OVA Episodes 1-13. The game, now out of print due to the expiry of the license, was moderately successful but is mainly of interest for combining many of the design elements that would be incorporated a few months later into the second edition of Big Eyes, Small Mouth and for the insights its writers gave on Tenchi's dilemma.
- The Japanese title logo of Tenchi Muyo! makes a cameo appearance as graffiti in issue 1 of the Mark Waid / Alex Ross graphic novel series Kingdom Come.
[edit] External links
- FUNimation's Official Tenchi Muyo! Site
- AIC's Official Tenchi Muyo! Site
- Formerly the Unofficial AIC BBS FAQ and now the Tenchi Muyo! FAQ
- Tenchi Muyo Another Universe — Very Useful Resource Site covering 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 an archive of screenshots from Tenchi Episodes and has a Character Guide that explains the character differences between each of the Tenchi series.
- 101 Tenchi Muyo Facts — Masaki Kajishima himself answers 101 of the most important and frequent fan-submitted questions about his story.
- h2g2 article on Tenchi Muyo
- Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
| Tenchi Muyo! series | |||||
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Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki series
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Tenchi Universe series
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Pretty Sammy series
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Other series
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Manga
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| Tenchi Muyo! characters | |
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| Main Characters | |
| Tenchi | Ryoko | Ayeka | Sasami | Mihoshi | Washu | Kiyone | Ryo-Ohki | Noike | |
| The Chousin | |
| Washu | Tsunami | Tokimi | |
| Villains | |
| Kagato | Dr. Clay | Z | Yugi | Kain | Yuzuha | Haruna | Seiryo | Tarant | Yakage | Shima Brothers | Yume | Mikamo & Yataka | Garyu | Dark Washu | |
| Masaki Family | |
| Katsuhito | Nobuyuki | Achika | Tennyo | Airi | Rea | |
| Guardians & Royalty of Jurai | |
| Azaka & Kamidake | Azusa | Funaho | Misaki | Seto | |
| Galaxy Police | |
| Seina | Minami | Misao | Sabato | |
| Pretty Sammy | |
| Sasami Kawai | Pixy Misa | Ramia | Rumiya | Chief Pretty Sammy characters | Chief Magical Project S characters | |
| Others | |
| Nagi | Sakuya | Mayuka | Zero | Minagi | Hiwa | Asahi | Kazuma | Tama | Chief GXP characters | |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki | Tenchi Universe | Tenchi in Tokyo | Tenchi Muyo! GXP | Pretty Sammy | Sasami: Mahou Shoujo Club |
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