Tenchi Universe
Encyclopedia
was a 26 episode anime
series produced by the AIC and Pioneer Animation. It is loosely based on the first six episodes of the Tenchi Muyo!
OVA series. The series premiered on April 2, 1995 in Japan and concluded its airing on September 24, 1995. The series aired in the United States
on Cartoon Network
's cartoon block Toonami
on July 20, 2000 and ended on August 24, 2000. Two featured films came from this canon, Tenchi the Movie: Tenchi Muyo in Love and Tenchi Forever! The Movie
. Funimation Entertainment
announced distribution of the series, along with several other Tenchi properties, on July 2, 2010 at Anime Expo
.
This series introduces three new characters: Mihoshi's partner Kiyone Makibi
(who debuted in the "Mihoshi Special
"), the bounty hunter and Ryoko's rival, Nagi, and her cabbit companion, Ken-Ohki. The series also gave some characters different personalities; Washu
is now portrayed as a mildly-insane egomaniac with two pop-up dolls that proclaim her greatness, and Mihoshi
was portrayed as a comic relief
character whose constant bumbling, blunders and crying fits would often get the gang into trouble.
and
and
from 2 April 1995 to 24 September 1995.
The English-dubbed version was picked up by Cartoon Network
in 2000 for broadcast on its Toonami
block (US and Europe). The Toonami version was edited for content, and featured custom opening and closing credits.
After Cartoon Network's rights to broadcast the show expired, International Channel
picked up the rights to air the dubbed version in 2004.
The Spanish dub (co-produced by Cloverway Inc.) was broadcast on Univision
.
Notably, Up-Walk in the Galaxy is intended to act like Ryoko and Ayeka singing two versions of the same song, each of them trying to stake their, apparently valid, claim for Tenchi.
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series produced by the AIC and Pioneer Animation. It is loosely based on the first six episodes of the Tenchi Muyo!
Tenchi Muyo!
, is a Japanese anime, light novel, and manga series created by Masaki Kajishima and Hiroki Hayashi.The generally accepted translation of the title is No Need for Tenchi or Useless Tenchi, though at the time of its appearance it was also translated variably as No Heaven and Earth and This Way Up...
OVA series. The series premiered on April 2, 1995 in Japan and concluded its airing on September 24, 1995. The series aired in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
's cartoon block Toonami
Toonami
Toonami was a registered trademark of Cartoon Network, used initially for action-oriented programming blocks on Cartoon Network television channels worldwide, mostly showing American cartoons and Japanese anime, originating in the United States on March 17, 1997 and ended on September 20, 2008.The...
on July 20, 2000 and ended on August 24, 2000. Two featured films came from this canon, Tenchi the Movie: Tenchi Muyo in Love and Tenchi Forever! The Movie
Tenchi Forever! The Movie
Tenchi Forever!, known in Japan as , is a 1999 Japanese anime film based upon the popular Tenchi Muyo! series, and was directed by Hiroshi Negishi...
. Funimation Entertainment
Funimation Entertainment
Funimation is an American entertainment company. Originally founded in 1994 by Gen Fukunaga, the company became a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation on May 11, 2005...
announced distribution of the series, along with several other Tenchi properties, on July 2, 2010 at Anime Expo
Anime Expo
Anime Expo, abbreviated AX, is an American anime convention held in Los Angeles, California and organized by the non-profit Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation . With rare exceptions, the convention is traditionally held on the July 4th weekend and lasts for four days...
.
This series introduces three new characters: Mihoshi's partner Kiyone Makibi
Kiyone Makibi
Kiyone Makibi is a fictional character of the Tenchi Muyo! series. She is an original creation of first OVA series' co-scriptwriter Naoko Hasegawa, appearing in most Tenchi Muyo! canons with the exception of the official OVA canon accepted by the series creator Masaki Kajishima.She shares her...
(who debuted in the "Mihoshi Special
Tenchi Muyo! Mihoshi Special
is a special episode of the Tenchi Muyo! OAV series.The special features the anime debut of Kiyone Makibi and Sasami's alter-ego, Pretty Sammy .-Synopsis:As usual, Mihoshi Kuramitsu was asleep on the deck of the house when everyone else is a special episode of the Tenchi Muyo! OAV series.The...
