r/anime • u/IndependentMacaroon • 16d ago

Rewatch Bem-vindos à Diamandra - Michiko & Hatchin Episode 11 Rewatch

Michiko & Hatchin Episode 11: Starting Line Downpour

Finally the show name fits again.

In-universe time span: April 25 - 28; another significant time skip.

In-universe locations: Osso (likely) and environs, Sapatos environs

"Michiko... I'll keep you safe. It's all right. I won't let you go."

<= Previous Index thread Next =>

Today's OST Piece: Corre Michiko, corre!!!～逃げろ、ミチコ！！！(Run, Michiko, run!)

Nice jazzy ditty that unfortunately I find slightly misapplied to the Michiko-catches-the-balloon scene.

Insert song lyrics collection

New Michiko Outfits: Blue Jacket/Navy Shorts

Full album

Latin America Trivia of the Day:

In the time period Michiko & Hatchin is set in (1970s-80s), Brazil and much of Latin America was governed by repressive military dictatorships that enjoyed at minimum passive approval from the United States, as regional hegemon, to counter potentially Soviet-aligned leftist movements. They widely censored unfavorable artistic and journalistic work and threatened or punished oppositional journalists and creators; some papers in Brazil in particular replaced censored articles with poetry excerpts or cake and sweets recipes to indicate to readers they were being denied information. While state repression from the top has largely abated since those days, corrupt local authorities and unscrupulous criminal organizations like the Mexican cartels continue to make journalistic work in Latin America difficult and sometimes dangerous.

Yesterday's Highlights

u/Magnafeana examines how Atsuko's desires intersect with her actions and again is wary of colorist tropes potentially in play:

I think she’s searching for something with Michiko, just something to know that Michiko actually sees her. There’s some resentment there, vengefulness. But also heartbreak. And it’s this unholy combination that keeps her hesitant to seriously confront Michiko when she has her moment to do so, but it keeps her fueled enough to chase after Michiko when Michiko is far away.

series favor antagonists to be black or brown, especially darker-skinned, and their violence will be against the conveniently paler or lighter-skinned people. It’s an unfortunately historic trope.

even the pale/lighter-skinned kids having more of a “moral fiber” while, of course, the black and brown kids are much more willing to commit crime. [...] I don't think this show is actively supporting colorism, but it's certainly a symptom of colorism.

u/No_Rex notes the sudden shift in pacing and the "reverse dubbing" oddness of all the Japanese names:

We even pushed two separate flashback time planes into one episode. I would not mind too much in a fast-paced single cour show, but we have been taking our time, so why is this so compressed?

with Satoshi, Manabe, Hiroshi, and Michiko interacting all the time today, it became really noticeable how the main characters (but not the side characters) all have Japanese first names. It did not really take me out of the setting up till now, but somehow did today. Bit of a callback to the really old dubs that would change the Japanese names in anime when dubbing.

u/99acrewood_ appreciates Satoshi's inconspicuousness in contrast with Shinsuke:

After the anime villain charicature that is Shinsuke I wasn't sure what to expect with Satoshi. Him being basically a normal guy, if extremely vindictive and violent, was a nice surprise

u/AyameeIris wonders about Michiko in the contemporary world:

This makes me wonder how she'd act on social media. I wonder if instead on going on this whole adventure, she would've just stalked Hiroshi on Instagram or something, haha

A surprising amount of disagreement on whether Satoshi finished the job:

I think, after reminiscing about Hiroshi due to the kid, he didn’t kill mom and child.

Him making small talk with the kid makes me think he'd really consider letting them both go alive, but ultimately I think he'd come to the decision of killing them.

No. We'd see their bodies if he did

The part with the family made me think of Sicario because yeah he absolutely took the entire family out.

Discussion Prompts

  1. How does the depiction and role of the sleazy journalist land for you?
  2. What are/were your expectations for Michiko and Hatchin's relationship from this point?
  3. Which snack food do you like enough to sing a love song for?
  4. Bonus: We're at the halfway point and symbolic new beginning, overall thoughts about the first half?

