diff --git a/stdlib/array/array.go b/stdlib/array/array.go
index f28d05ac..b9e682ae 100644
--- a/stdlib/array/array.go
+++ b/stdlib/array/array.go
@@ -13,6 +13,11 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-python/gpython/py"
 )
 
+// FIXME(sbinet): consider creating an "array handler" type for each of the typecodes
+// and make the handler a field of the "array" type.
+// or make "array" an interface ?
+
+// array provides efficient manipulation of C-arrays (as Go slices).
 type array struct {
 	descr byte // typecode of elements
 	esize int  // element size in bytes
@@ -197,12 +202,12 @@ func array_new(metatype *py.Type, args py.Tuple, kwargs py.StringDict) (py.Objec
 		esize: descr2esize[descr[0]],
 	}
 
-	if descr[0] == 'u' {
-		// FIXME(sbinet)
-		return nil, py.NotImplementedError
-	}
-
 	switch descr[0] {
+	case 'u':
+		var data []rune
+		arr.data = data
+		arr.append = arr.appendRune
+		arr.extend = arr.extendRune
 	case 'b':
 		var data []int8
 		arr.data = data
@@ -300,14 +305,22 @@ func (arr *array) M__repr__() (py.Object, error) {
 	o := new(strings.Builder)
 	o.WriteString("array('" + string(arr.descr) + "'")
 	if data := reflect.ValueOf(arr.data); arr.data != nil && data.Len() > 0 {
-		o.WriteString(", [")
-		for i := 0; i < data.Len(); i++ {
-			if i > 0 {
-				o.WriteString(", ")
+		switch arr.descr {
+		case 'u':
+			o.WriteString(", '")
+			o.WriteString(string(arr.data.([]rune)))
+			o.WriteString("'")
+		default:
+			o.WriteString(", [")
+			for i := 0; i < data.Len(); i++ {
+				if i > 0 {
+					o.WriteString(", ")
+				}
+				// FIXME(sbinet): we don't get exactly the same display wrt CPython for float32
+				fmt.Fprintf(o, "%v", data.Index(i))
 			}
-			fmt.Fprintf(o, "%v", data.Index(i))
+			o.WriteString("]")
 		}
-		o.WriteString("]")
 	}
 	o.WriteString(")")
 	return py.String(o.String()), nil
@@ -344,8 +357,7 @@ func (arr *array) M__getitem__(k py.Object) (py.Object, error) {
 		case 'B', 'H', 'I', 'L', 'Q':
 			return py.Int(sli.Index(i).Uint()), nil
 		case 'u':
-			// FIXME(sbinet)
-			return nil, py.NotImplementedError
+			return py.String([]rune{rune(sli.Index(i).Int())}), nil
 		case 'f', 'd':
 			return py.Float(sli.Index(i).Float()), nil
 		}
@@ -372,14 +384,23 @@ func (arr *array) M__setitem__(k, v py.Object) (py.Object, error) {
 		}
 		switch arr.descr {
 		case 'b', 'h', 'i', 'l', 'q':
-			vv := v.(py.Int)
+			vv, ok := v.(py.Int)
+			if !ok {
+				return nil, py.ExceptionNewf(py.TypeError, "'%s' object cannot be interpreted as an integer", v.Type().Name)
+			}
 			sli.Index(i).SetInt(int64(vv))
 		case 'B', 'H', 'I', 'L', 'Q':
-			vv := v.(py.Int)
+			vv, ok := v.(py.Int)
+			if !ok {
+				return nil, py.ExceptionNewf(py.TypeError, "'%s' object cannot be interpreted as an integer", v.Type().Name)
+			}
 			sli.Index(i).SetUint(uint64(vv))
 		case 'u':
-			// FIXME(sbinet)
-			return nil, py.NotImplementedError
+			vv, ok := v.(py.Int)
+			if !ok {
+				return nil, py.ExceptionNewf(py.TypeError, "array item must be unicode character")
+			}
+			sli.Index(i).SetInt(int64(vv))
 		case 'f', 'd':
 			var vv float64
 			switch v := v.(type) {
@@ -401,6 +422,16 @@ func (arr *array) M__setitem__(k, v py.Object) (py.Object, error) {
 	panic("impossible")
 }
 
