Tenchi Muyo! Tenchi Universe Episode 10: No Need for an Arch-Rival!

Welcome back everyone to the wonderful world of Tenchi. Last time we changed things up by having a decidedly more somber episode. This time around, we go a bit in the opposite direction by having a more action packed episode that usual.

We open in a space bar reminiscent of Mos Eisley where some random thugs are discussing rumors about Ryoko and how she ended up on Earth. The thugs are overheard by a cloaked bounty hunter who attacks with her sword, demanding that they tell her all they know about Ryoko.

One Earth, we see Tenchi picking carrots in his vegetable garden when he comes across what he thinks is Ryo-Ohki, but actually turns out to be a completely different space rabbit.

Later, Ayeka is royally pissed off and as per usual, it has something to do with Ryoko. It seems Tenchi is missing and Ayeka concludes that Ryoko must be the one responsible. As the rest of the girls have a laugh at Ryoko’s manic episode, Ryo-Ohki’s starts growling as the second space rabbit enters the room. As the girls look on confused, the two space rabbits look like they’re about to tear each other apart. However, thanks to Sasami, the two rabbits are able to put aside their differences when bribed with carrots. It’s here when Ryoko, who had been in the bath this entire time, enters the room and identifies the second space rabbit as Kenoki, and she’s apparently none to pleased to see it. Kenoki runs away at the sight of Ryoko and Ryoko chases after it as the rest of the girls follow, completely clueless as to what’s going on.

At the edge of the forest, Ryoko sees the bounty hunter from earlier, Nagi, waiting for her. Apparently the two have history. Unlike your typical Tenchi character, Nagi is a cold-hearted and chilling presence, easily able to intimidate and verbally own the other girls, particularly Kiyone who tries to use her authority as a space cop but to no avail. As you have probably figured out, Nagi has Tenchi and is using him as leverage to lure Ryoko into a fight. However, when Nagi refers to Tenchi as Ryoko’s “man”, Ayeka loses her god damned mind to the point where correcting Nagi has become more important to her than actually rescuing Tenchi. As the gang heads for Venus, where Nagi is holding Tenchi, Ryoko explains her history with Nagi. Apparently, Nagi has been hunting her for years and Ryoko is the only person known to have faced Nagi and lived. Ryoko considers Nagi her arch-rival and, if you can believe this, the one person she hates even more than Ayeka.

They reach Venus and begin to fight one another in their space rabbit ships but much to the surprise of both, Ryo-Ohki and Kenoki refuse to fight one another. In light of this, Nagi proposes they settle things the old fashioned way. Washu volunteers to build a battle arena for them and it seems she took the “old fashioned” thing a bit to far as she’s recreated an old western town within a dome on Venus. I am done questioning how Washu comes up with this stuff at this point. Nagi arrives on the scene, carrying Tenchi with her in an old west style coffin. Finally, the two square off and for the first time, we see Ryoko getting overpowered in a fight as Nagi takes complete control. However, when Ayeka tries to rescue Tenchi while Nagi is occupied, Nagi notices and zaps the princess, allowing Ryoko to take advantage of the distraction and win the fight.

After Ayeka and Ryoko awkwardly acknowledge the fact that they helped one another, Ryoko is about to finish Nagi off once and for all. However, after Ryo-Ohki and Kenoki make the adorable eyes at Ryoko, she decides to spare Nagi’s life on the condition that she leaves immediately. And so our episode ends with that gang having a laugh and the revelation that Ryo-Ohki has fallen for Kenoki.

This episode is awesome. While most episodes thus far, even the ones with action, have felt very sitcom-y, this one was the first time the series has really felt like an action show. Nagi is a surprisingly cool villain and she provides a great contrast to not only Ryoko, but all the girls by being cold, calculating and deadly. What’s more, I got a big laugh out of the sudden western motif at the end. All in all, a standout episode from a great series.