Tenchi Muyo - OVA DVD Boxed Set
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DVD Cover Information
Artist: Tenchi MuyoDVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; English (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; English (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: Animated, Box set, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, THX
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 420 minutes
Published: 2000-07-01
DVD Release Date: 2000-07-03
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Geneon [Pioneer]
Movie Reviews of Tenchi Muyo - OVA DVD Boxed Set
Movie Review: You are in the presence of greatness...
Summary: 5 Stars
First of all I personally belive that the key to any story lies in it's characters. Tenchi Muyo! the OVA series is certainly no exception.
This anime is Masaki Kajishima's finest hour, combining a tale of somewhat unorthodox romance with a fast paced and suprisingly deep storyline. The depth of this storyline lies in it's characters, most of which have a storied past.
This even includeds the antagonist characters which is a practiacally unheard of act.
Everyone who likes this show has a favourite character, and this is the driving force behind the events that unfold over the course of the story.
From a technical perspective, Tenchi Muyo! excels even today over a decade after its original release. The re-mastering of both visuals and sound truly brings the show to life as it was intended.
This brings me to the voice-acting. The simplest way for me to explain this is: both the Japanese and the English have their pros and cons. Undeniably, once the viwer has become accoustomed to one or the other they are almost unwilling to try the other.
For example the English voice of Hakubi Washu is K.T Vogt, now I feel that she was well cast but where her inflexibility really shows up is in certain key scenes (try comparing EP 8 towards the end in both languages...notice the lack of emotion in the Dub in comparison to the Jap?)
The other problem that shows up is in the English voice of Aeka. Obviously Pioneer thought it would be funny to have someone with an accent play the part of the Princess. This attempt at humor falls flat, as any chance of Aeka being a likable character is lost (I.M.O). Also she plays her voice differently for the first 2-3 episodes after which she sounds drastically different. (try watching some of the later episodes and then the second episode).
It is also noticable that somtimes in the dub voice actors change from one episode to the next. Admittantly these are only minor characters and most would not notice. The main cast is always the same. The one gripe with this has nothing to do with this particular release but that for Tenchi Muyo! GXP none but one of the original actors were signed on for their parts, resulting in a terrible feeling of low-budget dub. (not Pioneer though so I guess its not surprising and it really has nothing to do with this dub)
Finally there is the lack of consistency in the Dub, for the most part the writing of the dub is almost exact to the original but sometimes it strays. For example the character of Kagato acts like a sarcastic jerk in the dub whereas in the jap his lines are much more composed.
Desipe this the Dub of Tenchi Muyo! is one of the very best dubbings that I have ever heard and is streets ahead of most others. At the end of the day the preference is in the ear of the beholder though personally for me its Jap all the way.
This release is the Ultimate Edition and lives up to this moniker with ease. My one problem with this is the third disc which in fairness does include some usefull information but the guide of the Masaki house is riddled with faults (It shows Ryoko's room as it appears in Shin Tenchi Muyo and not this particular series)
The OVA series is in my opinion at least one and a half as good as its closest Tenchi Muyo! spin off rival: Tenchi Universe.
The reasons are simple, while Universe is arguably more fun, the characters are broken down into their most basic medium.(Mihoshi is even more incompetent than before!) For example the character of Washu-chan is dismantled completly leaving only a stereotypical mad scientist character that we have all seen hundreds of times before in other shows(and yes the original Washu-chan is my favourite character of all time). Not to mention the breakdown of storyline and simplification of the family tree.
This is one of the only shows where I can honestly say I like the Protagonist. Tenchi himself is somewhat irritating at first but his extreme kindness will soon persuade you otherwise (also he is not lecherous which helps).
Try as I might I cannot fault this show and I could go one for the rest of my life about why I love it so much (Washu-chan is a great reason!) but unfortunatly I dont have time (or space!). So to finish I will say that I belive this is the single greatest piece of anime ever assembled bar none.
No one can call themselves a true Otaku without owning this!
I also recommend:
Tenchi Universe (not as good but excellent fun nonetheless)
Shin Tenchi Muyo! (Tenchi in Tokyo: a great idea and unbeliveably funny, falls short of the other two though)
Tenchi Muyo! in Love. (follows the Universe storyline, lacks character development but is one hell of a ride!)