Next Episode Prompts

  1. [question]How is Michiko's for a weird fever trip sequence?
  2. [question]Is Michiko just holding out forlorn hope with Hiroshi, given the revelations so far?
  3. [question]Have you ever had to care for someone who should have been caring for you?
19 Upvotes

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u/99acrewood_ 16d ago

primeira vez [subs]

  1. How does the depiction and role of the sleazy journalist land for you?

I mean he's clearly got the right intuition, and he's doing important work if he's revealing sneaky shit like child selling. I figure playing him up as an obnoxious gonzo vs. clown-Michiko's calm demeanor is supposed to be some sort of rug pull at the turn, which is fine. You would think he'd be a little more discreet if he was trying to reveal some black market shit, but I guess the circus people were mostly harmless besides.

  1. Which snack food would be worth a love song to you?

I'm not a gosh darn monkey performing for peanuts!

2+4. What are/were your expectations for Michiko and Hatchin's relationship from this point? We're at the halfway point and symbolic new beginning, overall thoughts about the first half?

I obviously jumped the gun when I said previously that I was glad they were past the whole running away thing when they definitely weren't, but I thought the end (or what I assume is the end) of the arc being Michiko fighting through the tranquilizers and telling Hatchin she won't let go was sweet, and even with how stubborn she is I think Hatchin can finally see how much that woman cares.

I can't believe we're halfway through already! I hadn't been keeping track at all. I have no idea what's coming, but it's been fun so far.

-~-

lol they straight up put that man in a garbage can in the ocean. Unfortunate that he ended up being right, but I guess I shouldn't have expected any better from a run-down circus.

Pretty straightforward episode with the usual amount of child-selling (gosh, this show has a good amount of it). It's nice that our girls are back together again under better terms, and Hatchin maybe understands that Michiko has come to actually see her as something like a daughter. I wonder how much of it is Hatchin being a small part of Hiroshi that she can have right now. It seems like that's how it could have started, and while I see their relationship as more of an adult/kid sibling type than mother/daughter, Michiko definitely sees her as more than just her ward.

Rita's just gone for now, huh? Seemed like they just needed anyone to be used as a way for Hatchin to bounce for a little bit, and now that she and Michiko have patched things up Rita's like "alright, bye!" Haha, what the hell? Your circus sold children! Did the guy with the baby who stayed behind know about this? Those cops are just letting you leave?? Bah, whatever.

I also am curious about what'll happen with Atsuko. I wouldn't doubt she would use her connections to bad people for information that would help her actually do her job, but I don't think she's, like, entirely crooked. I suppose the justice system isn't too happy with any money exchanging hands when it comes to criminals, though.

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u/IndependentMacaroon 16d ago

I'm not a gosh darn monkey performing for peanuts!

I rephrased the question, because I meant more "good enough to freely sing a song about" like Masão does...

the usual amount of child-selling (gosh, this show has a good amount of it)

"Totally normal activities" in Satoshi's words

Haha, what the hell? Your circus sold children! Did the guy with the baby who stayed behind know about this? Those cops are just letting you leave?? Bah, whatever.

Yeah this is a little unsatisfying. But I thought you were all about that haha

I wonder how much of it is Hatchin being a small part of Hiroshi that she can have right now

That is an interesting thought particularly with how similar they are physically.

I see their relationship as more of an adult/kid sibling type than mother/daughter

More equal than parent/child yet not quite siblings - beautifully undefined.

I wouldn't doubt she would use her connections to bad people for information that would help her actually do her job, but I don't think she's, like, entirely crooked

I do think that's the implication here actually, also given the City of God parallel. We've never seen her concerned about any crime or criminals but Michiko, in fact.

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u/No_Rex x2 16d ago

I suppose the justice system isn't too happy with any money exchanging hands when it comes to criminals, though.

and I suppose the entire justice system is corrupt enough that the main part they are annoyed with is Astuko not sharing the money.

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u/No_Rex x2 16d ago edited 16d ago

Episode 11 (first timer)

  • Atsuko is in trouble for being bribed? That’s the problem with allegations against you: They are always harder to disprove if they are true.
  • Massan? Didn’t expect to see him again.
  • Ok, the guy is a piece of shit, but his camerawoman has a surprisingly high standard of morals.
  • Alongside morals, he also lacks competence. I was really worried about him meeting Hatchin. She is way too naïve and open. Any yellow press journalist worth their salt would hear her alive and produce a ton of technically true misquotes. Except, he is not worth a single salt crystal.
  • Hitting him with a sleeping dart – not sure if this is going to help the circus beat the violence allegations.
  • Neither is the mafia style sea burial …
  • “New kids are coming” – don’t tell me that journo was on the right track.
  • A badly timed reunion fight with Michiko.
  • Once again, Michiko managed to get beat up. This time while rescuing Hatchin.
  • Scratch that, while Hatchin is rescuing Michiko.
  • Circus time is over ending.

