Tenchi Muyou!

Tenchi Universe is a spin-off to Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki. Like its inspiration, the series remains a harem comedy, following the tangled life of Tenchi Masaki and his extraterrestrial visitors.

The story is similar to the first series: progressive events cause an assemblage of characters, mishaps create subplots, a threatening antagonist later appears and the group pits to stop them. The artwork is less shaded and the animation isn't as fluid but it all still looks good. Audio is backed with a library of different music, spot-on sound effects and believably acted voices. Bolder content, like nudity, swearing and sexual references, is a lot more minimal.

One of ... the best points about Tenchi Universe is how nicely it transitions. Viewers don't get stuck with empty fillers; there is always something going on whether or not the story has picked up. As a result, fans of the OVA, and fans of harems in general, should enjoy this series.

After following the first 12 episodes of the Tenchi series, what else is there to do? Watch more Tenchi! Although the Universe concentrates on tons of side-stories about enemies, crazy scientist (i.e. Washu), cabbit romances, overthrowing a kingdom (you know, the general line), it is a good fill of episodes until you get to the "in space" storyline in which you are truly set into the "we've got to get Jurai back" storyline. It has it's great comedic moments, it's tearjerker moments (a certain "death" near the end of the series is a killer...) and the ever happy ending is great. Although I personally ... love the OVA, the Universe is a great storyline to continue along especially because of all the chaos that happens thanks to Mihoshi.

No need for a review!

Especially given that everyone and their dog's probably seen Tenchi Muyo (Universe/TV aka the one who's page you're on). I'm also an unashamed fan. It's not a stretch to say that Tenchi is what got me into anime along with Outlaw Star on the legendary Toonami block a few yonks and a half back now.

Tenchi isn't just a harem anime. It's not going too far in my mind to say it is THE harem anime. A fantastic rom-com with some well placed scifi action and a nice bit of world building here and there, Tenchi has managed to create a ... fantastic cast of characters with unique personalities and character design (following the silhouette rule of character design, that is, in silhouette, as many characters as humanly possible should be immediately identifiable or recognizable. It's also a trope setter for a lot of things we commonly see now, and it's not unfair to level a fair amount of blame for the scourge of super cute mascot characters we see these days on Sasami and Ryo-Ohki.

I'm not going to go into depth on this review. Suffice to say, it's worth your time. Enjoy.

I saw it on 🇧🇷 in 2000, And it changed my life.

I'm a penciller, and Tenchi is such a well-built character, that made me decide to start drawing my manga.

22 years later I'm finally starting my manga, this review is from 02.08.2023 and in weeks it will be on my profile. And my manga will take a lot of inspiration from Tenchi Muyo.

Returning to the topic :v this anime is revolutionary, you fall in love with all the girls, all (Sasami is the case of "I want to protect"). And the plot is really good! It starts slow, then escalates to something cosmic!

Since you've read ... this far, now get out of here and go watch!

What can you say? It's a mid-90's harem anime featuring your standard average Joe as the main protagonist.

So this is kind of hard to review since the nostalgia factor is really strong with this one. I can remember watching this as a kid and I couldn't WAIT for the next episode to come on. If we had DVD sets like we do now, I would have pooped my pants. That's why it will be difficult to be objective about the anime, it's one that I have so many fond memories of watching that the rose-tinted glasses are firmly welded to my face. I'll do ... my best though....

Tenchi is an average Joe kinda guy, however he happens upon the most random, far-fetched, and by most all accounts implausible scenarios that land him with several strange women living in the house with him, his dad, and his grandpa. It's a classic example of the "harem anime" type and boy does it capitalize on it! Practically all the girls want a piece of Tenchi in some form or another. Their reasoning can be different, but Tenchi literally gets fought over. Every guy's dream, right? House full of hot women that just wanna get in your pants. As far as story goes, this was earlier on so it can get away with it. There is a branched-out storyline in both that makes them more interesting and epic, but I wouldn't exactly call it awe-inspiring. Carnival episode in Tenchi Universe is my favorite!!

For a 90's anime it looks pretty good as far as animation. Decently smooth, characters are proportional, and of course the explosions/lasers look cool. All in all it's good to look at.

I grew up watching the dub, so it's what I'm used to and feel most at home with. I can't say the voice acting is stellar, but it's not bad either. Tenchi can be kind of annoyingly nasally at times, but it almost comes off comedic for me given his personality. Ryoko's well done and so is Washu. The others are fine, but nothing special. Music wasn't especially memorable for me, but it wasn't annoying...standard fare on that.

