Revival and history!
So, I've failed at playing Washu. Hard. Mostly because I NEVER FREAKING GET HER OUT EVER usually because I'm self-conscious about actually being as open as she is and butting in and starting to talk to people. ^^; And ignoring a character like I did is really not. cool.
So, last week, I was all set and ready to drop her. ...but I've thought about it, and I really don't want to drop her. I love the character and I feel like I haven't given her a proper shot. So, I went back, reviewed her canon, and discovered there is NEW canon information about her past. ...This happens sometimes, as the creator, instead of actually putting this information in the show, likes to put it in novels and doujinshi instead. -_-;; Anyway. Am all rehyped about Washu, and am ready to get her back out and actually get somewhere this time. ♥
But, for now, I thought I'd put Washu's ENTIRE HISTORY here as it's very long and very interesting and there's no way you'd know it just from watching the show. On the off chance anyone might be interested. I didn't retype it all as that would take forever, but rather copied it from this guy's site here, which is the best site ever on Washu.
Washu's origins lie in the distant past - as one of the three Choushin (goddesses) of the Tenchi Muyo! multiverse. The other two Choushin are identified as her sisters Tsunami and Tokimi. Washu, the eldest sister is regarded as free-spirited, Tsunami as gentle, and Tokimi as pro-active. The Choushin have a particular (as yet not entirely known) purpose they have been working towards from birth. They created the multiverse - consisting of a number of dimensions - as part of this purpose.
At some point, the Choushin became aware of the possibility of a Kami, an entity more powerful than themselves. They decided to hold a contest amongst themselves to find this Kami - each choosing their own individual method. Washu chose to enter the realm of mortals in the hope that she would be able to find the Kami. She sealed her memory and Chousin powers in 3 gems, and was born as a mortal child.
Tsunami also chose to undergo a form of transformation. Tsunami manifested herself physically in the form of the first royal tree of Jurai, the leading galactic superpower. Tsunami's Choushin powers are the basis behind Juraian trees. Juraian trees form the core of all Juraian buildings & starships. Therefore, Tsunami has placed herself in a position of high military & political influence. She foresaw that a Kami would be born as a descendant of the first Emperor of Jurai.
Tokimi chose to create distortions in the fabric of the universe (which consists of multiple dimensions). The theory was that the Kami would emerge from one of these distortions. The Kami did emerge, but Tokimi was not the first to find him, instead she found another anomalous being - the character known as Z. Tokimi remains the most powerful of the Chousin, and currently controls her sisters' access to their goddess powers. Washu and Tsunami exist in multiple dimensions simultaneously, while Tokimi observes events from a higher dimension.
Washu first manifests in this dimension in pre-Juraian times (known as the 'Precursor' era). However, her initial incarnation does not make much progress. Some unknown political power captures her, and seeing the power inherent in her and her gems, clones her. She is then imprisoned in an artifical planetoid.
Three clones (known as 'bioroids') are created. They are designated B1, B2 & B3. B1 appears around 20 years of age, B2 15 years and B3 10 years. Each clone recieves one of Washu's gems. B1's gem is embedded in her throat, B2's in her right wrist, and B3's in her left wrist (Note the parallels with Ryoko's design). However, there is a mix-up and B3's gem is embedded in her chest, sending her out of control. B3 escapes. B1 & B2 are sent to track down and eliminate B3. The fight between the 3 bioroids results in the destruction of entire star systems. B3's death scream awakens a slumbering Tsunami, who retrieves and returns Washu's gems.
Around 20,000 years ago, Washu is freed from her imprisionment (whether by Tsunami's hand, or by natural decay of the prison facilities, her method of escape is unknown). Seeing the results of the misuse of her powers, Washu regresses her body to that of an infant's and erases her memories.
Her current incarnation, Washu Hakubi was born into the world as a mortal approximately 20,000 years ago. She was found on Kanemitsu, an agricultural world on the edge of the Juraian empire. Washu was first discovered as a child of 3 years, floating with her three crystals in front of an abbey. The nuns who discovered her found her bathed in the sun's rays breaking through the clouds, an effect they described as 'angelic'.
Raised in the abbey, Washu soon discovered that she had supernatural abilities. She could fly, alter her physical age and possessed a genius-level intellect. Her first invention was a bottle containing miniature universes, which she kept in her room. She created these using knowledge gained from her studies. Washu and her gems were examined carefully. The gems could not be analyzed, and were deemed to be insignificant. Somehow, she knew that they were the key to her origins, and concealed additional unknown powers.
