A couple months ago, I watched the show Finding Paradiso. While re-watching the show, I realized that I could analyze it through a feminist lense. I will mainly focus on how the show defines female solidarity and masculinity and femininity. Finding Paradiso is a 2008 anime set in Brazil, about a young girl named Hatchin who lives with an abusive adoptive family and is kidnapped by a prison escapee, Michiko Malandro. Michiko’s goal is to find her ex-boyfriend, Hiroshi and reunite him with his daughter Hatchin. Over the course of their journey, Michiko and Hatchin grow close and develop a mother-daughter relationship. Throughout the series the police chase the pair. One of the police officers, Atusko is an old friend and rival of Michko. 

Michiko (left) and Atusko (right)

In Finding Paradiso, female solidarity is a key theme. This can be seen between Michiko and Atsuko who grew up in the same orphanage and relied on each other for security. From a young age, their personalities were very different. Michiko is a fast-paced, loud mouthed, flamboyant woman, while Atusko is the antithesis; she is calm and calculated. As they grew up, their lives went on diverging paths, Michiko became a criminal, while Atusko joined the police force. She gains a position of power as the sergeant and commands an all male squadron. Despite all the laws that she broke and people she harmed during her journey, Atusko often allowed her to escape police capture.These “ethical” violations don’t paint Atusko in a negative light, rather she is more sympathetic. She sacrifices her own position of power for Michiko. The two women have developed a sisterhood both literally and figuratively. The series displays how the women undermine patriarchy through resistance of laws and the social order.

The two main characters on the show Michiko and Hatchin, fall in varying positions on the spectrum of masculinity and femininity. As stated before, Michiko is unapologetically herself. Her personality resembles traditional western masculinity: emotional detachment, aggression, and strong willed.  Hatchin rather, represents the patriarchal definition of femininity due to her devout Christian upbringing. She is meek, soft spoken, and fussy. The show does not value masculinity over femininity or vice versa. Michiko and Hatchin learn from each other’s personalities and adopt specific attributes for themselves. By the end of the series, Michiko is significantly more compassionate and mild mannered, while Hatchin becomes more bold and outspoken. Each main character has or develops both “masculine” and “feminine” traits over the course of the series. The show does not regulate its characters to gender norms, but allows space for character development. 

Michiko and Hatchin(right)

Overall, this show is really good. There is definitely so much more analysis that can be done with this show! I barely scratched the surface. Anyways, I highly recommend Finding Paradiso. I love how the characters are fleshed out and how surprisingly heartwarming it can be.