The merciless criminal Kain has escaped from sub-space where he has been captured! Kain, who was deprived of his freedom by the Jurai royal family and GP (Galaxy Police), has demolished the GP headquarters and attacked the... more » Jurai King. His next target is earth! Around the same time on earth, Tenchi's house has suddenly disappeared. What's even worse is that Tenchi's body is disappearing too! Something must have happened in the past to Tenchi's mother, Achika! So the gang must now leave for a journey to the year 1970.« less
Positively, one of the absolute BEST anime films out there!
Brandon Victorian | Lafayette, Louisiana United States | 01/30/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I laughed (laughed my brains out, actually)at the antics of Ryoko and Ayeka, I smiled at the gentle romance between Achika and Nobuyuki, and I cried at the bittersweet and ironic ending (if U've seen the movie, U know what I'm talking about). This anime has got to be one of the absolute BEST that I've ever seen. The music complements the story extraordinarily well, the animation quality is befitting any Disney film, and the plot, though simplistic in a sense, is very good. This was the movie that got me hooked on the Tenchi craze, and though I knew of "Tenchi Muyo!" for the longest, I never thought much about it until I saw some of the TV series, and then, this movie. Then, I nearly kicked myself for not jumping into the fray sooner. This is a definite MUST HAVE for any anime Otaku, with a plot that, though in some ways similar, rivals that of El Hazard. Actually, my humble bit of praise doesn't do the movie justice, so all I can say is buy it, and check it out for yourselves. It's good for the Tenchi neophyte, and even better for the anime neophyte. Trust me, folks, it'll draw U in faster than it drew me in! I guarantee, if U see this, then U DEFINITELY won't regret it!"
The next best thing to Star Wars
Scott Thomas (pif234@pipeline.com) | Florida, USA | 08/24/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The best movie is Tenchi Muyo in Love. To sum up quickly. Tenchi Masaki is the heir to the Jurai royal family which members are inhereted to an incredible power. Tenchi's Grandfather,Yosho, left the planet Jurai to a peaceful life. Their, Yosho had a only daughter who died after a few years when Tenchi was born. The story of TMIL is about a great evil called Kain that escapes from the Galaxy Police HQ. Kain Travels back in time to destroy Tenchi's Mother and Grandfather. Now Tenchi and his friends: Ryoko, Ayeka, Sasami, Kiyone, Mihoshi, Washu and Ryo-oki must deguise themselves as students, Teachers and Janitors to help save Tenchi's mother. Tenchi Muyo in love is emotional powerhouse, We see a great concern for Tenchi's mother and father in their teenage years. We also see how Tenchi's freinds truly care for him. Why Tenchi Muyo is like Star Wars is because the movie focuses on the true story rather than the cool special effects. All characters have true personalities to them and we seem with great concern (Plus, Tenchi has a lightsaber like weapon). I can't stress enough how fantasic this movie is. In my opinion, Tenchi Muyo ending will have you in pure emotional shock because of its sensitivity. It is true movie magic. END"
Exemplifies the "Classic Modern" Anime
Vic G | New York, NY USA | 11/07/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Tenchi Muyo in Love, aside from being the best all-around production of the Tenchi line of anime, rivals even the best anime classics of all time. It is a story told with all the elements otakus have come to expect from good anime plot construct - visual and semantic humor, romance, science fiction, character development, and the embodiment of the classical struggle between good and evil in man's free will.Specifically to Tenchi fans, this movie offers a solid, satisfying glimpse into the life of Tenchi's mother, Achika Masaki, and his father Nobuyuki when they were Tenchi's age. Upon realizing that Achika has started to disappear in all the old films made by Nobuyuki 26 years ago, galaxy-class genius Washu discovers that an evil force code-named KAIN was responsible for wiping out the Masaki family in the past. Thus, Tenchi and his entire harem embark on a mission to save the past - and in turn preserve their own existences. The movie presents mature content without sacrificing the jovial traits fans have come to expect from Tenchi and the girls. Ryoko and Ayeka's bickering over Tenchi, Mihoshi's bubbleheadedness, Kiyone's exaggerated seriousness, and Sasami/Ryo-ohki's plain-and-simple cuteness are just a few things that are kept very much intact. The gradual development of the relationship between Achika and Nobuyuki, while corny at times, succeeds ultimately to paint a picture of their innocent love. The simple but solid plot twists carries the story to a very Jurai-esque climax and bittersweet resolution. It ends with Nobuyuki taking a group shot of the Tenchi family (it is only natural that he employs a Pioneer videocamera, perfectly drawn, to do this.) Tenchi the Movie provides a refreshingly new aspect of "love" in Tenchi for the audience, his love for his mother.You get all this and still can expect to laugh your head off!From the surprisingly unique introduction sequence that sets the scene (expect time travel to be confusing), to the smooth transition to the main plot, to the clever ways in which some events are revealed in achronological order, the concept of the non-linearity of time is sustained. Some very interesting techniques to look out for: the black-and-white film at the beginning of the movie that forms the complication of the plot is re-enacted in color when the team goes back to the past, Washu's occasional messages are broken up into chunks of audio flashback, the scrambling of past and present in the last moments brings the whole to a finality.The wide spectrum of plots, themes, and cinematic techniques in this movie will appeal to a universal audience - diehard Muyoite, animation aesthete, or otherwise. Without a doubt, it numbers among the best in classic modern Japanese animation."
A sleek ride into the Tenchi Universe
weapon_xxx | U.S. | 01/09/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I was a little hesitant in buying this DVD because I knew close to nothing about Tenchi and his pals. I knew of the series and OAV's popularity, so I was positive that I would somehow be lost in the plot without any background knowledge on my part. Much to my surprise, however, the movie is presented so that anyone can watch it. The nice blend of comedy, romance, and action make it a well-compact 95 minutes. The characters are funny and loveable, the action (although somewhat lacking) is sleek and explosive, not to mention the awesome soundtrack that will have you feeling each moment. It even makes me want to catch up with the series. A good buy for soft-hearted anime fans. Equivalent to anytrhing Walt Disney chooses to put out."
A very entertaining bit of work
Mac A Hombrelibre | Redlands, CA USA | 12/08/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The first thing I have to say about Tenchi is that it is very entertaining for any type of person. Also, who wouldn't want to be Tenchi? The guy has super powers and several women. Also, although the dubbing is stereotypical, (which I usually dislike, a la "Akira") in this case it actually benefits the characters. The tough one sounds extra tough, but not overboard. The gentle one has a gentle voice, but can sound threatening. The smart one sure sounds smart as the ditzy blond sound like a ditsy blond, but it all actually helps the movie rather than dumbs it down. Also, the plotline is rather interesting and diversified. Time travel, train travel, space travel, and dimension travel. Tragedy, happiness, comedy and action. Plus it is a decent length. I recommend this movie to anyone, anywhere, anyhow. Unless of course your mother just died. Then you shouldn't see it."