Tenchi Muyo and Tenchi Universe use the same characters, but with different origin stories and interactions. I like Tenchi Muyo, but prefer Universe to be honest. Both series feature fan service, so just get ready for that if you watch this anime. Some of the characters are more interesting than others (Ryoko > Mihoshi), but there are at least comedic elements to all of them. Hands down, Washu is my favorite.

So why did I rank it amazingly entertaining? I put this in the same category as watching Beavis and Butthead for fart jokes and stupid cheap laughs...you're getting what you expect and it doesn't advertise otherwise. The show got kind of disappointing when they tried to get too serious, but overall I remember the funny episodes the most. True, the nostalgia glasses are on when I watch this show, but I still think it holds up on the entertaining portion. It's an anime that can put you in a good mood when you watch it. It's so silly that it's good, like anything that's a comedy not to be taken too seriously. Being as entertaining as it is, I feel it hits the nail on the head.


All things considered it's a good comedic anime. More harem and fantasy than anything else, it doesn't focus on realistic comedic scenarios as its strength like you'd see in Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-Kun or Azumanga Daioh. It goes for really "wet" humor and goofy setups to get the laugh. That doesn't make it bad, it's just the style it was written in, and in the mid-90's this was to be expected almost. If you haven't seen it, check it out. Just be ready for a harem storyline, goofy jokes, and boobs too.

I've lost count of how many times I watch Tenchi Muyo, but I never get tired of watching! Tenchi Muyo is a classic tale of romance, and the high point of the series are the scenes of humor protagonized by the frequent fights between Aêka and Ryoko, competing for the love of Tenchi.
At first, the story introduze each character, and begins to create the link between the girls and Tenchi. However, this seemed to be just preparing the viewer for the main focus of the story, the events on the planet Jurai due to the appearance of legendary warrior Yosho, who had disappeared a long ... time ago. From the beginning, it can see that there is a mystery behind the origins of Tenchi, because of the peculiar way Tenchi and Aêka are related, and you can understand better with the unfolding of the plot.
In the end, the decisive battle against the real enemy is not so great, all responsibility falls under Tenchi who bravely fight, even without knowing quite what to do with a sword that was handed to him by his grandfather. Another point was the end of Ryoko, I always hoped that she and Tenchi be together, always felt she had more pure and true feelings for Tenchi. But I knew Tenchi should save Aeka then he would never choose Ryoko at that time. The last appearance of Ryoko's just sad, and I got to thinking that she actually died after leaving aimlessly wandering the universe.
There is nothing to complain about animation, especially when portraying the landscapes of both the Earth and of Jurai. The mountains, the sky and the vegetation a touch of tranquility to life the characters. I especially love the Jurai's landscapes and I feel Jurai has a feudal feature that is also strongly defined by the soundtrack, the most striking being "Royal Nights". On the other hand, I did not like it one bit of opening and ending.
I think Tenchi Muyo deserved to have more episode that dealt with history of the Jurai Royal Family and the legendary warrior Yosho and also the personal story of each character, which is not fully revealed and that leaves us eager to know more about her origins!

A classic of anime and the first of the harem genre, Tenchi Muyo has a lot going for it: great balance of sci-fi and comedy elements, a delightful cast of characters, and a potential for good romantic development on the part of Tenchi and the two main love interests. There are problems with Tenchi though, and they detract some from the experience. For the sake of not being an idiot, I’m not going to include the horrible dub in my overall score but I will talk about it. So don’t think Tenchi’s getting the score it is getting because of the dub. It has a ... lot more problems to deal with.

Pros
1.) Cast of Characters-In order to make a successful harem anime you have to have an eclectic and very different cast of characters. No two can be alike because the audience wants to like one and empathize with one the most (and not the same character across the board but one that matches our preference) and root for the hero to get that girl. Tenchi Muyo gets this right by having a great cast of very different characters from different walks of life. What it also gets right is allowing these characters time to shine in their areas of expertise. Every character gets enough focus so you don’t feel like any are being left out. On top of that, it doesn’t force Tenchi into a relationship with any of the girls. Ryoko and Ayeka are the two girls after him, but he doesn’t end up with either and you don’t feel like the creators are pushing one or the other. Harems don’t work when the main character has a main love interest. A harem entails multiple love interests. Hell, if a normal person were in a harem situation they’d probably become a Mormon on the spot.

