True Tenchi Muyo! is a three-volume Tenchi Muyo! light novel by Yousuke Kuroda and series creator Masaki Kajishima, and serves as a prequel to Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki.
The first novel, Jurai, was released on August 20, 1997. The second novel, Yosho, was released on March 19, 1998. The final novel, Washu, was released on May 18, 1999. The North American releases were handled by Seven Seas Entertainment.
True Tenchi Muyo! provides examples of:
- Bittersweet Ending: By the end of Yosho, Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki have been defeated and sealed up for the next seven centuries. However, Kagato is still out there and Yosho is unable to return home to Jurai.
- Call-Back: In the prologue to Jurai, Ryo-Ohki in toddler mode performs "I'm a Little Teapot" for Azusa, like she did to the latter and Misaki during her first meeting with them in the Ryo-Ohki OVA episode "Here Comes Jurai".
- Call-Forward:
- Azusa holds a Master Key similar to the one Tenchi will use in the main series.
- Kagato imprisons Washu in the same ship he will use to kidnap Ryoko in Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki.
- Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki are sealed inside the cave near what will become the Masaki Shrine at the end of Yosho.
- Azusa lands on Earth to rescue Funaho from a group of bandits. He will later return to Earth again 750 years later at the end of the second Ryo-Ohki OVA.
- Delicate and Sickly: The Amaki House's head, Mitsuki, is introduced as a sickly woman in Jurai.
- Doomed by Canon: If the Ryo-Ohki OVAs are anything to go by, Mitsuki Amaki will die shortly after her Royal Tree Kirito bonds with the future emperor Azusa in the first half of Jurai and Yosho's ship Funaho will be destroyed during his battle with Ryoko.
- Foregone Conclusion: Since the light novels are primarily a prequel to Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki, we already know that Azusa will become Emperor and marry Funaho and Misaki, Yosho will seal away Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki on Earth and rename himself Katsuhito Masaki, and Ayeka and Sasami will hibernate in Ryu-Oh along with Azaka and Kamidake for the next seven centuries.
- Origins Episode:
- Jurai expands on how Azusa Masaki Jurai met Funaho and Misaki, as well as his ascension to the throne of Jurai.
- Yosho sheds some light on Yosho's first encounter with Kagato, along with his eventual decision to stay on Earth and raise a family.
- Washu explores Washu's history with the Galaxy Academy, as well as how Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki came to be.
- Saved by Canon: Kagato will survive Yosho's pursuit since he dies at Tenchi's hands at the end of the first Ryo-Ohki OVA.
- Time Skip: The prologues for each novel take place one week after Azusa visits Tenchi's home, which occurred at the end of the second Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki OVA.
- You Can't Go Home Again: At the end of Yosho, Yosho finds himself unable to return home to Jurai, which suits him just fine.