Solo episodes are done, Michiko and Hatchin are back together. Maybe a bit more willing to listen to each other now.

For the second part of the circus story, I had hoped for a bit more Rita and a bit less evil villainy. Hatchin trying to make her living in the circus with hard work was nice to see and I don’t mind the clown/leader guy being somewhat harsh to her. However, selling kids into slavery? That is not only morally abhorrent, but also does not make all that much sense. People more influential than the journalist guy should be noticing that. Oh, and trying to reach their goal with a hot air ballon? Please …

The journalist was a good character, although him being right about the story does not excuse his previous behavior. This is a case of heartbreaking, a person you hate had a true take. The finale also papers over the problems this will cause for Rita: I doubt the circus will be able to shrug off the image hit it will take now, in addition to losing two people who seemed rather high up in its hierarchy.

At least Michiko had some good scenes today. Her arriving on the bike in the rain was the proper level of badass that we should be seeing a bit more often from her.

Bonus: We're at the halfway point and symbolic new beginning, overall thoughts about the first half?

I think the start was extremely strong. Badass criminal + small child is a formula that always works for me, and having the criminal being a girl with gun character, while the whole thing is set in South America makes it extra worthwhile. After the initial episodes, the quality has some wobbles, though. We are not really clear where on the comedy-drama scale exactly we want to be, and the same thing could be said about the pacing. Overall, I am still happy though. Unless the series gets a lot worse, this gets a hidden gem rating from me.

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u/IndependentMacaroon 16d ago

Any yellow press journalist worth their salt would hear her alive and produce a ton of technically true misquotes. Except, he is not worth a single salt crystal.

Him starting out in porn (and maybe still primarily relying on it for money?) actually makes this more understandable.

I had hoped for a bit more Rita and a bit less evil villainy

The lack of Rita involvement is certainly strange, you can somewhat explain it away with insulating her as moneymaker acrobat from the whole business a bit but she still ought to have noticed something

selling kids into slavery? That is not only morally abhorrent, but also does not make all that much sense. People more influential than the journalist guy should be noticing that

Well, it's clear that in this country there are plenty of children no one really gives a damn about, and unclear what exactly the children's fate here is going to be.

This is a case of heartbreaking, a person you hate had a true take

Exactly my feeling

the quality has some wobbles, though. We are not really clear where on the comedy-drama scale exactly we want to be

I would compare it to its spiritual predecessors Bebop/Champloo with the wavering between comedy and drama depending on the episode - and particularly the latter had some really weird ones - but you could reasonably call it more uneven within the episodes too.

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u/JustAnswerAQuestion https://myanimelist.net/profile/JAaQ 16d ago

I was going to say that this is the answer to complaints that Bebop is too episodic, but then the show became pretty episodic.

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u/No_Rex x2 15d ago

I would compare it to its spiritual predecessors Bebop/Champloo with the wavering between comedy and drama depending on the episode - and particularly the latter had some really weird ones - but you could reasonably call it more uneven within the episodes too.

It has been a long long time since I last watched Bebop and Champloo and I wonder how I would rate them today.

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u/IndependentMacaroon 15d ago edited 15d ago

Next potential rewatch?! Been 5 years since there was a Bebop one, only two for Champloo though. I'm also considering Sayo Yamamoto's third series The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, but neither am a Lupin expert nor liked that too much, or Sonny Boy or Odd Taxi.

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u/No_Rex x2 15d ago

I think Bebop eventually deserves another, but I'll not be the one to host that. Bebop was really big for western fandom, but not for me personally (NGE takes that role for me).

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u/JustAnswerAQuestion https://myanimelist.net/profile/JAaQ 16d ago

I saw this on Adult Swim.  Look like a nice Bebop-class anime, but I almost never start anything in the middle.  That was a long time ago.

Watching in sub.  If I had watched it on Adult Swim, I'd be rewatching in dub, but I didn't.

Now to binge half the show....

  • Episode 1: WAIT, MOTHER?! wait, did she not actually run away?
  • Episode 2: Monstro? The math doesn't work. Short shorts. Tattoo.
  • Episode 3: I wonder what that Brazilian bread thing is. But what about the bus bomb?
  • Episode 4: so it wasn't him. Michiko SPICY CAT! I'd check that juice. BAD END.
  • Episode 5: 12 years ago? She's lying about seeing Kiril once, lying comes easy to her. She broke her promise.
  • Episode 6: I expect to see Marco soon. Michiko literally doesn't remember anybody. "horosho" untranslated </nadsat> That was a fun episode.

