Review of Tenchi Muyo! (Box Set)

Introduction

Doesn`t time fly when you`re having fun? I had thought that it would be something epic or a popular blockbuster, like Revenge Of The Sith or one of the Lord Of The Rings films, but a belated check at my statistics shows that it`s actually the Tenchi Muyo boxset that marks my 500th review for DVD Reviewer. Given my fondness for anime, perhaps that`s more appropriate. Here`s to the next five hundred!

The harem anime genre can be something of an acquired taste. A socially inept teenaged boy is put into a situation where he is surrounded by beautiful girls, all of whom fall for him in some way. Cue plenty of awkward moments, ribald humour, and saucy postcard clichés, as the teen blunders his way from one innuendo loaded scene to another. It`s a type of anime that people either love or hate, but few fall in between. That is with the exception of Tenchi Muyo, one of the earlier examples of the genre. Perhaps it has something to do with the story, the writing or the characters, but this is one harem anime that is more positively received that most. It has also been endlessly revisited. The earliest outing came in two OVA series that came to a total of 13 episodes. Then followed the inevitable movies, as well as spin-off series that took the same characters and inserted them into a new story and new universe. The Tenchi franchise is extensive, and most recently, animators have returned to the original OVA and continued the story. But the original thirteen episodes were released in the UK by MVM over 3 volumes. MVM now collect the three volumes together for a Tenchi Muyo boxset, and on an exclusive bonus fourth disc they add the Mihoshi Special.

From what I can tell, the series discs are identical to the individual releases, down to the minor sound fault on disc two where the episode 7 preview only has DD 2.0 Japanese sound. All that is new for this release is the addition of the bonus disc, so while some judicious cut and paste comprises the reviews of the main discs, the bonus disc gets some special attention.

Imagine if you will, being a teenaged boy and having beautiful girls throwing themselves at you. The basis of many an adolescent fantasy, I can assure you. But for Tenchi Masaki this is no idle fantasy, especially after he unwittingly unleashes an attractive demon from a family shrine. Ryoko`s pursuit of him is merely the herald for increasingly strange events, as female visitors from space in the form of the Jurai princesses Ayeka and Sasami soon arrive, quickly followed by clumsy Galactic Police Officer Mihoshi. If nothing else, he`s certainly kept on his toes.

Disc 1

1. Ryoko Resurrected
The Masaki shrine has been off limits for generations, which is why young Tenchi Masaki is so eager to explore. This is despite the legends of an ancient demon that lies sealed within. Of course Tenchi has to go inside and remove a sacred sword and disturb the rest of a decayed corpse. Soon the reawakened and rejuvenated form of Ryoko the space pirate is wreaking havoc at Tenchi`s school.

2. Here Comes Ayeka!
After their explosive meeting, Ryoko has decided to move in with Tenchi, causing no end of consternation for the young teen. Meanwhile the Jurai Princess Ayeka, who is travelling the stars looking for her lost brother Yosho, intercepts a signal sent from Earth. Yosho is the same ancestor of Tenchi`s who sealed Ryoko in the shrine seven hundred years ago. When Ayeka`s spaceship gets to Earth, she decides to capture Ryoko to learn where her brother is. Unfortunately for Tenchi, he gets in the way.

3. Hello Ryo-Ohki!
Two spaceship crashes later, and Ryoko, Ayeka and her sister Sasami are stranded on Earth, and living under the same roof as Tenchi. Things almost get domestic in the Masaki household, but then Ryoko announces that she and Tenchi are having a baby. Fortunately for Tenchi, the egg hatches into Ryo-Ohki, the infant form of Ryoko`s spaceship, and who as a child looks like a cute rabbit. Meanwhile Ayeka finds a clue to her brother`s fate.

4. Mihoshi Falls To The Land Of The Stars
There`s trouble in outer space when the war criminal and space pirate Kagato escapes the grasp of the Galaxy Police into the solar system. The only Galactic Police Officer in position is Mihoshi, a rather ditzy and accident-prone girl who is more liability than asset. Rather than follow orders, she heads straight into trouble after Kagato and towards Earth. Meanwhile Tenchi and his new friends are spending a relaxing day bathing at the springs.

