Mitchiko and Hatchin
Produced by Shinichiro Watanabe and Manglobe Studios, released 2008, available on Hulu

Thelma and Louise meet Lupin the Third

When anime is mentioned, most people think of giant robots, adorable animals with special powers, hyper-dramatic martial artists with phenomenal powers.  In short, they think of sci-fi/fantasy.  And when you think of the lead of an anime show, one tends to think of the neurotic, young but well-meaning male either destined by fate or just in the wrong place at the wrong time.  And when you think about anime’s settings, it’s either a future version of Japan, or modern-day Japan, befitting the Japanese origins and heart of anime.

Michiko and Hatchin is different on all counts.

A show so realistic as to be gritty and often ugly, the show revolves around two women – the criminal & recent escapee Michiko and her daughter Hatchin – as they navigate an undefined (but very Brazil-like) Latin American country.

The show is hard to watch.  Not because of any flaws, but because of its tremendous perfection in execution.  The show pulls no punches, especially when dealing with poverty and crime, both of which are rampant throughout.  The nominal heroine of the story, Hatchin, is living with an abusive foster-family in a real-world Cinderella-like story.  Michiko, upon breaking out of prison, comes and liberates Hatchin before embarking on a nigh-Quixotic quest to find Hatchin’s father and Michiko’s missing love.

But the series is far from romantic.  Michiko’s delusions about her missing boyfriend, Hiroshi, are a common theme through each episode, becoming increasingly obvious towards the end.  The search for the deadbeat dad becomes increasingly dangerous and the danger-oblivious Michiko often dives right in with little regard for those around her, even Hatchin.

It’s an ugly world found in this story, one rife with corruption, brutality, poverty, and death.  And yet, somehow, hope is everywhere.  Each episode deals with the enduring optimism that blossoms even in those harsh circumstances.  And through it all, there’s the story of a mother and daughter growing together, even as they face mounting hardships.

Story – 4 out of 5
The story is simple.  After Michiko breaks out of prison, she’s endeavoring to reunite her family.  Pretty much every episode revolves around this one goal.  But as the situation gets more complex – especially with the involvement of multiple crime syndicates – things perpetually go from bad to worse, which Michiko and Hatchin just trying to stick together and keep their heads down as they try to survive.

If there’s one shining aspect about the story, it’s that NOTHING gets glorified.  Criminals are, by and large, extremely petty and filthy things.  Sexuality is often taken to its most base forms, passing well out of anything appealing and into the realm of just being gross.  Everything is laid bare in this series, but without being overtly caustic.  It’s just the way of the world that this story takes place in.

Art – 4 out of 5
The art is deceptively good.  It isn’t hyper-stylized, but it also never devolves into exaggeration like you might see in other anime series.  Characters are always in proportion, buildings always look realistic and believable, and even the simplest objects like guns and cars appear just as they would in the real world.

Animation – 4 out of 5
Much like the art, the animation is better than it first appears.  At an initial glance, the animation seems perfectly serviceable but nothing outstanding.  But as the show goes on, it becomes clear that there’s an understated perfection at work.  Movement is very fluid and also very realistic, with none of the blockiness seen in some anime seeking to cut corners.

Characters – 4 out of 5
Like the world, the characters are all well-developed, very realistic, and really ugly.  Hatchin alone is probably the single decent human being out of an otherwise sin-filled cast.  Every character is corrupt in at least one fashion (if not an array of vices) and every character is guilty of multiple horrific acts, even Michiko.  But the trick is that none of them are ‘bad’ in isolation.  While nobody is exonerated of their ills through their story, their motivations become clear and how a person could turn into whatever monster they have become is rendered very believable, if not familiar.

Acting – 3 out of 5
Having watched the Japanese voice acting cast, I can’t speak for the English team.  I do think there may be something to be said for watching the show with Spanish-speaking actors as the show is set in South America (with signs and announcements matching the location).  While the acting was not exactly outstanding, it was definitely more than adequate.

Overall – 4 out of 5
A four doesn’t quite exemplify how important this series is and deserving of being watched it is.  Anime revolving around female protagonists are kind of rare, especially women like this.  This is not a big-eyed schoolgirl drama.  This is an crime story, set in a very realistic world.  The blemishes of reality are on full display and then some.
Many people will watch this show and not ‘enjoy’ it.
Some people will watch this show and not ‘like’ it.
Everyone will agree it’s ‘good’, and a rare gem deserving of attention.
If you want to see some female protagonists challenge our notions of women-characters and heroines, then this is a show to watch.  If you want to see a show that stretches the limits of what anime can do, then this is a show to watch.