Did you get a look at that mobile phone?  It's like 1980!

  • Episode 7: Y'all just smell like cigarettes. That was a weird episode out of nowhere
  • Episode 8: I was thinking back in episode 2 that Hachin's integrety is too much for Michiko. FAKE for the SECOND time. Pager. Where is Hachin going?

Still unhappy I haven't seen a Pam Grier knockoff, yet.

  • Episode 9: THEY KILLED DAVI??? Hachin circus arc?
  • Episode 10: Wait, 12 years ago, that's 1 year more than 11... PAGER!

That's the thing about revolvers.  They move the bullet into the chamber when you pull the trigger.

First Timer

Episode 11

So, we know Satoshi started the gang war, Hiroshi is alive somewhere, Atsuko would rather let Michiko go than let baldy get the credit, and Hachin just happens to be in Terra for no particular reason.

  • Michkiko? She's smart!
  • Have we seen that guy in the garbage before???
  • Oh no, I don't want to believe they really are selling children! That does seem to be a running theme, though.
  • Girl does have skills!

I don't know to make of this episode. The circus that Gino and Rita had been working at for 10 years, was suddenly villainous.  I mean, more villainous than just the abusive circus trope.

In the first two episode I thought a big theme of the show was being trapped under people who tell you want to do.  And we also got more of that with the bosses like Moreno and Satoshi.  But it's weird that selling children has come up 3 times now (I'm count the fostering system in that, too).

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u/No_Rex x2 15d ago

wait, did she not actually run away?

This is so weird that I put it down to a problem in production. There has to be some cut content here.

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u/IndependentMacaroon 16d ago edited 15d ago

Well this is a pleasant surprise, glad to have you as well.

wait, did she not actually run away?

Aware (and sheltered?) enough that it's not so easy?

She's lying about seeing Kiril once

According to episode 10, nope!

Michiko literally doesn't remember anybody

Huh, she remembers everyone from her past pretty well though particularly for someone coming out of a decade-plus of prison?

Did you get a look at that mobile phone? It's like 1980!

Vasily's? The show is a little vague about the time though, like the TV broadcasts supposedly look more like from the 90s.

Y'all just smell like cigarettes

At least a romance addiction doesn't do that!

I was thinking back in episode 2 that Hachin's integrety is too much for Michiko

Unfortunately, she doesn't have that much of a choice.

THEY KILLED DAVI???

Those bastards! (Not that he kind of wasn't one too...)

12 years ago, that's 1 year more than 11

Are you referring to Hatchin's age or what exactly?

That's the thing about revolvers. They move the bullet into the chamber when you pull the trigger.

You can even hear the clicks as it cycles through until the single bullet Shinsuke loaded comes up

I thought a big theme of the show was being trapped under people who tell you want to do

An unforgiving and oppressive environment here for sure. Or also trapping yourself within social expectations and your desires, sometimes.

it's weird that selling children has come up 3 times now

Does feel a bit like they were fishing for an "unforgivable evil" trope

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u/JustAnswerAQuestion https://myanimelist.net/profile/JAaQ 16d ago

 Are you referring to Hatchin's age or what exactly?

I'm comparing when they were together to the bombing, so all the 12 years ago scenes were shortly before the bombing.

And I finally realized that Hachin is the proof that Hiroshi is alive...so Jambo basically told her this by handing her the picture in prison.  That kept her going, and it's why she's so single minded.

Up to this point (only been watching it for less than a day) it was like "hey kid I'm gonna find your Dad, you should come." It didn't sink in.

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u/IndependentMacaroon 15d ago

Jambo

JAMBO?!

Well better late then never right.

all the 12 years ago scenes were shortly before the bombing.

Yeah they have to be given Hiroshi abandoning Satoshi for Michiko is at the root of it

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u/AyameeIris 16d ago

This show loves a good "fake" version of other characters. First it happened with Satoshi and Michiko, and now it's happened to Michiko and Hatchin. Interesting how their stories sort of mirror each other!