At the age of 15, Washu passes her entrance exams for the Juraian Imperial Academy.
En-route to the academy, Washu's transport is attacked by pirates. Nishia Tatsuki, a Juraian soldier is with Washu when a member of the boarding party blows himself up. Washu and Nishia survive, protected by an unexplained manifestation of Lighthawk Wings - Jurai's most powerful defensive weapon. Nishia does not understand how this was possible. Unbeknownst to him, Washu's gems had produced the wings.
By now, Washu is well known and regarded as a genius. She recieves a large welcome party on arrival at the academy, organized by one of the more well-known students, Naja Akara. Washu, wary of all the attention, runs away and attempts to hide. She is chased and tracked down by Naja. This student - Naja Akara - quickly becomes her best friend.
Washu finds that no expense has been spared for her. She is given a full house to stay in, with servants at her call. The house is provided by Professor Ikuma who has high-level authority in the Philosophy department. At age 18, Washu is the youngest student to enter the department.
Whilst Washu makes many additional friends, inevitably there are rivals. Her greatest - Dr Clay - also studies at the academy. Washu eventually attains the position of professor, and then head of the Philosophy department.
On their first meeting, Clay mistakes Washu for an insignificant child, but to his disbelief, discovers that Washu has been placed in a class higher than him. Clay turns out to be the best hacker in the academy, so when they need some software to crack into another country's defenses, they 'borrow' Clay's research work.
When they end up competing for head of the Philosophy department, Washu swaps Clay's presentation with a porno tape, with predictable results.
Clay is eventually driven out of the Academy by other professors, including Washu - an event which only adds to the multitudes of slights and aggreivances Clay harbours in envy and hatred of Washu.
While studying at the academy, Washu falls in love with another student, Mikamo Niwase. He meets Washu by accident, stumbling upon her in a private garden. Washu had erected a force-field to preserve some privacy, but somehow - while wandering distractedly - Mikamo finds his way in. Over time Mikamo continues to stumble upon Washu, regardless of where she is - despite the planet-wide scale of the academy. One of Mikamo's teachers declares that Mikamo has an innate affinity for the improbable - a trait that is to be demonstrated to great effect by his descendants.
Mikamo and Washu find they share many common interests, including a love of books (a now outdated form of information storage). Almost inevitably, the two fell in love. They marry and Washu gives birth to a male child. They name him Mikumo. Mikumo inherits Mikamo's blonde wavy hair, and Washu's green eyes and fair skin.
Seven months later, Mikamo leaves suddenly - taking Mikumo with him.
Mikamo (real surname Kuramitsu) is the grandson of a chairman of the high council of Seniwa, Jurai's rival. It turns out that Mikamo's grandfather has died, and his father (who holds an isolationist view) has inherited the position. In the ensuing political upheaval it is decided that Washu (who is Juraian) is an innappropriate wife for Mikamo, given his ties to Seniwa.
Greatly distressed, Washu - with Naja's help - spends 4 years tracking down her family. By the time she finds them, Mikamo has remarried to a woman named Koyori.
When Washu appears at the Kuramitsu residence (in the middle of a snowstorm), Koyori refuses to let Washu have Mikumo. However she sympathises with Washu's plight and allows her to stay for one day, to watch her son. But Washu's visit is cut short by Miyuki, Koyori's daughter by another marriage. Miyuki senses there is a relationship between mother and son, and fears that Washu is going to take Mikumo away.
Years later Miyuki and Mikumo marry and father Minami, the grandfather of Mihoshi.
Washu gives up any further attempts to see her son. Parenthood, the inequalities of social status, and anything associated with adults is altogether too complicated for her. She reverts to her child form, refusing to allow herself to be hurt that way again.
Naja and Washu's political activism is pivotial in changing the Jurai Royal Academy into the independent Galaxy Academy. Naja also helps Washu to track down her son Mikumo and to research technology to break through the Seniwan defences. While hacking the Academy's network, they stumble upon revelatory information regarding Juraian hereditary powers and Lighthawk wing research.
Their greatest work together involves the development of a being that can utilize the full power in Washu's gems. Research on the Precursor race leads to the development of two prototypes designed for this task. The prototypes die of unknown causes.
While researching Precursor artifacts on K1190, Naja is attacked by pirates, and presumably, killed. Her body is never found. Around the same time, a 6 year old Seto is found on K1190.
Kamiki Seto is grandmother to Aeka & Sasami and a powerful Juraian royal. She was adopted into a Juraian household, and has no memory of her past. Is she Naja reborn? One of Washu's prototypes?
