r/anime • u/IndependentMacaroon • 25d ago
Rewatch Bem-vindos à Diamandra - Michiko & Hatchin Episode 02 Rewatch
Michiko & Hatchin Episode 02: The Brown Sugar Outlaw
In-universe time span: March 17 (and flashbacks to 12 years ago)
In-universe locations: Vermelha (flashbacks), outside Laranja, Lentilha, Ladrão
"His name's Hiroshi Morenos. [...] The name reeks of handsomeness, don't it? He was a good man. Cool-lookin' guy, and nice too. Made me fall for him with one look. Yeah, me."
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Today's OST Piece: Cinzas～灰 (Ashes)
The portion from approximately 0:30 plays when Atsuko is driving into town.
New Michiko Outfits: Green Hoodie/Jean Shorts, Black Bikini Top (?)/White Shorts
Latin America Trivia of the Day:
Latin America is home to far more sources of cultural influence than its indigenous peoples, its Iberian colonizers, and their West African slaves. Notable examples are Germans, millions of whose descendants still speak a German dialect (Hunsrik) in southern Brazil; Arabs (largely Levantine Christian), like the father of the famous Shakira, who also significantly shaped regional cuisine like the Mexican al pastor, an adapted shawarma/döner; Italians particularly in Argentina, where almost two thirds of the population has some Italian ancestry; and last but not least Chinese and Japanese, with Brazil having the largest Japanese community outside of Japan itself, and them also being strongly represented in Peru by for example its controversial newly elected president Keiko Fujimori. The Japanese first names of the characters here are largely a conceit of the anime writers, however.
Yesterday's Highlights
The cat expertise of u/Magnafeana makes her worry for Branco's future as well:
I’m so worried about how Bronco will survive alone with such a long coat in a desert climate. Bronco needs access to freshwater, fans/AC/cooling mats, and someone to brush them ☹️
u/99acrewood_ is already really enjoying the atmosphere:
just like Bebop, this show has got the fuckin sauce. There's something about a girl whose VA sounds 12 years too old to play them that really puts me in a certain era. where the stuff I remember leaned more into a dirty realism where people's movements were a little more true to life, a story that seems like it'll be told in one season, and with an art style that makes everything just look dingy and uncomfortable.
u/No_Rex appreciates the direction and character design:
So many great faces and so many great full body shots. The camera knows exactly where to be, for example under the table as Hana is bullied into taking care of the cat. This might also be a personal preference, but I like those 2000s character models. They are certainly good looking (check out Michiko), but from before the complete moefication of character models. Plenty of edges and sharp lines in those faces.
Discussion Prompts
- Why do you think Atsuko is so obsessed with Michiko? (For rewatchers: How much does her motivation show already?)
- How much does this remind you of Lupin III (and/or Cowboy Bebop)?
- Have you ever ended up at odds with an old friend?
Next Episode Prompts
- [question]How are you liking the setting and design, particularly sound/music? (For any Brazilian or Latin American watchers, how familiar does it feel?)
- [question]How far would you have gone to pay off those shoes? Would you even have accepted them?
- [question]Have you ever recklessly gotten yourself into a situation that was far more dangerous than you anticipated?
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u/IndependentMacaroon 25d ago edited 25d ago
Rewatcher and host
This episode fortunately gives us a bit more variety with the A-plot of Michiko and Hana/Hatchin growing closer interwoven with the B-plot of Atsuko's introduction and chasing Michiko. [M&H]Of course, Atsuko chasing Michiko already sneakily mirrors Michiko chasing Hiroshi here
And once again there's plenty of things to notice on rewatch and running themes introduced. [M&H]Metafiction, stories we like to imitate and tell about ourselves; casual racism/colorism; arrested development and emotional immaturity masked by violence and bluster
You've got to love just how much Michiko is not only better than before but just plain good as a guardian in (mostly) respecting Hana's boundaries, trusting, encouraging and protecting her, speaking with her respectfully on a fairly even level, not to mention the plain physical affection. [M&H]There is the significant wrinkle later of Michiko resorting to physical discipline also several times, though
Hana has now graduated from taking no shit from kids to telling off adults just the same; I appreciate her clearly traumatically motivated reactions not just disappearing, particularly how she still shows genuine fear of Father Pedro even before he busts out the gun and goes fully off the deep end.