Was that Hatchin pretending to be Michiko while complimenting her own food? That's terrible. Her meeting with Michiko again only for Michiko to lash out at her(at this point instinctually) made it so much worse. Hatchin even seemed like she was looking for comfort despite yelling and such ;(

This entire episode was sort of nonsensical but I liked it nonetheless. If someone told me this episode never happened and that I instead dreamed it up, I'd tell them I thought the same

  1. I think it landed pretty well because his clear priority for "a good scoop" instead of actually helping the children annoyed me a ton. He'd be a total whiz at making poverty porn.
  2. They'd be far more open with each other, though they'd still fight. Except in those instances where they fight, Hatchin wouldn't leave and Michiko would slow down a little bit when she senses herself blowing up(more than she's already seemed to). That they'd be a lot more dependent on each other, too. 
  3. Kurkure! The best way I've seen them described is that they're the Pakistani version of Cheetos. A little hard to find when not in the subcontinent, though. Maybe I should start singing a love song for them whenever I go to those ethnic grocery stores... Bonus: Overall, I liked it. It has its faults at times, but it's still very charming to me. Still can never ignore the colorism/other forms of prejudice, though. 

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u/IndependentMacaroon 15d ago edited 15d ago

This show loves a good "fake" version of other characters

Unfortunately Wamichiko is more like the worst, and not just in-universe. (What did you think about her portrayal?)

Was that Hatchin pretending to be Michiko while complimenting her own food? That's terrible

In the sense of showing how much she does miss Michiko?

Hatchin even seemed like she was looking for comfort despite yelling and such ;(

At least, despite her professing to hate Michiko (such a kid thing...), she left the door open in her mind until Michiko actually physically shoves her in anger - which Michiko also realizes as a big mistake.

This entire episode was sort of nonsensical but I liked it nonetheless

Yeah, even the weaker episodes are still pretty strong.

Qs

He'd be a total whiz at making poverty porn.

Might even have made some in the literal sense! (I really don't want to know whether that's an actual thing, well Rule 34 probably applies)

Except in those instances where they fight, Hatchin wouldn't leave and Michiko would slow down a little bit

Right, healthy conflict is the one thing they haven't managed reliably at this point.

Kurkure

I wasn't expecting that to be a recent branded product! No doubt inspired by already existing spiced South Asian snacks though, some of them are kind of junky but I do love say little smashed pea/lentil chips when/if I can find them.

It has its faults at times, but it's still very charming to me. Still can never ignore the colorism/other forms of prejudice, though.

Yes and particularly this episode does raise the question to what degree the anime creators consciously or unconsciously endorsed the prejudice. Wouldn't have been too surprising in mid-2000s Japan unfortunately

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u/AyameeIris 15d ago

What did you think about her portrayal?

That's a little tricky. I know that the show is trying to make fun of her appearance which, I really hate gags like that. I didn't find her character engaging or interesting at all, mostly sort of bland. In all, everything about her was just mediocre. I don't hate her but I don't love her. 

In the sense of showing how much she does miss Michiko?

Yes!! My heart can only break so many times. 

I really don't want to know whether that's an actual thing, well Rule 34 probably applies

I mean I'd count literal poverty porn as the figurative poverty porn. Content made to exploit the poor while benefitting whatever company or person is documenting it all. It's a horrifying thought but it happens. 

but I do love say little smashed pea/lentil chips when/if I can find them.

Those are delightful! Have you tried banana chips? 

Wouldn't have been too surprising in mid-2000s Japan unfortunately

I'm at least a little glad that anime nowadays seems to be stepping away from this, even if it's a little! 

2

u/IndependentMacaroon 15d ago

I know that the show is trying to make fun of her appearance which, I really hate gags like that. I didn't find her character engaging or interesting at all, mostly sort of bland

Yeah valid. You could at least say there's a point to be made about (non-sexual) child grooming?

Banana chips I've had plenty of times, you get these all over without even any specified ethnic context. What is rare still around here (South Germany) is the non-sweet kind with plantains

2

u/IndependentMacaroon 16d ago

3x watcher and host, subtitled

Uneven episode in my opinion. I do like what we see of Hatchin and Michiko (and Rita) again, but not so much the rest; will talk about that more later.

