Tenchi Muyo is one of the most beloved anime of all time and has spawned a ton of sequels and spin off series and even a pretty OK Super Famicom game, which is today's title for Eric Vs. 365. Its success is kind of weird, though, considering that the original OVA series' quality is all over the place and the story turns into a total mess. Also, despite being a very early harem anime, it's ridiculously tame compared to the shows that followed it. It just goes to show what a core of great characters can do even if everything around them is only so-so. Read on for more and to watch gameplay of Tenchi Muyo: The Game for Super Famicom.
Tenchi Muyo is weird, man. The story in the original OVA is such a train wreck after the first few episodes that the new episodes produced years later don't even acknowledge it. Good thing, too, because more goofy harem hi jinks is a lot more entertaining than the space goddess sci-fi conspiracy crap the OVA originally had. Then they pumped out Tenchi Universe, which mixes bland and dry comedy with bland and boring sci-fi to create one of the most bland and dry anime in existence. Tenchi in Tokyo is frustrating to watch because the new girl is a million times better than the other girls but (well, I won't spoil it).
My point is that how did Tenchi last this long despite being so mediocre? The cast is awesome, that's why. Even if what they're doing is boring and sucks, Ryoko and Ayeka and Sasami and Mihoshi and Tenchi and his pervy dad and grandpa are all incredibly compelling characters. It's like a sporting even where you pick a favorite and want to see how it all works out in the end. Of course, Tenchi never actually chooses anyone, but we all know Ayeka sucks and Ryoko is like a scary old lady demon and Sasami is clearly the best (once she grows up). All of that makes Tenchi fun to watch.
For me, personally, though, I honestly think I like Tenchi Muyo GXP the best. Ha! It's just a spin off series with a totally new cast but, darn it, it's entertaining.
Oh, and I ALWAYS watch the dubs. Take that!
Oh, and I ALWAYS watch the dubs. Take that!
As far as today's game goes, Tenchi Muyo: The Game for Super Famicom is kind of hit or miss. It has some nice artwork of all of the characters and it retains the sense of humor and charm of the series well, but it is also a fairly frustrating grid-based strategy RPG that isn't terribly fun. It is incredibly slowly paced and the battles stretch on far longer than they need to because new enemies keep spawning in if you don't kill everything fast enough. It's a pain.
I'm glad I got a chance to play it, though. It was a Japan exclusive but, thanks to wonderful fan translators, you can play it in English. You'll have to sort out your own ROM, though.
