The first series, released from 1992-93 and directed by Hayashi, was mostly introductions to the major characters, who join Tenchi's harem via a Debut Queue. Episodes 5 and 6 bring in the first major villain, the space criminal Kagato. The second series, directed by Kenichi Yatagai and released from 1994-1995, includes some major revelations about the characters' pasts and features a new villain, Dr. Clay. The third series, again directed by Yatagai and released from 2004-2005 (yes, it took nine years to continue this story), focuses more on the characters' families and resolves some lingering issues from the first two parts. The fourth 4-episode series was directed by Hidetoshi Takahashi and was released from 2016 to 2017 (yes, it took almost another eleven years to continue the story again). The fifth six-episode series, directed by Keitaro Motonaga, premiered in February 2020 and concluded in May 2021.

The first two Ryo-Ohki OVAs were notably the first anime produced and released by Pioneer LDC, the precursor to NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan.

Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki provides examples of:

• Abbey Road Crossing: This◊ back cover for a Tenchi Muyo! soundtrack CD (which was entitled Meet The Tenchi Muyo! and featured several other Beatles cover pastiches).
• All There in the Manual: Masaki Kajishima released several Doujinshi and Light Novels expanding on the background of this continuity; part of the reason for GXP was to help explain some of this to the anime-only fanbase.)
• Ancestral Weapon: The Tenchi Sword/Master Key, which is also a Laser Blade.
• Animation Bump: Zigzagged between the releases. The first two seasons feature highly detailed hand drawn animation, the third release incorporates a much simpler and more cartoonish style using digital capture, and the fourth and fifth releases balance between the two with a moderately detailed modern look. Also, CG animation is used for spaceships and tech effects from the third release on.
• Arc Welding: The fourth and fifth series are this for the first three series, GXP, and War on Geminar.
• An Arm and a Leg: An inverted example occurs at the end of "Ryoko Resurrected" when Ryoko's duel with Tenchi ends with her losing her right hand. Moments later, she regrows her hand via her alien biology.
• Big Bad: Kagato is responsible for all the danger in the first series and stopping his plans is Tenchi's first mission. Subverted in the 2nd and 3rd with Tokimi, Washu's and Tsunami's sister and one of the three goddesses.
• Brother–Sister Incest: Several examples, the most prominent being Ayeka and Yosho's arranged marriage (although the actual marriage never happens.)
• Call to Adventure: Katsuhito does this to Tenchi using Schmuck Bait.
• Camp Straight: Seiryo Tennan, otherwise known as the pink-haired guy who almost marries Ayeka.
• "Can Hold Her Own" Moment: In the third OVA series, a group of Galaxy Police officers lead by Mihoshi's brother descend onto the Masaki household with the intent on arresting them all on the mistaken belief Mihoshi was in danger. One of the officers, a girl head over heels for the brother, captures Sasami in an alternate dimension prison. The officer clearly believes Sasami, being a 708 year old kid, is out of her league. However, not only does Sasami refuse to surrender, she also points out that she's crushing on the brother. She, then, charges at her, revealing that her hair ties are also staves, performs a Flash Step to evade a rain of lasers and defeats her with ease. Turns out her mother trained her in staff combat.
• Canon Immigrant:
  • Beginning with the third OVA, the main cast from Tenchi Muyo! GXP appear as major characters.
  • The main cast from Kajishima's canonical Paradise War light novels make an appearance in the fifth OVA.
• Casting Gag: In the Italian dub, Misaki is voiced by Rosalinda Galli. This is not the first time she's played an alien before, as Galli previously played Lum in the Italian dub of the first Urusei Yatsura anime.
• Chekhov M.I.A.:
  • A very subtle example. In episode 4, Mihoshi's computer lists a few of Kagato's past crimes. If you pay attention to it as it fades into background noise, one of the crimes is the kidnapping of a "female student" from the Science Academy. Two episodes later, this turns out to be Washu (though of course she was actually a professor)
  • Mihoshi asks Washu if she is the students, and Washu face-faults. Her students are pranksters...
• The Chessmaster:
  • Z in the third OVA.
  • Katsuhito is no slouch either, given the way he managed to shovel all his princely duties onto Tenchi.
• Continuity Nod: In the 4th OVA episode "The Day Before the Party", Airi asks why Mikami made herself look so young, referencing the Apron Matron disguise Mikami frequently uses in Tenchi Muyo! GXP.
• Copping a Feel: In "Hello, Ryo-Ohki", Ryoko walks back into Katsuhito, who decides to grab both her breasts with his hands. Ryoko angrily spins and tries to punch him, but he catches her fist with his hand, shocking her.
• Death by Cameo: Kagato blows up Mr. Spock in the fourth episode.
