While the other members of Franchouchou were living their ordinary lives before death, Yugiri was saving Saga.
The One With… Yugiri giving a pardon to a schmuck who just wants to save Saga (and no, that schmuck isn't Kotaro).
The second part to the titular Saga Incident two-parter arc.
Tropes:
- Been There, Shaped History: Yugiri's indirectly responsible for having restored Saga prefecture. She saved Kiichi from certain doom, which allowed him to escape unharmed and push a campaign to restore Saga's prefecture status. Unfortunately not many in the present seem to remember her.
- Big Damn Heroes: Yugiri saves Kiichi from a lethal strike by Itou.
- The Cameo:
- A photo of someone who looks just like Tae can be seen next to Yugiri, Kiichi, and Itou's group photo in the photographer's shop.
- At Yugiri's concert are Maria, Mikigawa, Sayama, Maimai, and the metalheads.
- Cane Sword: Yugiri's shamisen actually conceals the blade of a sword, and boy can she use it.
- Dead Man Writing: The ailing Jofuku finds a letter written by Yugiri before she was captured by the authorities and executed, asking him to tell Kiichi she got out of Saga safely and to guide the new Saga Kiichi would create.
- Face Death with Dignity: Even when she's about to be executed, Yugiri maintains her composure and gives one last smile and a farewell before she's beheaded.
- Go Out with a Smile: Both Itou and Yugiri when they each die respectively.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Yugiri gave her life to save Kiichi, taking the fall for the deaths Itou and the rebels in his place. She then enables him to escape and continue working to restore Saga.
- I Let You Win: Itou lets Yugiri cut him down in their duel.
- The Mole: Itou, under the orders of the Japanese government.
- Monkey Morality Pose: In the credits, Yugiri's three dance students do this pose while dancing in front of statues of the Three Wise Monkeys.
- Redemption Equals Death: Itou lets Yugiri cut him down after he betrays his friend Kiichi. In his final moments, it's clear part of him still believes in Kiichi's vision.
- The Reveal:
- Itou is a government mole sent to suppress any potential Saga insurgents.
- Yugiri is a trained swordfighter, and is implied to be an infamous assassin know as the "Demon of Hibiya".
- Yugiri was in fact executed via beheading, leaving the neck scar that's carried into her zombie form.
- Yugiri and Jofuku seem to already be on the same page in the modern day. How much Yugiri knows about the circumstances of Franchouchou's revival is unknown though.
- The Scapegoat: Yugiri takes the blame for the deaths of Itou (who she did kill) and several rebels (who he killed). She is then executed by police for treason.
- Single-Stroke Battle: Yugiri and Itou's duel ends after one strike.
- Tragic Keepsake: The last things Yugiri has remaining of Kiichi are the red comb he gave her and their photo with Itou that Jofuku keeps.
