Encyclopedia Tenchicca Tenchi Muyo! * Main Page

WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
Being the only female member to hold a prominent position in the production team of the original OVA series, Nahoko Hasagawa added a special feminine touch to the series that is absent in majority of the other Tenchi Muyo! works. Besides the first six episodes of the OVA series and the Mihoshi Special, Hasagawa also wrote the scripts for the 18th episode of the first TV series No Need for Spirit and the OVA-based movie Manatsu no Eve. She is also the author of a slew of novels set in the different universes of Tenchi Muyo! -- Visitors from a Thousand Guests, released on May '93 by Fujimi Books, was her first attempt to bring Tenchi Muyo! to paper. It was also in this novel where Kiyone made her debute appearance. Hasagawa's other efforts include the paperback version of the first OVA series and the highly controversial Tenchi: Restless Mood?!, among others.
ORIGINAL INTENTIONS...
"Originally, I intended to have the first novel follow the paths of the 1st OVA series, adding in my personal views on love and relationship."
HASAGAWA'S VIEWS ON THE CHARACTERS?
Hasagawa believes the Tenchi girls reflect different personalities of real-world people; in that sense, she believes it is easy for female readers to find a character to associate with. On Ryoko: "Ryoko is in fact a very innocent girl. She just doesn't know how to express her feelings properly. Sometimes she would do things completely opposite to her true feelings because of her bashful personality, and get angry at herself afterward for doing it. In reality, she is a very cute girl; the rough-and-tough image she projects is only a fraction of her true personality." On Aeka: "She is a very normal girl. She may act stuck up at times and insist doing things her way, but she may also give in to other people's demands by popular opinion. However, once set on her goal, she can not be deterred from it. Aeka's one fatal tragic flaw is her inability to face anything truthfully due to her pride." Sasami: "Sasami gets along fine with everyone, probably because she is still very young. Besides, she has always been an honest kid. Some fans want to know how she really feels about Tenchi... I don't think it is that important. Being attracted to an older 'big brother' character -- isn't that what make her so adorable?" On her favorite character Mihoshi: "Mihoshi is a person full of emotions. She grew up in a family full of love. For that reason, she would share her love with those around her. This is very different from Ryoko and Aeka. "...I like Mihoshi because I am very much like her." ^^;;; Wasyu: "Wasyu is a character who cannot be interpreted by ordinary means. She is 20,000 years old, super intelligent ... doesn't seem like the type who would be attracted to a high school student. I think the reason why she would get close to Tenchi is because she saw something special in him that is absent in other people. It is very difficult to arrange the roles for Wasyu as I am unfamiliar with scientific terms, and she is so unpredictable in nature. For these reasons, I frequently assign her the role of a manipulator." Hasagawa felt Tenchi was supposed to be the main character, yet was somehow constantly ignored and left in the background. Under these psychological conditions did she write the first novel. She noted that, ironically, Tenchi was still left in the dark by the time she had finished writing it. "Perhaps he is meant to stay there."
WHERE CAN I PURCHASE THE NOVELS?
From your favourite local anime store, or one of the mail-order companies specialized in anime goods. You can find a small listing in the abridged version of Steve Pearl's Anime Resources List. The original Japanese edition is published by Kadokawa Shoten Publishing; the Mandarin translation and publishing is done by Tohan Corporation. English translation is unavailable at the present time.
WHERE CAN I FIND MORE INFORMATION?
Unfortunately, there is no English website in existence devoted to the Tenchi Muyo! novels.