MICHIKO & HATCHIN is a brilliant little series from the weird and wacky world of cowboy bebop, well not world..but minds of the creators. This is a fantastic series that takes many twists and turns, also showing the strong female lead of anime without being over sexualised. When she suddenly enters Hana's life, these two very different people set off on a journey across a lawless land in search of a missing man from both their pasts. Michiko is a free-willed "sexy diva" who escapes from a supposedly inescapable prison fortress for at least the fourth time. Michiko rescues Hana "Hatchin" Morenos from her abusive foster parents and claims to know her father--- Hiroshi Morenos--- that according to her, was a good man and "made her fall in love with him right away". Michiko and Hana happen to have the same mysterious tattoo on their stomachs. Michiko first meets Hiroshi as a young woman in a house where a person named Sascha may live as a hide out. This may be where they "fall in love". The episode starts with Michiko Malandro, the “sexy diva”, escaping from a high security prison known as Diamandra. As she gives the helicopter a smirk and thumbs down the propeller goes her way and the screen goes black. Elsewhere the next morning Hana Morenos brings milk back to her home (a church) where she hears the report of the prison break over the radio. As her foster parents sit for breakfast Pedro (foster father) notices the burnt underside he drops the food on the floor and told Hana to make it again. When they all sit to eat, Pedro says a prayer while Gabrial flicks and eventually throws his food a Hana. immediately you are brought into this world with it extremely unique art style, no other anime has come close to the vibrant and classic nature of the animation. Continuing on; Meanwhile, Michiko gets closer as she walks through the streets still with a gun and her prison uniform and takes food from a homeless man without asking and thanks him. Hana is cleaning the floor when Maria comes along and messes with the mop in bucket of dirty water. Hana asks her to stop but Maria takes out the mop and uses it to hit the bucket toward Hana. With a rug ruined by the water Hana takes responsibility and Joanna (foster mother) locks her in a small room. Being released later she takes a bath as she sits in the tub letting the water fall on her, it suddenly turns off. Hana pulls the curtains back to see if someone did that when she noticed her clothes were gone. Hana walks by until she feels Maria tugging on her towel. Hana fights back only to be kicked down the stairs and left alone. Michiko enters a bank and fires at the tellers glass. She fires back only to run out of ammo and flees as the officer is still shooting. This is when the series begins to gear up the suspense and we find ourselves love in on these characters worlds. In the chapel of the church, Pedro gives Hana books that and talks about God in a way to make her feel bad. Hana states that she was bought out with Maria's items. Later, a man who gives Hana's foster parents guardian's payment comes to visit. She goes on saying how all the kids take turns caring for him, except for that it is Hana who does everything. Joanna asks whose turn it is to care for him today, and Maria and Gabrial kick Hana's legs to take the job. Joanna then goes to Hana's room and throws a sack on her floor and says get rid of it. It is not shown but Hana releases Blonco to go free. The character development begins to thicken a few episodes in, we start to understand the motives for these two characters and see the behaviours that follows, its certainly unique and one of the best friendships developed in anime history. The next morning, Hana washes the dishes under Joanna's watch when Gabrial comes in and asks where Blonco is. Joanna says that Hana was the last to see him. She takes out a spray bottle of detergent and sprays it towards Hanas eyes so she will back up towards a plugged in hot iron. Hana goes up missing the iron but causing Gabrial to fall off her hit the ground and cry. Maria angered grabs Hana's hair and drags her to the door where she kicks her off the stairs saying she wasn't needed. Hana gets up and runs towards Maria knocking her down and slaps her while reprimanding her treatment of her and finishes with a punch. Hana runs following the road looking excited. It was only imagined as she states that that would never happen. Back at the Church they receive a call from Michiko saying to get Hana ready to leave tommorow because her mother is coming to get her. Joanna is confused, but Pedro says that it must be someone who knows about his money scam with Hana and orders to have his shot gun ready. The next morning, as they eat breakfast Hana notices the gun behind Pedro. When the time is right, he gets the gun and tells Joanna to hide Hana. Michiko looks around noticing Maria and asks if she is Hana. Michiko unaffected asks Hana if she wants to stay here. The episode ends with Hana driving away with Michiko who smiles as she sees the cops in her mirror and drives even faster scaring Hana. The series does flash backs from 12 years ago, jumping around the backstories and giving us an idea into the past for example , with Michiko being carted off in a police van to Diamandra. So what more can I really say, this is a great series and I'll leave it there. We highly recorded you check it out for its masterful storytelling, unique art sytle and drastic character devlopment. Not only is this housed in a beautiful slipcover boxset but there is also a tonne of great extras: SPECIAL FEATURES
Overall: 4.5/5
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AuthorThe DSC team dig into Anime . Archives
September 2016
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