"), the bounty hunter and Ryoko's rival, Nagi, and her cabbit companion, Ken-Ohki. The series also gave some characters different personalities; Washu
Washu Hakubi
, the self-proclaimed greatest scientific genius in the universe, is a fictional character in the anime and manga Tenchi Muyo!. Her character differs depending on the continuity, though she sometimes displays a number of innate powers which she rarely uses, preferring to solve problems with reason...
is now portrayed as a mildly-insane egomaniac with two pop-up dolls that proclaim her greatness, and Mihoshi
Mihoshi Kuramitsu
is a Galaxy Police detective in the fictional Tenchi Muyo! anime and manga series. Her given name "Mihoshi", , literally means "Beautiful Star", and is derived from a town in the Okayama Prefecture formerly known as Bisei.-OVA:...
was portrayed as a comic relief
Comic relief
Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.-Definition:...
character whose constant bumbling, blunders and crying fits would often get the gang into trouble.
Major characters
- Tenchi Masaki
- Ryoko
- Ayeka Jurai
- Sasami Jurai
- Ryo-Ohki
- Washu Hakubi
- Mihoshi Kuramitsu
- Kiyone Makibi
Other characters
- Katsuhito Masaki
- Nobuyuki Masaki
- Nagi
- Kagato
- Achika MasakiAchika Masakiis a fictional character in the Tenchi Muyo! anime series. She is an original creation of first OVA series' co-writer Naoko Hasegawa, making her animated debut in the 1996 feature Tenchi Muyo! in Love. She was the wife of Nobuyuki, the daughter of Katsuhito Masaki , and the mother of Tenchi. In the...
- Haruna
Minor characters
- Ken-Ohki is Nagi's cabbit partner. Like Ryō-OhkiRyo-Ohki, is a fictional character in the Japanese anime series Tenchi Muyo! and its spinoffs. Ryo-Ohki's appearance is similar to a cross between a cat and a rabbit, and for this reason Ryo-Ohki is commonly referred to as a cabbit...
, Ken-Ohki can transform himself in a space battleship, although the configuration and color is slightly different than Ryō-Ohki. And like Ryō-Ohki, Ken-Ohki has developed a love of carrots.
- Ken-Ohki and Ryō-Ohki also love each other, which complicates Nagi's almost obsessive quest to capture Ryōko. But this love had also saved Nagi from being killed by Ryōko, not to mention aiding Ryōko when she, Tenchi, and the knights Azaka and KamidakeAzaka and Kamidakeand are fictional characters in the manga and anime series Tenchi Muyo!Azaka and Kamidake, Ayeka's guardians, in the form of floating logs. They can generate a barrier that allows them to protect Ayeka and paralyze their target, though their powers pale in comparison to the power held by the Royal...
stormed the Jurai palace to save Ayeka.
- This android duplicate of Washū was supposed to be a suplemental worker, inprinted with the mad genius's intellect. But somehow, a single hair from Mihoshi found its way into the transfer unit. It was after an explosion (caused by Mihoshi) that Washū discovered that, instead of Washū's mind, the android gains Mihoshi's mind and temperament. Washū also developed a spare body for Mecha-Washū which she used after Washū self-detonated her original body and the spare body is not equipped with a self-destruct device. The group had a hard time dealing with Mecha-Washū until Kiyone came by, as she knew how Mihoshi's mind works, which enabled her to shut down Mecha-Washū.
- Mecha-Washū has most of Washū's physical features, but with Mihoshi's ear and eye characteristics, as well as her hairstyle. Eventually Washū tried to create a second Mecha-Washū but Ryō-Ohki somehow caused it to gain her characteristics.
- Mitsuki graduated from the same Galaxy Police Academy class Kiyone graduated from, but at a lower score. She is a very ambitious person, and will stoop to anything to get ahead of Kiyone... even capturing her when Kiyone got implicated in Ayeka's problems with Jurai.
- At the end of the series, Mitsuki was demoted to being Kiyone's errand girl, following Kiyone's promotion to Detective Sergeant and Mihoshi's promotion to Chief Criminal Prevention Officer.
- Mirei is a mysterious ghost girl whose life before she died is unknown to her, although she has a photograph which is her only clue.
- When the Yagami stopped in the Sargasso sea of space a.k.a. the ship's graveyard, that was when Mirei's ship appeared before them. She invited Sasami and Ryō-ohki on board, after which the two started to have fun and decided to scare the rest of the group, who had come aboard to look for Sasami. Then after sampling Sasami's memories, Mirei, Sasami, and Ryō-ohki continued to play through things such as an amusement park and a fireworks display.
- Eventually Sasami realized she had to return to the Yagami as everyone was worried. But as a gift, Sasami and Ryō-ohki's image were added to the photograph to help remember their happiest time together.
and
- Basically, the two of them are runaways, and just happened to steal Kiyone's ship Yagami, (with an unknowing Nobuyuki and Katsuhito on board who were playing Shiogi, a Japanese version of chess) when the Masaki clan stopped at a station to order beef dons. Of course, the two of them didn't know about the trouble the Masakis were in, and soon found themselves chased by the G.P. and Jurai... something they never counted on!