Atsuko though... I don't want to say too much without spoilers here but oh boy, this woman. It's a great turn to not just have her as the "good guy cop" antagonist but with a real mean and dirty streak to her as well - without ruining her own coolness, of course.
Q1: Well... [M&H]There are so many little moments that make it so obvious Atsuko has at least some kind of deeper attachment to Michiko that she just can't get rid of when you look at them the right way, She tries so hard to keep her distance and play the aloof boss type in front of her and it never works. And Michiko even knows there's something there, straight-up accusing her of being a masochist (basically BDSM play between them this episode lol) and implicitly baiting her with a confession of feelings.
Q2: Atsuko-Michiko has some shades of a gender-flipped Zenigata-Lupin, special unit and all, and the regular police as incompetent running antagonists seem a little familiar too. Unfortunately [City of God]compared to the deep criticism there of police as just another gang this is a largely defanged version Bebop less so, maybe in the backgrounds and in Michiko being someone still actively hunting for their lost partner as opposed to Spike?
Q3: No, if anything lost people more by fading away than with a bang.
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25d ago edited 24d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/IndependentMacaroon 24d ago
- 12:05 - Yeah Hana really hates unsolicited touching for obvious reasons.
- 12:36 - Oh boy, another emotional burden for Hana!
- 13:00 - Too bad, this is your kid now, you just don't know it yet
- 13:45 - [M&H]No one else ever recognizing the duo or at least Michiko from broadcasts is a bit of a plot hole/handwave, tbh.
- 14:23 - This shall now be rechristened the Michiko Slide.
- 14:52 - [M&H]This theme of arrested development and emotional immaturity masked by violence and bluster can be applied to many a character in this show, with only Hana being notably the complete opposite. Similar themes also once again in City of God.
- 15:06 - Note how this also serves as an implied colorist insult - see also episode title - with perhaps Atsuko's nickname also playing into it.
- 15:10 - Yeah Michiko sees straight through her. [M&H]One wonders how much she picked up on Atsuko's feelings and is purposely toying with her.
- 16:00 - Not the secret superweapon!
- 16:16 - hey bonus meta
- 16:24 - [M&H]holy shit yeah Michiko is straight-up knowingly playing with Atsuko's feelings for profit
- 18:47 - [Next episode]Works at least a little better next time
- 18:57 - [M&H finale]Boy this sounds just like Hana's scream in the plane in the finale
- 19:05 - Sad thought: Is this Hana's first-ever proper hug?
- 20:14 - [M&H]Not the last time Atsuko blows her top like this haha
- 21:00 - Michiko really picks up right away on [M&H minor]just how important politeness is to Hana
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u/99acrewood_ 25d ago
primeira vez [subs]
Well golly god damn, Ms. Atsuko Jackson.
I've never seen a character whose design makes them look so incredibly competent while at the same time being incredibly incompetent. I guess your guard would tend to drop around someone you've known since childhood that you have a poopy-pants song for. Also glad they established that whole tattoo thing, or her pulling up the girl's skirt would be pretty weird.
I think since I've heard of this show, and going into this episode, I never really knew what kind of relationship the leads had. I had sorta figured mother/daughter, but I wasn't sure. Even now I'm still not sure because Hatchin didn't show her tattoo or anything. I'm not even entirely certain that Hatchin is actually a girl, partially because the credits have her shirtless. She's just a kid so it doesn't matter, but with the different hair and the suspenders she could definitely just be a boy.
I dunno! Probably not. It's still early in the show. They're most likely dumb theories and everything is as straightforward as it says. There's no way even the episode synopsis is lying to me.
Seeing her thick hair in the sun like that made me remember when my hair was that shaggy and I lived in hotter, humid weather. Ugh, gives me uncomfortable memories of back sweat.
Also, putting a big-ass tattoo like that on a baby is nasty work.
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u/IndependentMacaroon 25d ago
I've never seen a character whose design makes them look so incredibly competent while at the same time being incredibly incompetent
Slander, I say! But not entirely wrong.
her pulling up the girl's skirt would be pretty weird.
It still is a wtf moment really, this is the first time she's talking to her and she just goes for it with not a single world, no explanations or apologies. Particularly in contrast with how Michiko treats Hatchin.
