History Anime / TenchiUniverse

* UnrelatedInTheAdaptation: Washu is simply a mad scientist who was imprisoned on Earth for making doomsday devices and other bizarre inventions and isn't the mother of Ryoko (who is "just" a space pirate), Ayeka and Sasami are only distantly related to Katsuhito, Tenchi is related to Katsuhito only through his mother's side of the family, Nobuyuki is still the father of Tenchi but isn't a descendent of Katsuhito, and Mihoshi is not related to Washu.

* EmptyBedroomGrieving: Subverted in the last episode. After the group [[TheFellowshipHasEnded went their separate ways,]] Tenchi looks in on the now-empty rooms of his house, taking it in about how much he truly missed the women in spite of how crazy they usually drove him.

* RelatedInTheAdaptation: Averted in this series, as compared to the OVA. Washu is simply a mad scientist who was imprisoned on Earth for making doomsday devices and other bizarre inventions and isn't the mother of Ryoko (who is "just" a space pirate), Ayeka and Sasami are only distantly related to Katsuhito, Tenchi is related to Katsuhito only through his mother's side of the family, Nobuyuki is still the father of Tenchi but isn't a descendent of Katsuhito, and Mihoshi is not related to Washu.

* ImHavingSoulPains: Whenever Tenchi begins to recollect his old life, he starts to get painful headaches.

* TimeDilation: In Haruna's dimension, Tenchi is in his early twenties and is an art-student attending college. While only six months' duration of time has elapsed in the real-world, it has been a few years in Haruna's dimension.

* WomanChild: Mihoshi went from being TheDitz to this since she's shown to have the mentality of a child at times, with one episode showing that she enjoys watching TV shows clearly aimed at pre-schoolers.

* MarryThemAll: Averted in this continuity.

* ShowWithinAShow: Type 3 -- Mihoshi is so distracted by one program that Washu's Mecha Washu-Mihoshi runs off mid-fight to watch it.

-->'''Washu''': So, this is [=MihoKiyo's=] place, is it? \\
'''Kiyone''': [=MihoKiyo=]? \\
'''Ryoko''': That's short for "Mihoshi and Kiyone." \\
'''Kiyone''': Well I don't like the sound of it. \\
'''Mihoshi''': Yeah, it sounds like the name of a goofy comedy team or something like that. \\
'''Kiyone''': (''smacks her'') [[IResembleThatRemark Hey, goofball, shut up already!]] \\
'''Sasami''': You sure are like clowns.

* {{Flanderization}}: This is one of the most common complaints about this series. Most notable amongst the changes are Mihoshi being demoted from GeniusDitz to TheDitz, Ryoko and Ayeka's feud becoming less important to the story, Washu becoming an egomaniacal MadScientist with two pop-up dolls to proclaim her greatness ("Washu, you are a genius!", "Washu, you are the greatest!"), Ryoko becomes a less likable JerkAss, Ayeka is a BitchInSheepsClothing, and Tenchi is more wishy-washy and easily flustered (compared to the [=OVAs=]). The ''Tenchi Muyo! in Love'' film, however, reverts the characters back more towards their OVA personalities, and in ''Tenchi Forever!'', the characters' personalities are subdued to work within the confines of the serious, dramatic story being told. Therefore, it can be argued that this is ultimately a case of CharacterizationMarchesOn.

* HighSchoolAU: Featured as an alternate reality in the "Time and Space Adventures" arc. [[spoiler: played for laughs of course: Ayeka and Ryoko become lesbians thanks to Sasami's interference with a 'love' arrow, and Sasami herself is a MagicalGirl superheroine.]]

* JerkAss: Ayeka and Ryoko in some episodes. Ryoko especially in Episode 17, "No Need For Hunger!", where she had been tasked with getting food when the ship ran out. Instead, she splurges the cash for her own enjoyment, never mind everyone else left behind are starving. Was it mentioned they were all '''on the run''' at the time?

* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: Nagi to Ryoko; she wants to be the only person to defeat Ryoko, and she even helps Tenchi's crew just to protect Ryoko from her other enemies.

* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Seemingly averted in this continuity. For instance, in contrast to the OVA continuity, Juraians appear to age more-or-less the same as humans do; the prime example here would be Yosho/Katsuhito, who is fully Juraian in ''Universe'' (as opposed to being only half-Juraian in the OVA). This is most apparent in the final film ''Tenchi Forever!'', where Haruna states that she’s waited “half a century” since her death, meaning that Yosho has been on Earth for only 50+ years as opposed to 700 in the OVA.

-->'''Tenchi''': And why didn't we use this earlier, Washu? Tell me, please.
-->'''Washu''': Its radius is only 800 meters. [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall It doesn't WORK LIKE IT WOULD IN A CARTOON!]]