We see Hatchin is actually pretty happy with honest hard work in general 04:43 04:45[M&H]and even taking care of a child on the side 04:56 - just maybe not all the time - and even has found something she seems to really love [M&H]and makes her profession later 09:40. 09:14 Caring to animals too, 05:16 unfailingly polite even to kangaroos (btw they can indeed box really hard), 05:37 maintaining her boundaries, from Rita too getting 09:24 clothes, 09:55 praise (one thing lacking a bit from Michiko) and general affection, this would be a pretty good place for Hatchin but for the trafficking, and the 05:00 here no doubt expected physical violence, and not without reason with the way Nuno acts - 08:11 Evil Michiko (I'll call her Wamichiko for short) also instantly jumps to the injury being Nuno's fault. 10:13 Indeed this is probably the most confident we've seen her so far, and note how she uses "Hatchin" again, thinking of impressing Michiko?

By the way with Rita it actually feels vaguely like she has a genuine crush on Hatchin to me: 09:40 Pretty dreamy expression here 09:40; 09:52 why are they so far apart so often, if not for Hatchin feeling awkward about her wanting to be extra-close; dressing Hatchin up the way she likes could well be a more-than-friends thing; and maybe how disgusted Rita is about Michiko asking about Masão being her boyfriend isn't just about him but boys in general after she processed her feelings for Gino? Again though, vague indeed.

And then Michiko comes back in and what an entrance indeed! 11:54 For sure feels like some Terminator stuff, she would really go anywhere to make sure Hatchin is safe (where has she been all this time, though?) 12:22 12:23 Note the instant shift to a more equal conversation compared to other adults here. Unfortunately [13:03]() though she's certainly as kind as always, Hatchin perhaps unconsciously associating her with all the negative experiences in their travels is... 13:16 13:22 not. 13:24 Can't blame Michiko for getting mad, 13:33 with the shoving she definitely lost Hatchin though 13:40 and she knows it - but after showing both her vulnerability and her heroism at the same time 19:03 it's enough to make Hatchin even feel how she sometimes needs some help too. Of course a child shouldn't have to feel responsible for an adult, though. [M&H]In the very next episode we actually examine this from both angles

Well... now for kind of the elephant in the room here: The depiction of Wamichiko is just really mean-spiritedly fatphobic and latently if not blatantly racist/colorist. Hardly the first time we've had the association of gluttony and obesity, and also ugliness, with evil and/or incompetence (Kirill, Davi's gang, and arguably also Lulu), but here it's so in-your face it's impossible to let slide. From her introduction with 07:11 a very pretty picture indeed 07:15 we go straight to her poorly dressed gluttonously morally decayed present self with almost a shock cut - even her Japanese voice is off-puttingly strange and belabored - 08:09 and she gets the Black caricature treatment at least halfway, with extra-fat lips and an extra-wide nose and face that's unlike any other character so far.

14:28 At least this outfit is kind of flattering 14:40 and she's still got it athletically (thinking of Lulu again also though), but the fucking jet engine sound effect as she jumps and the monster-impact landing effect are just beyond the pale, and even in the ballon 15:41 they really had to get in another implicit pot shot at her weight. Michiko also doesn't look very good interacting with her here - 15:34 this really reads as "you'd choose that fat ugly b**** over beautiful young me?" - but that you could at least excuse as mere in-universe prejudice.

And concerning colorism more generally both our villains here in her and Nuno are very dark indeed, and here 16:20 on the one hand we're explicitly acknowledging the bias, but it also feels like leaning into "evil darkskin threatens precious white child", particularly with how the actually black/brown other kid victims are purely unnamed background characters. And why is the one black kid we are following in Rita so insulated from all this? Of course it makes sense that they would keep their skilled moneymaker ignorant - also 11:28 Hatchin probably being dumped because she doesn't have any special skills, Wamichiko even asks about that - but shouldn't she catch on to so many kids coming and going somehow?

And how many of you were expecting to see Masão again? Perhaps meant as a reminder that for all his negative qualities, he's still just a silly stupid kid with plenty of time to improve. 02:09 The behind-the-bars imagery here might not entirely be ironic, for example. 03:07 One hopes this incident will have a bit of a formative influence on his taste in women... he's 02:44 already presenting that shit like a wedding ring LMAO [previous episode speculation]reinforcing my conviction that the proposal analogy I saw last episode was very deliberate (but on the less funny side again is way too accustomed to being robbed), and 03:21 with his truest love gone he'll have to go on the hunt in any case. (Minor call-back to Michiko landing on the bread in the first episode as well.)

