Director: Mihoshi special: Kazuhiro Ozawa
Episodes 8-13: Kenichi Yatagai
Screenplay: Mihoshi special: Ryoe Tsukimura
Episodes 8-13: Yosuke Kuroda
Copyright: AIC/Pioneer LDC Inc.
Format: English language VHS
Label: Pioneer
Volume: 5 6 7
Running time: 56 mins 84 mins 90 mins
Certificate: PG PG PG
Catalogue no: PIO 10021 PIO 10022 PIO 10026
Price: £10.99 £10.99 £12.99
Release Date: 24th Mar 1997 24th Mar 1997 11th Aug 1997
The Tenchi gang return in six new episodes, sticking solidly to the formula of the first series - i.e. three episodes of sit-com character development followed by three episodes of plot. This series threatens to look like a cash-in, as the characters spend most of their time repeating the gags of the first series with only the settings changed. However, enough new twists are added as the series progresses to keep viewers interested.
Volume 5 includes the 'Galaxy Police Mihoshi Special', a seperate episode in which Mihoshi relates a story of a case she solved, using the Tenchi characters as the cast. A nice, inoffensive bit of fluff. [Jonathan Weeks]
Douglas L. Erickson: I don't know if anyone will agree with this, but I feel the OVA series Tanchi Muyo has gone rather downhill since its inception. I just finished watching 10/11 (Dubbed, unfortunately) and feel not only has the storyline become somewhat more pedantic, but that general changes to the "feel" of the series in general have occurred, and not for the better. #1: Bring back the old opening animation/song. I really dislike the "I'm a Pioneer" tune - I'm STILL hoping that was a translation of the actual Japanese tune and not a marketing gimmick. #2: Ayeka has become only a supporting character in the series. I've watched her part dwindle in each succeeding installment, and now, she appears onscreen for 3 or 4 minutes total AT MOST. It's rather confusing, as events in episodes 3 and 4 led me to believe that she and Tenchi were somewhat of an "item" in the context of the series. Hmph. Not only that, she's been my fave character so far. #3: Ultra-high Ryo-Oh-Ki Giga-Kawaii Saturation Overload. Episode 10 being about Ryo-Oh-Ki and filled with pointless kawaii shots of her and Sasami - please. I want story, not simpering cuteness. #4: Recycled plots. *cough* Easily summarized as "Tenchi and the gang are kicking back, enjoying some modicum of normalcy when a Space Pirate (tm) /Evil Doktor (tm) bursts in on the scene. Chaos ensues. *yawn* #5: This is the biggie - the characters aren't developing - in fact, it's the complete opposite. Everything has become predictable: Ryoko and Ayeka will squabble, Sasami and Ryo-oh-ki will be cute, Mihoshi will pull some unrelated stupid stunt, Washuu will experiment on SOMETHING, and if some fearsome alien nemesis doesn't temporarily intrude, somebody will have a REALLY inane personal crisis, in the middle of which will be a hopeless confused Tenchi Masaki. The series as a whole has lost much of the sophistication it seemed to previously possess, leaving us with a mildly amusing Ranma-esque scenario, with a bunch of incongruous wacky characters and nowhere to go with them. Anyhow, I was mildly disappointed by this installment. Here's hoping 12/13 improve - they are the last of the OVA series, correct? 10/11 felt almost like a kids show, with the cuteness carpet bombing in 10 and the somewhat rehashed storyline of 11. Also, who is doing the dub scripts? Sheesh. Delivery has been improving, but the lines: OW. Washuu, in Ep. 10, says something to Ryoko like "You've done an excellent good job!" Gee, a redundant double modifier. And it gets worse at times. Please, please, PLEASE Pioneer - double check your scripts. I'm amazed one of the crew at Ocean didn't pick up on these little language gaffes. If you're wondering why I buy the dubs, BTW, it's because I'm an impatient moron. Planet in Norman here only gets the dubs, and I just pick 'em up on the spot. Disappointed? Sure. If anyone agrees or disagrees, I'd be glad to hear if I'm right or what I've been missing. I really hate to see what I think to have potential be squandered on unoriginal effort.