Kagurabachi: Uruha's revival was always on the cards and Hokazono had foreshadowed it all along

Kagurabachi chapter 81 marked the continuation of the Kamunabi invasion while simultaneously revealing more about the underhanded tactics that the Hishaku might have implemented in their pursuit of the enchanted blades.

Although most of the chapter focused on Hakuri as he tried to reach the Shinuchi, the rumors surrounding Uruha's survival turned out to be true, with Uruha reappearing as Hakuri's savior.

While Uruha's survival had been mentioned as a slight possibility ever since his "death," his actual return has somehow managed to become a highly divisive narrative decision. The past chapters since Samura's betrayal have consistently hinted at Uruha's actual return.

Disclaimer- This article contains spoilers for Kagurabachi chapter 81.

Kagurabachi: Chihiro's practically guaranteed Uruha's return

Samura uses the healing properties of Tobimune as seen in the Kagurabachi manga (Image via Shueisha)

Samura made his first proper appearance in chapter 51 of the series, followed by his eventual reveal as the Hishaku colluder in chapter 58. Although most of the chapters focusing on Samura did not reveal the actual abilities of his sword, Tobimune, much about Samura's internal code and his plan to take out the enchanted blade wielders alongside their eternal contracts was made clear.

Chihiro's fight, death, and subsequent resurrection after fighting and getting defeated by Samura was yet another event that set the path for the eventual return of Uruha.

Uruha as seen in the Kagurabachi manga (Image via Shueisha)

This served as a direct parallel to the plan that Samura was trying to enact. The fact that Samura essentially severed the contract between Enten further hinted at what Samura's actual target was, later revealed as the swordsmaster and the eternal contracts.

Although Samura essentially cut down Uruha in a gruesome manner, a neat detail that led to speculation was his deliberate change of blades, where he chose the Tobimune to "kill" Uruha.

Chihiro as seen in the Kagurabachi manga (Image via Shueisha)

While Samura's simply switching blades was initially written off as a minor plot point, Chihiro's revival, alongside the overall vagueness around Uruha's survival, compounded with the eventual reveal of Tobimune's healing capabilities, went on to confirm Uruha's survival.

Another important detail to note is how Samura's fight against Uruha ended with Samura deliberately incapacitating Uruha before actually "killing" him. The entire sequence, when seen after the events of chapter 81, simply makes it clear that Samura never intended to kill the enchanted blade wielders. It was to put down the swordsmaster after ending the eternal contract that binds the other blade wielders to the soul of the swordsmaster.

Final Thoughts

Kagurabachi chapter 82 will be released on June 8, 2025, and focus on Hakuri and Uruha's combined efforts towards reaching the Shinuchi. Given that the entire Kamunabi headquarters is in chaos, it is still possible that the entire plan around sealing the Shinuchi away in Hakuri's warehouse might just go awry despite involvement from Uruha and the rest of the Kamunabi higher-ups.

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About the author

Anupam is an anime and manga writer at Sportskeeda. Currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Logistics & Transportation, Anupam has simultaneously gained professional experience of almost 2 years as a content writer, having worked previously for Otakukart and Sportslumo.

Being part of the anime fandom for over a decade, Anupam believes his greatest strength lies in theorycrafting around animanga series and predicting their plots. His personal experiences have guaranteed him detailed knowledge about the reputation, reception, and plot points of several anime, which he combines with extensive research to report on a topic. They have also taught him the significance of respecting and accurately reporting on community sentiments attached to a particular series, which has now become a non-negotiable part of his writing process.

Anupam’s favorite artist is video game designer Hideo Kojima, whose ability to nonchalantly embed deep messages in his games he deeply admires. When not debating fresh anime theories, Anupam can be found reading or playing combat games.

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Edited by Bharath S