Tenchi Universe: Collection description
The broadcast series Tenchi Universe (1995) remains the silliest and, probably, the funniest entry in the popular Tenchi Muyo! ("No Need for Tenchi!") franchise. Tenchi Masaki seems like a normal high school kid, living near the family shrine in Okayama. But any semblance of normalcy is shattered by the arrival of the outrageous space pirate Ryoko, followed by bubble-brained Galactic Police Officer Mihoshi. They're joined by Princess Ayeka of the planet Jurai and her sister Sasami; Mihoshi's long-suffering partner, Kiyoni; and batty super-genius Wasshu. Life is soon "like a carnival," as Tenchi says in a rare understatement. Tenchi's grandfather turns out to be the long-lost crown prince of Jurai. When Kagato seizes the throne, Tenchi must defeat him in a dramatic confrontation between good and evil. Before the battle, the plot careens along merrily, pausing for a trans-galactic beauty pageant and a harvest festival that's engulfed in a sea of pink goo when Mihoshi tries to operate a cotton-candy machine. At the end of the adventure, Tenchi sighs for the days when "life was like a carnival," but the peace that reigns in Okayama won't last. The Tenchi series established the anime genre of the harem comedy--all six women from outer space are after Tenchi. Many other series have followed the formula, but few, if any, have been as much fun. The new slim pack takes up about one-fourth the shelf space of the original eight discs. (Rated 13 and older: cartoon violence, alcohol use, brief nudity, risqué humor) --Charles Solomon |