Hellhounds for Hire (Part 2)

Hellhounds for Hire (Part 2) (以心伝心 其之弐, Ishindenshin sono ni) is the fourth episode of Samurai Champloo. It originally aired June 17, 2004 and aired June 4, 2005 in the US.

Short Summary
Mugen, Jin, and Fuu reunite. Due to an error made by Sousuke Kawara who is the son of the group that hired Jin, the struggle between the two groups grows more intense. They decide to gamble using dice in order to settle the struggle and the dice rolling contest will settle the fate of the gang warfare. Who will end up dying as a result?

Long Summary
Mugen fights against Jin while Fuu and Osuzu are stuck in the brothel (where they will be prostitutes). While fighting, Sousuke Kawara finds Osuzu and tries to help her escape, but Osuzu resigns to her fate. Meanwhile, Fuu tries to calm the two samurais, but they keep on going at it until Rikiei Nagatomi arrives and has his men surround Jin. Mugen is angry, since he deems himself worthy to kill Jin, and even starts to pick fights with Rikiei's men. Jin and Sosuke barely escape the brothel by Jinn triggering an explosive in a banjo, causing confusion and chaos.

Mugen tries chasing Jin, but can't find him. Jin says he can't help Sosuke since his mom clearly doesn't want to be rescued, which makes Sosuke more angry. Fuu asks Osuzu why did she not escape when Sosuke told her, and Osuzu says that she needs to clear the debt for her family, and asks Fuu if she had family to which leads Fuu not wanting to admit that she thought Jin and Mugen as her own family.

Mugen confronts Rikiei on why he ordered his men to attack Jin, but Rikiei wants to promote Mugen to be his commander so that he can control Rikiei's army. Mugen refuses, saying he doesn't like ruling anyone or have anyone rule him, and leaves with Rikiei vowing revenge on Mugen defying his orders. Mugen even smugly tells Rikiei that if Rikiei is sending anyone after him, send him the best assassin.

Mugen meets Ishimatsu outside the tent, and Ishimatsu warns Mugen that there are times when Mugen must agree with people even when he has different opinions, and reveals that he used to be part of the Kawara Yakuza but he defected to the Nagatomi gang. Mugen refuses to listen, saying that only Ishimatsu can decide how to live his life, and leaves.

One of the Nagatomi gang member sees Osuzu and wants her to be more happy, but Sosuke sees this and kills him. The Nagatomi gang capture Sosuke, and tells the Kawara gang leader Heitaro Kawara that Rikiei wants a deal. Heitarou meets with Rikiei, and makes a deal, they will play a dice game. If Rikei wins, Sosuke is spared and return, but Rikei gets the Kawara gang's territory. But if Rikei loses, then Sosuke dies byt Heitarou's territory is spared. Heitarou agrees, but Sosuke objects. Heitarou says this is all Sosuke's fault, if Sosuke hadn't act rationally this shouldn't happen, and Sosuke cries in shame.

Mugen is walking during a storm, and remembers Fuu telling Jin and Mugen that they won't kill each other until they meet the samurai that smells like sunflowers. Mugen looks back and is insulted that Rikiei hasn't send anyone to kill him, and goes back to kill Rikiei. Jin and Heitarou talk about the upcoming gamble, while Fuu and Osuzu hear about the upcoming gang war and the gamble.

Fuu plans to make an ugly face to prevent customers from having sex with her, but this fails when her pet Momo bits the customer's fingers, and Fuu uses a vase to break the customer's head. During the commotion, Fuu escapes and asks two civilians where the gambling hosue for the gang is, and they take her there.

During the gamble, it turns out that Rikiei made arrangements where the Heitarou's dice roller isn't there (presumabely kidnapped or killed), and if the dice ruler isn't there then Heitarou loses. But just then, Fuu arrives which shocks Jin. When Fuu rolls the dice, it turns out that the Nagatomi and Rikiei won, and Heitarou commits suicide.

Sosuke screams in pain, but Rikei reveals that even if Heitarou honored his agreement, he still plans on taking over territory and ruling everyone. Sosuke says that Rikiei isn't a true honorable Yakuza, that he's just a thug but Rikiei hits Sosuke, leaving Ishimatsu shocked. Just then Mugen arrives, and Jin notices he is back. Rikiei asks Mugen if he care Sosuke is dead, but Mugen doesn't care as long as he takes down Rikiei. During the chaos where Mugen and Jin kill the yakuza, Rikiei finds Ishimatsu and tells him to take him to safety, but Ishimatsu kills Rikiei (due to Rikei not honoring the Yakuza traditions and only caring about himself and money).

Jin and the rest find Ishimatsu, and Sosuke is promoted the head of the Kawara gang. Sosuke wants to hire Ishimatsu, but Ishimatsu declines, saying that he needs to atone for his mistakes to be worthy again. Ishimatsu meets with Mugen to settle things. Fuu and Jinn leave Osuzu and Sosuke, with Sosuke wishing they need to meet again soon. Mugen and Ishimatsu fight off one last time, with Mugen killing Ishimatsu before leaving.

Cast

 * Mugen
 * Jin
 * Fuu
 * Ishimatsu
 * Sousuke Kawara
 * Osuzu
 * Momo
 * Rikiei Nagatomi
 * Heitaro Kawara