At some point, Naja is cloned. The clone - a hemaphrodite - is named Kagato.
Kagato is eventually split into two halves. The 'male' half possesses one of the Ryoko prototypes (becoming the Kagato that turns evil and rebels against Washu). The other 'female' Kagato is found by a time-travelling Tenchi near a crashed Souja (with Naja was on board?). Later, this Kagato is captured by Dr Clay, and embedded into Noike (presumably by Z or Tokimi's design).
As with Naja, Washu works together with him on many projects. They create Ryoko, and Ryo-Ohki, a living starship possessing an alternate animal form. Ryoko is Washu's greatest achievement, a creation born from her own genetic data and the mineral based lifeform used in the creation of Ryo-Ohki.
But Kagato is not content with his partnership and standing with Washu. To him, Washu becomes an obstruction to his ambitions, so he captures and imprisons her in the Souja's reversed dimension. He then takes control of Ryoko, raising her as a tool for his own ends.
Kagato begins a campaign to hunt down powerful artifacts in the galaxy and steal them for his own use. Ryoko spends the next several hundred years engaged in piracy to further Kagato's agenda. His ultimate goal? To complete a unified field theory through his own personal research. Should someone or something obstruct his research, his method is to remove or destroy the obstacle.
Several thousand years later, Kagato attacks the Masaki household. He attempts to capture Tenchi's sword (a powerful Juraian artifact) by manipulating Ryoko. Kagato fails at this initial attempt, and retreats, taking Ryoko back to the Souja. Tenchi, Aeka & Mihoshi launch an assault on the Souja using Ryo-Ohki and Aeka's starship. The attempt ends in disaster. Aeka's ship is destroyed and Tenchi, seemingly killed, is maimed and close to death.
Ryoko - shattered by Tenchi's death - breaks free from Kagato and joins Aeka & Mihoshi. They fight their way into the ship. Mihoshi is separated from the group and manages to stumble into the Souja's reversed dimension - where Washu is imprisoned. Meanwhile, Tsunami manifests, drawing her spirit out of Sasami back on earth. She quickly locates Tenchi's body, transports him into her realm and regenerates his body.
Through Mihoshi's inborn dumb luck, the seal holding Washu (two snakes binding an eagle) is broken. The diminutive scientist is freed from her imprisonment, still clad in her old style Galaxy Academy uniform.
And thus Washu's role in the series begins.
Whew.
So, last week, I was all set and ready to drop her. ...but I've thought about it, and I really don't want to drop her. I love the character and I feel like I haven't given her a proper shot. So, I went back, reviewed her canon, and discovered there is NEW canon information about her past. ...This happens sometimes, as the creator, instead of actually putting this information in the show, likes to put it in novels and doujinshi instead. -_-;; Anyway. Am all rehyped about Washu, and am ready to get her back out and actually get somewhere this time. ♥
But, for now, I thought I'd put Washu's ENTIRE HISTORY here as it's very long and very interesting and there's no way you'd know it just from watching the show. On the off chance anyone might be interested. I didn't retype it all as that would take forever, but rather copied it from this guy's site here, which is the best site ever on Washu.
Washu's origins lie in the distant past - as one of the three Choushin (goddesses) of the Tenchi Muyo! multiverse. The other two Choushin are identified as her sisters Tsunami and Tokimi. Washu, the eldest sister is regarded as free-spirited, Tsunami as gentle, and Tokimi as pro-active. The Choushin have a particular (as yet not entirely known) purpose they have been working towards from birth. They created the multiverse - consisting of a number of dimensions - as part of this purpose.
At some point, the Choushin became aware of the possibility of a Kami, an entity more powerful than themselves. They decided to hold a contest amongst themselves to find this Kami - each choosing their own individual method. Washu chose to enter the realm of mortals in the hope that she would be able to find the Kami. She sealed her memory and Chousin powers in 3 gems, and was born as a mortal child.
Tsunami also chose to undergo a form of transformation. Tsunami manifested herself physically in the form of the first royal tree of Jurai, the leading galactic superpower. Tsunami's Choushin powers are the basis behind Juraian trees. Juraian trees form the core of all Juraian buildings & starships. Therefore, Tsunami has placed herself in a position of high military & political influence. She foresaw that a Kami would be born as a descendant of the first Emperor of Jurai.
