After the Tenchi OAV series, Tenchi was slated for a TV series also. This is sort of a problem, since you just can't continue off the OAV, because many people that would watch the TV series, wouldn't have seen the OAV. So the solution was to start again from the beginning. This is where things take an odd turn. Instead of just repeating the OAV, it was decided that the story would be changed (as well as some characters). This is the beginning of what is known as a new "Tenchi Universe".

I was however disappointed in how much things were simplified... Sasami is just an ordinary girl, Aeka was never to marry Yoshou, Washu didn't make Ryo-oki, or Ryoko... etc. On the good side, I saw this series to be refreshing. After all, I've already seen the OAV, so why would I want to go through all the same character introduction stuff again? Even though many things were simplified, the pace of the stories is a little slower. This allows the series a lot more room to expand. The TV series may not be as good as the OAV in some respects, but overall, it's just as good... just in different ways. The finish of the series is certainly far more climactic, and the Tenchi TV intro is certainly way cooler.



Tenchi on Earth

The first part of the Tenchi TV series mainly serves to introduce characters. In the first episode Tenchi discovers a crash, and a beautiful girl named Ryoko. Shortly after he gets chased by a someone in a mecha suit intent on vaporizing him. Eventually he finds that the person in the suit is Mihoshi. Well someone was drunk, and a space pirate, but who? Why doesn't this sound like Mihoshi?.. Episode 2 - everything seems fine.... until the royalty starts to show up, and Aeka isn't too pleased to see Ryoko either.. Episode 3 - Aeka's little sister Sasami appears. Episode 4 - The legend says there's a demon in that cave. Odd that the legend actually happens to be true... Episode 5 - Poor Kiyone.. She almost escaped Mihoshi... Episode 6 - Life in the city is really expensive for Kiyone and Mihoshi. How many jobs can people handle at once? Episode 7 - Sasami's night to remember. Episode 8 - Washu's power with Mihoshi's brain... will the universe survive? Episode 9 - A day of snow brings back lots of memories, especially for the Misaki family. Episode 10 - She's got spiky hair, and owns a cabbit... but it's not Ryoko? Must be Nagi, the arch rival of Ryoko!

Tenchi Muyo: Time & Space Adventures

Washu has made her most menacing invention yet, a machine which makes the universe into whatever you want it to be! Later that night Ryoko sneaks in to Washu's laboratory to make a nice little universe of her own. Not far behind are the rest of the Tenchi gang, all intent on making their own universes. As everyone fights over the controls, the machine goes haywire, throwing everyone into alternate universes. Eventually Washu will work everything out, but for the time being everyone will have to live out a different life.

Princess Aeka is set to wed Lord Tenchi. But the order has come down from the emperor that Tenchi must get rid of the demon of Rashomon. As it turns out the Rashomon demon has a certain fondness for Tenchi... In another universe, Mihoshi and Kiyone teach at a highschool where Tenchi, Ryoko, and Aeka are students. Ryoko and Aeka fight over Tenchi until Pretty Sammy saves the day! In another universe Kiyone finally finds a peaceful life working at a restaurant... until her old partner finds her. In Mihoshi's universe, Mihoshi and Tenchi are married, and Aeka is the (evil) step sister. It doesn't take long before the neighbor Ryoko comes to visit. In Ryoko's universe, Ryoko and Tenchi are bank robbers (set around the 1920-30's). Washu finally got rid of all the universes except for this one. But this universe will continue to exist until Ryoko renounces it. Ryoko doesn't want to however, since she is so happy.

Tenchi in Space

For a while things seem to have settled down around Tenchi, until the royal princesses were taken away by Juai's military and charged with treason. The Tenchi in Space episodes all move towards an ongoing climax. Kiyone and Mihoshi end up on the wrong side of the law, and all of Tenchi's group end up wanted fugitives. Something is going on in Jurai's royal family, with the new emperor Yoshou. The only hope seems to be to go to Jurai and settle things personally. But being wanted criminals throughout the galaxy makes things difficult, especially with Nagi hot on Ryoko's trail. Tenchi and company are certainly in for many adventures. Luckily Tenchi's grandfather has quite a few tricks up his sleeve.


Episode Listing for TV
  • No need to say anything
  • No need for a princess
  • No need to worry
  • No need for demons
  • No need for a partner
  • No need for crime
  • No need for temple festivals
  • No need for genius
  • No need to reminisce
  • No need for old adversaries
  • Time and Space Adventures pt. 1
  • Time and Space Adventures pt. 2
  • Time and Space Adventures pt. 3
  • No need for a revolution
  • No need to escape
  • No need to hide
  • No need for hunger
  • No need for ghosts
  • No need for reckless driving
  • No need for bathing suits
  • No need for checkpoints
  • No need for a knight
  • No need for a reason
  • No need for Ryouko
  • No need for a final battle
  • No need for a conclusion

Keep in mind that the listings for the TV episodes are according to the Japanese versions. Pioneer varied the title translations a little for many episodes.

So what is with all these titles beginning with "No need for..." ? I'm not completely sure myself, but I believe that it stems from the series name Tenchi Muyo. In order to understand that you have to know a little Japanese first. The words Tenchi Muyo are made of four Kanji. Tenchi (name of the main character) means heaven and earth, the first kanji ‘ten' indicating heaven, the second kanji ‘chi' indicating earth. The second set of kanji are the ones that actually have meaning. The first kanji indicates "not". Kanji combinations using this kanji, have negative meanings, such as "ignore" (not paying attention). The second kanji indicates use, or to utilize (and a few other things too) These two kanji put together are muyo, which means useless, or needlessness. Putting it all together, Tenchi Muyo means ‘no need for Tenchi'.

I've also heard that Tenchi Muyo means "this side up". Keep in mind that one kanji in Japanese can have many meanings (as can many words in the Japanese language). Well I'm not an expert on the Japanese language or anything, so I really can't confirm this to be true, but I've heard multiple confirmations of this meaning. I'm really not sure if this meaning was intentional or not, I've heard people saying that it is, and that it isn't, so I'll just stay neutral on the whole thing. It makes for an interesting side note anyhow.





You know, the carnival comes and goes...
But if you wait a while..
it will always come back to you Tenchi
~Ryoko