This is the first episode of the television series. The history of the Tenchi Universe is re-written an differs greatly from the OVA series.

This episode begins with Tenchi walking to school and remembering Ryoko's words about how everything used to be like a carnival.

Two ships are fighting above the Earth's atmosphere and fall to the ground close to Tenchi. He runs to investigate and finds a drunk woman laying unconscious. When the lady comes to, she tells Tenchi that she is Ryoko and she is running from a dangerous space pirate. A battle suit appears and starts to fire on Ryoko and Tenchi as they run off.

Noboyuki, Tenchi's father, is climbing to the shrine on the top of the hill when he hears the sounds of gunfire below.

Tenchi and Ryoko have reached a sudden drop off and the space pirate approaches, it the steps on a coke can and falls over, unable to get back up. Ryoko kicks it over the edge.

Noboyuki and Tenchi's grandfather, Katsuhito, are talking about Tenchi when he and Ryoko show up. They have dinner with Ryoko when she tells them that she is from outer space and is being chased by a deadly space pirate. Tenchi doesn't believe them and, whether or not Tenchi's father does, he still sees a pretty girl who needs shelter for the night and a possible bride for Tenchi.

Tenchi boards up the house against space pirates and Noboyuki falls asleep "guarding" Ryoko. Ryoko plays a video game and disturbs Tenchi when the door bell rings. Guess who, its the space pirate who chases Tenchi and Ryoko through the house. They jump outside and run up to the shrine where Katsuhito trashes the space pirates' armor. The person inside happens to be Mihoshi from the Galaxy Police and she is in pursuit of the real space pirate Ryoko.

Ryoko returns the favor by chasing Tenchi and Mihoshi through the house and finally out the same window. Tenchi makes a stand and, for whatever reason, Ryoko decides that she was only joking and she gives herself up to the ship less and hopelessly brainless blonde Galaxy Police officer.

We find the girls and the Masaki family eating and Mihoshi says she has no ship and starts to cry. Of course, Noboyuki seeing yet another beautiful girl in trouble, offers to let her stay at their house.

Ryoko meets Tenchi on the roof where he is repairing the damage they did the night before. She tells him that she will be staying too and that there is "no need for discussion" on the matter.