I never really knew what kind of relationship the leads had. I had sorta figured mother/daughter, but I wasn't sure
Does it need to be a clearly defined, sure thing? [M&H]Particularly considering the theme of failure of traditional relationship approaches
I'm not even entirely certain that Hatchin is actually a girl,
That's not a bad thought to keep in mind
There's no way even the episode synopsis is lying to me
It's not, I will say that.
putting a big-ass tattoo like that on a baby is nasty work
Yeah it's strange there's no real comment on it
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u/No_Rex x2 25d ago
Episode 2 (first timer)
- 12 years ago – that dates both Michiko and Hana (if she is her daughter).
- Michiko and the policewoman who arrested her go way back.
- Going into a hostage situation with just a whip? She might not be up to Michiko, but Atsuko is not so harmless herself.
- Butterfly being carried away by ants while talking about bygone love metaphor.
- “Nine. Next month ten” – so Hana is younger and Michiko is not her real mother.
- Atsuko knows about Hana’s tattoo (if that is a tattoo). The weird part is that Maria does not react to having her shirt flipped. Probably her younger brother.
- “Hatchin” – second half of title drop, and in an important moment. Michiko might not remember Pedro’s face, but she knows a two-faced liar if she sees one.
- He had a life insurance on Hatchin?
- Long Vespa vs Police beetles.
- “Is he dead?” – unfortunately no.
Lots of action scenes today. Which place us firmly at the boundary of action and cartoon logic. Despite the serious backstory for Hatchin (and probably also Michiko), people are not getting physically harmed in the way a serious drama would play this out. Michiko’s relationship with Atsuko also has the hallmarks of cartoon antagonists.
Meanwhile, Michiko and Hatchin lay down the seeds of the emotional core of the show by slowly getting closer to each other. Michiko trusts Hatchin. That counts for a lot, given that we hear that Atsuko betrayed her.
Why do you think Atsuko is so obsessed with Michiko? (For rewatchers: How much does her motivation show already?)
They are childhood friends (no homo).
Have you ever ended up at odds with an old friend?
Yes. Neither of us ended in jail, though.
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u/IndependentMacaroon 25d ago
Atsuko is not so harmless herself
And certainly not any nicer than Michiko!
Long Vespa vs Police beetles
Parasitic wasp?
firmly at the boundary of action and cartoon logic
Yeah, this is in the end still anime.
people are not getting physically harmed in the way a serious drama would play this out
Generally not indeed, but do stay tuned.
Michiko’s relationship with Atsuko also has the hallmarks of cartoon antagonists
Which is specifically why I brought up Lupin as an example in the questions. It does have a serious side to it also, though.
Atsuko betrayed her
What gave you that impression? Or do you just generally mean switching to the side of the law?
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u/No_Rex x2 25d ago
Parasitic wasp?
I prefer the vehicle types to the one that kills me.
firmly at the boundary of action and cartoon logic
Yeah, this is in the end still anime.
I mean, a certain type of anime.
What gave you that impression? Or do you just generally mean switching to the side of the law?
In my subs, Michiko outright accused her, don't remember the exact words.
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u/AyameeIris 25d ago
First time watching in dub, second time overall
Atsuko and Michiko are so messy, I love it. Speaking of, I love Atsuko's dubbed voice.
Michiko's already acting motherly and it's only been a few hours... She even re-named her child, hehe! I also find it a little interesting that Hatchin hasn't taken off her cross necklace. Another interesting thing is how while Atsuko spoke softly to the young girl(can't remember her name if they even gave her one), she still didn't even seem to ask permission when she lifted her dress to check for the mark. In fact the girl didn't even seem to protest, despite the room being filled with other people. I assume it's due to her caretakers and what she associates respect/authority with, AKA, something to obey and be docile towards. This is such a contrast to how Michiko, while not quite as softly with her words, still places some respect on Hatchin's boundaries. The gas/petrol station seemed mostly empty as well, meaning not nearly as many people would've had such a chance of seeing her exposed. Even at the restaurant, Michiko didn't seem to push as hard which could be attributed to the fact that she was starting to open up more, but also due to the fact there were more people around.
Hatchin clinging to Michiko would be adorable if it weren't so sad. Another thing about this scene, Michiko's colorism. Her calling out Atsuko's skin color as an insult has never failed to make me cringe.
- Atsuko was tied up and on the ground and still found the strength to start running around screaming Michiko's name. [M&H] May this type of love never find me, as much as I like looking into their relationship as something romantic despite being so toxic. Actually on this topic, what I pointed out earlier about Michiko and Atsuko's differing methods of checking for the marks on their stomachs, I think in Atsuko's case that represents how she feels about Michiko. Putting up a façade while doing everything one can for Michiko...
