The Max Level(?) Hero Departs

The Max Level(?) Hero Departs is the thirtieth episode of Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki and the sixth and final episode of the fifth OVA series.

Plot

The episode starts with a similar scene from previous episodes. A commotion is heard overhead, which wakes a sleeping Tenchi. Outside the window he sees a wrapped up Kenshi dangling upside-down. Unlike those other times though, we then get Ryo-Ohki (in her adult form), also falling from above, tangled up in ropes. Tenchi remarks that their contests are ending in draws more often lately.

After the credits, we are shown a series of contests/training exercises that show how Kenshi improves over the course of a few years. He starts out close to the age he was in the previous episode.

He picks carrots with Ryo-Ohki, but can't quite match her speed.
He picks edible plants in the mountains with Seina, and none of Seina's wives come along. Kenshi comes back with torn clothes and bruised after getting caught in Seina's bad luck.
On Tabletop Island, he runs the obstacle course with Dird, Alea, Apuesta, and Palty, again, besting them all this time, but not quite beating the clock.
While he seems proud he can beat them, back home he has to face Kiriko, Amane, Ryoko Balta, and Neju, who have similar skills but who can still almost completely dominate him. Neju's training to resist suggestion seems particularly pointless, as he can't resist following the simplest suggestions.
A visibly pregnant Ryoko sends a subspace "demon" (identical to the one in OVA1's 4th episode, Mihoshi Falls to the Land of Stars) after Kenshi. Ayeka pins Kenshi easily with small wooden Guardians, Sasami beats Kenshi so badly with her staff that she practically juggles him in the air by smacking him up in mid-air. Mihoshi simply fishes with him, but her innate abilities mean that she catches dozens of fish while he can't get one. Washu overwhelms him with teaching. Noike captures him like a criminal, using GP tactics.
Mikami, Airi and Seto seem to show him questionable tactics (Seduction, Scientific experimentation [on Jovia], and cheating at computer games).
A long montage shows him spending time with Yuzaki, Kanemitsu, Amame, Nobuyuki, (showing Kenshi almost instantly building a house), Funaho & Misaki (learning mediation- though Misaki fails), Mitoto (who transports him and Seina into the mountains while sweeping the deck) and further sessions with Ryo-Ohki, Ryoko, Ayeka (now pregnant), and Washu that show he is improving on his earlier lessons.
The final lesson of this first section has him facing Emperor Azusa. As he towers over Kenshi, slowly draws his sword, and dancing lights sparkle behind him, Kenshi completely falls to his powerful aura and is unable to do anything but tremble.

A Few Years Later

On a cold evening, Tenchi and the girls comment that Kenshi has been "playing" with Ryo-Ohki in the mountains for a week. It seems she has to use more and more of her sophisticated ship functions to find him now. They ask Ryoko to fetch Kenshi, as they fear the extended time may have made him "feral." After passing her daughter to daddy Tenchi, she goes to get him and returns with Kenshi growling in a cage.

As he calms down while eating and getting teased by the daughters of Ryoko and Ayeka, Tokimi delivers the message to Washu that it looks like it is time to send Kenshi on to his unknown mission.

Tenchi, with Ryo-Ohki, argue with Washu and Rea about the necessity of sending him to Geminar. But the argument is strong that they are at a critical moment (and Washu also thinks it would be the most "fun" to send Kenshi there as he as now). Rea has to veto the idea of sending Yomotsuookami with Kenshi again. Tenchi asks them to let him think about it.

Tenchi asks their father whether he's worried about sending Kenshi away. He admits that likes the phrase "If you love your child, send them out in the world," but also says that he's never really had the choice. When Tennyo left, KIyone beat him up to convince him she could go. He didn't really want Tenchi to leave either, but the whole house had been transported. Ultimately, he says he has become resigned that even if he doesn't want his children to leave, the decision will be made for him by force.

Tenchi asks Kenshi if they'd like to have a "serious" match. So, like Ryo-Ohki does, Tenchi chases after Kenshi, dodging his traps, finding his hidden spots, and sparring with weapons and hand to hand. He decides he really is extremely skilled and may even be "better" than he is (implying that he needed to use his superhuman abilities to properly face his half-brother).

As Tenchi and his grandfather watch Kenshi and Ryo-Ohki play with the little ones, Katsuhito convinces him that Washu and the others would never send him away without a plan. He also points out that Tenchi has others that he has to worry about protecting and, looking at Ryo-Ohki, that even more will be on their way. Tenchi then reveals to the others that he agrees that Kenshi is strong enough. He reassures Ryo-Ohki by telling her that Kenshi is so strong because of all the time she spent playing with him.

Using the pretence with Kenshi that they are celebrating the news that Ryo-Ohki is pregnant, Tenchi and Seina's houses get together for a celebration that is really a going away celebration. Just as planned in the OVA4 episode Good Days, Departure, they have never told Kenshi that they have trained for his Geminar mission (so he could fully enjoy his childhood without a weight of responsibility over him). And the plan is to send him without ever revealing it.

After the party, the household gathers around him and tearfully watch as Tokimi sends him away as he sleeps. Those from Seina's household, the Juraian royals and all that care for him also participate through screens that hover off to the side. Before sending him away, Tokimi gives him a blessing," a small protective charm," nothing that can cause a big ripple, but should prove useful.

As soon as he is sent away, the program that compelled Rea to go along with the decision to send her son away breaks and she sobs uncontrollably, as she realizes he is gone and is consumed with guilt that she was instrumental in sending him.

To diffuse the situation, Washu asks everyone if they'd like to see how he's doing. She surprises everyone by revealing she not only has an observation probe constantly running, but also a one-time recall function that guarantees that she can bring him back if the situation really calls for it.

Post-credits, we see Kenshi, still blissfully asleep and unaware, sleeping on the floor of a decrepit Geminar temple as a shadowy figure approaches him.

Gallery

Characters

Cameo or background appearances

Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki Episodes