is a Japanese original video animation (OVA) series produced by

AIC AIC may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Alice in Chains, American rock band * Alice in Chains: AIC 23, a 2013 mockumentary * Anime International Company, a Japanese animation studio * Art Institute of Chicago, an art museum in Chicago Busin ...

and

Pioneer LDC (abbreviated as NBCUEJ) is a Japanese music, anime, and home entertainment production and distribution enterprise headquartered in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo. It is primarily involved in the production and distribution of anime within Japan. The ...

, and released from 1995 to 1997 as three videos. It features character

Sasami Sasami Ashworth (born June 23, 1990), known mononymously as Sasami, is an American musician who records music in a variety of styles, from singer-songwriter ballads to heavy metal and industrial. She began her career as a member of Cherry Gla ...

from the ''

Tenchi Muyo! is a Japanese anime, light novel and manga franchise. The original series began with a six-episode OVA called created by Masaki Kajishima and directed by Hiroki Hayashi, and released in Japan on September 25, 1992. The series was relea ...

'' series as a

magical girl is a subgenre of Japanese fantasy media (including anime, manga, light novels, and live-action media) centered around young girls who possess magical abilities, which they typically use through an ideal alter ego into which they can transfo ...

, and is noted for recasting the ''Tenchi Muyo!'' characters in new roles. It has been dubbed into

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

by Pioneer USA. It also spawned two television series - ''

Magical Project S ''Magical Project S'', known in Japan as , is a 26-episode anime television series produced by AIC and Pioneer LDC, airing in Japan from October 1996 to March 1997.. It is based on the Pretty Sammy character and the OVA series. The series was ...

'', and '' Sasami: Magical Girls Club''.

Background

''Magical Girl Pretty Sammy'' originated not in animation but in voice drama, beginning in 1993 with the release of ''Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki CD Special 1 (Creation of the Universe Journey Across Space-Time)''. Here, Washu's newest invention, the Dimensional Controller, is glitched by the girls, creating several parallel ''Tenchi!'' worlds. Stories from the drama would later be adapted for ''

Tenchi Universe is a Japanese anime television series animated by AIC and produced by Pioneer LDC. It is loosely based on the first six episodes of the ''Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki'' OVA series. The series premiered on April 2, 1995 in Japan and concluded its a ...

's'' "Time and Space Adventures" arc (episodes 11-13). A second CD release, ''Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki's Christmas'', incorporated ideas revisited again in the series, drawing on Tsunami as the source of Pretty Sammy's magical powers. The music video for ''"Pretty Sammy, the Magical Girl"'', originally part of the ''Tenchi Muyo! Soundfile'', marked Pretty Sammy's anime debut. After having a kiss between her and Tenchi interrupted by the villainous Kiyone, Sasami must transform into her magical alter-ego to save her love and teach his kidnappers a lesson. Though the ''Soundfile'' was never released officially in the U.S., this short can be seen during the end credits of the '' Mihoshi Special''. The ''Mihoshi Special'' OVA was the first time Sammy was ever featured as a full-fledged character in the animated medium, and after her appearance in Episode 12 of ''Tenchi Universe'' (''Tenchi Muyo! TV: Time and Space Adventures Part 2'') in a costume that more resembles Sailor Moon's than her original outfit, the magical girl would go on to star in OVA specials and television series of her own.

Overview

Sasami Kawai is a cute young Japanese girl who is asked by magical queen-to-be

Tsunami A tsunami ( ; from ja, 津波, lit=harbour wave, ) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explo ...

of Juraihelm to become "Magical Girl Pretty Sammy", a champion of justice. She is constantly harassed by

Pixy Misa is a Japanese original video animation (OVA) series produced by AIC and Pioneer LDC, and released from 1995 to 1997 as three videos. It features character Sasami from the ''Tenchi Muyo!'' series as a magical girl, and is noted for recastin ...

