Samurai Champloo/Heartwarming


 * The scene where Jin and the woman from the bridge are running the unagi stand always makes me just want to hug them both. Especially when he makes her some and she eats it even though he's a terrible cook.
 * The episode set in a brothel, when Mugen is alone with a female ninja posing as a whore. Realising her partner is in danger she tries to knock him out with a vase, finds him incredibly tough and instead manipulates him with sexual promises into singlehandedly taking down a crime syndicate who were gearing up to torture her partner to death. At the end, when they are laying an unconscious Mugen underneath a tree to recover, the partner asks who he is and she simply replies "That is the man I am going to marry." before leaving and voicing the hope that he finds her again when he is ready.
 * How about when Mugen stays to fight the three crazy brothers so Fuu can escape to find her father? Then Jin confronts  Kariya to protect Fuu from his twisted version of "justice". According to Jin, it was because he finally found that something worth fighting for.
 * A moment to elaborate. Jerkass, Ax Crazy brawler Mugen goes to confront the brothers who took Fuu. Fuu insists that taking her hostage will do no good, as he is, as mentioned, an ax crazy brawler who doesn't care about, well, Fuu or anyone else. It is at this point Mugen arrives, already roughed up from fighting the first brother. In true Mugen fashion, he taunts the two remaining brothers... until one threatens to kill Fuu. Mugen offers to THROW AWAY HIS SWORD if they just let Fuu go. Fuu is SPEECHLESS. Mugen has to encourage her to leave, and go find her father.
 * As this happens, it is revealed that Jin actually LOST to Kariya. But fell into the water on the side of the dock, so I doubt anyone is fooled into think he's truly dead. And Kariya is on his way to kill Fuu, her father, and anyone else he feels like killing. Granted, it's Samurai Champloo so Jin and Mugen remember how badass they are and the fights get intense, but that's a Near Villain Victory Darkest Hour if ever there was one. One hero is possibly dead, the other is unarmed and injured fighting two opponents. Slowly being tortured to death. And helpless little Fuu has a Samurai Murder Machine hot on her trail.
 * While the series' epic three-part finale is chock full of crowning moments of all kinds, a particularly heartwarming one is when both Jin and Mugen are fighting with Kariya, and one of the three brothers comes to tell Mugen they'll be waiting for him at Ikitsuki, else they will kill Fuu. Mugen is torn over what to do, go and fight the brothers or stay and help Jin with Kariya. Jin then remembers his conversation with Fuu by the river the previous night, particularly her comment about Mugen, and tells Mugen to go help Fuu; he'll deal with Kariya on his own. This is a great moment in many ways: both men want to protect Fuu, and at the same time they realize they've come to respect the other after all their adventures. They also show that they trust each other: Jin trusts Mugen to save Fuu's life (which, in light of his later confession that "he used to only wield his sword for him alone, but now..." is a very big deal), while Mugen trusts Jin to stay alive and reunite with them at Ikitsuki.
 * Most any of the times Mugen goes to rescue Fuu. One that stands out in particular is episode four, when Mugen stops at the crossroads where he and Jin ditched Fuu. Mugen stands there in the rain as she flashes in his mind - "WHAT ABOUT YOUR PROMISE NOT TO KILL EACH OTHER?!" - swears violently, and goes back not to fight Jin, but to save Fuu. That moment when he kicks his way into the brothel, his sword drenched in blood, and demands, "Where's the girl?!" - it's like an extreme example of Aw, Look -- They Really Do Love Each Other.