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Tenchi Masaki
Masaki, Tenchi was a typical high-school student who spent summer vacations training in martial arts at a shrine in the mountains run by his grandfather. As the series progresses, more is discovered about Tenchi's past, and his relation to the samurai who defeated the Oni (Japanese demon) 700 years ago.  Tenchi-ken is the name of the sword Yoshou used to defeat Ryouko in the past. At the beginning of the first OAV series, it contains all three of Ryouko's Power Gems embedded in its hilt, effectively sealing Ryouko powerless in the cave.  When Tenchi first finds it, Tenchi-ken's blade is rusted and shatters. Later in the first episode, a blue energy blade similar to Ryouko's own Energy Sword is emitted from its hilt. When introduced to Aeka and Sasami in episode 2, we are told that Tenchi-ken is Yoshou's key to controlling the Juraian Trees. Each tree has its own key, while Tenchi-ken was special as it had the power to control any tree. Sasami and Aeka also have their own keys. 
Ryouko
Ryouko, the Oni who wreaked terror on Earth 700 years ago, is a symbiot created by Washuu, powered by gems of unknown origin. She first appears as a hideous mummy within the shrine, but soon rejuvenates herself back to her preferred appearance of a beautiful young (female) space-pirate after Tenchi releases her. Ryouko has witnessed Tenchi's life since he was a small child, and so has a soft spot for him, although this doesn't stop her terrorising him when he wakes her. The source of Ryouko's power lies in her gems. The origin of the gems is unknown. It is rumored that they are from an alternate dimension as they cannot be duplicated by anyone in this dimension.  At full power, Ryouko uses 3 gems; one in her neck, and one embedded in each wrist. Ryouko was defeated by Yoshou when Yoshou transferred her gems to the hilt of Tenchi-ken.  Ryouko also has the ability to create substitute gems over a period of time, although these gems are not nearly as powerful as the original ones. While kept prisoner, Ryouko used her limited power to slowly create a new gem, and had almost completed it when Tenchi released her. 
 Ayeka OF Jurai Masaki
Aeka is the crown princess of Jurai, and it is her half-brother and fiance, the crown prince Yoshou, who defeated Ryouko 700 years ago. While looking for Yoshou, she locates Ryouko, just in time to witness the warrant for her arrest expire. With the destruction of her ship Ryouuh, Aeka is stranded, along with Sasami and Ryouko, at Tenchi's place. 
Sasami Jurai Masaki  -  Tsunami
Sasami is the younger sister and travelling companion of Aeka. Although the youngest, she tends to be the most sensible of the female characters. Once Ryoohki enters the scene, Sasami and Ryoohki are almost inseparable. Sasami has an unusual marking on her forehead, and she sometimes has precognitive dreams, during which this marking glows. The mark is known as "True Emblem", or "Emblem of Power".  Sasami was also introduced as the infamous Pretty Sammy in the Mihoshi Side Story; A takeoff of the all-too common "magic girl", such as Sailor Moon and Creamy Mami. From there, Pretty Sammy has made an appearance in the TV series, has featured in a number of novels, and even starred in her own OAV, which may later become the first episode in a series.  Tsunami is the flagship and power of the Jurai. She is also the source of all trees of power and will, being the 0th generation tree. Each lower generation contains less power than the previous. Tsunami's human form is an older version of Sasami. 
Mihoshi & Kiyone
The blonde bimbo stereotype was created especially for Mihoshi. She is a member of the Galactic Police (her grandfather is the commissioner), and while on patrol looking for Kagato, she gets caught in a warp bubble, and ends up on Earth with the rest of the gang.  Although an utter ditz, she usually succeeds, apparently through blind luck, and shows signs of incredible powers of observation.

Kiyone is Mihoshi's poor partner in the Galaxy Police Force, as told in the bangaihen (Mihoshi Side Story). She is also one of the main characters in the Tenchi Muyo TV series. 
Ryoohki
Ryoohki is Ryouko's spaceship, which is destroyed along with Aeka's in episode 2. The next episode, Ryouko salvages an egg from the wreakage, which she says is hers and Tenchi's child, which fascinates Sasami, and disgusts Aeka. Pretty soon, the egg hatches, and out comes what appears to  be a cross between a cat (it meows) and a rabbit (it eats carrots. LOTS of carrots), hence the name "cabbit". So enters Ryoohki, a cute friend for Sasami, who has the capability of eating several times its own body weight in carrots, and of passing through solid objects (on the second attempt). Later in the series, when they need some transport, Ryoohki morphs into a space-ship, which is considerably larger than the fluffy cabbit was. Ryoohki was also created by Washuu, and has the ability to assimilate and learn new physical forms. 
Washuu
Washuu is undoubtably the smartest scientific genius in the universe. She is the creator of both Ryouko and Ryoohki, and sees herself as Ryouko's mother. Like most in her field of work, she is slightly eccentric, and cute, even considering she's 20 000 years old. She likes being referred to as "Washuu-chan" or little Washuu." 
Azaka and Kamidake
These two chaps are Aeka's Juraian guardians and servants. They're usually assigned a variety of tedious chores, from beheading and torture, through to nappy drying.
Nobuyuki Masaki
Tenchi's father has tendencies to video Tenchi's close encounters with Ryouko through the window, and peek over the fence of the "baths". An architect by profession, he also is a collector of shoujo manga (girls comics), which causes a calamity in the Tenchi Special: "The Night before the Festival".