Tenchi Muyo! Tenchi Universe DVD

Tenchi Masaki is a seventeen-year-old living a quiet life near his grandfather's Shinto shrine in rural Japan — until Ryoko, a notorious space pirate being chased across the galaxy by a pair of Galaxy Police officers, crashes directly into his life and refuses to leave. Ryoko's arrival is only the beginning. Before long Tenchi's household has expanded to include Ayeka, the elegantly infuriating First Princess of the planet Jurai who has harbored a centuries-old grudge against Ryoko; her cheerful little sister Sasami; Mihoshi Kuramitsu, a Galaxy Police officer whose staggering incompetence is matched only by her boundless optimism; Kiyone, Mihoshi's long-suffering partner who just wants to make detective; and Washu, the self-proclaimed greatest scientific genius in the universe, who sets up her dimensional laboratory in the broom closet. Every single one of them would like Tenchi's undivided attention. Tenchi just wants to graduate high school. The universe has other plans, and when a villain named Kagato seizes the throne of Jurai, what began as a chaotic comedy of cosmic proportions becomes something unexpectedly grand.

Tenchi Universe is the 26-episode TV series retelling of the original Tenchi Muyo! OVA — lighter in tone, broader in comedy, and more accessible to newcomers than its predecessor. Produced by AIC and Pioneer LDC and directed by Hiroshi Negishi, it was the franchise's first full-length television series and the entry that introduced most Western fans to the Tenchi universe, thanks to its landmark run on Cartoon Network's Toonami block in 2000. The series introduced beloved new character Kiyone Makibi and set the stage for two theatrical films — Tenchi Muyo in Love (1996) and Tenchi Forever! (1999).

Originally released in North America by Pioneer/Geneon Entertainment on individual and collected DVD volumes, and rereleased as a complete series by FUNimation Entertainment in 2012. 

Notable Staff & Voice Talent

Director: Hiroshi Negishi (Burn Up W, Tenchi Muyo in Love)
Original Creator: Masaki Kajishima
Character Design: Hiroki Kanno
Studio: AIC (Anime International Company) / Pioneer LDC
Opening Theme: "Tenchi Universe" by Sonia
Ending Theme: "Up-Walk in the Galaxy" performed by Ai Orikasa & Yumi Takada

Cast:
- Masami Kikuchi as Tenchi Masaki
- Ai Orikasa as Ryoko (Battle Skipper, 3x3 Eyes)
- Yumi Takada as Ayeka Masaki Jurai
- Chisa Yokoyama as Sasami Masaki Jurai (Black Magic M-66)
- Yuko Kobayashi as Washu Hakubi
- Yuko Mizutani as Mihoshi Kuramitsu
- Yuri Amano as Kiyone Makibi (Burn Up W, Battle Athletes)
- Etsuko Kozakura as Ryo-Ohki
- Takeshi Aono as Katsuhito / Yosho Masaki
- Norio Wakamoto as Kagato

DVD Features

- Textless Opening Animation
- Textless Closing Animation
- Trailers
- FUNimation / Geneon Previews

Spoken Languages: English & Japanese Audio, English Subtitles

Edition Details

Japanese Title: 天地無用! (Tenchi Muyō!)
Runtime: ~650 Minutes (Complete Series is 26 Episodes)
Director: Hiroshi Negishi
DVD Release Year: 2012 (FUNimation Complete Series); earlier Geneon releases from 2000–2007
Original Release Date (Japan): April 2 – September 24, 1995
Publisher: FUNimation Entertainment (Complete Series) / Geneon Entertainment (original volumes)
Rating: TV-14
Region: Region 1 (U.S. / Canada)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Harem Comedy, Action, Romance
Themes: Space Pirates, Alien Visitors, Intergalactic Royalty, Galaxy Police, Toonami Classic

Media assumed VG+ unless otherwise noted.