5. Kagato Attacks!
Tenchi`s idyll is about to be shattered with the arrival of Kagato. He has been searching the universe for the secret of ultimate power, and believes it lies with Tenchi`s destiny as a member of the Jurai royal family. He is also intrigued to see Ryoko again and doesn`t hesitate in kidnapping her. Taking her aboard his gargantuan ship, he challenges Tenchi to come and rescue her. Meanwhile Ayeka finally finds her brother Yosho.

Disc 2

6. We Need Tenchi
Tenchi has vanished, so the girls work together to rescue him from the clutches of the dastardly Kagato and his deadly spaceship. Only Kagato is holding another captive, Washu who has a strange connection to Ryoko.

7. The Night Before Carnival
Life is returning to what passes for normal in Tenchi`s household, with Ryoko and Ayeka turning to literature for advice on how to woo Tenchi, and competing for his affections. They also conspire to get rid of their rivals, most noticeable Mihoshi. But the 20000-year-old scientist Washu has her own plans to experiment on Tenchi, and all she needs are a couple of samples.

8. Hello! Baby
Tenchi has to baby sit his nephew, and consequently all the girls, inexperienced as they are with babies, join in to help. It falls to Washu to show them all how to take care of a child, and soon she`s feeling broody, revealing a whole new side of herself.

9. Sasami and Tsunami.
The family take another break at the hot springs resort previously damaged by Mihoshi`s arrival. Pretty soon the older members of the group are set to repairing the damage they caused. Then they start seeing a ghostly image wandering the halls, and Sasami starts acting very strangely.

Disc 3

10. I Love Tenchi
Tenchi and Ryoko are having a knockdown row, when poor Ryo-Ohki wanders into the middle of the argument and gets the wrong end of the stick. Thinking that Tenchi hates her, the little rabbit creature runs away. Depressed and lonely, she wanders into Washu`s lab where she has an odd effect on one of the experiments. Meanwhile a ship heads ponderously towards Earth.

11. The Advent Of Goddess
Events of galactic portent are afoot, and Tenchi is destined to be caught in the middle. Dr Clay has come to Earth in order to capture rival scientist Washu, and begins by capturing Ryoko. He instructs his robot Zero to assume Ryoko`s form and infiltrate the Masaki household. Zero tries to get close to Washu, but every time she is stymied by the copied memories and feelings that Ryoko has for Tenchi. While Mihoshi leaves on police business, Dr Clay gets tired of waiting and orders Zero to kill Tenchi.

12. Zero Ryoko
The deception is revealed, and Washu, Ayeka and Tenchi set off after Dr Clay to rescue the real Ryoko. Mihoshi is already there trying to stop the stolen spaceship. While Washu confronts Dr Clay directly, the others are lost in the bowels of the ship.

13. Here Comes Jurai
The Jurai Royal family has arrived en masse. The king has decided that it is time for the princesses Ayeka and Sasami to return home, much to the pleasure of Ryoko who sees that she can get Tenchi to herself. It`s an emotional reunion for all concerned, although Ayeka and Sasami are reluctant to leave Tenchi. The king has chosen a fiancé for Ayeka, and for the sisters to stand a chance of staying on Earth, Tenchi will have to face the new suitor in a duel.

Disc 4

Tenchi Muyo! Mihoshi Special
This special 30-minute episode was created during the hiatus between the first and second OVA series. It also sets a precedent for the Tenchi Muyo cast by using the same characters for a different story.

While everyone works hard in the Masaki household, Mihoshi is a little too fond of naps. So much so that Ayeka has a hard time believing that she is actually a Police officer. Not one to shy from a challenge, Mihoshi proceeds to relate the details of one of her cases, "The ultra-energy matter robber". But police confidentiality being what it is, she replaces the main characters with some rather more familiar ones. We also get to meet her long-suffering partner Kiyone.

