Tenchi is a great title for anyone who likes roommate drama, space stories or harem anime, but where should you start. In case you don’t have the time or money to watch all of the Tenchi series, or maybe you just want an intro to the series, I suggest you check out the Tenchi movies. All the same drama and excitement in 3 compact cheap little single DVD packages.
Tenchi Muyo! In Love 2: Tenchi Forever (Technically ‘Tenchi the Movie 3’)(1998)
When the movie starts Ayeka and Ryoko are arguing as always. They put Tenchi on the spot, saying that he has to choose between them once and for all, but he runs away. While he is wandering around deep in the mountains (avoiding the girls) he comes upon a Camellia tree. A beautiful woman appears from the tree and whisks him off. He is gone for more than six months. Everyone is searching for him, Ryoko and Ayeka even call a truce to join forced and search together. They have set themselves up in a city, working as waitresses while they search for Tenchi.
Meanwhile Tenchi is living as an art student with a woman named Haruna. He’s a bit older, a bit more mature and has even grown his hair long. Because of his separation from all the spotlight hogging girls you can see his character better than ever before. As they work and live in the city Ayeka and Ryoko keep seeing glimpses of Tenchi but whenever they try to catch up to him he disappears. Haruna has dragged Tenchi into an alternate world and he neither remembers the girls nor wants to be rescued by them.
This is not a kid’s movie, it has a much more serious tone than the series ever did and there are a few sex scenes, tasteful, but with some nudity. I love it because of that (the serious tone, not the sex,) it shows a depth to the characters that you never see in the series. The thing I find really interesting is that this is the first Tenchi story that really leans one way or the other on the whole Ryoko/Ayeka issue. Although the second movie has more footage of Ryoko, there is no indication of whether Tenchi likes her or Ayeka better. If you pay close enough attention, you can see that Ayeka is made out as a bit of a bumbling airhead, while Ryoko is much more sensitive and sympathetic. Although nothing definitive (like a kiss) happens, Tenchi is much more into Ryoko. Even with his memory erased he draws pictures of a faceless woman with blue spiked hair and whenever he has a flash of memory it is of Ryoko. For me that’s another selling point, I’ve always rooted for Ryoko to be the one who wins Tenchi’s heart. The music is on par with the story. It is much more romantic and instrumental than in the series and it helps tell the story. It’s actually a soundtrack I would like to get my hands on.
I give Tenchi Forever a 4/5 because it is my favorite Tenchi story, and I think it stands out above the rest. I’ll give it a Red MM for romance and Camellia flowers, a Dark Blue MM for deep space and aliens, a Shiny Silver MM for alternate dimensions and scientific gadgets, and a Light Blue MM for Ryoko’s hair.
Tenchi Muyo! In Love 2: Tenchi Forever (Technically ‘Tenchi the Movie 3’)(1998)When the movie starts Ayeka and Ryoko are arguing as always. They put Tenchi on the spot, saying that he has to choose between them once and for all, but he runs away. While he is wandering around deep in the mountains (avoiding the girls) he comes upon a Camellia tree. A beautiful woman appears from the tree and whisks him off. He is gone for more than six months. Everyone is searching for him, Ryoko and Ayeka even call a truce to join forced and search together. They have set themselves up in a city, working as waitresses while they search for Tenchi.
Meanwhile Tenchi is living as an art student with a woman named Haruna. He’s a bit older, a bit more mature and has even grown his hair long. Because of his separation from all the spotlight hogging girls you can see his character better than ever before. As they work and live in the city Ayeka and Ryoko keep seeing glimpses of Tenchi but whenever they try to catch up to him he disappears. Haruna has dragged Tenchi into an alternate world and he neither remembers the girls nor wants to be rescued by them. This is not a kid’s movie, it has a much more serious tone than the series ever did and there are a few sex scenes, tasteful, but with some nudity. I love it because of that (the serious tone, not the sex,) it shows a depth to the characters that you never see in the series. The thing I find really interesting is that this is the first Tenchi story that really leans one way or the other on the whole Ryoko/Ayeka issue. Although the second movie has more footage of Ryoko, there is no indication of whether Tenchi likes her or Ayeka better. If you pay close enough attention, you can see that Ayeka is made out as a bit of a bumbling airhead, while Ryoko is much more sensitive and sympathetic. Although nothing definitive (like a kiss) happens, Tenchi is much more into Ryoko. Even with his memory erased he draws pictures of a faceless woman with blue spiked hair and whenever he has a flash of memory it is of Ryoko. For me that’s another selling point, I’ve always rooted for Ryoko to be the one who wins Tenchi’s heart. The music is on par with the story. It is much more romantic and instrumental than in the series and it helps tell the story. It’s actually a soundtrack I would like to get my hands on. I give Tenchi Forever a 4/5 because it is my favorite Tenchi story, and I think it stands out above the rest. I’ll give it a Red MM for romance and Camellia flowers, a Dark Blue MM for deep space and aliens, a Shiny Silver MM for alternate dimensions and scientific gadgets, and a Light Blue MM for Ryoko’s hair.
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