Tokimi chose to create distortions in the fabric of the universe (which consists of multiple dimensions). The theory was that the Kami would emerge from one of these distortions. The Kami did emerge, but Tokimi was not the first to find him, instead she found another anomalous being - the character known as Z. Tokimi remains the most powerful of the Chousin, and currently controls her sisters' access to their goddess powers. Washu and Tsunami exist in multiple dimensions simultaneously, while Tokimi observes events from a higher dimension.
Washu first manifests in this dimension in pre-Juraian times (known as the 'Precursor' era). However, her initial incarnation does not make much progress. Some unknown political power captures her, and seeing the power inherent in her and her gems, clones her. She is then imprisoned in an artifical planetoid.
Three clones (known as 'bioroids') are created. They are designated B1, B2 & B3. B1 appears around 20 years of age, B2 15 years and B3 10 years. Each clone recieves one of Washu's gems. B1's gem is embedded in her throat, B2's in her right wrist, and B3's in her left wrist (Note the parallels with Ryoko's design). However, there is a mix-up and B3's gem is embedded in her chest, sending her out of control. B3 escapes. B1 & B2 are sent to track down and eliminate B3. The fight between the 3 bioroids results in the destruction of entire star systems. B3's death scream awakens a slumbering Tsunami, who retrieves and returns Washu's gems.
Around 20,000 years ago, Washu is freed from her imprisionment (whether by Tsunami's hand, or by natural decay of the prison facilities, her method of escape is unknown). Seeing the results of the misuse of her powers, Washu regresses her body to that of an infant's and erases her memories.
Her current incarnation, Washu Hakubi was born into the world as a mortal approximately 20,000 years ago. She was found on Kanemitsu, an agricultural world on the edge of the Juraian empire. Washu was first discovered as a child of 3 years, floating with her three crystals in front of an abbey. The nuns who discovered her found her bathed in the sun's rays breaking through the clouds, an effect they described as 'angelic'.
Raised in the abbey, Washu soon discovered that she had supernatural abilities. She could fly, alter her physical age and possessed a genius-level intellect. Her first invention was a bottle containing miniature universes, which she kept in her room. She created these using knowledge gained from her studies. Washu and her gems were examined carefully. The gems could not be analyzed, and were deemed to be insignificant. Somehow, she knew that they were the key to her origins, and concealed additional unknown powers.
At the age of 15, Washu passes her entrance exams for the Juraian Imperial Academy.
En-route to the academy, Washu's transport is attacked by pirates. Nishia Tatsuki, a Juraian soldier is with Washu when a member of the boarding party blows himself up. Washu and Nishia survive, protected by an unexplained manifestation of Lighthawk Wings - Jurai's most powerful defensive weapon. Nishia does not understand how this was possible. Unbeknownst to him, Washu's gems had produced the wings.
By now, Washu is well known and regarded as a genius. She recieves a large welcome party on arrival at the academy, organized by one of the more well-known students, Naja Akara. Washu, wary of all the attention, runs away and attempts to hide. She is chased and tracked down by Naja. This student - Naja Akara - quickly becomes her best friend.
Washu finds that no expense has been spared for her. She is given a full house to stay in, with servants at her call. The house is provided by Professor Ikuma who has high-level authority in the Philosophy department. At age 18, Washu is the youngest student to enter the department.
Whilst Washu makes many additional friends, inevitably there are rivals. Her greatest - Dr Clay - also studies at the academy. Washu eventually attains the position of professor, and then head of the Philosophy department.
On their first meeting, Clay mistakes Washu for an insignificant child, but to his disbelief, discovers that Washu has been placed in a class higher than him. Clay turns out to be the best hacker in the academy, so when they need some software to crack into another country's defenses, they 'borrow' Clay's research work.
When they end up competing for head of the Philosophy department, Washu swaps Clay's presentation with a porno tape, with predictable results.
Clay is eventually driven out of the Academy by other professors, including Washu - an event which only adds to the multitudes of slights and aggreivances Clay harbours in envy and hatred of Washu.
While studying at the academy, Washu falls in love with another student, Mikamo Niwase. He meets Washu by accident, stumbling upon her in a private garden. Washu had erected a force-field to preserve some privacy, but somehow - while wandering distractedly - Mikamo finds his way in. Over time Mikamo continues to stumble upon Washu, regardless of where she is - despite the planet-wide scale of the academy. One of Mikamo's teachers declares that Mikamo has an innate affinity for the improbable - a trait that is to be demonstrated to great effect by his descendants.
Mikamo and Washu find they share many common interests, including a love of books (a now outdated form of information storage). Almost inevitably, the two fell in love. They marry and Washu gives birth to a male child. They name him Mikumo. Mikumo inherits Mikamo's blonde wavy hair, and Washu's green eyes and fair skin.