+func (arr *array) appendRune(v py.Object) (py.Object, error) {
+	str, ok := v.(py.String)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, py.ExceptionNewf(py.TypeError, "array item must be unicode character")
+	}
+
+	arr.data = append(arr.data.([]rune), []rune(str)...)
+	return py.None, nil
+}
+
 func (arr *array) appendI8(v py.Object) (py.Object, error) {
 	vv, err := asInt(v)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -491,6 +522,27 @@ func (arr *array) appendF64(v py.Object) (py.Object, error) {
 	return py.None, nil
 }
 
+func (arr *array) extendRune(arg py.Object) (py.Object, error) {
+	itr, err := py.Iter(arg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	nxt := itr.(py.I__next__)
+
+	for {
+		o, err := nxt.M__next__()
+		if err == py.StopIteration {
+			break
+		}
+		_, err = arr.appendRune(o)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
+	return py.None, nil
+}
+
 func (arr *array) extendI8(arg py.Object) (py.Object, error) {
 	itr, err := py.Iter(arg)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/stdlib/array/testdata/test.py b/stdlib/array/testdata/test.py
index 26f26166..906ed898 100644
--- a/stdlib/array/testdata/test.py
+++ b/stdlib/array/testdata/test.py
@@ -19,14 +19,15 @@ def assertEqual(x, y):
     print("")
     print("typecode '%s'" % (typ,))
     if typ == 'u':
-        # FIXME(sbinet): implement
-        print("  SKIP: NotImplemented")
-        continue
-    if typ in "bhilqfd":
+        arr = array.array(typ, "?世界!")
+    if typ in "bhilq":
         arr = array.array(typ, [-1, -2, -3, -4])
     if typ in "BHILQ":
         arr = array.array(typ, [+1, +2, +3, +4])
-    print("  array: %s" % (repr(arr),))
+    if typ in "fd":
+        arr = array.array(typ, [-1.0, -2.0, -3.0, -4.0])
+    print("  array: %s ## repr" % (repr(arr),))
+    print("  array: %s ## str" % (str(arr),))
     print("  itemsize: %s" % (arr.itemsize,))
     print("  typecode: %s" % (arr.typecode,))
     print("  len:      %s" % (len(arr),))
@@ -34,21 +35,23 @@ def assertEqual(x, y):
     print("  arr[-1]: %s" % (arr[-1],))
     try:
         arr[-10]
-        print("  ERROR: expected an exception")
+        print("  ERROR1: expected an exception")
     except:
         print("  caught an exception [ok]")
 
     try:
         arr[10]
-        print("  ERROR: expected an exception")
+        print("  ERROR2: expected an exception")
     except:
         print("  caught an exception [ok]")
     arr[-2] = 33
+    if typ in "fd":
+        arr[-2] = 0.3
     print("  arr[-2]: %s" % (arr[-2],))
 
     try:
         arr[-10] = 2
-        print("  ERROR: expected an exception")
+        print("  ERROR3: expected an exception")
     except:
         print("  caught an exception [ok]")
 
@@ -56,6 +59,8 @@ def assertEqual(x, y):
         arr.extend([-5,-6])
     if typ in "BHILQ":
         arr.extend([5,6])
+    if typ == 'u':
+        arr.extend("he")
     print("  array: %s" % (repr(arr),))
     print("  len:   %s" % (len(arr),))
 
@@ -63,43 +68,56 @@ def assertEqual(x, y):
         arr.append(-7)
     if typ in "BHILQ":
         arr.append(7)
+    if typ == 'u':
+        arr.append("l")
     print("  array: %s" % (repr(arr),))
     print("  len:   %s" % (len(arr),))
 
     try:
         arr.append()
-        print("  ERROR: expected an exception")
+        print("  ERROR4: expected an exception")
     except:
         print("  caught an exception [ok]")
     try:
         arr.append([])
-        print("  ERROR: expected an exception")
+        print("  ERROR5: expected an exception")
     except:
         print("  caught an exception [ok]")
     try:
         arr.append(1, 2)
-        print("  ERROR: expected an exception")
+        print("  ERROR6: expected an exception")
     except:
         print("  caught an exception [ok]")
     try:
         arr.append(None)
-        print("  ERROR: expected an exception")
+        print("  ERROR7: expected an exception")
     except:
         print("  caught an exception [ok]")
 
