TENCHI FOREVER
Recently I got the chance to pick up “Tenchi Forever” on DVD for $15.00, and it was worth it. “Tenchi Forever” is part of the Tenchi Universe TV series but first let me handle two elements of the movie separately, animation and storyline.

ANIMATION
I don’t know about the VHS version, but on DVD this movie’s animation really rocks most of the time. I was surprised about how detailed the background was and how rich the colors were. It is sad that the same effort wasn’t put into the character’s profiles. Unlike TiL, each character is given only one or two sets of clothing and their features are very plain which I found depressing (especially after all the boasting about making the characters more realistic). The special effects are great and I loved Washu’s lab

STORYLINE
The movie opens with Ryoko and Ayeka fighting (God save us from cliches). When Tenchi tries to stop them, the pair turns on him and demands he pick one of them. Not wanting to make such an important decision, Tenchi distracts everyone (straight out of OVA Ep.One) and makes his escape. While hiding from the Terrible Two, Tenchi is offered a chance for a different life by the ghost of Yosho’s former love, Haruna. Soon, the others show up but find nothing. Tenchi is gone.

Fast forward six months, you find Ryoko and Ayeka searching for Tenchi with Washu helping them from her lab while the others go to different parts of the universe (Kiyone-Mihoshi to the Science Academy and Sasami to Jurai) to use those places special powers to help in finding Tenchi. At the same time, Katsuhito realizes who might be responsible for his grandson’s disappearance. In the end, enough clues lead them to the place where Haruna has the lost youth.

From here on I can’t give anymore of the storyline without spoiling readers own viewing but I found the ending interesting. Some have drawn the wrong conclusion about Ayeka’s words toward the final confrontation with Haruna. Some believe Ayeka gave up her right to Tenchi’s love to get Ryoko to go back and rescue Tenchi and it is not hard to see this misconception if you have only the dubb to listen to. In the subtitled version, Ayeka tells Ryoko to be true to herself, to be true to her love for Tenchi. If anything, what we have in this movie is both Ayeka and Ryoko acknowledging each other’s love for the young man.

The storyline does suggest restrictions were put on the director, Hiroshi Negisii, and the production company on how much they could do with the characters and there are times when some elements from TiL and the OAV show up in the storyline which leaves a distaste in your mouth .

On the whole, even with its flaws, this is a good movie. Not as good as Daughter of Darkness but worth the money.

Horosha