Seven months later, Mikamo leaves suddenly - taking Mikumo with him.
Mikamo (real surname Kuramitsu) is the grandson of a chairman of the high council of Seniwa, Jurai's rival. It turns out that Mikamo's grandfather has died, and his father (who holds an isolationist view) has inherited the position. In the ensuing political upheaval it is decided that Washu (who is Juraian) is an innappropriate wife for Mikamo, given his ties to Seniwa.
Greatly distressed, Washu - with Naja's help - spends 4 years tracking down her family. By the time she finds them, Mikamo has remarried to a woman named Koyori.
When Washu appears at the Kuramitsu residence (in the middle of a snowstorm), Koyori refuses to let Washu have Mikumo. However she sympathises with Washu's plight and allows her to stay for one day, to watch her son. But Washu's visit is cut short by Miyuki, Koyori's daughter by another marriage. Miyuki senses there is a relationship between mother and son, and fears that Washu is going to take Mikumo away.
Years later Miyuki and Mikumo marry and father Minami, the grandfather of Mihoshi.
Washu gives up any further attempts to see her son. Parenthood, the inequalities of social status, and anything associated with adults is altogether too complicated for her. She reverts to her child form, refusing to allow herself to be hurt that way again.
Naja and Washu's political activism is pivotial in changing the Jurai Royal Academy into the independent Galaxy Academy. Naja also helps Washu to track down her son Mikumo and to research technology to break through the Seniwan defences. While hacking the Academy's network, they stumble upon revelatory information regarding Juraian hereditary powers and Lighthawk wing research.
Their greatest work together involves the development of a being that can utilize the full power in Washu's gems. Research on the Precursor race leads to the development of two prototypes designed for this task. The prototypes die of unknown causes.
While researching Precursor artifacts on K1190, Naja is attacked by pirates, and presumably, killed. Her body is never found. Around the same time, a 6 year old Seto is found on K1190.
Kamiki Seto is grandmother to Aeka & Sasami and a powerful Juraian royal. She was adopted into a Juraian household, and has no memory of her past. Is she Naja reborn? One of Washu's prototypes?
At some point, Naja is cloned. The clone - a hemaphrodite - is named Kagato.
Kagato is eventually split into two halves. The 'male' half possesses one of the Ryoko prototypes (becoming the Kagato that turns evil and rebels against Washu). The other 'female' Kagato is found by a time-travelling Tenchi near a crashed Souja (with Naja was on board?). Later, this Kagato is captured by Dr Clay, and embedded into Noike (presumably by Z or Tokimi's design).
As with Naja, Washu works together with him on many projects. They create Ryoko, and Ryo-Ohki, a living starship possessing an alternate animal form. Ryoko is Washu's greatest achievement, a creation born from her own genetic data and the mineral based lifeform used in the creation of Ryo-Ohki.
But Kagato is not content with his partnership and standing with Washu. To him, Washu becomes an obstruction to his ambitions, so he captures and imprisons her in the Souja's reversed dimension. He then takes control of Ryoko, raising her as a tool for his own ends.
Kagato begins a campaign to hunt down powerful artifacts in the galaxy and steal them for his own use. Ryoko spends the next several hundred years engaged in piracy to further Kagato's agenda. His ultimate goal? To complete a unified field theory through his own personal research. Should someone or something obstruct his research, his method is to remove or destroy the obstacle.
Several thousand years later, Kagato attacks the Masaki household. He attempts to capture Tenchi's sword (a powerful Juraian artifact) by manipulating Ryoko. Kagato fails at this initial attempt, and retreats, taking Ryoko back to the Souja. Tenchi, Aeka & Mihoshi launch an assault on the Souja using Ryo-Ohki and Aeka's starship. The attempt ends in disaster. Aeka's ship is destroyed and Tenchi, seemingly killed, is maimed and close to death.
Ryoko - shattered by Tenchi's death - breaks free from Kagato and joins Aeka & Mihoshi. They fight their way into the ship. Mihoshi is separated from the group and manages to stumble into the Souja's reversed dimension - where Washu is imprisoned. Meanwhile, Tsunami manifests, drawing her spirit out of Sasami back on earth. She quickly locates Tenchi's body, transports him into her realm and regenerates his body.
Through Mihoshi's inborn dumb luck, the seal holding Washu (two snakes binding an eagle) is broken. The diminutive scientist is freed from her imprisonment, still clad in her old style Galaxy Academy uniform.
And thus Washu's role in the series begins.
Whew.