Now I'm more interested in Blood+ than ever! I am a sucker too. It's in my Netflix queue.

I'm not very torn on Hitomi. I do like the theme that she shows courage in trying to help Ritsuka when none of the other adults in his life will, but in general, she seems presented as the stereotype of the insecure, overgrown kid who became a school teacher because she is a schoolgirl at heart and can't deal with the adult world. I think Kouga could have omitted her. (Isn't the otaku woman who's always on the computer single?)