WHAT? THIS IS NOT ANIME!

Yes, this review is a little different.  Today, I want to spread a series that some of you know or may have already watched.

Hazbin Hotel.

I’m aware that this show is definitely not for everyone, but I feel like it’s a show that should be discussed for one reason or another.  It has some very specific messages, and some that are not as clear, but overall the show is an interesting experience.

I’ll be using the anime scoring system that I normally use, even though this isn’t anime – because it’s an animated series with musical numbers, a specific art style, and dynamic characters, I think it fits enough criteria that I use to fit this model.

Spoilers ahead.

THIS SHOW IS NOT FOR CHILDREN.

I felt that I should post this before we get too far into the review.  Many parents let their children watch anything that is animated, but more and more series nowadays are being more free with their ratings – especially ones that start on YouTube, like this one.  The full series on streaming sites has a recommended age, but it’s still a point that needs to be said, apparently.

I’m doing the synopsis under the spoiler this time, because it’s hard to talk about it without spoiling something.

Hazbin Hotel is a short series about the titular hotel stationed in Hell, created by Lucifer’s daughter Charlie Morningstar.  Charlie’s hope in making this hotel is that sinners get a second chance to ascend to Heaven by improving them, saving their souls from the yearly exterminations that Heaven conducts to supposedly “de-populate” the overpopulated Hell.

The pilot originally premiered on Vivziepop’s YouTube channel as part of her own expansive universe (which includes Helluva Boss), serving as a prequel to the greenlit Amazon-produced series, which takes place after a specific extermination.

Plot / Story: 6.0/10

As a story, the show does a good job connecting plot points in the short timeframe it’s given (8 episodes of 25-ish minutes each, plus a 30-ish minute pilot).  Most everything is well-contained for how short the season is, but it seems like some points could have been addressed better or wouldn’t have felt as rushed if it got a full 12 episodes (or even 10).  In general, Charlie has a clear-ish path to her goals that never seems to work out, either from her friends helping and failing, or from outside intervention, but she maintains control (mostly) over her emotions with the help of her girlfriend, Vaggie.

Each episode is fairly self-contained, usually addressing one or two characters, their flaws, and how they fix or deal with them – Angel and Husk, Charlie and Vaggie, Sir Pentious, and even Alastor as the enigma he is throughout the season, have moments of clarified growth or understanding.

There is a slight disconnect whenever characters suddenly break into song, but as a person who grew up on musicals, it didn’t take me out of the story too much.

A point I must address is the thing that most people seem to complain about – the series has heavy LGBTQ+ themes, and it is unapologetic about it.  Some see this as a plus, some see it as a negative, but the themes are prominent and consistent.  I personally adore the relationships between these characters, since it is an important theme that Viv kept from her original pilot.  I see this inclusion of uncommon sexualities, identities, and preferences very hand-in-hand with the story as a whole – because many people view these themes as “unholy”, it would make sense that the Hell here would include people with nonstandard attractions or personalities (even Lute has a couple of moments where she seems a little… unfair).

CD: 7.5/10

In all honesty, this show feels a little cookie-cutter on the character development – to be clear, it treats each episode kind of like early 2000s cartoons, with each episode focusing on a few of the major characters’ interactions at a time (again, if this had been given a longer season length or runtime, this probably could have been avoided).  That being said, I think Vivienne did her best with what she was given – she made the heroes likeable by the end of the season, and the villains hateable.

Alastor, as many might agree, is my favorite character – he is obviously a bad guy playing nice, but he’s likeable in a “I don’t trust you, but your face is saying all the right things”.  Another well-designed character is Valentino, one of the three Vees controlling the entertainment in this section of Hell.  He is entirely unlikeable in my opinion, but his attitude and personality are so pinpointed that you’d believe there are people like him on Earth (and unfortunately, there are).

Art / Acting / Music: 8/10

The art in Hazbin Hotel is very monotone in the regions it portrays: Hell, as you would expect, is full of reds and blacks (though Charlie and Lucifer stand out with their powdered-white skin), while Heaven is very white and gold, with the occasional blue.  It makes sense from a stylistic standpoint, but there’s a painful color-burnout I get from seeing Hell in seven-and-a-half out of eight episodes.  The animation style isn’t brilliant, but there’s a clear jump from the pilot’s limited budget (which still looks amazing for a small crew) to Amazon Prime’s higher-budget project.  There’s still some little movements and details that you may miss on the first few watch throughs,  and overall the show is well-made and not unpleasant to watch at a slower pace (or in the background, as I do sometimes).  The final episode has a good amount of scenes that are more meticulously animated, and for what the episode is (Adam and the angel army versus the Hazbin Hotel staff) I think they’re well-earned.

The acting is AMAZING… for the most part.  There are a few characters that seem a little miscast, or a handful of scenes that seem dry, but a good amount of the acting is well-done.  Angel and Alastor, in my opinion, are the best casting choices – Angel has a good shift between bored, excited, and serious, while Alastor is able to portray a strange constant happiness with a hint of scheming.  I was also not expecting Mr. Keith David as a jazzy Husker, but life is full of pleasant surprises.

Musically, I have no complaints.  The background music is generally fitting, if not barely engaging, but the main draw is the musical numbers, of which there are two per episode – this may seem like a little much in a 25-minute episode (30 with commercials), but the planning and placement of these numbers are well-done, and they are all pretty enjoyable (I love Lucifer’s “More Than Anything” and Charlie’s group song with Cannibal Town, “Ready For This”).  There was word that the pilot’s actors understood that Viv wanted a Broadway-esque performance for the series, and I definitely believe she got it.

Rewatch Value: 9/10

Let’s be clear: this show is short and sweet.  With an average runtime and an especially short season, you can easily knock out the whole first season if you have four hours to spare – and if not, you can easily watch an episode here and there without the feeling of commitment that comes with longer runtimes like Invincible or long-running shows like Naruto or One Piece.  There is the fact that you probably shouldn’t watch it in public because of some of the more sexual themes and episodes, but otherwise, this show is a joy to watch over and over again.  Once you’ve seen it a couple of times, it’s also a good show to have playing in the background while you work, though I will admit Amazon Prime’s inability to reset your watch history on PS4, Roku, and tablet is a little annoying for rewatches.

Overall Rating: 9/10

I wasn’t sure how I’d like the series when I first found the pilot, and even now, I have mixed feelings about how the first season was handled, but I admit that this has become a comfort show for me (something I discovered is common with  autism), and I appreciate how hard Viv worked on this show from start to finish (at least, the finish of the first season).  I have heard both yes and no on a second season, but the most reputable sources say that it is announced (but no date was given, just that it will be shorter than the 4-year gap between the pilot and Season 1).  I wait with bated breath for the announcement that S2E1 is available.

Hazbin Hotel is available exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, but again: THIS SHOW IS NOT FOR KIDS.  The show has very clear scenes of sexual references and violence, regular violence, strong language, blood and gore, death, drug use, and innuendos, as well as themes that not all persons are comfortable with.

Total Score: 39.5/50.0

Grade: C