Plot: What’s it about?
Most males would love to be in Tenchi’s shoes, as the young man is the object of many women’s affections, but to him, it’s not all wine & roses. He might be a typical high school student at first glance, but for some reason, he is like a magnet to all kinds of ladies. The sort of woman is not your usual high school girl either, but more famous (or infamous) females, some of which are known throughout the entire galaxy and beyond. At first, he is visited by rogue pirate Ryoko, who is feared all over and is pursued by police agent Mihoshi. As expected, not only does Ryoko fall head over heels for Tenchi, but so does Mihoshi and this means real trouble for Tenchi, at some point or another. But this is just the start of Tenchi and his offbeat adventures, as different women end up getting him into hot water. Will he be able to escape all of these shenanigans in one piece and perhaps more importantly, what kind of matters will he end up involved in?
I’ve seen a lot of content from the Tenchi anime series, but I had only seen a few episodes of Tenchi Universe, until now. I’ve now taken the time to watch the entire run of the series and while it was an extensive series of sessions, the time was well spent. I know sitting down to watch twenty-six episodes sounds like a monumental task, but with a series like Tenchi Universe, I never even notice the passing time. With all that time to fill, it allows for more complex, slowly developing storylines and that makes it much more rewarding, since the series is never rushed. Each episode is well planned and executed, even with all those hours of time, no stalls or wastes of time can be found, in terms of fun, storyline, or characters. In terms of characters, we’re able to see more of an arc with them, often several with each and of course, various relationships crumble, reform, and perhaps even crumble again. The animation is colorful and smooth, not the most detailed I’ve seen, but still more than solid. This series has a lot of episodes and demands a lot of time, but I think it is well worth the effort, if you’re a fan of this kind of anime.
This is an extensive anime series, with a total of twenty-six episodes involved and eight discs to complete the set. Of course, Pioneer released all eight volumes in solo editions, which I’m sure was an expensive proposition for fans, at about thirty bucks per disc. I imagine some viewers wanted to keep up with the series, but because of the amount of discs involved, it was difficult or even impossible, for financial reasons. This eight disc collection from Pioneer includes all the episodes tucked into one release, with a nice discount as an incentive. The set still retails for two hundred dollars, but that’s cheaper than the individual discs and as such, I think some fans might choose to take the plunge with this collection. The discs have the same covers and such, but have been placed within a very nice cardboard sleeve, with cool images on the sides. I know the price and volume of material might spook some folks, but I think Tenchi Universe is a terrific release. If you’re interested in the series, this complete collection is the path to take, without a doubt.
Video: How does it look?
The episodes are presented in full frame transfers, as intended. The images here look better than average, but some issues do surface, so I had to knock the score. A few scenes had more grain than I would have liked and I saw some minor colors issues, but aside from these errors, these transfers look excellent. The colors look vivid and remain consistent, with only a few small issues, but nothing to be overly concerned about. The contrast is even handed and allows for a solid level of detail, but never exposes in the least. I saw a couple brief instances of compression flaws, but again, no cause for panic at all. The transfers here are more than up to task, so don’t let a few minor issues keep you from checking out this series.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio is much like you’d expect from a television show, but a little sharper and more active at times. The center channels shoulders the bulk of the audio demands, but the elements never become blurred together, which is good news. The vocals are clean and never get buried in the mixes, while music and sound effects also sound terrific. I noted some nice left & right channel presence, which helped to enhance the audio presence a lot. This collection houses Japanese & English language tracks, as well as optional English subtitles. I prefer the Japanese option, but I am pleased Pioneer included both, so that everyone can be satisfied.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This collection includes some character bios, conceptual artwork, credit-less opening & ending sequences, selections of bonus artwork, and a promo spot for the series. Each disc houses different pieces of artwork and character data, so when you combine all the elements, you’ve got a nice selection of extras here.