Kiyone and Mihoshi have to find Police Detective Lord Tenchi, when Space Pirate Ryoko kidnaps him. His fiancée Ayeka decides to join the mission, as does Detective in training Sasami. But Ryoko is merely the front for a plan that threatens the universe, as the evil Dr Washu has devised a machine that threatens reality. Mihoshi and Kiyone find that they are in over their heads when they venture into Dr Washu`s secret lair, but help is at hand in the form of Magical Girl Pretty Sammy.

Video

The Tenchi Muyo series discs get a 4: 3 transfer that is by and large, clear and free of defects. There is a smidgen of grain and the odd fleck of dirt, but you`ll have to look for it to find it. This is an older anime, and that can be seen in the style of animation. The characters are more free flowing and not as meticulously defined. The colours aren`t as vibrant as more recent anime either. The animation, while not up to theatrical standards, is dynamic and inventive enough to make this show stand out. There is also a marginal decline in the animation quality towards the end of the series, but while it is visible in the look of the characters, it doesn`t mar the quality of the storytelling.

The picture quality for the Mihoshi Special is not up to the standard of the main series, it has a soft NTSC quality that almost approached VHS in terms of resolution. However the image remains consistently colourful and strong throughout, and the episode is more than enjoyable.

Audio

You get a choice of DD 2.0 English or Japanese, as well as a DD 5.1 Japanese track on the first three discs. The English dub sounds adequate, but the character voices sound odd indeed once you have heard the original Japanese version. The music harks back to eighties pop tunes, and is as light and frothy as the programme. The surround is effectively used during the action sequences, and it`s nice to see the original language track getting priority over the dub. The subtitles are translated English. Volume 2 has that minor sound fault though, the preview for episode 7 that immediately follows episode 6 only has the DD 2.0 Japanese sound.

The Mihoshi Special only has DD 2.0 English and Japanese soundtracks, but they are perfectly fine in reproducing the music, effects and dialogue. The dialogue is clear and there are English subtitles of course.

Features

You`ll find trailers for Sailor Moon, Fruits Basket and Serial Experiments Lain on Volume 1, Ninja Scroll TV, Blue Gender and Biohunter on Volume 2, and Vampire Princess Miyu, Kiddy Grade and Ah My Goddess! The Movie on Volume 3. There are also jacket pictures that show the cast when the discs aren`t spinning.

At the end of the final episode, there is a bonus 7-minute short called Here Comes Jurai: Part II. Ryoko finds herself under Washu`s scrutiny, bound up in her lab, while Washu and Mihoshi tie up a few loose plot threads. The animation is minimal, it`s more a voiceover that accompanies a slideshow of images, but it works well enough and is an enjoyable coda to the series.

The Mihoshi Special has more in the name of extras, but not much. There are around 10 or so pencil art sketches showing the character designs for the show, and 15 stills in a gallery. There are also trailers for R.O.D The TV, Haibane Renmei, Paranoia Agent, Chobits, and the first Ranma movie.

Conclusion

The Pretty Sammy character that makes a brief appearance in the Mihoshi Special was exciting enough to warrant a series of her own. So a new story was created where Tenchi and Sasami were siblings, Ayeka and Ryoko were Tenchi`s schoolmates, and the other Tenchi Muyo characters also showed up in new guises. With a magic transformation of Sailor Moon proportions, Sasami became Pretty Sammy, who with the aid of her talking sidekick Ryo-Ohki battled evil. I mention this because in the US, the Pretty Sammy OVAs were released with the Mihoshi Special on a hefty 3-hour disc. In the UK, we only get the Mihoshi Special and that bundled with the boxset. I`m just guessing but even in the US, the Tenchi franchise is split between different companies. It`s possible that there is a rights issue with the Pretty Sammy OVAs in the UK. Releasing the half-hour Mihoshi Special by itself wouldn`t be cost effective, so it`s understandable why it is a bonus feature with the Tenchi Muyo boxset.