     try:
         arr.extend()
-        print("  ERROR: expected an exception")
+        print("  ERROR8: expected an exception")
     except:
         print("  caught an exception [ok]")
     try:
         arr.extend(None)
-        print("  ERROR: expected an exception")
+        print("  ERROR9: expected an exception")
     except:
         print("  caught an exception [ok]")
     try:
         arr.extend([1,None])
-        print("  ERROR: expected an exception")
+        print("  ERROR10: expected an exception")
+    except:
+        print("  caught an exception [ok]")
+    try:
+        arr.extend(1,None)
+        print("  ERROR11: expected an exception")
+    except:
+        print("  caught an exception [ok]")
+
+    try:
+        arr[0] = object()
+        print("  ERROR12: expected an exception")
     except:
         print("  caught an exception [ok]")
     pass
@@ -108,55 +126,48 @@ def assertEqual(x, y):
 print("## testing array.array(...)")
 try:
     arr = array.array()
-    print("ERROR: expected an exception")
+    print("ERROR1: expected an exception")
 except:
     print("caught an exception [ok]")
 
 try:
     arr = array.array(b"d")
-    print("ERROR: expected an exception")
+    print("ERROR2: expected an exception")
 except:
     print("caught an exception [ok]")
 
 try:
     arr = array.array("?")
-    print("ERROR: expected an exception")
+    print("ERROR3: expected an exception")
 except:
     print("caught an exception [ok]")
 
 try:
     arr = array.array("dd")
-    print("ERROR: expected an exception")
+    print("ERROR4: expected an exception")
 except:
     print("caught an exception [ok]")
 
 try:
     arr = array.array("d", initializer=[1,2])
-    print("ERROR: expected an exception")
+    print("ERROR5: expected an exception")
 except:
     print("caught an exception [ok]")
 
 try:
     arr = array.array("d", [1], [])
-    print("ERROR: expected an exception")
+    print("ERROR6: expected an exception")
 except:
     print("caught an exception [ok]")
 
 try:
     arr = array.array("d", 1)
-    print("ERROR: expected an exception")
+    print("ERROR7: expected an exception")
 except:
     print("caught an exception [ok]")
 
 try:
     arr = array.array("d", ["a","b"])
-    print("ERROR: expected an exception")
-except:
-    print("caught an exception [ok]")
-
-try:
-    ## FIXME(sbinet): implement it at some point.
-    arr = array.array("u")
-    print("ERROR: expected an exception")
+    print("ERROR8: expected an exception")
 except:
     print("caught an exception [ok]")
diff --git a/stdlib/array/testdata/test_golden.txt b/stdlib/array/testdata/test_golden.txt
index b55665ad..09e9db3d 100644
--- a/stdlib/array/testdata/test_golden.txt
+++ b/stdlib/array/testdata/test_golden.txt
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@ array.array:
 <class 'array.array'>
 
 typecode 'b'
-  array: array('b', [-1, -2, -3, -4])
+  array: array('b', [-1, -2, -3, -4]) ## repr
+  array: array('b', [-1, -2, -3, -4]) ## str
   itemsize: 1
   typecode: b
   len:      4
@@ -28,9 +29,12 @@ typecode 'b'
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
 
 typecode 'B'
-  array: array('B', [1, 2, 3, 4])
+  array: array('B', [1, 2, 3, 4]) ## repr
+  array: array('B', [1, 2, 3, 4]) ## str
   itemsize: 1
   typecode: B
   len:      4
@@ -51,12 +55,38 @@ typecode 'B'
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
 
 typecode 'u'
-  SKIP: NotImplemented
+  array: array('u', '?世界!') ## repr
+  array: array('u', '?世界!') ## str
+  itemsize: 2
+  typecode: u
+  len:      4
+  arr[0]: ?
+  arr[-1]: !
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  arr[-2]: !
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  array: array('u', '?世!!he')
+  len:   6
+  array: array('u', '?世!!hel')
+  len:   7
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
 
 typecode 'h'
-  array: array('h', [-1, -2, -3, -4])
+  array: array('h', [-1, -2, -3, -4]) ## repr
+  array: array('h', [-1, -2, -3, -4]) ## str
   itemsize: 2
   typecode: h
   len:      4
@@ -77,9 +107,12 @@ typecode 'h'
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
 
