It’s been almost a year since six girls from outer space came to live with Tenchi Masaki at his formerly quiet home in Okayama. As far as the girls are concerned, they’ll be staying there for the foreseeable future, but Tenchi has an unpleasant surprise for them- he’s off to study in Tokyo for the next two years!

But if Tenchi thought he might be able to get on with a normal life in Tokyo, he soon finds himself sadly mistaken. If it wasn’t bad enough that the girls are always finding excuses to come and visit him, there’s also the matter of an evil force behind the scenes that seems determined to interfere in the lives of Tenchi and his friends! Although, as far as the girls are concerned, no evil could be greater than the possibility that Tenchi has found a girlfriend in the form of classmate Sakuya!

Set in yet another alternate universe (separate from Tenchi Universe or the original OVAs), Tenchi in Tokyo initially sounds like an interesting new direction for the franchise. Unfortunately, this promise is greatly spoiled in the execution, resulting in what is arguably the weakest entry into the Tenchi ‘family’.

Despite the presence of ongoing storylines, much of the series relies on a ‘monster of the week’ format, interspersed with wacky and outlandish humour. Sadly, this leaves much of the series feeling like little more than filler material- that being said, however, there are some genuinely entertaining moments, and it is hard not to crack a smile at some of the cast’s more outrageous antics.

When it comes to characterisation, it is clear from the outset that Tenchi in Tokyo has no intention of providing much in the way of depth. Compared to their incarnations in previous series, the main cast (excluding Tenchi) seem to have had their worst personality traits emphasised- making for a selfish and screechy bunch with little to soften the less likeable aspects.

In addition to this mix, Tenchi in Tokyo adds a new dimension to the romantic element by introducing a new love interest for Tenchi. Whilst this move won’t sit well with fans hoping to see either Ryoko or Ayeka succeed at their long-time goal of capturing his heart, watching Tenchi get involved in a normal relationship makes for a nice change, even if his early indecisiveness about Sakuya is more than a little irritating.

What Tenchi in Tokyo lacks in content could perhaps have been made up for in presentation, but sadly, this is not the case. Character designs look rather simple and hastily drawn compared to earlier series, and the background music, whilst appropriate to the tone of the series, is something of an acquired taste.

In Summary

The ‘poor cousin’ of the Tenchi franchise, Tenchi in Tokyo seems forever destined to be unfavourably compared to its predecessors. With its predominantly mediocre content and presentation, the series lacks the appeal to attract newcomers to the world of Tenchi, but there are more than enough entertaining moments to keep the diehard fan occupied.