Tenchi Muyo!

Tenchi Muyo! (天地無用! Tenchi Muyō!), is an anime and manga series about a boy named Tenchi Masaki and the alien women that love him.

Related Topics:
Anime - Manga

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The Original Series, Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki, was a six episode OVA (Original Video Animation or Direct-to-Home Video) series; released in Japan in 1991–92. As its popularity grew, it spurred a seventh episode (also known as the Tenchi Special) and the standalone Mihoshi Special. In 1994, the second OVA series was created and released, featuring episodes 8–13. From 2003 to 2005, a third OVA series was released, with episodes 14–19, centering around the three goddesses introduced in the second OVA series. This is then followed by a special twentieth episode which centered around some of the remaining plot threads towards Tenchi's mother, as well as Noike, who was introduced in episode 15. The series can be somewhat confusing to newcomers because it has several continuities, although due to later creative changes many consider the original OAVs 'true' canon.

Related Topics:
OVA - Japan - 1991 - 1994 - 2003 - 2005 - Canon

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Before the popularity of series like Love Hina, to American fans Tenchi Muyo! set the benchmark for a series with a somewhat meek but kind male lead surrounded by attractive but often bizarre women, an anime subgenre (harem comedy) which would later become common. The TM franchise is also well-known in having a manga developed after an animated version was released, when typically the reverse is true.

Related Topics:
Love Hina - Harem comedy

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Tenchi Muyo! was one of the early successes for AIC, the animation company behind it, which went on to create El-Hazard, Battle Athletes, Oh My Goddess!, Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure and many other anime series. The main artist for the series is Kajishima Masaki.

Related Topics:
AIC - El-Hazard - Battle Athletes - Oh My Goddess! - Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure - Kajishima Masaki

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The name of the manga is a play on words. Tenchi muy? in Japanese means "This way up", a phrase written, for example, on boxes to show they should not be upturned. The word muy? also means "unnecessary", thus with a lead character "Tenchi" this name could also mean "unnecessary Tenchi".

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