 typecode 'H'
-  array: array('H', [1, 2, 3, 4])
+  array: array('H', [1, 2, 3, 4]) ## repr
+  array: array('H', [1, 2, 3, 4]) ## str
   itemsize: 2
   typecode: H
   len:      4
@@ -100,9 +133,12 @@ typecode 'H'
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
 
 typecode 'i'
-  array: array('i', [-1, -2, -3, -4])
+  array: array('i', [-1, -2, -3, -4]) ## repr
+  array: array('i', [-1, -2, -3, -4]) ## str
   itemsize: 2
   typecode: i
   len:      4
@@ -123,9 +159,12 @@ typecode 'i'
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
 
 typecode 'I'
-  array: array('I', [1, 2, 3, 4])
+  array: array('I', [1, 2, 3, 4]) ## repr
+  array: array('I', [1, 2, 3, 4]) ## str
   itemsize: 2
   typecode: I
   len:      4
@@ -146,9 +185,12 @@ typecode 'I'
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
 
 typecode 'l'
-  array: array('l', [-1, -2, -3, -4])
+  array: array('l', [-1, -2, -3, -4]) ## repr
+  array: array('l', [-1, -2, -3, -4]) ## str
   itemsize: 8
   typecode: l
   len:      4
@@ -169,9 +211,12 @@ typecode 'l'
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
 
 typecode 'L'
-  array: array('L', [1, 2, 3, 4])
+  array: array('L', [1, 2, 3, 4]) ## repr
+  array: array('L', [1, 2, 3, 4]) ## str
   itemsize: 8
   typecode: L
   len:      4
@@ -192,9 +237,12 @@ typecode 'L'
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
 
 typecode 'q'
-  array: array('q', [-1, -2, -3, -4])
+  array: array('q', [-1, -2, -3, -4]) ## repr
+  array: array('q', [-1, -2, -3, -4]) ## str
   itemsize: 8
   typecode: q
   len:      4
@@ -215,9 +263,12 @@ typecode 'q'
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
 
 typecode 'Q'
-  array: array('Q', [1, 2, 3, 4])
+  array: array('Q', [1, 2, 3, 4]) ## repr
+  array: array('Q', [1, 2, 3, 4]) ## str
   itemsize: 8
   typecode: Q
   len:      4
@@ -238,9 +289,12 @@ typecode 'Q'
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
 
 typecode 'f'
-  array: array('f', [-1, -2, -3, -4])
+  array: array('f', [-1, -2, -3, -4]) ## repr
+  array: array('f', [-1, -2, -3, -4]) ## str
   itemsize: 4
   typecode: f
   len:      4
@@ -248,11 +302,11 @@ typecode 'f'
   arr[-1]: -4
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
-  arr[-2]: 33
+  arr[-2]: 0.30000001192092896
   caught an exception [ok]
-  array: array('f', [-1, -2, 33, -4, -5, -6])
+  array: array('f', [-1, -2, 0.3, -4, -5, -6])
   len:   6
-  array: array('f', [-1, -2, 33, -4, -5, -6, -7])
+  array: array('f', [-1, -2, 0.3, -4, -5, -6, -7])
   len:   7
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
@@ -261,9 +315,12 @@ typecode 'f'
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
 
 typecode 'd'
-  array: array('d', [-1, -2, -3, -4])
+  array: array('d', [-1, -2, -3, -4]) ## repr
+  array: array('d', [-1, -2, -3, -4]) ## str
   itemsize: 8
   typecode: d
   len:      4
@@ -271,11 +328,11 @@ typecode 'd'
   arr[-1]: -4
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
-  arr[-2]: 33
+  arr[-2]: 0.3
   caught an exception [ok]
-  array: array('d', [-1, -2, 33, -4, -5, -6])
+  array: array('d', [-1, -2, 0.3, -4, -5, -6])
   len:   6
-  array: array('d', [-1, -2, 33, -4, -5, -6, -7])
+  array: array('d', [-1, -2, 0.3, -4, -5, -6, -7])
   len:   7
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
@@ -284,6 +341,8 @@ typecode 'd'
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
   caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
+  caught an exception [ok]
 
 
 ## testing array.array(...)
@@ -295,4 +354,3 @@ caught an exception [ok]
 caught an exception [ok]
 caught an exception [ok]
 caught an exception [ok]
-caught an exception [ok]