What is Sasami?

[Nairohe]

i haven't watched tenchi for a while and i've only seen bits and peices of it but what is she really? Who is Tsunami and why is it that on every website I go to, they are considered one and the same? What is Tsunami?

[Sergeant Wittmann]

That's a damn good question. Sasami, from what I can see, is a combination of the Sasami who died when Ryoko attacked Jurai and the goddess who resurrected her. The reason they're considered the same being is because they merged. It's the same deal as what happened in Ghost in the Shell.

Tsunami is a goddess. She's the progenitor of the spacetrees that give the Juraians their powers, and therefore is worshipped by them.

[iwakura]

Sasami is a very differnet character in each of the Tenchi Muyo and Pretty Sammy series. You're asking about the OVA series, which is the best one.

SW has the story down. As a toddler, Sasami wandered into a place where she could fall down and get hurt. She lost her ballance and fell to her death. Tsunami restored her life by incorporating some of herself into Sasami's body. Only Tsunami and Sasami know about this until the secret is revealed in an episode of the OVA series.

They are not really the same thing, yet. As Sasami matures, she will look more and more like the Tsunami. They will become one, eventually. I think Tsunami is looking forwards to being able to walk around as Sasami/Tsunami instead of being stuck inside of a tree. Also, then she can chase (literally) after Tenchi :)

[Sergeant Wittmann]

But aren't they already one? Or is Sasami going to turn into Tsunami? Will one side dominate the other or will the two halves remain equal?

[ATh]

Originally posted by Sergeant Wittmann
But aren't they already one? Or is Sasami going to turn into Tsunami? Will one side dominate the other or will the two halves remain equal?


In the OAV Tsunami says that they are one and as Sasami grows older she will understand what that means/entails.

So for now Sasami is Sasami with goddess aspect of Tsunami in the background of her being, but with time they will join into the one being, Sergeant Wittmann give the GitS reference which is pretty apt in this case.

iwakura, the OAV is all that counts ^^

ATh

[iwakura]

Originally posted by ATh
In the OAV Tsunami says that they are one and as Sasami grows older she will understand what that means/entails.

No, that's not quite true....

Here is some relevant dialog from the end of Sasami & Tsunami episode in the OVAs

Tsunami said:
"Sasami didn't really die that day. She thinks of herself as my creation, ... but she actually survived by assimilating with me."

This implies they are linked, but not necesarily the same entity. Note that Tsunami is the authorative source on this.

Aeka said:
"Tsunami and Sasami are the same. There, get it? They are assimilated. That means that Sasami and Tsunami are identical, which means that when Sasami grows up..."

Note, that this is Aeka's opinion on this. She is not the authoritative source on this, and one of the great things about this series is the misdirection it applies by having characters say things that are not completely true.

Ryoko said:
"She'll look like Tsunami? Hmph it can't be."

Tsunami said:
"Yes, she will be like me. We have separate minds right now, ... when we are joined in one form, ... you can call me Sasami, ... or Tsunami, whichever one you prefer.

You needn't worry. When we are united, she will have a complete memory. [...]

Yes, I am the image of Sasami in the future.


This means they are separate in OVA1/OVA2, but in the future they will become one.