* ShowWithinAShow: Type 3 - Mihoshi is so distracted by one program that Washu's Mecha Washu-Mihoshi runs off mid-fight to watch it.

* SpotlightStealingSquad: Ryoko; the opening title begins and ends with a shot of Ryoko, and there are some episodes which are focused around her. Then in ''Tenchi Forever!,'' both Ryoko ''and'' Ayeka become the SpotLightStealingSquad.

--> '''Kiyone:''' ''Washu... if you're going to bring me back... *curls up into a little ball in complete embarrassment* please tell me first... *blush*

* ArtShift: Compared to the other properties of ''Tenchi Universe'' – the eponymous TV-show and ''Tenchi Muyo! In Love'' – ''Tenchi Forever!'' features a different animation style that gives the characters a slightly more realistic appearance.

* BookEnds: The final scene of the film in the mirrors the one from the first film’s ending, [[spoiler:by having Tenchi and Ryoko in the exact spot as his parents were and plays out in similar fashion: Ryoko finds him sketching on the hill, overlooking their home and, after a brief bit of dialog, it ends with a still frame of them together]].

* FlatCharacter: Averted with Tenchi in this film, as compared to all other versions of him (even within ''Universe''). Here, Tenchi’s personality, interests, and desires are more thoroughly explored.

* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Near the end of the film, [[spoiler:Ayeka finally realizes Tenchi had chosen Ryoko in his heart. She then urges Ryoko to go to him while there was still time, before Haruna’s dimension collapses. Just before the final scene, when she asks if anyone’s seen Tenchi, Sasami replies he was at the top of the hill and that she’d seen Ryoko heading after him]]. [[GracefulLoser Ayeka simply smiles]].

* OutOfGenreExperience: ''Tenchi Forever!'' trades ''Universe’s'' and ''Tenchi Muyo! in Love’s'' action and humor in favor of a more downbeat, melancholic story. While it still contains heavy science fiction elements (one that deals with parallel worlds and time-dilation), they are downplayed in order to focus more on the relationship between Tenchi, Ryoko, and Ayeka, as well as to shed some light on Katsuhito’s tragic past as Yosho, shortly before he came to Earth.

* TimeDilation: In Haruna’s dimension, Tenchi is in his early twenties and is an art-student attending college. While only six months’ duration of time has elapsed in the real-world, it has been a few years in Haruna’s dimension.
* VitriolicBestBuds: This describes Ryoko and Ayeka’s relationship with one another for most of the film. They’ve largely put aside their differences and mutual animosity following Tenchi’s disappearance in order to look for him.

* SurprisinglyGoodEnglish: The English version of the opening theme song is sung by the same singer (SONIA) as the Japanese version--in virtually flawless English!

* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: Nagi.

* VitriolicBestBuds: This describes Ryoko and Ayeka’s relationship with one another for most of the film. They’ve largely put aside their differences and mutual animosity following Tenchi’s disappearance in order to look for him.

* RefrainFromAssuming: In the English version, the theme song is called "Tenchi Muyo!" (same as the Japanese version), not "Love Will Leave You Crying".

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* IllGirl: Haruna became very sick after she and Yosho flee Jurai. She dies before she got to arrive on Earth.

* HighSchoolAU: Featured as an alternate reality in the "Time and Space Adventures" arc. [[spoiler:Ayeka and Ryoko become lesbians and Sasami is a MagicalGirl superheroine.]]

* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: Nagi to Ryoko; she wants to be the only person to defeat Ryoko, and she even helps Tenchi's crew just to protect Ryoko from her other enemies. Occasionally bordering on FoeYay.

* HighSchoolAU: Featured as an alternate reality in the "Time and Space Adventures" arc. [[spoiler:Ayeka and Ryoko become SchoolgirlLesbians and Sasami is a MagicalGirl superheroine.]]

* BadassBeard: "Knight-Azaka" has one.

* DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale: Tenchi is brainwashed by Haruna and made to live with her as her lover. Despite telling Ryoko and Ayeka they're NotSoDifferent from her, the fact that this is rape is ignored by the story.

* SomethingWeForgot: In Episode 19, "No Need for Runaways!", Tenchi and company spend the entire episode trying to recover the stolen Yagami from a pair of wannabe gangsters, which gets complicated since they also had to deal with the Jurai Forces. Once they get the ship back, they continue their journey, until Tenchi realizes that they accidentally left Ayeka and Sasami back at the restaurant during their rush to reclaim the Yagami.

* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming: Each episode (save those in the "Time and Space Adventures" arc) is titled "No Need for..." (or "_____ Muyo!" in Japan).