The question is, is it worth the dreaded double dip? Frankly the answer is no, especially as the Tenchi Muyo series discs are identical to those released previously. In terms of running time, a half hour episode doesn`t warrant buying the whole set over again, especially as the Mihoshi Special adds nothing to the Tenchi Muyo storyline or characters. That said, it is an entertaining and funny story told from the `bubblehead` perspective of Galaxy Police Detective Mihoshi. It`s a ridiculous mystery with the characters behaving identically to their `real world` counterparts, although the roles they play are supposedly different. Ryoko and Ayeka are still lusting after Tenchi, Washu is still dabbling in the scientific arts, and the story revolves around Mihoshi`s ditziness. Perhaps the most interesting development is the aforementioned Pretty Sammy character, poking fun at the magical girl characters like Sailor Moon, and her brief appearance here made me curious as to how the Pretty Sammy OVAs turned out.

The Tenchi Muyo OVAs on the three discs comprise the 13 episodes released previously. The first series lasted for 6 episodes and followed the characters as they were introduced and the resulting Kagato storyline. The second series of 7 episodes was a little more eclectic in nature, although bolstered by the addition of Washu to the Masaki household. The earlier episodes were pretty domestic in nature, with the sci-fi and mythical elements creeping in around the end of the run.

The first series of the Tenchi Muyo OVAs is certainly the strongest, with the episodes telling a more cohesive and overarching story that is engaging. The five episodes on the first disc set up a cliffhanger that is resolved in the first episode of disc 2. While the harem clichés are there in full strength, with the hapless Tenchi surrounded by attractive women, what adds dimension to Tenchi Muyo is the story. The sci-fi element is strong, with a mystery and a back-story to resolve. The mythical elements of Tenchi`s ancestry and the legacy that is due to him gives viewers something else to grab their interest when the relationship tomfoolery gets too saccharine, which it rarely does. The second OVA series, beginning with The Night Before Carnival begins with a greater comedic emphasis, the settings in the first four episodes are decidedly domestic, with relationship shenanigans and character development diminishing the sci-fi elements and Jurai mythology that surrounded Tenchi in the earlier series. We get Ayeka and Ryoko competing for Tenchi`s attentions in one episode, another episode devoted to baby-sitting, a ghostly adventure at some hot springs, as well as dealing with a depressed Ryo-Ohki. These episodes are light and frothy, and while they do contrast with the first series, they do follow a rather enjoyable direction. There is a sudden about face though with The Advent Of Goddess, as we get back to matters of galactic portent when Dr Clay attacks in his gargantuan spaceship. With the final episode, it`s almost a matter of wrapping things up when the Jurai Royal family arrive to reclaim the princesses Ayeka and Sasami. Most of the plotlines are resolved and questions answered, although a few choice plot points remain, as well as the Lady Tokimi storyline from the Dr Clay episodes. While the Tenchi Muyo OVAs are tantalisingly incomplete, this certainly doesn`t diminish enjoyment of these episodes.

Although it has harem anime leanings, Tenchi Muyo has added dimension with a sci-fi core and a strong mythology for its characters. The story is less about boy meets girl, as it is boy reclaims his heritage. Yet despite this when it comes to character, Tenchi Muyo is less about Tenchi himself than it is about the women who pursue him, and while his character is fairly nondescript, the other characters are very well drawn indeed, and the interest lies in how the characters relate to each other. The temptation to descend into prurience is never taken, and Tenchi Muyo is wholesome entertainment throughout. Like all anime, there is a story running through the episodes and it is enough to pique the interest, but the episodes are a joy to watch, with engaging stories. While there are laughs aplenty with a sense of irreverent humour, there is also a warmth to the stories that gives them an emotional appeal. Tenchi Muyo is not your run of the mill harem anime and is definitely worth watching.

Seeing the episodes together, as opposed to buying the volumes one by one gives the series better cohesion and makes it flow better, despite the pick and mix nature of the second OVA series. If you are a Tenchi Muyo devotee, you`ll definitely want the Mihoshi Special, and will be thinking of selling on those original discs. If you haven`t seen Tenchi Muyo before, then this boxset is the ideal place to start, as at the moment, it`s the only way to get the Mihoshi Special, which while it doesn`t add to the Tenchi storyline, it is enjoyable in its own right. It`s also convenient to get all the Tenchi episodes in one go, which make for a classic anime series that is funny and irreverent. Well worth making room on your shelf for.