Light Hawk Wings

The Light-Hawk Wings (光鷹翼 Kou Ou Yoku) are fictional energy constructs from the Japanese anime series Tenchi Muyo. They are generated and used commonly by Juraian tree ships, but can also be wielded by select characters within the series, for reasons explained in the third OVA.

Overview

The Light Hawk Wings (or Koh-Oh-Yoku) are primarily a defensive weapon capable of repelling nearly all physical attacks in existence. They can also be used as an offensive weapon, with great results, but this is not their intended function. The true nature of Koh-Oh-Yoku is explained by Z in OVA 3; they are manifestations of the Goddesses's energy in our plane of existence.

The energy required to generate Light Hawk Wings is highly impressive. Its output power is measured in 2n energy units (N=number of wings being created), which is one of the reasons Tenchi and not Ayeka boarded Ryu-oh during their initial confrontation with the Soja.

Ayeka's key was not strong enough to break the seal created to prevent anyone from easily accessing such awesome offensive capability; only a master key like Tenchi's sword "Tenchi-ken" could have broken the seal and taken control. All Juraian ships can create Light Hawk Wings, though trees from the 3rd and later generations of Tsunami's descendants must join forces to use them.

During the first OVA's final battle with Kagato, Tenchi discovered that he could control Light Hawk Wings without the assistance of a Juraian tree, and could freely convert this overwhelming energy into armor, shields, and a "Light Hawk Sword" while using the Wings (using his power of material conversion). With these powers, Tenchi defeated Kagato, and later used them to escape a black hole when he and Ayeka and Mihoshi were trapped inside.

Unfortunately, Tenchi was not alone in commanding the Light Hawk Wings. A mysterious man called Z, who served the Chousin Tokimi, could generate five Wings to Tenchi's three. Z reveals that the three Chousin have been searching for eons, trying to discover a being beyond even them. Tokimi, Washu, and Tsunami each used different methods to continue the hunt, but all three altered the harmony of space and time hoping to cause anomalies that would make the higher power reveal itself. Instances where affected individuals were able to control what we know as Light Hawk Wings were regarded as "potentials".

In Tenchi Muyo GXP, Seina Yamada inadvertently gained control of Light Hawk Wings when he came into contact with a billion-year-old mecha hidden on a small Wau planet. The mecha was powered by a first-generation Jurai tree seed, and when it bonded to Seina he unleashed the Wings, decimating the fleet sent to kill him and penetrating subspace (which was thought to be impossible) to destroy a fleeing ship.

Besides the Jurai ships (and Seina's mecha), only two characters could use the Light Hawk Wings: Tenchi and Z. In OVA episode 7, Yosho and Funaho theorize that, since Ryoko's gems have the same properties as Jurai's trees, Ryoko could use the Light Hawk Wings if she had all three of the gems.

In a Kajishima interview, he intimated that Ryoko will indeed be able to create Light Hawk Wings when she develops physically and mentally, though she wouldn't have the abilities that the Chousin, Z and Tenchi have with them.

Other Appearances

The Light Hawk Wings make a "cameo" of sorts in the anime Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure, incidentally created by Masaki Kajishima, the man who also created Tenchi Muyo!, a parallel universe to Kajishima's Tenchi continuity.

The robot Zinv was able to form its own Light Hawk Wings after the limiter on its powers was removed. These Light Hawk Wings emerged from Zinv's back, unlike the Wings in Tenchi Muyo! which appear in front of the user. Other than this difference, Zinv's Wings appear to grant the same abilities.

In the non-canon manga, the original English translation of "Koh-Oh-Yoku" was "Lightning Eagle Sword."