, an evil, but friendly magical girl created by a rival candidate for queen of the magical world,

Ramia The following is a list of the major characters from the anime and manga series ''Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki'' and its spin-offs ''Tenchi Muyo! GXP'', ''Tenchi Muyo! War on Geminar'', ''Tenchi Universe'', ''Tenchi in Tokyo'', and ''Ai Tenchi Muyo!''. ...

. Sasami is unaware that Pixy Misa is actually her best friend, Misao Amano, who herself is unaware of the transformation forced on her via hypnosis by Ramia's brother, Rumiya. Collectively, the various ''Pretty Sammy'' vehicles spoof the

genre of anime (particularly ''

Sailor Moon is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoko Takeuchi. It was originally serialized in Kodansha's ''shōjo'' manga magazine ''Nakayoshi'' from 1991 to 1997; the 52 individual chapters were published in 18 volumes. The seri ...

'', with the "champion of justice" theme), using the characters from

's popular ''Tenchi Muyo!'' series. Ryo-Ohki (who is a male in both of the ''Pretty Sammy'' series, but a female in ''Tenchi Muyo!'' material) is Pretty Sammy's assistant and plays the same role that

Luna Luna commonly refers to: * Earth's Moon, named "Luna" in Latin * Luna (goddess), the ancient Roman personification of the Moon Luna may also refer to: Places Philippines * Luna, Apayao * Luna, Isabela * Luna, La Union * Luna, San Jose Roma ...

(of the ''Sailor Moon'' series) had done, including keeping the fact he could talk a secret. Both the OVAs and the TV series are notable for the quality of the musical tracks. Many of the tracks are parodies of popular

karaoke Karaoke (; ; , clipped compound of Japanese ''kara'' "empty" and ''ōkesutora'' "orchestra") is a type of interactive entertainment usually offered in clubs and bars, where people sing along to recorded music using a microphone. The music is ...

tunes. The other major characters of ''Tenchi Muyo!'' appear in various roles in the OVA. They include: Tenchi,

Washu Washu can refer to: * WashU, an abbreviation for Washington University in St. Louis * ''Washū'', another name for Yamato Province, Japan * ''Washu Hakubi Washu can refer to: * WashU, an abbreviation for Washington University in St. L ...

, Mihoshi, Kiyone, Ayeka, and Ryoko.

Music

*Opening: ''Chanto Yume o Mimasho!'' ("Dream Away"; Japanese version performed by

Chisa Yokoyama is a Japanese actress, voice actress and singer from Tokyo, Japan. She was affiliated with Arts Vision but has since founded her own voice company called Banbina. When she was a high school student, she was an assistant of Jump Broadcasting Stati ...

, English version performed by Sharyn Scott) *Ending 1 (episode 1): ''Baka'' ("Idiot") 'Money No More''(Japanese version performed by Chisa Yokoyama, English version performed by Sharyn Scott) *Ending 2 (episode 2) and Insert Song (episode 1): ''Ai no Makeikusa'' ("Losing the Fight of Love"; performed by

Rika Matsumoto is a Japanese actress, voice actress and singer who was born in Yokohama, Japan. Her name is also sometimes romanized as Rica Matsumoto. She was one of the founders of the anison band JAM Project. After early stage work, she began both voice a ...

) and replaced in English version with ''Your Hiroshi'', performed by

Diane Michelle Diane Michelle is an American voice actress, famous for voicing Daisy Duck in several modern Disney projects such as ''The Spirit of Mickey'', ''Mickey Mouse Works'' and ''Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas''. Early life Michelle is a Southern Ca ...

) *Ending 3 (episode 3): ''Mahô no Tobira'' ("Magical Door"; Japanese version performed by Chisa Yokoyama, English version performed by Sharyn Scott)

Episodes

References

External links

* * * {{Anime International Company 1995 anime OVAs Anime International Company Geneon USA Magical girl anime and manga NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan Works by Yōsuke Kuroda Tenchi Muyo! spin-offs Magical girl parodies