Review of Tenchi Muyo: The Movie Tenchi Forever

Introduction

For those new to the world of `Tenchi Muyo`, Tenchi is a good-looking `perosnality-free` young man living in modern day Japan who is surrounded by cute girls from other planets who compete for his attention.

Made in 1999, this third (and final) Tenchi movie was titled `Tenchi in Love 2` in Japan on its release, and the title actually makes much more sense.

Watching `Tenchi Forever` brings the phrase `lost in translation` immediately to mind. All the way through the movie I feel like I`m almost getting it, but somehow there`s always a question unanswered or an action that seems to be without motivation.

Overall though, this is a much more cohesive piece than it`s predecessor `Tenchi in Love 1`, the first of the three Tenchi movies. Indeed, this movie is far better represented by the title `Tenchi in Love 2` because essentially that`s the nub of the narrative.

`Tenchi Forever`, whilst not being entirely a humour-free zone, is a much more serious affair than `Tenchi in Love` - in places almost achingly melancholy. Perhaps most poignant of all is the real-love and affection that both Ryoko and Ayeka feel for Tenchi. This is not the zany, giggling schoolgirl crushes that we`ve seen in previous outings.

When Ryoko and Ayeka start another of their arguments about Tenchi, he runs to the woods to escape from them. Here he touches a Jurain tree that seems to be calling out to him and he`s transported to an alternative world which seems to run in parallel with earth, though on a different time-line. As a consequence, he goes AWOL for six months and Ryoko and Ayeka set out to rescue him and bring him back. Their search takes them to Tokyo where Tenchi seems to be several years older.

It turns out that Tenchi is perfectly at peace in his `new world` where he is hopelessly in love with his `kidnapper`, Haruna. She has erased his memories of earth and she and Tenchi have settled into a cosy domestic routine that includes Tenchi going to art-classes each day while she cooks and tends the home.
But piece-by-piece, Tenchi`s memories begin to return and are first realised in a sketch of the distinctive Ayeka. Realising that she may lose Tenchi, Haruna attempts to keep Tenchi away from his previous world. Haruna turns out to be the spirit of Tenchi`s Grandfather`s first-love who had died on her way to earth with him many years before.

Unwilling to face up to the cruel reality that she never got to live her dream-life on earth as planned, she created her own world (a mirror of our own world).

A curiously attractive component of the plot here is that Haruna is no ordinary villain. Her intent is not evil or mean, and she`s really quite beautiful. Our sympathies are as much with her as they are with Tenchi or Ryoko and Ayeka. Tenchi certainly seems happy enough despite being brainwashed by the needy but beautiful Haruna.

There`s a gentle, relaxing air to the movie (unlike the madcap Tenchi you may be used to) and this is greatly enhanced by the score (Tsuneyoshi Saito) which uses mellow Spanish guitar, as well as tracks that feature a very French flavoured accordian.

The real sub-plot here is that Ryoko and Ayeka put aside their previous differences to work together to find and rescue their true love - Tenchi Muyo.

Video

Widescreen Anamorphic 1.78:1, the picture here is crisp and clean, with vibrant colouring. This seems to work particularly well due to the nature of the anime format with large blocks of primary colour and very little texture.

Audio

Dolby Digital 5.1 Japanese and English. The soundtrack here is very impressive though extremely sparse. It has deep rich bass and wonderful instrumental separation during the many musical passages. 5.1 is used to good effect too with spot effects frequently adding atmosphere from the rear.
The English dubbing is really very good here with voices that are remarkably suitable to each of the characters.

The Japanese soundtrack is equally as impressive and will suit purists who want to enjoy the action in its original form with subtitles. Personally I`d recommend going for the English soundtrack in this instance.

Features

The original Japanese theatrical trailer is here, along with a Japanese TV spot. There`s also some line-art that may please anime and manga fans, but will add little for general viewers. (It`s all set back into a cloudscape so isn`t anything approaching full frame either which is frustrating!). Finally there`s a trailer for the Tenchi OVA`s (which look almost tin-tin like) as well as a trailer for the really excellent `Lain - Serial Experiments` series.

Conclusion

I enjoyed this movie more than `Tenchi in Love`. It was more coherent, if less anarchic, and it has a deeply satisfying atmosphere that is greatly enhanced with a really nice musical score. As others in the Tenchi Muyo movie line-up, I get that nagging feeling that I`m not quite getting it all, and suspect that something inevitably gets `lost in translation`. Not literally - but culturally.But this isn`t a big issue and arguably adds to the charm of the `Tenchi Muyo` experience.

The animation is typical of the genre with minimal movement and detail, but it`s nicely composed and art-worked, with vivid colour and imaginative context.
It`s a movie that would certainly be enjoyed by teenagers as well as adults, though some mild sexual references combined with its complex plot probably render it less suitable for a pre-teen audience.

In the final analysis, TENCHI FOREVER is the story of Tenchi (and cohorts) reaching maturity - and in that sense it kind of draws the curtains on the Tenchi franchise.