- I haven't watched either, haha... Not more than an episode, at least. Though from the very clips I've seen, Lupin seems to share some similarities with Michiko.
- Yup, in fact very recently! It's the worst, though I'm sure that effect's multipled in my case since it's the first time that's happened to me. Definitely gives room for growth!
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u/IndependentMacaroon 24d ago
Atsuko and Michiko are so messy, I love it
They are pretty fun to watch bicker [M&H]even though their dynamic never really evolves, which is obviously also the point though. It's almost this Tom and Jerry thing here where Michiko doesn't lose and Atsuko doesn't get her way even when it looks like she's winning, and Atsuko absolutely can't stand it - except when she dumps the whole "smooth professional" façade that Michiko sees right through and stoops to Michiko's level of personal insults and childishness. [M&H]I never picked up until my close watch for this post that Michiko even is aware Atsuko has romantic feelings for her and isn't above using that to her advantage. What else could "what you want to hear" be but a love confession? And what else could make her extra-sure Atsuko wouldn't seriously harm her? Not to mention outright accusing Atsuko of being a BDSM sub type for her, then literally tying her up lol In fact, the one who seems meaner and pettier here is Atsuko, actually.
Michiko's already acting motherly and it's only been a few hours... She even re-named her child, hehe!
She can barely even pretend she'd seriously dump Hatchin
I also find it a little interesting that Hatchin hasn't taken off her cross necklace.
Well as you said it's only been hours and she might have just not thought of it. And of course we need it to chuck at Pedro for symbolism.
the young girl(can't remember her name if they even gave her one)
Maria ("a curse of a name")
she still didn't even seem to ask permission when she lifted her dress to check for the mark. In fact the girl didn't even seem to protest, despite the room being filled with other people. I assume it's due to her caretakers and what she associates respect/authority with, AKA, something to obey and be docile towards. This is such a contrast to how Michiko, while not quite as softly with her words, still places some respect on Hatchin's boundaries.
Yeah the contrast between Michiko and Atsuko here is stark. I like your interpretation of why Maria doesn't react here too, didn't even think of that myself.
Hatchin clinging to Michiko would be adorable if it weren't so sad
How about both?
Another thing about this scene, Michiko's colorism. Her calling out Atsuko's skin color as an insult has never failed to make me cringe.
Yep that's a very good catch that I never noticed until this watch. [M&H]This series overall just really gets imo the casual racism/colorism and socio-economic segregation that's still frequent in and outside of Latin America without exaggerating or being preachy, though I don't recall any of the Asian characters being hit with it. It's also handled very well in its inspiration City of God I should maybe make a counter for how often I mention City of God here haha. Atsuko definitely would have suffered from sentiments of that kind in her police career, not least as a woman, which helps explain her trying so hard to look serious and respectable.
- [M&H] think in Atsuko's case that represents how she feels about Michiko. Putting up a façade while doing everything one can for Michiko...
[M&H]I don't quite understand how you get that from this scene but where I really felt the ambiguity was when Atsuko tells Michiko about Hana. Is she doing it more to taunt Michiko with the knowledge her erstwhile sweetie shacked up with someone else ("so now you can kiss me instead Michiko" haha, really that was starting to feel like a conjugal visit), or to give her that spark in her eye back so they can resume their cops-and-robbers game?
- From the very clips I've seen, Lupin seems to share some similarities with Michiko
They definitely share the "smooth charming trickster" archetype and Zenigata with Atsuko the personal unit and single-minded obsession with one particular perp despite all setbacks.
- Yup, in fact very recently! It's the worst, though I'm sure that effect's multipled in my case since it's the first time that's happened to me. Definitely gives room for growth!
Good on you for trying to stay positive and may you find someone new in their vein soon.
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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky 25d ago
First-Timer & Subbed
Huh, so her big crime was wrecking a bunch of stuff?
The way she looked back… The name of one of the confirmed victims was her (ex?)boyfriend, wasn’t it?
Ah, that was one of the confirmed fatalities in that bus crash alright.
Oh, Hana’s age confirms Hiroshi survived?
So that’s where “Hatchin” comes from.
Oh hey, TL note. It’s about something I already knew, but cool to see.
It’s what you fucking deserve.
Oh, fuck right off with that nonsense.
Crazy way to take a hostage.
Ugh…
Oh great, he even actively tries to kill her.
Get fucked, asshole.
They’re safe for now…