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The clusterfuck that is the continuity
Tenchi Muyo! (天地無用! Tenchi Muyō!?), is a Japanese anime, light novel, and manga series created by Masaki Kajishima and Hiroki Hayashi.
The generally accepted translation of the title is No Need For Tenchi or Useless Tenchi, though at the time of its appearance it was also translated variably as No Heaven and Earth and This Way Up due to the original title's pun nature and multiple meanings.
The original series began with a six episode OVA called Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki (天地無用! 魎皇鬼 Tenchi Muyō! Ryōōki?) released in Japan on September 25, 1992. As its popularity grew, it spurred a seventh episode titled Tenchi Muyo! Special: The Night Before The Carnival (also known as the Tenchi Special) and a stand-alone Mihoshi Special. The second OVA series was directed by Kenichi Yatani and released on 1994, featuring episodes 8–13. The third OVA series was also directed by Kenichi Yatani was released on 2003, featuring episodes 14-19 followed by a special twentieth episode.
A twenty-six episode TV anime series called Tenchi Universe (天地無用!宇宙篇 Tenchi Muyō! Uchū Hen?) was released on 1995 retelling the original story, documenting how everyone met and changing the back story of some characters.
Tenchi in Tokyo (新・天地無用! Shin Tenchi Muyō!?) is another alternate version, chronicling Tenchi Masaki's move to Tokyo.
Additionally, there are spin-off series (such as Magical Girl Pretty Sammy), as well as spinoff manga (as the anime preceded the manga). The franchise has also spawned soundtrack CDs and other merchandise released both in Japan and in the United States.
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