C&C - Tenchi Muyo! GXP - "First Tests" [12/15]

[bigddan11]

Episode 6
Japanese Title: Entering the GP Academy
Dub Title: First Tests

WARNING: Spoilers will not be tolerated! Yes, I realize this series has been around since 2002, and I realize it did air on the FUNi Colours TV anime block (It aired back in 2006, so this isn't a dub premiere), but this is its first exposure on [adult swim].

Synopsis: Seina Yamda is your average ordinary everyday teenager, if you take away one thing. Seina is the most unlucky boy known of in the entire universe. However Seina has decided to join the prestigious GP Academy. He hopes that the training at the GP will allow him to win the love of his life, assuming that the two women fighting over him don't kill each other first, and assuming he can survive an instructor who always looks down on Earthlings.

TONIGHT:
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Spoiler

Seina's data has corrupted the GP computers, so the only exercise the cadets are able to do is the standard GP workout. Unfortunately the standard GP workout calls for an enhanced body, something Seina has not yet gotten. Seiryo expects Seina to perform every exercise the others endure, despite his body not being enhanced. Will Seina survive this hidden form of torture from Seiryo?

Your cast of characters:

Seina Yamada: The main character who seems to have horrible luck. Seina has enlisted in the GP and hopes to use it to his advantage to gain the love of Kiriko.

Kiriko Masaki: A young lady that has always been friends with Seina, despite his horrible luck. Kiriko has always favored Seina and done things like make him cake. Kiriko has been demoted from immigration to the GP Academy as an instructor. Her mission- turn Seina into a man during these next 6 months.

Amane Kaunaq: A mysterious lady that Seina runs into through a horrible series of events. She has asked Seina to join the GP and appears to continually break rules that the GP has set in place. However consequences always follow. Amane has been demoted from second class detective to a GP Instructor for the next 6 months.

Kenneth Barr and Rajau Ga Waura: Seina's roommates at the GP. Neither has had a girlfriend, instead choosing to go with an enjoy the moment attitude. Nevertheless the decide to join the GP because they believe that women will love the uniform.

Elma: Seina first encounters Elma on a tour of the GP Academy. He believes her people are the nicest people in the galaxy, but at the same time he thinks Elma is hiding something. Elma works as a body enhancer at the GP Academy and is good friends with Amane and, when the need suits her, Kiriko.

Seiryo Tennan: Seiryo has always had a hatred for Earthlings, but that hatred has grown since Tenchi defeated him in a duel. Now he is an instructor at the GP Academy, and as Seina's superior, he intends to do everything in his power to make life miserable for one Seina Yamada.

Mikami Kuramitsu: The Principal of the GP Academy. Mikami is willing to listen to any type of excuse and devote an ear of sympathy towards the cause, but she is also not afraid to run the academy with a tight fist, especially if she feels someone has broken the rules or that someone has abused their authority.

Mitoto Kuramitsu: A beautiful yet dimwit minded cleaning lady at the GP. Mitoto tends to enjoy her job of cleaning, but she oftentimes fails to recognize the differences between the GP and the space pirates. As a result Mitoto is willing to clean anywhere, and she will drag anyone who gets assigned with her along for the ride.
​

 

[trance2009]

What time is this on now?

 

[zoombie]

3 am et.

 

[Kitschensyngk]

Last time: Squid robots...phallic symbols...human experimentation...uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

Lemme guess, the podium collapses the moment he gets on stage? The mic electrocutes him?

Guess who's the teacher's punching bag?

I'm beginning to see a pattern here.

 

[Anyone00]

Attack of the Clones.

 

[Kitschensyngk]

I just now noticed - how long has he been wearing that bandage on his head?

He CAN'T go home. His parents disowned him.

"Hang in there" is code for "You're going to run until you die because I hate you."

Tell me he dies.

"Now what was his name? Oh right, Seina S***-for-Brains from the galactic boonies?"

Seina doesn't have bad luck. He's just a glutton for punishment.

Galaxy Police? More like Galaxy GESTAPO!

 

[Hypeathon]

I'm now convinced that the intentional humor in this show is to have the audience purposefully laugh at every other character's misfortunes in the show. That... can work if the humor and the nature of the show is done right, but it sometimes feels a bit mean-spirited here.

 

[Kitschensyngk]

I thought the main character's two biggest love rivals NEVER got along in a Tenchi series.

And more implied bestiality.

I wouldn't worry. The machine would probably break once his procedure starts anyway.

He CAN'T go back to Earth. His parents disowned him.

