The Night Before the Carnival

"The Night Before the Carnival" is the seventh episode of Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki.

Plot

At the dawn of the day, Tenchi awakens and is greeted by Ryoko. The two get into a disagreement over privacy while Tenchi tries to use the bathroom alone. Noticing the ring he wore during his battle with Kagato, he tries to take it off, but then transforms into his Light Hawk Wings form. While in that form, the Ryu-Oh seed that Tsunami gave him drops on the ground. Elsewhere, Ayeka wakes up and runs into Ryoko. She lightly scolds her for her behavior and is then greeted by Tenchi, who gives her the seed. The moment they have together has Ryoko jealous and emotional. Later Ayeka visits Washu in her room and she requests that Washu built a device to grow her seed. Washu agrees to do so, using a device that Kagato created.

In the fields, Tenchi diligently tends to the carrot crops with Ryo-Ohki. Meanwhile, thanks to Mihoshi and Sasami, Ryoko gets hooked on Shojo romance manga. As Sasami prepares breakfast, Tenchi arrives home and Sasami has Tenchi inform Washu and Ayeka that breakfast is ready. Moments after Tenchi enters in Washu's room, he's captured by the scientist and subjected to one of her experiments. Elsewhere, Ayeka starts to plant her seed and is joined by Ryo-Ohki. Back to Washu and Tenchi, Washu collects all of the samples necessary for her research except for sperm. By the time Washu tries to collect it, Mihoshi arrives and not only interrupts sample extraction, but also ruins Washu's computer.

After reading a bunch of Shojo manga, Ryoko tries to hit on Tenchi and use what she's learned from them, while Sasami and Ryo-Ohki watch. The scene that follows, is a stereotypical first time meeting between a boy and a girl that leaves Tenchi perplexed. Mihoshi intervenes, believing Ryoko has a cold and so she takes her away to give her some medicine. Ayeka then learns that Ryoko was following the advice she read from Tenchi's Father Shojo Manga. So then, Ayeka reads them and creates a scene where she trips Tenchi. She then follows what she read in the book leaving Tenchi once again perplexed. At the Misaki Shrine, Katsuhito asks Tenchi about the strange actions of Ayeka and Ryoko. Both of whom were hiding behind Azaka and Kamidake in a not so far away distance. Once their cover is blown the two leave the scene, leaving Katsuhito to believe it's "Spring Fever".

Later Ryoko and Ayeka read more romanced themed books and Ayeka tries to knit a sweater for Tenchi, but overdoes it. Ryoko, on the other hand, tries cooking a stew for Tenchi and the finished project is a disaster. Returning home from the shrine, Tenchi is greeted by Ryoko and Ayeka. They pester Tenchi with what they've read from his father's romance books. Finally realizing why they were acting so strange, Tenchi mentions that they've 10 years out of date leaving them dejected. However, the book that Washu has is a contemporary book and it says that Tenchi is a perfect match for her.

With her plot foiled, Ryoko tries to get Katsuhito's approval to getting Tenchi's hand and he gives his blessing. Elated by this, she soon witnessing Katsuhito asking Mihoshi if she'd like to become Tenchi's boyfriend. Back at home, Ayeka uses Ryo-Ohki as a messenger to deliver a love letter to Tenchi for her and Ryo-Ohki does so in haste. After reading the note, Tenchi tries to rendevous with Ayeka at the shrine. This changes when Sasami asks him to pick up some vegetables from the shack. Once he reaches the shack, Tenchi finds a multitude of hungry Ryo-Ohki from the lake with carrots in their mouths. Washu also arrives on the scene because of the massive energy spike she detected from that area. Being the noble person he is, Tenchi allows the Ryo-Ohkis one carrot each and they all happily return to the lake because of this. Now that their vegetable supply is depleted, Tenchi goes back out to the fields to get some more, leaving Ayeka alone at the temple.

The following day, Ayeka and Ryoko spend some time in the hot spring baths. Ryoko proposes an alliance between the two and Ayeka agrees to it. They plan on getting both Mihoshi and Washu out of the picture. Ryoko launches her plan into action by calling Mihoshi in the guise of her superior from the Galaxy Police. She orders Mihoshi back to HQ, to which, the officer obeys, but has no form of transportation back there. Ayeka then proposes Washu's help and the scientist helps Mihoshi find her missing ship. After a tearful goodbye, Mihoshi leaves for the GP HQ. That night, Ryoko hogties Ayeka in order to have Tenchi all for herself. And in space, Mihoshi submits her report to her superior with the help of Yukinojyo. After her superior read her report, Mihoshi has herself reassigned once again to patrol the Earth's galaxy.

Back on Earth, Ryoko tries to sneak into Tenchi's room, but is foiled by a trap laid by Ayeka. The two then confront one another and after an argument fight one another. Meanwhile, Sasami has a nightmare involving Tenchi and goes to his room to be consoled by him. When Ryoko and Ayeka learn that Washu and Ryo-Ohki were already in Tenchi's room, they try and barge in, but are caught in Ayeka's trap. Right after Ryoko and Ayeka climb out of the pond, Mihoshi crash lands on the house destroying it. That morning, Ayeka learns that the Ryu-Oh seed has started to sprout.

Characters

Trivia

The episode was released on January 25, 1994, as a 45 min OVA special and aired in the US summer of 2000. When this and Here Comes Jurai! aired on Toonami, they were treated as a 60-minute special.
- Also the scene where Ryoko mockingly suggested that Ayeka wants to make love to Tenchi first was edit with certain parts removed.
Masaki Kajishima has released multiple doujins under the banner title of "O-Matsuri Zenjitsu no Yoru!" (The Night Before the Carnival). In fact one of his earliest self-published works used the title in 1987. Although its content focused on other works he was associated with at AIC, Bubblegum Crisis, and Gall Force.

Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki Episodes