OVA
Description
Sasami Masaki Jurai, younger sister to Ayeka and a princess of Jurai, possesses teal hair usually styled in long pigtails and melon pink eyes. An upside-down triangle birthmark on her forehead signifies her Juraian royal blood. Although appearing pre-adolescent, she is over 700 years old. Her extended lifespan and suspended aging stem from a connection to a Juraian Royal Tree and biological enhancements, a state maintained during centuries of space travel with Ayeka. She will eventually mature physically and remain in her prime for centuries.
Centuries ago, Sasami secretly boarded Ayeka's ship when Ayeka departed Jurai to find their missing half-brother Yosho and confront the space pirate Ryoko. Their arrival on Earth triggered a battle with Ryoko, crashing both vessels near Tenchi Masaki's home. Sasami and Ayeka subsequently joined Tenchi's household. There, Sasami formed a close bond with the cabbit Ryo-Ohki and affectionately referred to the other women in the household as sisters.
A pivotal childhood event occurred 700 years ago during Ryoko's attack on Jurai. While playing in the Royal Arboretum, Sasami suffered a fatal fall. To save her, Tsunami—one of the three goddesses (Chousin) who created the universe and the patron of Jurai's Royal Trees—assimilated with her. Tsunami re-created Sasami's body and merged their spirits, creating one being with two souls. Sasami kept this secret for years, fearing rejection if others learned she might not be the "real" Sasami. When revealed, Ayeka and the household accepted her unconditionally. As Sasami matures, she and Tsunami will gradually merge into a single entity, with Sasami eventually adopting Tsunami's adult appearance and abilities.
This assimilation grants Sasami unique powers in this continuity. She commands Tsunami-fune, the most powerful ship in the Juraian fleet, summonable from subspace. Her link to Tsunami connects her to all Juraian ships and their owners, allowing her to sense their locations and statuses. She experiences precognitive abilities manifesting as disturbing nightmares, often centered on Tenchi. Her combat skills, likely trained by her mother (Supreme Commander of the Juraian Royal Bodyguard), are enhanced by Tsunami; she defeated Galaxy Police officer Mashisu Makibi in battle and bested Tenchi in a spar. One of her hair ornaments transforms into a battle staff.
Personality-wise, Sasami is typically cheerful, responsible, and nurturing, handling most cooking duties in the Masaki household. She exhibits a rarely seen mischievous streak, enjoying pranks on the older girls. Her outlook is trusting and optimistic, prioritizing others' needs, though she occasionally displays impatience or petulance. Her connection to Tsunami contributes to her maturity in this continuity.
In non-OVA media, Sasami's background and abilities differ significantly. In *Tenchi Universe*, she lacks any connection to Tsunami, has no special powers, and owns a personal ship destroyed early in the series; she is depicted as more carefree and skilled at video games. The film *Tenchi Muyo! in Love 2: Eternal Memory* introduces a possible future where Sasami and Tenchi have a daughter named Izumi, though Sasami narrates this as only one potential outcome. In *Tenchi in Tokyo*, her personality is more volatile, with mood swings and a focus on practical concerns like household finances.
Sasami stars in spin-offs with reimagined backgrounds. In *Pretty Sammy* (OVA and TV series), she is Sasami Kawai, an ordinary girl granted magical powers by Tsunami (recast as a magical realm heir) to become the magical girl Pretty Sammy, battling her best friend Misao (Pixy Misa). In *Sasami: Magical Girls Club*, she is Sasami Iwakura, a fifth-grader with innate magical abilities who joins a secret magic club. These versions omit her Juraian heritage and Tsunami assimilation, though she retains her cooking skills and cheerful demeanor.
Centuries ago, Sasami secretly boarded Ayeka's ship when Ayeka departed Jurai to find their missing half-brother Yosho and confront the space pirate Ryoko. Their arrival on Earth triggered a battle with Ryoko, crashing both vessels near Tenchi Masaki's home. Sasami and Ayeka subsequently joined Tenchi's household. There, Sasami formed a close bond with the cabbit Ryo-Ohki and affectionately referred to the other women in the household as sisters.
A pivotal childhood event occurred 700 years ago during Ryoko's attack on Jurai. While playing in the Royal Arboretum, Sasami suffered a fatal fall. To save her, Tsunami—one of the three goddesses (Chousin) who created the universe and the patron of Jurai's Royal Trees—assimilated with her. Tsunami re-created Sasami's body and merged their spirits, creating one being with two souls. Sasami kept this secret for years, fearing rejection if others learned she might not be the "real" Sasami. When revealed, Ayeka and the household accepted her unconditionally. As Sasami matures, she and Tsunami will gradually merge into a single entity, with Sasami eventually adopting Tsunami's adult appearance and abilities.
This assimilation grants Sasami unique powers in this continuity. She commands Tsunami-fune, the most powerful ship in the Juraian fleet, summonable from subspace. Her link to Tsunami connects her to all Juraian ships and their owners, allowing her to sense their locations and statuses. She experiences precognitive abilities manifesting as disturbing nightmares, often centered on Tenchi. Her combat skills, likely trained by her mother (Supreme Commander of the Juraian Royal Bodyguard), are enhanced by Tsunami; she defeated Galaxy Police officer Mashisu Makibi in battle and bested Tenchi in a spar. One of her hair ornaments transforms into a battle staff.
Personality-wise, Sasami is typically cheerful, responsible, and nurturing, handling most cooking duties in the Masaki household. She exhibits a rarely seen mischievous streak, enjoying pranks on the older girls. Her outlook is trusting and optimistic, prioritizing others' needs, though she occasionally displays impatience or petulance. Her connection to Tsunami contributes to her maturity in this continuity.
In non-OVA media, Sasami's background and abilities differ significantly. In *Tenchi Universe*, she lacks any connection to Tsunami, has no special powers, and owns a personal ship destroyed early in the series; she is depicted as more carefree and skilled at video games. The film *Tenchi Muyo! in Love 2: Eternal Memory* introduces a possible future where Sasami and Tenchi have a daughter named Izumi, though Sasami narrates this as only one potential outcome. In *Tenchi in Tokyo*, her personality is more volatile, with mood swings and a focus on practical concerns like household finances.
Sasami stars in spin-offs with reimagined backgrounds. In *Pretty Sammy* (OVA and TV series), she is Sasami Kawai, an ordinary girl granted magical powers by Tsunami (recast as a magical realm heir) to become the magical girl Pretty Sammy, battling her best friend Misao (Pixy Misa). In *Sasami: Magical Girls Club*, she is Sasami Iwakura, a fifth-grader with innate magical abilities who joins a secret magic club. These versions omit her Juraian heritage and Tsunami assimilation, though she retains her cooking skills and cheerful demeanor.