In Japanese, "Tenchi Muyo" is roughly translated as "Useless Tenchi". It can also mean heaven and earth. An interesting fact about those two words is that it is printed on parcels and packages in Japan. It's kinda of like a "Fragile, handle with care" sign. You see, Tenchi Muyo can also mean topsy-turvy and useless in the same phrase. If it is topsied and turvied, it can become useless. In other words, if dropped or shaken it will break and not be able to perform its function or whatever.
Differences Between OVA, TV series, Pretty Sammy, and on and on...
OVA:
The characters are met in different ways in the different series. They are met in the following ways:
Ryoko: found in the cave outside of the Masaki Shrine
Ayeka: came to Earth, pretty much, only to attack Ryoko (and of course find her fiance)
Sasami: released Tenchi from the Juraian trees
Mihoshi: fell from the sky because of her blonde antics (stupidity)
Washuu: was imprisoned in the Soujya and released by Mihoshi's...well, stupidity
Tsunami: saved Tenchi and probably brought him back to life
Ryo-Ohki: hatched from an egg
Those are all of the main characters, really, that you see in the OVA series.
TV Series (Tenchi Universe):
Ryoko: crashed to Earth after being chased by the Galaxy Police (Mihoshi)
Ayeka: came to Earth searching for her brother and to get away from her new fiance
Sasami: came with her sister
Mihoshi: came to Earth chasing after chasing Ryoko
Washuu: found in the cave outside the Masaki Shrine
Kiyone: when Mihoshi's distress signal was received, naturally Kiyone (Mihoshi's old partner) was sent to rescue her.
Ryo-Ohki: hatched from an egg
Pretty Sammy:
This is like a Sailor Moon rip-off, but in a good sense. It's very cute!
Sasami Kawaii: the main character
Tenchi Masaki: her next door neighbor and crush
Washuu: a science teacher at her school
Mihoshi: a college student who works at the music store
Kiyone: the bad guy that is always trying to get Tenchi
Tsunami: the good guy that is trying to become Queen of Juraihelm and needs Pretty Sammy to have that happen
Ayeka: class president that does anything to try to win Tenchi's love
Ryo-Ohki: a guide for Sasami and makes sure that Sammi doesn't use her magic for anything except when she is Pretty Sammi. Has a crush on her too, but she doesn't know.
Some lesser known characters and oddities:
Ryu-Oh: Ayeka's ship
Dr. Clay: tried to capture Washuu for Queen Tokimi (OVA)
Tokimi: high level life form, one of the 3 goddesses
3 goddesses: Washuu, Tsunami, and Tokimi
Zero: artificial life form that took on Ryoko's appearance to fool the Masaki household
Mass: what Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki are made up of, the element of all things
Why does Sasami look like Tsunami?
When Ryoko was attacking planet Jurai, Sasami fell and was mortally wounded where the royal Juraian trees were kept. Tsunami felt her dying and assimilated with Sasami. There is some confusion with Sasami, as she thinks she is a product of Tsunami. Later, her memory will come back and she will realize that she is the same person as Tsunami..
Who is that Ryo-Ohki looking thing, but looks like a kid, too?
That is Ryo-Ohki, or Ryo-Chan. Ryo-Ohki assimilated with the Masses to save Tenchi and ended up looking like that. She falls in and out of looking like a cabit, 25 year old woman and a 2 year old. Go figure.
How can Ryo-Ohki turn into a space ship?
I don't know...magic...ask Washuu.