• Demoted to Extra: Tenchi himself as well as his harem in the 4th and 5th OAVs. Ryoko, Ayeka, Sasami, and Mihoshi barely have double digit lines each during both OAVs, and Tenchi spends most of the time just standing around smiling. The only members that get a chunk of screen time are Washu, due to being the one overseeing Kenshi's training, and Ryo-Ohki, who becomes Heterosexual Life-Partners with Kenshi.
• "Do It Yourself" Theme Tune:
  • Sasami's Japanese voice actress Chisa Yokoyama sang the ending theme to the first OVA and the opening theme to the second OVA.
  • Ai Orikasa (Ryoko) was the singer for the second OVA's ending theme.
• Dude Looks Like a Lady: Misao Kuramitsu. If not for a few certain physical features, he would easily be mistaken for Mihoshi. Don't worry though, by GXP he looks like a man, albeit a very pretty one...
• Early Instalment Weirdness: Ryoko trying to kill Tenchi in the first episode comes off strange as later episodes imply she loved him since he was a child.
• Earth-Shattering Kaboom:
  • Part of Misao's plan to "rescue" Mihoshi is to vaporize the Earth with the Chobimaru.
  • Also Z's entrance
• Forbidden Fruit: The reason Tenchi enters Ryoko's shrine in the first place.
• Foregone Conclusion: Anyone who has watched Tenchi Muyo: War on Geminar and Tenchi Muyo! GXP before this OVA will know that Kenshi Masaki will survive the events of the later-produced fourth and fifth Ryo-Ohki series and ultimately be sent to Geminar, while Tenchi Masaki and Seina Yamada will marry everyone in their respective harems.
• Healing Factor: Ryoko easily grows another hand after Tenchi cuts it off at the end of "Ryoko Resurrected".
• Heel–Face Turn: Zero switches sides when she refuses to kill Tenchi.
• Hermaphrodite: Washu explains that Kagato was born as one but cast out his female side due to his hatred of women.
• Heroic BSoD: Ayeka goes into a brief depression after Tenchi tells her about Yosho's assumed demise and later when she sees the royal teardrop near Ryo-Ohki on Earth. Fortunately for Ayeka, Ryo-Ohki quickly snaps her out of it by giving her a nearby flower.
• Intra-Franchise Crossover: The series (at least this rendition) basically becomes this around the 4th and 5th OVA, bringing in characters from the spin-offs GXP, War on Geminar, Dual Parallall Trouble Adventure and Paradise War.
• Insistent Terminology: Misaki prefers that Ayeka and Sasami call her "mother". Ayeka is embarrassed about this, although her mother seems to be aware of this, not hesitating to deal with anyone who teases her kids over it.
• Instrumental Theme Tune: The first, third and fifth OVAs feature an instrumental opening theme.
• It's Personal: Ryoko initially wants to exact revenge on Yosho and Tenchi for the Masaki family's involvement in sealing Ryoko.
• Kabuki Sounds: Used gratuitously to, for the most part, punctuate beats.
• Let's Get Out of Here:
  • In the first OVA episode "Here Comes Ayeka!", Tenchi says the trope name to Sasami while they avoid Azaka and Kamidake's pursuit.
  • In the second OVA episode "Zero Ryoko", Tenchi and his friends say it simultaneously shortly before they escape Kagato's exploding ship.
• Look Behind You: In the first episode, Tenchi has Ryoko look out of the classroom's window so he can make his escape. However, it doesn't last long before Ryoko's rage ends up igniting the leaking gas and destroying the classroom.
• Ma'am Shock: Upon meeting Ryoko for the first time in the second half of "Here Comes Ayeka!", Sasami refers to her an "older lady". Though initially frustrated, Ryoko shrugs it off and gives Sasami an Affectionate Gesture to the Head.
• Marry Them All: In the fifth OVA episode "I am sure you have your opinion on the matter, but please consider the matter closed", Tenchi finally marries everyone in his harem.
• The Mole: The shape-shifting robot Zero, who ends up merging with Ryoko in the second OVA episode "Zero Ryoko".
• Never Say "Sex": In "The Night Before The Carnival", after supposedly taking care of her competition, Ryoko prepares to claim Tenchi for her own. Approaching Tenchi's bedroom door, she utters "Tonight, we're going to get all wet..."... before she's teleported into the nearby lake thanks to a trap Ayeka planted.
• No Antagonist: Since the third OVA, Ryo-Ohki doesn't have any sort of central antagonist opposing the heroes.
• No Such Thing as Alien Pop Culture: Mihoshi is occasionally shown watching a comedy TV show about penguin-like aliens. The gang also watch an alien drama show in one episode.
