I just started this show last week, currently on episode 9. I like the animation, the character design, and was in my backlog since it was first released.
Initially I was enjoying the show it had decent music, the Japanese voice acting was fitting, but something about the show is starting to annoy me. I really like Cowboy Bebop (I own both limited edition Blu-ray that Funimation released recently) and Samurai Champloo and knowing that the producer from those shows was also on Michiko to Hatchin I would assume I would love this show as much as I love his other works. The episodic nature of the show doesn't do a good job of making me feel more attached to Michiko. I'm starting to understand why people do not like episodic shows and why some people detest Cowboy Bebop's episodic plot.
So far from the first episode Michiko was a strong character who can take on multiple guards and use weapons and hand to hand combat, but later in another episode she gets taken out by her old caretaker who is pushing on retirment age, I assume it was to show Michiko still has respect for her old caretaker and wouldn't lay a finger at her but at the same scene Michiko proclaim that she will harm the caretaker if Hatchin is not safe from her situation since the caretaker could have stopped this from happening if she just took Hatchin in her orphanage.
Then there's the scene in episode 7 where Michiko was easily woo/swayed by a generic suave man that was sleeping on her shoulder and then smoking his own rolled up cig, and I was just sitting her taken aback by Michiko's flustered expression by this stupid romanticized scene that was very reminiscent of a generic soap opera. I'm starting to hate this show or at least the characters.
Then in episode 8, Michiko is back to being her bad ass nature and taking out people without any trouble and taking actions on resolving her situation at hand. I don't get the odd pacing of her character traits, I understand she said she does not want any trouble if she can help it so she's willing to resolve issues without needing to resort to violence such as the scene when she had to pay for the boy's hand injury she caused and the TV that broke in episode 3-4, but in that situation it showed why Mitchiko came to such a reasoning.
Another thing I have to say is, I despise the Brazilian favelas culture with its high level of violence due to drug cartels, corrupt government agency, corrupt police force, large swath of poverty that reinforce the culture of gang violence. I recall watching the movie City of God every time I'm watching this show and it just annoys me how such a horrible lifestyle can be embraced.
I'll complete the show and hopefully it will turn my opinion around.