Katsuhito Masaki (Masaki Katsuhito) is the grandfather of Tenchi Masaki. Katsuhito's original name is Yosho (Masaki Yōshō Jurai), and he is the crown prince of planet Jurai.
History[]
Yosho is the eldest child of Juraian Emperor Azusa Masaki Jurai born to the first of his two wives, Funaho.
Because his mother was from Earth and was under a lot of heat from the people of Jurai because of her heritage, Yosho stood in a very difficult position since birth. Though half of the members of the Jurai palace were benevolent to her, others took the position of being neutral or critical to her. Yosho was always apprehensive of Funaho and if he found any chance, he tried to stay with her as much as he could. He believed that was the only way to help and protect her in his father's place as he was busy with his official work.
When Yosho was eight years old, he was bonded to a first-generation Royal Tree like his father, which made him second in line for the throne. He named his tree, Funaho.
His father's second wife, Empress Misaki, would visit Yosho's room every morning in a very cheerful and loving manner. Yosho was already mortified to be cheerfully greeted by an elder woman in the early morning as a 12 year old, but things only got worse when he realized that he had begun to fall in love with Misaki. After Misaki's mother, Jurai's political advisor known as "the Devil Princess of Jurai," Seto Kamiki Jurai, discovered Misaki's daily visits and the potential for scandalous behavior to happen, she visited Yosho and suggested that he attend the Galaxy Academy. Noticing the reason for her suggestion, Yosho took her advice and decided to go. During his stay at the Academy, he met an older student named Airi. Life there changed him exponentially. Living in the palace and trying to protect his mother made him sharp but he seldom showed his emotions. But here, by the effort of Airi and others, he gradually began to express his feelings outwards.
Several months after Yosho told Airi who he really was, he became more mild than before. Though it wasn't that extreme, his characteristics which made everyone awe him had been softened; the days living with Airi made him know the life of a normal boy. However, one day, Seto, guessing that the days in the academy would be a good experience for Yosho yet would make him soft, sent him a message and suggested that he stay half a year on Jurai and the other half at the academy. Unfortunately, much to Airi's chagrin, every time Yosho would return from Jurai, he would be the same as he was before. Airi was from the planet Airai whose people despised Jurai, and she was forced to go back home despite knowing that she was pregnant with Yosho's child who eventually became Minaho Masaki.
Yōshō had a marriage arranged with his half-sister Ayeka, but at the time, not all Juraians liked the idea of mixed blood heritages as he is part Earthling on his mother's side. So, when Yosho took on the space pirate Ryoko during her massive attack on Jurai, he used it as a perfect excuse to slip away. Yosho used his Master Key called "Tenchi-ken (Sword Tenchi)" to do battle with Ryoko and lured her to Earth. There, he subdued her, took away her power source (her three gems), and sealed her away in a cave near the Masaki Shrine.
The excuse that Yosho uses for leaving Jurai and his engagement to Ayeka is a false one. The real reason, his love for Airi, wouldn't have been the best reason to give at the moment as Airi's people despised Jurai. Even his old love for Ayeka's mother Misaki, wouldn't have been a suitable excuse. His tertiary reason, the fact that he loved Ayeka only as a sister, would only have been reason enough to not marry Ayeka. It would not have justified his running away. The fact that if he had not married Ayeka, and Jurai would have had to choose between the two as heads of the throne, is a major factor in why Yosho left.
During the battle with Ryoko on Earth, Yosho saved his mother's niece, Kasumi, from the space pirate. Afterwards, Yosho married Kasumi. He took the name Katsuhito Masaki and became the Shinto priest of the Masaki Shrine. With Kasumi, Yosho bore at least two children. His descendants along that line include Nobuyuki Masaki, Kenshi Masaki (also his step-grandson), Kiriko Masaki, and her young brother Kai.
At some point Yosho was trained by Ranma Kuramitsu in the Infinity School though he was never successful finding a student himself once he started teaching. His first student was Happosai. While he sensed great potential in him but quickly got tired of his perverted antics and sent him towards China. Hoping that some time dealing with the Amazons might cure him of his habits.
After Kasumi died, Katsuhito married Airi in a common law marriage. Together, they became the parents of a second daughter, Kiyone Masaki. Nobuyuki and Kiyone married and gave birth to a son, Tenchi. Early on, Katsuhito sensed enormous potential and power coming from Tenchi and put things in motion for his grandson to go to Jurai in his place.
In the beginning of the series, Katushito is not only training Tenchi to be a Shinto priest but also training him in a style of swordsmanship which, unbeknownst to Tenchi, belongs to planet Jurai. He tried to train him in the Infinity School but he was more inclined to use swords than fists and feet. Katsuhito had expected that Ayeka would try to track him down and arranged for Tenchi to find Ryoko in the Masaki Shrine, then release and do battle with her so that he would go in Yosho's place to Jurai.
Although he had dropped contact with his parents, he was still in touch with Seto through whom he was able to send Kiriko, his granddaughter Tennyo, and others, into space via the Galaxy Academy although her collusion in his plans is not known. Seto also assisted Airi and Yosho with their marriage which could still potentially be a political bomb if anyone other than the Jurai Royal Family and close friends ever found out.
While he appears to be of advanced age, his gray hair and lined face are merely an illusion hiding his true form, which he shows to only a select few (such as his mother). The goddess, and mother of the Royal Trees, Tsunami did this in order to make sure that Yosho would be able to live his life on Earth without normal Earthlings and young members of the Masaki family knowing his true heritage.
Funaho is a rare first-generation tree spawned directly from Tsunami and thus one of the most powerful Juraian tree ships. It is currently rooted on Earth and so at present cannot take ship form. However, the tree has not lost its power. This was because during his battle with Ryoko, Yōshō stole the three gems originally forged by Washu to hold her godly power, owned by Ryoko, and embedded them to the pommel of Tenchi-ken, the Master Key. As a result, the gems supplied power to the tree for over 700 years, sustaining his youth.
Trivia[]
It is unknown weather Tennyo or Achika was Yosho’s daughter though given that Kain exist in this universe it is most likely Achika.