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Yuzuha - FAQ Page |
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Warning: This FAQ page contains spoilers. You might want to see the movie first, before reading this page.
What Happened to Mayuka at the End?
About Yuzuha and Mayuka, from screenwriter Naoko Hasegawa
Yuzuha is a spirit of the Tree of Darkness in the movie "Tenchi Muyo! Manatsu No Eve." Yuzuha lives alone in the dimension of darkness and eats mortal souls. 700 years ago, Yosho, a boy at the time, charmed her during the Startica Festival on the planet of Jurai. Yuzuha, as an odious existence, was sealed in the dimension of darkness. After she awoke, she found the aged Yosho (Katsuhito) with the rest of the Masaki family on Earth. She decided to play a prank, that she would give a present to Tenchi, who is the grandson of Yosho. Yuzuha may look like a child, but she has the power of the darkness. Yuzuha did many merciless things in the story; however, her expressions often have innocence. For better or worse, her child side remains.
Startica is a celebration that takes place in midsummer on the planet Jurai. Startica is the Japanese Star Festival and Western Christmas celebration combined.
Yuzuha drained all the energy from the source of Mayuka's life (the red crystal). The crystal took the DNA from Tenchi and Yuzuha to make Mayuka. So, Mayuka did not die, but was put in suspense, until Washu could restore her. Since the crystal remembered Mayuka's DNA, Washu, being the greatest scientific genius in the universe, restored Mayuka simply by returning the energy to the crystal. Source: Keith Hasegawa.
This is a topic for debate. Yuzuha could be seen as someone going through life without proper guidance and social contact. Unable to mature, with intrinsic powers, Yuzuha ends up being essentially a child in a adult person, subject to tantrums that can be very destructive.
Early conceptual drawings showed a more sinister Yuzuha. For example, one drawing shows a young version of her mutilating toys in the same way as the character Sid in the Walt Disney / Pixar movie "Toy Story". Several instances of violence to her toys are visible in the finished movie; most of them are in the background. Only one instance is part of the action - when Yuzuha throws a knife at a teddy bear that was laughing at her.
Director Kimura wanted to describe Yuzuha as a relative evil, with an innocent child side and a fierce beast side. According to Kimura, Yuzuha feels an inferiority complex, with her long ears and her beast-like appearance, which is definitely not beautiful.
A difficult question to answer. Yuzuha slept for the 700 years between the Startica incident and the moment she awoke and found the Masaki family.
Yuzuha's dimension also runs at a different rate then Tenchi's. Time can run slower or faster for Yuzuha, depending on her mood. Source: Keith Hasegawa. As a consequence, it took Yuzuha only six months of "Tenchi" time to grow Mayuka. However, it will take the normal time for Mayuka to grow up after Washu restores her.
At one point in the movie, Yuzuha states "we can play as long as we want, because time does not matter here." Actually, Yuzuha meant that time in her domain passes differently than in Tenchi's world.
At the beginning of the movie (and during the follow on flashback scenes), when Yuzuha shows herself in demon form after being struck by the Juraian guard, she appears younger than she does after waking up from the dream. This is definitely an older Yuzuha we are seeing. This appearance change suggests a significant time lapse between Yuzuha's meeting with Yosho on Jurai and Yuzuha's meeting with Tenchi.
Yuzuha first felt "I went through hardships, so I want them to have a hard time!" Since Yuzuha had slept for 700 years, she did not feel the passage of time. Therefore, she could not accept the idea of "I should forgive them because 700 years have passed." Yuzuha also could not help but to be mean. She would feel unprofitable without the collapse of the Tenchi family. She would also feel lonely when the Tenchi family collapsed. Her feelings were complicated as such.
Mayuka represents Yuzuha who cannot live in the light. Mayuka is Yuzuha's hope and Yuzuha's most beautiful part. Therefore, when Mayuka fell in love with Tenchi, Yuzuha was jealous of Mayuka. Yuzuha felt lonely and thought of herself as an outcast. [Ms Hasegawa] was surprised when [Ms Hasegawa] saw the theater version. [Ms Hasegawa] thought that director Kimura had a hard time of it. Mayuka, when she was reborn at the ending, resembled Yuzuha! [Ms Hasegawa] was glad, because Yuzuha was relieved from her suffering although she died!
Thus, the name "Yuzuha" could be translated born of the leaf in which is her shelter. Yuzuha was created from the Tree of Darkness (one of its leaves) and the Tree has been her home. Source: Reyelene.
Alternately, Yuzuha could be translated leaf of the yuzu tree.
The character Yuzuha and all properties related to Tenchi Muyo! Manatsu no Eve, are Copyright © 1997 AIC, Pioneer LDC, Inc.