- Eventually they ended up flying towards a star, but the Masaki group (minus Ayeka and Sasami) arrived on Ryō-ohki, retaken the ship, and used Washu's calculations to use the sun's gravity to escape. They then sent Amarube and Yura away on an escape pod.
- Amarube voiced by: Tsutomu KashiwakuraTsutomu Kashiwakurais a Japanese voice actor and sound director. He was formerly credited as 柏倉 つとむ .- Primary roles :* young Terry Bogard in Fatal Fury: Legend of the Hungry Wolf* Ryo in Generator Gawl* Glemy Toto in Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ...
- Yura voiced by: Yūko NagashimaYuko Nagashimais a Japanese voice actress who works for Aoni Production.-Anime:* Ceres, The Celestial Legend - Gladys Smithson* Eden's Bowy - Fennis, young Yorn* Magic Knight Rayearth - Caldina* Martian Successor Nadesico - Erina Won* Naruto - Tsubaki...
(Japanese), Debi DerryberryDebi DerryberryDebi Derryberry is an American voice actress, singer, composer and kids' entertainer who won an American Anime Award.-History:...
(English)
- During the Masaki clan's trip through the Jurai checkpoint, Sagami met Tenchi (disguised as a girl named Tenko) after he went to check-in station. Sagami then went to the Cafe with Sasami and Tenchi, but after Ryōko and Mihoshi came through when Mihoshi's bungling had exposed them, Sagami was able to help slow down some of the guards.
- Later when Sasami was separated from the group, Sagami knocked out the guards that heard her and then gave Tenchi a staff to fight off the guards, although it exposed Tenchi's true identity to him. It turned out that Sagami was an agent of Sasami and Ayeka's uncle and was helping the group in order for them to make it into Jurai territory.
- While in disguise on Jurai's checkpoint to get into the Jurai territory, Sasami remembered the time when she used to play with her uncle on Jurai. However, her uncle, who was the outpost chief for the checkpoint, easily recognized her through her disguise. He helped weaken the security grid and had his man Sagami assist the Masaki clan in getting away when they were discovered, giving them a chance to escape from the checkpoint into Jurai territory. He also helped rescue Sasami after she was separated from the group and then rendered unconscious by knockout gas; he then got her back to the group safely. It was only after their escape that Sasami saw him as they were leaving and realized that her uncle had helped them escape, and he realized how much Sasami had grown up. It's also implied that he knew the current emperor was not the real Yosho.
and
- Tetta and Tessei are the Juraian knights that served Kagato. The knights Azaka and Kamidake each faced these two knights respectively. Although both Tetta and Tessei were just as skilled as Azaka and Kamidake and had techniques that weren't available in Azaka and Kamidake's time, both of the noble knights pointed out that they, along with their master, lacked the spirit of chivalry. With their courage and nobility, Azaka and Kamidake killed Tetta and Tessei.
- Tetta voiced by: Yoshio KawaiYoshio Kawai' is a seiyū who is affiliated with Arts Vision.-TV Anime:*Captain Tsubasa *Geneshaft *Kakyūsei *Mobile Fighter G Gundam *Rockman.EXE Stream *Slam Dunk...
- Tessei voiced by: Shin-ichiro Miki
- Yōshō's (Katsuhito) wife in the TV series continuity and Achika's mother. Itsuki briefly appears in Episode 22 and Tenchi Muyo in Love 2, when Yōshō explains that after he met her shortly after landing on Earth, he changed his name Katsuhito Masaki when he married her. It was because of this that the spirit of Yōshō's deceased love Haruna awoke and felt betrayed, that she would later kidnap Tenchi. Itsuki made a brief appearance at the end of Tenchi Muyo in Love 2 where after Katsuhito said goodbye to Haruna, Itsuki's spirit appeared in her child form and Katsuhito pointed out to her not to be jealous.
Broadcast history
Tenchi Universe was broadcast on TV TokyoTV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
from 2 April 1995 to 24 September 1995.
The English-dubbed version was picked up by Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
in 2000 for broadcast on its Toonami
Toonami
Toonami was a registered trademark of Cartoon Network, used initially for action-oriented programming blocks on Cartoon Network television channels worldwide, mostly showing American cartoons and Japanese anime, originating in the United States on March 17, 1997 and ended on September 20, 2008.The...
block (US and Europe). The Toonami version was edited for content, and featured custom opening and closing credits.
