Anyone notice that all three choushin are children around Tenchi most of the time? That is to earn his trust without him feeling intimidated. All three have turn into adults from time to time, sometimes to tantalize him for a few moments, but mostly they are child-like forms of various ages.

Aeka and Mihoshi can't really do anything about it, but you would think Ryoko would learn. She always tries to allure him with seduction and her self-envisioned "sexy body", especially at the end of episode 7, Night of the Carnival. But did she or Aeka, who were wearing nighties, get into Tenchi's bed that night? Nope, the two goddesses Washu and Sasami did.

Because he wasn't intimidated by them.

In the next episode, when he was trying to comfort Washu, she immediately turned into an adult and that immediately intimidated him. It's not that Washu didn't know the consequence, although she probably would like to have him know her better before they go on to more intimate things, but that the entire household including Ryoko were in attendance, and she was trying to lecture Ryoko via show, don't tell. Did Ryoko learn anything from this? Probably not, jealously blinded her to attack Washu, and her instinct run counter anyway - the first time she appeared to Tenchi, in the cave, she tried the old, mummified hag form without much avail.

Silly Ryoko, will she ever learn?

You do have a good point with the children aspect (albeit running on a Ryoko tangent tisk tisk), lol

But thats who they are, there not going to deliberately change who they are for Tenchi, they want Tenchi to accept them for who they are even if it is overbearing in Ryoko's case, In reality here though Tenchi really doesn't show any type of intimate relationship with anyone of them, not even the goddesses, this changes in the future obviously, but he just doesn't like those types of relations, the goddesses can be in child form sure, but look at Washu in ep7 of the OVA, She was more then willing to give him the "full course" and she was still in child form, and this scared him, he really just doesn't like anything that has to do with a sexual situation at all

I agree with Dagon. And also, I don't think Tenchi is all that comfortable with Washu, at least not any more so than he is with the other girls. Sure, there was that moment in Night Before the Carnival, but she still freaks him out sometimes too. And we haven't seen enough of his interactions with Tokimi to determine his comfort level with her. Sasami he's comfortable with because she's an actual child, not just in "child form." Even though she's assimilated with Tsunami, she isn't one being with Tsunami. At least not yet.

Personally though, I think he has the highest comfort level with Ryo-ohki. She's a cute innocent little girl (even more innocent than Sasami) and he seems to have genuine affection for her. He goes out into the field for hours to collect carrots just for her and usually takes her with him. And even when he's interacting with Sasami, Ryo-ohki is usually getting in on it too because she spends a lot of time with Sasami.

It's a well-know fact that he's fattening up Ryo-ohki for thanksgiving.

He has a high-level of comfort with Washu, he let her in his room in episode 7 AFTER the nurse Washu offer and stood with her on the dock right AFTER her adult appearance and offer.

Look at Washu sneaky maneuver to physically close in on Tenchi:


Like two peas in a pod:

He clearly got over his fear quickly:



"What are those weirdos talking about?"

The very first time I watched the series, I wasn't aware that Washu was supposed to be a child up until the episode with the baby. To me, she doesn't look like a kid. She just looks like a short woman.