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Vol 2 Issue 7
[ANIME REVIEWS]

Shin Tenchi Muyou
— by Eric "Scanner" Luce

One of the problems with a number of anime shows that have come out recently is that they have gone too far in one way or another. The SHIN TENCHI MUYO! TV series is yet another in the long set of spinoffs in the TENCHI universe. One of the things that made the original TENCHI OVAs so good was that they were different in a number of aspects. That originality, unfortunately, seems to have long since fled.
   The first episode of the new TV series starts out with an interesting enough beginning. After a couple of thugs destroy a shrine in Tokyo, a mysterious being floating above Tokyo takes advantage of the ruined shrine as well as other kami-laden places across all of Tokyo. She summons from them various spirits and demons then giggles with mirth declaring that she has won this round.
   We then return to the Masaki household. We start with Ryo-oh-ki greeting the morning sun, followed by Aeka reciting a poem she made in honor of the new day (dealing entirely with Tenchi). Washuu shows up with a new dimensional gateway toy of hers. Then, Sasami begins summoning everyone with a loud gong for breakfast. Ryouko complains of not feeling well after drinking some of Washuu's experimental sake. We have a brief interlude in the kitchen where Tenchi's grandfather praises Sasami's cooking and declares, much to Aeka's dismay, that Sasami would be a good bride for Tenchi. After breakfast, Mihoshi and Kiyone return from their latest assignment.



A Ryo-oh-ki Robo? They're kidding, right?
   Tenchi gathers everyone for a picture. They end up using his camera after they discover one of the nasty side effects of Washuu's camera. They wonder, though, why Tenchi wants a picture of everyone, for it is not anyone's birthday. Tenchi breaks the news that he is leaving for two years because he is going to school in Tokyo. Part of the reason is so he can train in the tradition necessary for him to take up his grandfather's duties at the Masaki shrine. We are treated to the expected super-tearful farewells from all the girls (except Ryouko who is sleeping off her stupor still.)
   Tenchi and his grandfather leave for Tokyo the next day. We are shown a bunch of clips alternating between Tenchi and his grandfather finding their way through Tokyo and the as yet unintroduced girl who we find out later is named Kumashiro Sakuya.
   When Tenchi and his grandfather head to the temple where Tenchi is going to train, they cross paths with Sakuya. As a favor, Tenchi and his grandfather agree to perform a purifying ceremony. Back at home, Sasami is in a serious slump and has no energy to cook. Tenchi's father spies the extra cup-ramen that Mihoshi and Kiyone have brought with them which he finds out they are selling for ¥500 each. He loses out though to Washuu and Ryouko who are faster at buying them up.
   As Tenchi goes to sleep, the picture he had taken previously with everyone back at home changes. The right eye on everyone in the picture glows, and the scene changes in to a series of crystals arrayed in front of our mysterious being. She continues her laughing, saying only "Masaki Tenchi," as she gazes at the crystals in front of her.
   The next day at the purification ceremony, where Tenchi is helping his grandfather, they are rudely interrupted. We see the mysterious crystal girl staring at a crystal which gathers four small balls. Four spirits rise out of the ground vowing to destroy Tenchi and his grandfather. The grandfather's attempt at banishing the spirits has no effect, however. Back at home, Ryouko is incensed that Tenchi left before she was able to say goodbye. Ryouko makes Washuu open her new dimensional gate so that Ryouko can say goodbye to Tenchi. Of course, with this chance in front of them, all the girls want to go.


   Back at the failed purification ceremony, Ryouko, Aeka, and the rest show up. When they ask how Tenchi is doing, he explains that things are not going so well since they are being attacked by a bunch of monsters. The gang make ready mincemeat of the monsters, and viewers get to see Ryo-oh-ki uses a new form: that of a giant Ryoohki-robo with Sasami as the pilot. The monsters, banished, revert to the spiritual objects from which they were summoned. Everyone, including Ryouko, gets to bid farewell to Tenchi again, and they travel back through Washuu's gateway.
   The next day at school Tenchi introduces himself to his new class. His home room teacher has an uncanny resemblance to Fujisawa-sensei of EL HAZARD fame. Here we meet Kumashiro Sakuya who sits next to Tenchi and immediately expresses a strong interest in him. We see our mysterious crystal girl's effects and hear her chortling evilly as the episode closes.
   A number of things happen here and there in the first episode that are cute, but neither they nor the basic plot hold up the possible story. Sure, we all have a fondness for our favorite characters and the first TENCHI TV series also started off rather weak. Perhaps this series will improve drastically over time. So far, though, after three episodes it stills seems rather lacking. There has been very little build up of the plot or what any of the new characters' motivations are.
   These three episodes seem to spend most of the episode dealing with two things: the relationship developing between Sakuya and Tenchi and this mysterious being with the clock or crystal who spends her time summoning various spirits to cause problems for Tenchi in one way or another. There is a definite indication that somehow the relationship between Tenchi and Sakuya is of particular interest to our mysterious crystal girl.
   The story seems to suffer from a number of things: the low quality of the animation is rather painful. Usually, the first episode of a series at least gets better attention. The direction is also extremely weak. The old overused TENCHI cliches are not even somewhat dressed up. Same old, same old again. The original plot elements are scattered and weak. Perhaps this is an attempt to build up mystery and tension to some big ending later on. That may be, but the talent used to make this series could probably have been a lot better invested in a shorter series that dealt more with the story at hand.
   It all comes down to "Is it worth it?" Fans who must have everything in the TENCHI universe, will probably justify it somehow, and who knows, it may actually build up to be a good story. However, some of us wish they would stop playing around and just get on with some good stories.

  SHIN TENCHI MUYO! TV Series
Copyright © 1997 AIC / Pioneer LDC
1st LD volume - PILA-7078, 25 July 1997, 30 min CAV, ¥1980
2nd LD volume - PILA-7076, 25 Aug 1997, 60 min CAV, ¥5500
Vol 2 comes with a special box for holding the entire set


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