Another plus is how the romance seems relegated to two characters love for Tenchi. Rather than have them all love him, he’s given two to choose from and the rest are there as friends more or less. It’s not overbearing and makes this seem less a harem, more a sci-fi. Sure he is dealing with tons of girls but only two fawn over him.

2.) Combination of Sci-Fi and Comedy-I have such a hard time looking at this as a harem for the sole reason that the romance doesn’t come to the forefront. Halfway through, the series has a tonal shift and goes from Earth antics to a full-on space adventure. The romance is there, but it isn’t the focus. There are so many genres coming together, and I absolutely love how Tenchi Muyo melts all these elements together. As far as genre balancing goes, it does it so much better than recent titles like Haiyore! Nyaruko-San. Heaven’s Lost Property managed a decent balance of story, comedy, and romance; but definitely not as successfully as Tenchi Muyo does.

Cons
1) Ayeka vs. Ryoko- The two main love interests also tend to be the most interesting characters as far as backstory is concerned. The problem is, when you get them together they are total pains in the ass. They get infuriatingly annoying at points. Despite liking them both and understanding they are romantic rivals; their antics are too grating to be funny or cute.

2) Seizure- Episode 22 has more flashing lights than a normal person should ever have to see. Seriously, you could have a seizure watching that shit.

3) Voice Acting- I’d suggest bypassing the English dub. Tenchi sounds like Kermit the Frog, Ayeka’s voice is awful. There are very few capable voice actors/actresses in the dubbing project. On top of that, some of the songs of the show have been localized, making for awful music at dramatic places. It’s the same for the horrible karaoke sections that are completely pointless. Fast forwarding through these areas are permitted and highly advised.

Overall
Tenchi Muyo is a classic for good reason. It really doesn’t contain any largely noticeable problems, the cast is fantastic, and the balance is great. The only real problem is that I only have two good things to say about it and three bad things. I really have very little to say pro or con. So if it’s technically decent, then entertainment-wise does it deliver? Hell yes. It’s great fun and even if there are some chinks in the armor, it’s overall a very solid anime.

Quite a dramatic difference from the Ryo-ohki ova's. they seem to have added more silliness to the story and changed the characters backgrounds completely, and did a total overhaul on washu's personality. She is no longer the deep, calm, and collected person she was in the originals. instead she has become more of a mad scientist with a rediculous ego. though the new storyline is still quite good, the added sillyness and lack of character depth definitly let me down a little bit. but still a good watch.

First anime I ever watched , it does hold up to todays standards , does get tedious with its fillers but a short anime that you can enjoy.
Watched it first when i was around 12 when Jetix was showing anime like this shaman king and DBZ , overall enjoyment and story is cool.
Story follows the ,,chosen one,, path but Tenchi does seem a bit clumsy and gets out of sticky situations but does prevail in the end. Kagato attacks! is my fav episode of the bunch and also one of my first and fav villains I ever watched. Recommended for all ages

Tenchi Muyou Universe is basically an alternate universe of Tenchi Muyou Ryououki. And that's it.

All the characters are different, and the story is a different in certain keypoints, but somehow the core of the Tenchi, still remains. The characters even though now they have a different origin, their story still stays the same. Same but different but still the same.

The art changes a little bit. It is not really the same, there are minor differences between outfits, and probably as a whole general there are others key differences. The animation is exceptional.

The sound and the music are exceptional. There are some slight ... differences in acting towards the Tenchi's father and grandfather, where the differences are big. But the rest is exceptional.

IF you are a fan of Tenchi you will surely not miss it.

First, I know there are a lot of people who have nostalgia for this anime (since it was one of the first anime shown on Toonami in America), but, to clarify, I'm a first time viewer thus have no nostalgia.

Characters 9/10

My two favorite characters would have to be Mihoshi and Kiyone. Seriously, these two characters are so funny that I would love it if they got their own spin-off show. What makes them so funny is they have completely opposite personalities; Mihoshi is a clumsy airhead and Kiyone is a hard working career woman who constantly has to clean up after the mess Mihoshi ... makes. They play off each other perfectly and I love this running joke how Kiyone is always complaining how unlucky she is to have a partner like Mihoshi.

Another great comedy duo are Aeka and Ryouko. A lot of the show's drama comes from the love triangle between Aeka, Ryouko, and Tenchi and with Aeka and Ryouko always competing for Tenchi's affection. However, Ryouko is a funny character on her own being a selfish, alcoholic, sleazy space pirate.