Tenchi Muyo! in Love 2. (A different type of Tenchi Muyo! this still follows the Universe storyline and is strangely emotional to watch, a nice alternate on the designs too)
Matsuno No Eve. (Daughter Of Darkness: This movie is based on one of the unofficial Tenchi Muyo! novels printed only in Japan. It is strange and that is definatly a good thing in this case, I can't say I like Mayuka much though)
Any of the Tenchi Muyo! albums of soundtracks (These can be hard to find but are well worth the effort...I love Yuko Kobayashi!!)
The Tenchi Muyo! Manga series by Hitoshi Okuda (These are brilliant, and for the most part can be chosen to be accepted as part of the OVA canon)
The Official Tenchi Muyo! Novels (These are written by the man himself and contain simply invaluable information relevent to the OVA story line...esp book three which is based on Washu's life. Yeah!!! Unfortunatly for those of you who cannot read Japanese, they were never printed in English...I advise learing Jap, it will take years buy is well worth it!!)
Summary of Tenchi Muyo - OVA DVD Boxed Set
The classic Tenchi Muyo OVA series collected in a two disc, bilingual, THX approved Box Set! The re-mastered film transfers and re-mixed 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround sound for the Japanese tracks are included with the original 2.0 Dolby Digital tracks for Japanese and English languages. This box set contains a bonus third disc - the new, improved, Tenchi Muyo Encyclopedia (Ver.3.0) that contains detailed information about every Tenchi incarnation: The OVA series, the movies, Tenchi Universe, and Tenchi in Tokyo. Also included in the encyclopedia are production materials from various Tenchi Muyo projects - even materials from the third Tenchi Muyo feature film that will be released in Japan in the Spring of 1999! All packaged in a premium three disc DVD case with a printed, plastic slip case! ? Remastered film transfer to D-1 ? 3 Dolby Digital Soundtracks! ? 5.1 Re-mixed Japanese ? 2.0 Original Japanese ? 2.0 English Language ? Contains the Tenchi Muyo Encyclopedia Ver. 3.0 ? First 3,000 boxes contain a 24ct. Gold Foil printed plastic collector's card! ? 420 minutes of Tenchi Muyo! (OVA Vol. 1-13, plus specials)Although the title means something along the lines of "no need for Tenchi," everyone wants the hapless hero of this popular series. These 13 OAV episodes reunite the cast from the TV show, but with some changes. Sasami is initially much younger and less domestic; grandfather Masaki turns out to be Yosho, the long-lost Jurai prince who was betrothed to Ayeka centuries ago; genius-in-residence Wasshu reveals an unexpected bond with interstellar outlaw Ryoko. The tone is a little racier than the broadcast version: Ryoko runs around naked and the attempts to seduce the terminally klutzy Tenchi are more pointed.
In the first adventure (episodes 1-7), Tenchi inadvertently wakes a mummified demon who was imprisoned at the Masaki family shrine 700 years ago--none other than space pirate extraordinaire Ryoko. The problems she causes are dwarfed by the arrival of Jurai princesses Ayeka and Sasami, bubble-brained Galactic Police Agent Miyoshi--and interstellar criminal Kagato. Assuming the role (and costume) of the Crown Prince of Jurai, Tenchi defeats the evil Kagato with a magic sword that resembles the lightsabers in Star Wars.
Unexpected arrivals keep the Masaki household in chaos in the later, shorter adventures (episodes 8-13), including a baby cousin of Tenchi's, a shape-shifting robot who impersonates Ryoko, and the Emperor and Empress of Jurai. The writers occasionally lose track of the plot, especially in episode 13, "Here Comes Jurai," but Tenchi has never been noted for its logic. In all the episodes, the filmmakers manage to balance interplanetary threats, teenage romance, and broad comedy with their usual aplomb.
The Tenchi Encyclopedia (powered by Wasshu OS) offers short biographies of the main characters with clips and stills, pencil tests, digital comics, Japanese commercials, and full credits for the series. A must-have for Tenchi fans. --Charles Solomon
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