Tenchi Household Dynamics

I think the characters are the reason the franchise has been able to cover so many continuities and mediums. They’re that endearing.

Ryoko vs. Ayeka is one of the great rivalries of anime. They outright despise each other, scheme and connive to undermine the other’s efforts to woo Tenchi. But no matter which camp one may be entrenched in, one cannot deny that as much as each may sometimes wish the other was gone, one could not exist without the other: they propel each other through competition, and define themselves largely by contrast with their respective counterpart. They’ve got a real Yin-Yang thing going for them.

Washu all by herself is hysterical, but throw Mihoshi in with her and it’s just gold. (Dee Dee, I mean Mihoshi, get out of my laboratory!) The coupling of Washu, who knows everything and can bend reality to her whim, and Mihoshi, who doens’t exactly know everything lol yet inexplicably has things work out for her is irresistibly bemusing.

Washu being frustrated by Mihoshi’s ‘Mihoshi-ness’ is classic, but GP Officer Kiyone as the ‘straight man’ to Mihoshi is zany in a whole different way. Kiyone always gave me that contradictory response, a combination of conflicting emotions: I spent as much time feeling sorry for her as I did outright laughing at her.

Sasami and Ryo-Ohki are the pure-hearted souls that a large cast of larger-than-life personalities needs. As it does for Tenchi on more than one occasion, it keeps us all tethered to Earth once in a while and gives us some space from…well, everyone else.

Nobuyuki is…how to say this…just the right amount of the ‘pervy dad’ trope. You end up facepalming sometimes, and if you’re of a more delicate persuasion find yourself thinking “how lewd!” numerous times, but it’s never quite over the line, so to speak, and you can’t help but kind of feel for the guy: he obviously misses his wife, and nothing will ever really fill that void.

Stoic, always cooler-than-ice Grandpa Yosho…badass sensei, anyone? Though sadly relegated to somewhat of a side character in spinoffs such as Tokyo or altogether not present in Ai, in Universe and OVA there’s such amazing buildup and payoff to his true identity. Even though he first comes across as the gentle-worded priest of the shrine, there was always an aura surrounding him. He’s a genuine enigma, even after we learn who he really is.

And our anchor through it all is one unassuming teenager trying to make sense of an ancient demon, spaceships, aliens, and his own identity…oh, and as Mr. Cullen once said, “sharing bath time” with a gaggle of girls (as if growing up wasn’t hard enough). Tenchi as a character had amazing, simple boy charm that every imitation afterwards has failed to duplicate: he’s shy, but not a whimp; he’s a stand-up guy, but he’s still a guy with urges after all lol; he’s often fought over and pulled around like a doll, but when his family is in danger he rises to the challenge to protect them. Good on ya, Tenchi.

genius in her own klutzy way…

The whole Aeka/Ryoko thing really depends on which version you watch.From Universe it appears that it’s a life long rivalry but in the first OVA it appears it’s all about Ryoko attacking Jurai.

I agree though that Sasami and Ryo-ohki are the heart of the household.The fact is Sasami is so important to the entire franchise that she’s the only girl that got her own OVA and separate series.

Also her own manga!