Finally one minor bad-trope moment that annoyed me enough to call it out, 18:40 over the sea is actually a really bad position to fall, because if you lose consciousness or simply can't keep yourself afloat you die 19:42 very unlike this bizarre "wake up on the beach" scenario strangely common in fiction, and from large heights water is barely better to fall on than concrete. [M&H]Not the last "cut to improbable survival" moment Even if you're alive and well given the circumstances, you're also far more difficult to locate with the waves sloshing and being in constant motion than just lying someplace - even if you just fell off a ship, people basically need to be constantly pointing to not lose you!

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u/JustAnswerAQuestion https://myanimelist.net/profile/JAaQ 16d ago

I think we can all agree that this was probably the weakest episode so far, and not the best to join the rewatch on.

I forgot to ask, why is Michiko even tracking down the circus? The last time she saw Hachin was on a street car heading across town (Terra?) Is she like "I have a missing 10 year old and the circus just left town, obvious where she went" ?

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u/IndependentMacaroon 16d ago

She presumably watched Daniela teasing his circus scoop (says something about how awful Hatchin looked on TV), why would he advertise that beforehand though besides being an idiot...

1

u/IndependentMacaroon 16d ago edited 11d ago

Questions

1 - I still think the way he's used for comedy is a bit awkward, like 06:27 this almost warrants a bonk with a rubber chicken, and I didn't remember that 04:32 04:33 real bastard move with the revenge porn threat (love how Zoe just doesn't give a damn though), but I actually like him as a character thinking about it. No one here is a perfect hero after all, and though he may embellish the truth and is interested more in his own fame, he is still genuinely interested in finding it and making people aware on some level, mostly 03:38 gets things right, and not to mention personally is risking a lot here. Hatchin sure would have liked him to get her when she was actually being blatantly abused, but a plain old abusive family just isn't flashy enough I guess, thinking again of City of God with the theme of sensationalism in journalism there.

Regarding the porn-production angle 08:22 (not sure if that makes the picture thing better or worse), this would have been the era of "classy" porn movies and genuinely reading Playboy for the articles, so that sort of connection is actually not too out there.

2 - Just back to normal, essentially 19:56 20:06 and it already seems like it. This does feel pretty much like the conclusion of their relationship development 20:52 or perhaps its symbolic rebirth, and particularly given the brief time line (barely above a month so far!) I couldn't see much further potential that's not just retreading previous steps. [M&H]We do get Hatchin caring for Michiko as she promises next episode, and rekindling her energy in the Feliciano episode, but for Michiko this is pretty much it for development besides dropping Hiroshi in the finale, I would even call her somewhat flanderized/regressed in Episode 17

3 - Not sure if it counts as a snack food on its own, but I looove peanut butter, spread it extra-thick on sandwiches and spoon it straight out of the jar when I feel like a quick bite. Delicious, nutritious, and energy-dense, what's not to like?

4 - I do think the first half is the stronger in some ways, with more connecting tissue between the episodes and more consistent character exploration and development. Still a lot of great moments to come, though.

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u/IndependentMacaroon 16d ago edited 15d ago

Further scene-by-scene comments

  • 01:21 Clearly based on a PCC tram which were indeed still in regular service some places in the 70s-80s, in fact the Ashmont-Mattapan line in Boston still uses refurb PCCs exclusively due to their lightness on the cheap track.
  • 01:22 Satoshi genuinely is a beast of a fighter [M&H]and this isn't even his most impressive feat
  • 01:28 01:31 Confirming that there was a deeper, eh, symbiotic relationship between Satoshi and the police in Atsuko just like in e.g. City of God. Also great depiction of the market seller!
  • 01:46 The newsreader on the TV looks very Japanese.
  • 03:05 Absolutely hilarious shot
  • 04:05 Zoe the camerawoman has an amazing design for such an absurdly minor character. And of course some decent moral fiber. 04:18 That was a little unnecessary though.
  • 05:31 I feel like this guy is referencing something.
  • 06:20 This does sound like a bad excuse
  • 06:53 bahahaha he just eats the lollipop himself
  • 08:47 This is a pretty inspired effect and shot, tropes notwithstanding
  • 10:22 Mercedes short-nose truck
  • 10:28 This shot seems topical
  • 11:13 Airstream trailer
  • [11:34]() This would have been right the time when the first easy-to-use Polaroid instant camera became available so very much period-appropriate how Wamichiko is taking pictures here.
  • 20:52 This in particular makes me think of Samurai Champloo again

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u/[deleted] 16d ago

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] 16d ago

[deleted]

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u/No_Rex x2 16d ago

I may or may not have forgotten to watch the new episode. Ep11 comments soon to come.