Ironically, Tenchi himself would be the show's most boring character. He's your typical nice-guy protagonist and he really doesn't do anything memorable until the final episode. Also, Tenchi seems to be so ignorant of Aeka and Ryouko's intentions that I'm seriously starting to think he may be gay.

Story 7/10

Similar to most romantic comedies, Tenchi Muyou! is a more character driven than story driven show thus every episode typically involves Tenchi and his harem going on some wacky adventure. For example, there's an episode where they go to a summer festival together and another where Mihoshi and Kiyone get part-time jobs. Not really anymore to say.

Art 7/10

Some things I liked about the art and animation in the show was how the alien characters all look mostly human, but with some noticeable differences like colorful and outrageous hairstyles. However, one character whose clearly an alien is Ryo-Ohki who looks like a cross between a rabbit and a cat with his big feet, long legs, and whiskers.

As for the animation, some of the best examples would have to be when Ryouko and Aeka are using their alien powers, including throwing energy blasts at each other and projecting force fields, and Ryo-Ohki's transformation into a spaceship.

Overall 7/10

I can see why many anime fans in America have nostalgia for Tenchi Muyou, it is a great example of an anime romantic comedy and harem anime. However, I only gave it a 7 out of 10 because while I did laugh a lot while watching Tenchi Muyou I was never rolling on the floor laughing and I found the story to be rather predictable.

However, I still recommend Tenchi Muyou to anyone wanting to watch a funny comedy.

Tenchi Universe and Love Hina are usually what come to mind when someone says “harem anime”, and Tenchi does not deserve this. It’s a space opera with a love-triangle and some of the best-written female characters of 90s anime you are ever likely to find.

Only Aeka and Ryoko are even interested in Tenchi himself, the rest just find themselves in his home through circumstance and become his found-family. Sasami is never sexualised (thank goodness) and has a big-brother-little-sister dynamic with him which is wholesome and inoffensive. Washu plays with him but has her own stuff going on. Mihoshi is a ditz and just happy ... to be somewhere she can relax in, she has more of a relationship with Kiyone who also has very little to do with Tenchi - their interactions are some of the funniest and most “real”, like childhood friends who are stuck together for better or worse. Ryoko doesn’t really take her feelings seriously until the show develops, and seems to enjoy using Tenchi to tease Aeka until she starts to let her walls down and really sit in her feelings.

The girls as usual have archetypes - the sassy one, the ojousama , the sweet child, the ditz, the put-upon voice of reason, the unpredictable crazy one, but that’s not all they are. Each character is multi-faceted and goes through some kind of development, they all have their feelings explored and have a lot to say. Tenchi himself is kind of the bland everyman, but he’s also snarky (at least in the English dub) and genuine - he treats everyone genuinely respectfully and doesn’t necessarily want to be in any of the situations he finds himself in, flirtatious or dangerous. It’s unusual to see a protagonist of this supposed genre be humble and disinterested sexually, and he isn’t OP in any way - if anything Ryoko is portrayed as the most powerful. There are clear reasons why everyone finds themselves in the same vicinity and even though the series feels a little disjointed at times, especially in comparison to the more concise OVA, it builds to a well thought out conclusion which is satisfying and cozy.

It might be nostalgia talking but this is a classic with fewer tropes than people give it credit for. The English dub is by far one of the best that have ever been made which is a miracle for the time in which it was produced, and I honestly would recommend it over the Japanese original (but again I did watch it in English first and at age 11 so there is bias at play here). Give Tenchi Universe (or Tenchi Muyō) a chance if you want to delve into the classics, it is far more accessible and far less gross than most of what came after it.

This is an anime that I grew up watching. I loved every single one of the colorful characters, and I watched anything they released with them in it, over and over again.

I don't follow it so much these days. I have mostly grown out of it. But if I ever feel nostalgic about it, this is the one that I specifically tend to watch. It's my favorite.

The story is alright, the animation is pretty good, too. The songs and background music make me really nostalgic, and the characters are all hilarious. There are some scenes with flashing lights that I think might bother some people. ... It is a bit much, even for me, but really only a big deal in one episode.

I can't really say whether somebody new to this series would enjoy it because so much of it, for me, is nostalgia. If you like harem anime, this is definitely a must. It's a hilarious anime, and probably one of the more popular harem anime out there.