Princess Aeka Masaki Jurai belongs to the royal family of planet Jurai, being the daughter of Emperor Azusa and his second wife, Misaki. Her half-brother Yosho, originally her fiancé according to Juraian royal custom, vanished centuries ago pursuing the space pirate Ryoko. Aeka entered suspended animation during her 700-year search for Yosho, preserving her youthful appearance despite her age. This journey brought her to Earth upon detecting Ryoko's energy signature instead of locating Yosho, culminating in a confrontation that destroyed her sentient royal tree ship, Ryu-Oh, and stranded her alongside her younger sister Sasami near Tenchi Masaki's residence. Aeka embodies aristocratic refinement and proper manners, projecting a traditionally reserved demeanor. She wields a strong sense of duty and protectiveness, especially towards Sasami. However, interactions with Ryoko, whom she blames for Yosho's disappearance and nearly destroying Jurai, ignite intense rivalry and explosive outbursts of temper. This rivalry extends to competing for Tenchi Masaki's affections, contrasting with Ryoko's overtly aggressive and openly romantic tactics. Despite this friction, Aeka demonstrates capacity for cooperation with Ryoko when Tenchi or others face grave danger, such as during battles against antagonists like Kagato or Doctor Clay. Aeka possesses significant abilities stemming from her Juraian royal heritage. These include superhuman strength, flight capability, energy blast projection, and the deployment of potent force fields capable of restraining powerful entities. She commands two autonomous guardians, Azaka and Kamidake, possessing abilities like generating electrical attacks and restraining spacecraft. Her connection to the royal tree ship Ryu-Oh enabled it to generate three Light Hawk Wings, a formidable defensive power uniquely capable of offensive use under her command. Though the original Ryu-Oh was destroyed on Earth and later obliterated by Kagato, the goddess Tsunami provided a seed allowing a new tree to regenerate. Aeka's personality holds underlying complexity. Outwardly, she mirrors the calm elegance of her idolized stepmother, Funaho. Internally, she grapples with suppressing natural tomboyish and passionate traits inherited from her biological mother, Misaki. She actively repressed these traits, even undergoing genetic manipulation to alter her originally blue, curly hair to resemble Funaho's straight purple hair, partly to appeal to Yosho. This suppression fuels the volatility of her temper, particularly when provoked by Ryoko. Aeka's relationship with Tenchi evolves significantly. Initially noting similarities to Yosho, her feelings mature into genuine love. Over time, their relationship progresses to marriage and pregnancy, as confirmed in later OVA installments. This development coincides with a gradual, though incomplete, lessening of hostilities with Ryoko. Her portrayal varies across Tenchi Muyo! continuities. In the *Tenchi Universe* timeline, she belongs to a Juraian branch family holding a strong claim to the throne but chooses to abandon royal duties to return to Earth for Tenchi. In *Tenchi in Tokyo*, she actively assists Washu in researching threats and displays heightened emotional volatility and gullibility. The *Pretty Sammy* spin-offs depict alternative versions: one as a wealthy classmate of Tenchi in the OAV, and another named Romio, a failed magical girl candidate turned antagonist seeking to destroy Earth in the TV series. The name "Aeka" (often romanized "Ayeka") derives from terms meaning "frail" or "delicate," reflecting her outward demeanor. An older interpretation links it to "willowy," symbolizing grace and a perceived need for male support, thematically connecting to the royal treeships. The willow's association in Japanese mythology as a "demon repeller" metaphorically extends to her antagonistic relationship with Ryoko.