• Oh, Crap!:
  • Tenchi at the beginning of the OVA when he encounters Ryoko for the first time in the cave and when he realizes she's about to attack him on the roof of his school.
  • Tenchi when he realizes the battle has caused leaking gas to enter the classroom. Seconds later, Ryoko has one when she realizes Tenchi has tricked her and blows up the classroom. Then, Tenchi has another one when he sees Ryoko not looking very happy with how Tenchi tricked her.
  • Ryoko when Tenchi gains the upper hand in their battle outside of the school.
  • Ryoko and Tenchi when Ayeka thwarts their attempted escape and has Azaka and Kamidake seal them up inside Ryu-Oh.
• One Cast Member per Cover: The original OVA series did this with the first 5 volumes, with the addition of the character holding up a number of fingers matching the volume number. (#3 was a partial exception, as Sasami was holding Team Pet Ryo-Ohki.)
• The Original Series: Being the first of its kind, after all. Before Alternate Continuities came about.
• Physical God: Sasami/Tsunami, Washu, & Tokimi; also, as revealed in OVA3, Tenchi is the earthly avatar of a being more powerful than the three goddesses who created the universe.
• Planet Spaceship: The Kuramitsu family have a planet-sized spaceship called that can destroy planets and seems to a nod to the Death Star from Star Wars.
• Rake Take: Subverted in "Ryoko Resurrected" when Ryoko steps on a metal rake. She doesn't get hit in the face, she instead bends the pole by smacking it. This, however, leaves an opening for Tenchi to slice her wrist off.
• Rehearsing a Conversation: In "Night Before The Carnival", after locking Ayeka away in a closet, Ryoko starts to approach Tenchi's room before she stops and creates a duplicate of herself. The two proceed to do a roleplay with the belief that when Ryoko reveals her true confessions to Tenchi, he'll fall madly in love with her.
• Schmuck Bait: Deliberately used by Katsuhito in the first episode. He warns Tenchi not go down to the cave near the Masaki shrine, because he knows Tenchi will disobey and end up releasing Ryoko.
• Secondary Character Title: It's not clear why Ryo-Ohki's name is in the title as there a lot more major characters than her.
• Senior Citizen's Even Older Parent: Thanks to being Sufficiently Advanced Aliens, Tenchi's family on his mother's side are hundreds, if not thousands, of years old, yet barely look past their 30s. For those living on Earth, like his grandfather Katsuhito and his sister Tennyo, they use disguises to mask their true age.
• Shout-Out:
  • Misao's ship The Chobimaru is a giant sphere that can destroy an entire planet. In other words, it's the Death Star.
  • A few shoutouts to GXP are present as well.
  • In the fifth OVA, Laval and Avalul send Jovia and Miron high into the sky, resembling Team Rocket's numerous defeats in Pokémon the Series.
• Sins of Our Fathers: In the second half of "Ryoko Resurrected", Ryoko attacks Tenchi to avenge his ancestor Yosho's involvement in sealing her.
• Space Opera: Subverted. Most of the Space Opera elements are here, but the series mostly takes place on Earth.
• Stopped Dead in Their Tracks: In the episode "Hello Ryo-Ohki!", Ayeka, shortly after telling Ryo-Ohki not to follow her, suddenly stops upon discovering a royal teardrop near the cabbit. This leads to her brief Heroic BSoD.
• Time Skip: The 5th OVA moves the timeline around to five years where much of the cast has gotten older.
• Tragically Damaged Tree: When Tenchi and the others race to save Ryoko from Kagato, Ryo-Ohki lifts up and connects with Ryu-Oh's core unit, which also contains Ayeka's Juraian tree of the same name. When the core unit is destroyed, the tree is ruined and drifting in space. Some time after the fight, Tenchi discovers a seed Tsunami gave him so that Ayeka could regrow Ryu-Oh with the help of a core unit Washu saved.
• Transformation Sequence: Averted as Tenchi, Ayeka, Ryoko, and Mihoshi all change into their Super Modes instantaneously and usually off-screen.
• A Twinkle in the Sky: In the fifth OVA, Jovia and Miron are sent flying into the sky. When they disappear, a twinkle forms.
• Weather-Control Machine: It's implied Jurai has something like this when Sasami asks Ryoko to switch the rain off and she says a primitive planet like Earth doesn't have the technology yet.
• Whale Egg: Ryo-Ohki hatches from an egg that comes out of Ryoko's crashed spaceship in the episode "Hello Ryo-Ohki!". When Sasami sees Ryoko with it, she thinks she laid it and Ryoko plays along pretending Tenchi is the father.
• Zigzag Paper Tassel: The entrance of the cave where Ryoko was trapped had a shimenawa hung from the walls which also encircled a large rock hanging from the ceiling.