WANTED YOU TO SUCCEED? They sent you into space with a random stranger because they clearly love your sister more than you!

I didn't think the machine did THAT kind of enhancements. No wonder he's so obsessed with it.

NOT THE DOG GIRL!! NOT THE DOG GIRL!!!

So they stick him in a tube and fill it with LCL?

Last time Toonami showed someone naked in a tube they gave her a digital bikini.

Okay. He's a janitor. We get it.

 

[Monte]

Body enhancement… First question that comes to mind is, does kiriko have these body enhancements? Its important to note since she she lives on earth which would contradict her point of about Seina not being able to return to earth… after all, between kiriko and the favoritism he gets from the GXP he should not have trouble seeing an alien doctor if he really needed one (which would be less likely since his enhancements would likely make him less likely need a doctor while living peacefully on earth). One might argue Kiriko might not need enhancement since she's atleast part jurian; but Tenchi himself did not have a superhuman level of physical ability despite his heritage. Another thing I can't help but note would be Mihoshi; she was a class A detective and yet she never showed super human level physical ability… in Fact i don't think i can recall a single instance in the franchise where a GXP officer showed anything more than human level of physical ability.


I had a hint of hope during this episode; namely that Seina might decide that he would go without the enhancement thus be determined to keep up under his own ability. His jerk of a teacher was right about one thing, adversity does have a way of building character; Man would have been red when a simple earthling managed to catch up with the enhanced cadets... but no, the other teacher foil the jerk's little plot and gave "unlucky" Seina free super powers(and nothing went wrong in during the procedure). god forbid, Seina might actually have to WORK for what he wants.

And why exactly is Seina the class Representative?... special treatment... y'know him EARNING the admiration and support of his fellow cadets to get such a position could have made for a good character building episode. Seina seems to get everything handed to him... so far the hardest thing he has had to do is say "yes" when offered something...


His motivation still does not make sense either… He explains he prefers hanging out in space, but with Kiriko's connections (not to mention tenchi's) would it be impossible for her to find a way for Seina to become a space explorer or some kind of trader? there are other less life risking ways for Seina to hang out in space. Space Cop is both an idiotic and reckless choice when you consider that his bad luck could not only get him killed but others killed swell.

Attack of the Clones.

That seemed exceptionally lazy

 

[bigddan11]

Body enhancement… First question that comes to mind is, does kiriko have these body enhancements? Its important to note since she she lives on earth which would contradict her point of about Seina not being able to return to earth… after all, between kiriko and the favoritism he gets from the GXP he should not have trouble seeing an alien doctor if he really needed one (which would be less likely since his enhancements would likely make him less likely need a doctor while living peacefully on earth). One might argue Kiriko might not need enhancement since she's atleast part jurian; but Tenchi himself did not have a superhuman level of physical ability despite his heritage. Another thing I can't help but note would be Mihoshi; she was a class A detective and yet she never showed super human level physical ability… in Fact i don't think i can recall a single instance in the franchise where a GXP officer showed anything more than human level of physical ability.

Kiriko didn't say he couldn't return and live on Earth. She said he couldn't return and live on Earth with a normal life because the doctors would notice the enhancements the first time he got sick. She then said even if he found a way to cancel the enhancements, they would still see the residual effects.

As far as Kiriko goes, I suspect that she lived a normal life on Earth until her heritage was revealed to her. At that time she probably began getting doctors visits and such in space.

 

[Monte]

Kiriko didn't say he couldn't return and live on Earth. She said he couldn't return and live on Earth with a normal life because the doctors would notice the enhancements the first time he got sick. She then said even if he found a way to cancel the enhancements, they would still see the residual effects.

As far as Kiriko goes, I suspect that she lived a normal life on Earth until her heritage was revealed to her. At that time she probably began getting doctors visits and such in space.

i know but it doesn't change my point. Would it be impossible for Seina to get the same treatment kiriko gets? He's got both Kiriko and Tenchi has friends, not to mention some degree of favoritism to some of the most influential people in the galaxy; that gives him quite a few connections to space should he actually ever need a doctor. And that's my point... if the only thing stopping him from living a normal life is some doctor finding out about his enhancements, then just get him a space doctor. Hell Tenchi's family practically perfected this subterfuge as they got a whole mess of aliens living peaceful normal lives on earth and have actually been doing it for a very long time if you look at the family tree.

 

[The Man in Black]

This episode I also kind of enjoyed. I'm really thinking this show seems worse when thrown on Toonami than it is in general, and that's me having quite a turn-around on it.