After Cartoon Network's rights to broadcast the show expired, International Channel
AZN Television
AZN Television promoted itself as "the network for Asian America". It was run by International Networks, a wholly owned subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. The channel’s programming targeted the fast-growing, young, affluent, English-speaking Asian American community...
picked up the rights to air the dubbed version in 2004.
The Spanish dub (co-produced by Cloverway Inc.) was broadcast on Univision
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
.
Music
- Background music/score was composed by Seikou Nagaoka.
- Opening: Tenchi Muyo! (Japanese and English versions performed by SONIA)
- Ending: Ginga de chokuritsu hokô [Walking Tall in the Milky Way] (Up-Walk in the Galaxy) (Japanese version performed by Ai OrikasaAi Orikasais a popular Japanese voice actress and singer from Tokyo. She works for Production Baobab. Orikasa is also the Japanese dub voice for Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Her debut work was Shoukoushi Cedie in 1988...
and Yumi TakadaYumi Takadais a Japanese voice actress employed by 81 Produce.-Notable voice roles:*Yoshinaga-sensei in Crayon Shin-chan*Etsuko in Hanappe Bazooka*Ayeka Masaki Jurai in Tenchi Muyo!*Ayeka Takada /Romio , Ghost Girl in Pretty Sammy...
; English version performed by Diane MichelleDiane MichelleDiane Michelle is an American voice actress, famous for voicing Daisy Duck in several modern Disney projects . Diane's voice work appears in Happy Feet and she voiced both Depa Billaba, a Republic Medic Droid, and Zam Wessel in Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds...
)
Notably, Up-Walk in the Galaxy is intended to act like Ryoko and Ayeka singing two versions of the same song, each of them trying to stake their, apparently valid, claim for Tenchi.
Insert songs
- Episode 6: Ai no Ejiki [Victim of Love] (Japanese version performed by Yuko MizutaniYuko Mizutaniis a Japanese voice actress working for Production Baobab.-Notable voice roles:*Alfimi, Katana & Byakuya in Super Robot Wars OG Saga: Endless Frontier EXCEED*Andrea Zuckerman in Beverly Hills, 90210*Anri in Bubblegum Crisis*Apple in Zillion...
and Yuri AmanoYuri Amanois a Japanese voice actor. She was born .- Films :* Soreike! Anpanman: Baikinman no Gyakushuu , Akachanman* Mobile Suit Gundam F91 , Jessica* Tobé! Kujira no Peek...
; English version performed by Ellen GerstellEllen Gerstell-Voice roles:*Jem *Monchhichis *Dragon's Lair - Princess Daphne *My Little Pony: The Movie *Little Clowns of Happytown *My Little Pony TV series...
and Sherry LynnSherry LynnSherry Lynn is a veteran American voice actress, known for young girl roles in animation and video games. She is represented by Arlene Thornton & Associates...
) - Episode 13: Towa ni towa ni hoshi no yume [Never-ending Dream of Stars] (Forevermore) (Japanese version performed by Ai Orikasa; English version performed by Diane Michelle)
- Episode 16: Koi wa Chigai Hōken [Love is Extraterritorial] (Japanese version performed by Ai Orikasa; English version performed by Petrea BurchardPetrea BurchardPetrea Burchard is an American actress, and voice actress. She is sometimes credited as Celeste Burch in the anime she appears in. Her most recognizable role to date is as the English voice actor for fictional character and space pirate, Ryoko Hakubi from the Japanese animated series Tenchi...
) (This song was never played in the Toonami version.)- Ginga ni Imasokari (I'm the Only One) (Japanese version performed by Yumi Takada; English version performed by Jennifer DarlingJennifer DarlingJennifer Darling is an American actress and voice actress. While her body of work as a voiceover artist greatly eclipses that of her on-stage career, she is, perhaps, nevertheless known best to most people as Peggy Callahan, the secretary to Oscar Goldman in the television series The Six Million...
) - Photon, Proton, Synchrotron (Japanese version performed by Yuko KobayashiYuko Kobayashiis a Japanese seiyū who was born on February 6, 1961 in Tokyo. She is currently affiliated with 81 Produce and is married to fellow seiyu Mitsuaki Hoshino.-Notable voice roles:*Washu Hakubi in Tenchi Muyo*Shigeru in Pokémon...
; English version performed by Kate T. VogtKate T. VogtKate T. Vogt is an actress who has primarily done voice acting for various animated films for most of her career. She also goes by "Kate Vogt", "K. T...
)
- Ginga ni Imasokari (I'm the Only One) (Japanese version performed by Yumi Takada; English version performed by Jennifer Darling
- Episode 26: Ren'ai no jikū [Dimension of Love] (Japanese version performed by Ai Orikasa; English version performed by Diane Michelle)