January 27, 2013

[A Need for Tenchi] Tenchi Muyo OVA, episode 4 "Mihoshi Falls to the Land of Stars"

(this article was previously published at Second Time Around)

Synopsis

The massive ship of feared uber villain Kagato passes through space. It's surrounded by Galaxy Police cruisers, but casually blasts them all away. The Marshall of the GP contacts the Commander of a station in the solar system in which Kagato is heading (ours), informing him of the incident and ordering a search for the villain. The Commander's Lieutenant informs him the nearest officer is Mihoshi, which isn't taken well as the Commander's desk is littered with expensive damage reports from Mihoshi's previous cases. Nonetheless, the Lieutenant suggests sending Mihoshi after Kagato might be an opportune way to get rid of her.

January 20, 2013

[A Need for Tenchi] Tenchi Muyo OVA, episode 3 "Hello, Ryo-Ohki!"

(this article was previously published at Second Time Around)

Synopsis

In an old memory, Ayeka as a little girl picks a Royal Teardrop flower and gives it to her brother/fiance, Yosho, but he tells her it's not a flower meant for happy occasions. Sudden chaos as we see the flaming devastation unleashed by a demonic Ryoko, who takes off in her ship, Yosho in pursuit. Ayeka, now grown, runs after Yosho, but when she reaches him, he becomes Tenchi. Tenchi tells her again that Yosho is dead and gives her the sword hilt as a memento. Ayeka wakes up with a yell, the sword hilt in her hand. She's in a room at Tenchi's house, Sasami still asleep on the futon next to her. Ayeka goes to the window, longing for Jurai, then sees Ryoko walk across the pond below. Ayeka turns away in disgust, while Ryoko submerges, pulling a black egg from the wreckage of her ship.

January 13, 2013

[A Need for Tenchi] Tenchi Muyo OVA, episode 2 "Here Comes Ayeka"

(this article was previously published at Second Time Around)

Synopsis

A massive ship approaches Earth orbit. At its heart is a garden- and forest-filled capsule where beams of light are projected into a specific tree. A pair of robotic guards, Azaka and Kamidake, activate, and the base of the tree opens, releasing Ayeka, princess of the planet Jurai, from stasis. She's come to Earth in search of her brother, Yosho, but neither he nor his ship are being picked up by scans. Instead, they find Ryoko. Due to the statute of limitations, Ryoko's file is cleared five seconds later, meaning she's no longer a wanted criminal. Ayeka is furious and damns the laws, ordering her ship to move in and capture Ryoko anyways.

January 4, 2013

[A Need for Tenchi] Tenchi Muyo OVA, episode 1: "The Resurrection of Ryoko"

(this articles was previously published at Second Time Around)

Synopsis

Since he was a child, Tenchi Masaki has wanted to sneak into the Masaki family shrine - the centerpiece of the temple/home he shares with his father and grandfather - but his grandfather keeps warning the boy away with legends of the demon who rests within. 700 years ago, the demon unleashed a wave of massive destruction, until a dragon-like ship came from the sky, bringing a warrior, Yosho, who sealed the demon in this cave with the power of a spiritual sword. Tenchi and his family are descended from Yosho and are tasked with guarding the shrine from intruders.

January 3, 2013

Introducing… A Need for Tenchi

(this article was previously published at Second Time Around)

The comedies were what first pulled me into anime. I'd of course seen Robotech and Voltron and a number of the other bowdlerized anime series airing in US Saturday morning cartoon blocks back in the day, but it wasn't until I randomly came across an issue of Ninja High School on the magazine rack at the local mini market (remember when they used to carry comics? Good times) that I started to learn what these terms "anime" and "manga", both still young to our nation's ears, actually meant. Tracking down other issues of Ninja High School, I was hit with a crash course on the foreign elements it was parodying alongside the American action movies and teen comedies of the 80s, and I'd soon pass videos at the local blockbuster that were suddenly familiar. This is how I discovered Captain Harlock, Fist of the North Star, and re-evaluated my love of the above-mentioned Robotech. It even introduced me to sentai teams shortly before Power Rangers hit US airwaves. Most importantly, it introduced me to the most magnificent anime screwball comedy ever made: Project A-Ko. It was through my love of such adorable destruction that I started hording everything I could in the genre, diving into Rumiko Takahashi, and renting the first OVA of a series called Tenchi Muyo.