More nighttime drama ensues as a few more tantalizing details are revealed. Jin is finally forced to kill Yukimaru, and afterwards reveals to Fuu that Yukimaru was like a younger brother to him. In the end, it seems that Jin’s actions at the dojo may have caused Yukimaru to feel betrayed, although deep down he really just wanted to be like Jin. Meanwhile, Mugen learns the true story behind Okuru: the government had gone to burn down his village because of the disease that they had spread there. Mugen comments that Okuru has eyes like a head that has been cut off, and Okuru agrees and lets himself be shot with flaming arrows before jumping off a cliff. Everyone knows he’s fine, however, because cliff jumps have been unsuccessful in killing any of the characters in this series (there have been at least 6 cliff jumps so far, none of which have been fatal). Finally Fuu, Mugen, and Jin join back up together, and it’s clear that a very strong bond has formed between them.
I thought that this two episode arc was very well done, as important points are teased and fleshed out subtly. The balance of incredible fight choreography with the emotions that the characters feel seems to be one of the main reasons why Samurai Champloo doesn’t feel like a show with more style than substance. Although the characters are a bit one-dimensional still, and the plot is just crawling along (Fuu wants to get revenge for her mother… sorta), if you’ve watched till this point you’re probably used to it and just enjoying the ride.
