In terms of characters, Michiko to Hatchin does do enough in fleshing out the show's prominent characters (Hana, Michiko, Atsuko and Satoshi) and whatever conflicts they face as they become connected to Hana and Michiko's search for Hiroshi. In particular, Hana and Michiko's bond is the central focus of the series making for both humorous and touching moments as they are frequently at odds with one another due to how different they are in personality and thinking, yet are the best thing both have had in their lives due to their harsh pasts. Adding to the show's comedy are episodes where the duo encounter some over-the-top characters within town slums such as a crackpot doctor, an eccentric Chinese restaurant cook and a cross-dressing opera singer.
The show's plot is mostly linear as Hana and Michiko journey in finding clues pertaining to Hiroshi's whereabouts, as well as some fillers where the two encounter said crazy characters and some focus on Atsuko's past. The show isn't afraid at making things become intense as Michiko and others get into some dangerous territory while confronting thugs, the police, assassins and mobsters leading to some crazy action sequences with car chases and gun fights. These scenes are quite fluid and jaw-dropping to see onscreen as vehicles and characters move smoothly enough during intense moments.
As for the rest of the presentation, the visuals of Michiko to Hatchin are bright and full of detail in depicting the various town slums and deserts that Michiko and Hana travel through. Such detail also went into character designs as they were designed in various ways, from being black to Mexican to fat to ugly to attractive. The soundtrack consisted of Latin and Carribean style musical choices such as salsa and jazz that fit perfectly well with the show's Latin American-like setting.
The show isn't without its imperfections. The show's first episode had the annoying habit of overemphasizing Hana's family abuse problems and the ending felt rather lackluster in addressing Hana's new life with Hiroshi due to the lack of background on his character. There are also some plot holes that the show doesn't bother to address such as who Hana's mother was, how Hana got her stomach tattoo and what ever happened to an assassin that helped Michiko towards the end of a later episode.
Despite these gripes, Michiko to Hatchin made for a fun and touching comedy-drama thanks to the chemistry between Hana and Mitsuko, as well as their encounters with various criminals and crazy characters within various Latin American slums. This was one of the better unlicensed anime titles I've had a chance of seeing as of late.
