Anime Review: Tenchi Muyo OVA

Genre: Sci-fi/Harem/Romantic Comedy

Studio: AIC

Distributor: FUNimation, also streams on Hulu.

 

No. of Episodes: 13 (note: eps 1-6 and 8-12 run about 30 minutes, while eps 7 and 13 run about 45 minutes)

Suggested Age: 17+

My Rating: 10/10

Summary: Tenchi Masaki is a seemingly normal boy whose family owns a shrine. That is, until he curiously enters a cave and meets a 700+ year old demon named Ryoko.  Then he meets the Jurai Princess Ayeka and her sweet sister Sasami, a ditzy space policewoman named Mihoshi, and a mad scientist named Washu.  Then it all goes chaotic from there.

Review: I know what some of you out there are probably thinking: “Didn’t he already cover this?” Well, actually I covered the first TV series in the Tenchi Muyo TV series, Tenchi Universe. This OVA came first and is somewhat different. Keeping track of Tenchi Muyo’s continuity is like keeping track of the DC Comics’ universe: it keeps changing with each series.  That’s actually not a bad thing.

For the purpose of this review, I’m only going to talk about what’s different between this and the first TV series.  The origins of each character are somewhat different, but the fundamentals are still there.  Mihoshi is way more annoying because she doesn’t have Kiyone to compensate for her stupidity.  Sasami has a water spirit using her as a host.  Ayeka is somewhat nicer at first, but she still hates Ryoko and vice versa.  Washu’s past is more mysterious, and she isn’t in exile like she was in Tenchi Universe.

The animation is actually somewhat better than the TV version, as if the budget was better.

If you want a good classic series, I’d highly recommend this series. I’m so glad FUNimation is continuing to revive Geneon’s big hits.

Sub/Dub: Just as good as the TV version.

Music/Score: The first half’s opening theme and closing are great. The second half is all right, but not as good.

Violence: (3/10) Some sci-fi violence and blood.

Language: (2/10)

Nudity: (7/10) Lots of fanservice here, about once an episode! We also see a naked baby as well.

Sexuality: (0/10)

Religion: (1/10) As I stated, Sasami has a water spirit using her body as a host.  The Jurai culture has  a religion similar to Shintoism.

Related Media: There are two TV series, a manga, and two spinoffs: Tenchi Muyo GXP (sorta) and Tenchi Muyo: War on Geminar.