Tenchi Muyo is a large and ever expanding multimedia multiverse series of Sci-fi Romance Harem Comedies.
For many that may be confusing and off putting, but I assure you it's not nearly as complicated as you'd think.
(Don't Worry Mihoshi Doesn't know where to start either)
(Don't Worry Mihoshi Doesn't know where to start either)
The series started with the First OVA known as Tenchi Muyo Ryo-ohki in Japan.
It was conceptualized by two of the people who had worked on the Bubblegum Crisis OVAs
After the first OVA, The two Co-producers and the scriptwriter split and went their own ways, and AIC decided to make a cheaper more commercial orientated tv show.
Which is why there are so many series canons.
The OVA episodes 1-6 or Tenchi universe are where you should start.
The first OVA was produced by Hiroki Hayashi and Kajishima Masaki and was written by Naoko Hasegawa. This is the start point for the Largest of the Canons, the Kajishimaverse.
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(Below: The Negishi Tenchiverse)
Tenchi Universe is a 26 episode and two movie long self contained series in its own simple universe.
The two movies in this canon are Tenchi Muyo in Love! and Tenchi Muyo in love!2: Tenchi forever.
I can best describe this series as betty and veronica in space.
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Did you like that? Want an even wackier version of that with lots of ethnic japanese stuff thrown in? Want to see what happens when tenchi leaves the girls for a "normal" girl?
Watch Tenchi in Tokyo, and keep in mind it falls into it's own poorly explained universe.
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Want to see a weird mix of the OVA and universe? Watch the Mihoshi Special.
Wait was that Sasami as a magical girl on the cover? If u like that concept and enjoy In Tokyo's humor
Watch the Pretty Sammy OVA and then Magical Project S and then Sasami Magic Girls Club 1 &2 and there was recently a new series announced by AIC!
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Did you like OVA 1? TRY Episode 7 and then OVA 2 This is the Kajishimaverse.
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Do you like the slice of life style of OVA2? Read the manga by Hitoshi Okuda (It's great) and available at your local bookstore unlike The True Tenchi Novels.....
After OVA 2 if you like the kajishimaverse read the three novels on this site labeled the True Tenchi novels and check out the doujinshi addon to the books when you're done.
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Then watch DUAL! It's a nice break from tenchi It's like evangelion meets tenchi.
Then watch Tenchi GXP.
(Warning: You will be confused by it's end if you don't watch DUAL!)
This series is no longer fully canon though because as you will see when you watch it. There's a lot in it that doesn't make sense later on. The director, who also produced excel saga and nerima daikon brothers essentially cut out so much from Kajishima's intended story that by the end it makes little sense. It doesn't star Tenchi despite the name.
It's all about Seina the most unlucky boy in the universe.
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Sick of Seina always getting blue balled? Watch Spaceship Aggaruter!
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Watch OVA 3 in Japanese. the funimation dub is ... corrosive to the plot. you will be confused even more then you will be in japanese the third OVA is confusing.
To clear it up read the Tenchi ban doujinshi's
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Take a break from Tenchi, Watch Photon!
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Then watch the story of Tenchi's half brother Tenchi:War on Geminar!
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Need another hentai break? Watch Masquerade
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(Yes that's mitsuki and D read them to find out how!...If I get that far in my translations...)
and continue the story in The GXP Novels Part 2 (If somone/ I ever translate them.)
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Then Watch OVA 4! It's better then 3!
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to find out what happens to tenchi post marriage read the Doujinshi and Tenchi -If-
To find out about Seina and the fate of the Galactic Federation after GXP read Paradise War.
And that's most of the Kajishimaverse... So far... OVA 5 and beyond is expected in the future so look out.
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If you hate yourself watch Ai Tenchi and Drink everytime something lame or cringeworthy happens and it becomes half bearable.
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Wait... what is up with the 2nd movie?
Welcome to the wacky world of the Hasegawaverse!
This is a series of novels that takes place on an alternate OVA 1 timeline.
The first novel Hexagram of love is an alternate 7th episode and was written with input from both original producers and was written by the original writer. I can't recommend reading it enough.
It's full of raw emotion and tells you just what the characters are thinking after OVA 1.
Too bad the rest of the novels are ... not as good.
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And that's the Tenchiverse.
Speaking of the original 3 If you want to see what the other producer Hayashi did check out
El Hazard... I hear the ova is better then the tv show.
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To see where both of them started and to see a cyberpunk Aesthetic masterpiece watch Bubblegum Crisis and then rewatch episode 4 of the OVA and substitute the tenchi characters for bubblegum crisis ones. It works and adds a whole new layer to the episode!