56-463: Hazbin Hotel is an American adult animated musical comedy television series created by Vivienne "VivziePop" Medrano . The series revolves around Charlie Morningstar , princess of Hell , on her quest to find a way for sinners to be " rehabilitated " and allowed into Heaven , via her "Hazbin Hotel", as an alternative to Heaven's annual "Extermination" of souls due to Hell's overpopulation. The series
112-474: A Hazbin Hotel emote entitled "Reaper's Showtime" was released to the video game Fortnite by Epic Games , allowing the player character to wield Alastor's iconic cane, while playing the song "Insane". On October 11, 2024, Black Gryph0n and Baasik released "Daisies", a prequel song to "Insane" which "explores Alastor's (semi-canon) origin story". "Addict" is an animated music video released on July 17, 2020, on Medrano's YouTube channel, based on and featuring
168-515: A bisexual character named Charlie, a lesbian character named Vaggie, a pansexual character named Husk, and an asexual character named Alastor. The show's pilot episode was released on Medrano's YouTube channel in October 2019, and it gained 54 million views by early February 2021. Almost a year later, A24 picked up Hazbin Hotel for the production of a TV series in August 2020. On December 21, 2021,
224-411: A "balanced charm to round out its hellish setting", and called it a "sweet, raunchy time" that many adults will like. Rachel Leishman of The Mary Sue called the series special for its musical element and argued that animated series have a "special kind of magic to them", and stated that Hazbin Hotel 's shine is its own, and is a "fun series to take a dive into". Mae Abdulbaki of Screen Rant called
280-450: A bias towards live-action and raunchy animated sitcoms, compared to early pioneers. However, the result is a new audience that is ready for narratively-sophisticated adult animated works and a new crop of creators exploring the adult animation space. This development allows creators to continue challenging the perceived limitations of animation. Many animators and adult animation fans, both international and non-Disney respectively, boycotted
336-442: A day earlier for a limited release. A second, third and fourth season are confirmed to be in production. The series has received generally positive reviews from critics. The popularity and success of the pilot allowed Medrano to create a spin-off series called Helluva Boss , which premiered on October 31, 2020. The series features a different cast of characters within the same in-universe setting. As of January 2024, Hazbin Hotel
392-575: A guest column in Variety criticizing the Academy for the remark and how Hollywood has been treating animation. The column commented that "no one set out to diminish animated films, but it's high time we set out to elevate them." Alberto Mielgo , director of The Windshield Wiper , later gave an acceptance speech for the Oscar: "Animation is an art that includes every single art that you can imagine. Animation for adults
448-455: A lot of time and heart into this project". In December 2019, in an article about the current state of adult animation, CBR animation critic Reuben Baron stated that while the pilot episodes of Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss had garnered "some warranted criticism" because of their inappropriate and edgy humor, they are still "clear labors of love from an animation standpoint". Another critic on CBR , Nerissa Rupnarine, pointed out that Alastor
504-423: A more peaceful solution to the overpopulation problem. Her goal is to have her clients "check out" from Hell as redeemed souls and be accepted into Heaven . With the help of her devoted manager and girlfriend, Vaggie , and their reluctant first patron, pornographic film actor Angel Dust , she is determined to make her dream become a reality. But when her proposal on live television goes awry, her plan attracts
560-469: A new streaming record for Prime Video, becoming the largest global debut in viewership for a new animated title on the platform. By August 2020, the show had developed a dedicated fanbase, with the 31-minute pilot receiving over 101 million views as of February 2024, a rise from 32 million views in May 2020. In a white paper about the increase in adult animation, John Evershed , founder of Mondo Media , described
616-413: A pilot released, and that it "hit a chord with people" due to its art style, angst, and drama. Furthermore, she expressed excitement in the direction of the show, noting the demand for her content. Others called the series a "YouTube hit". Some media outlets noted intense fan interest in the character Lucifer Morningstar, the king of Hell, who hadn't "physically appeared in any Hazbin Hotel work" prior to
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#1732856150387672-451: A rendition of the song is performed in celebration of the fact that British music licensing laws no longer apply to Pimlico. In the " Treehouse of Horror XVII " episode of The Simpsons , the Ink Spots' rendition of the song is played as a post-apocalyptic scene brought about by alien invasion fades into the end credits. In the first part of the 1971 Doctor Who episode “ Terror of
728-451: A trailer was posted on the series' official Instagram account and Medrano's YouTube channel announcing its first season's premiere on Amazon Prime Video in January 2024, while also announcing that "Season 2 is coming". In November 2023, it was announced that the series would premiere on January 19, 2024. On December 13, 2023, the official season one trailer was released. It was also confirmed that
784-465: Is "not satisfyingly subversive". She hoped that the series will "overcome its growing pains" in the first season, and says this expansion of Medrano's works is "flashy but thin". The New Hampshire Union-Leader criticized the series as having an "utterly confusing backstory/mythology", frantic action, overall calling it a "headache of a show", as well as stating the dialogue sounds "more adolescent than shocking". Following its release, Hazbin Hotel set
840-412: Is a fact. It's happening. Let's call it cinema. I'm very honored because this is just the beginning of what we can do with animation." They also suggested to the Academy that the category should be presented by filmmakers who respect the art of animation as cinema. Another factor is that numerous feature-length animated films have been made for older audiences or with ranges of PG-13 or more, starting in
896-790: Is any type of animated motion media that is catered specifically to adult interests and is mainly targeted and marketed towards adults and adolescents, as opposed to children or all-ages audiences. Animated media (includes animated films , television series , and web series ) in this medium could be considered adult for any number of reasons, which include the incorporation of toilet humour , nudity , sexual content (either explicit or suggestive), graphic violence , profanity , dark comedy , political themes, or other thematic elements inappropriate for children and/or younger viewers. Works may explore philosophical, political, or social issues. Some animated productions are noted for their complex and/or experimental storytelling and animation techniques,
952-454: Is on the small list of "canon asexual characters" within animation. Some reviewers argued the series will have a positive influence on independent animation going forward, and argued that the success of Hazbin Hotel led to the success of Helluva Boss . Reviewer Sean Cubillas for CBR praised the show for "quirky, ambitious, and dark humor " and some of the "fastest, wittiest, and raunchiest dialogue ever seen in independent animation." On
1008-422: Is produced by SpindleHorse Toons in collaboration with A24 , Amazon Studios , and the animation studio Bento Box Entertainment . The pilot episode , released on YouTube on October 28, 2019, was made entirely by freelance animators and was mainly financed by Medrano's Patreon followers. The first season premiered on Amazon Prime Video on January 19, 2024, with its first episode also released on YouTube
1064-521: The Los Angeles Times said the show's universe is a "brazenly colorful, queer-inclusive and fast-paced mishmash" with "outlandish grotesque scenes and copious potty mouths", along with "a Broadway pop score". Christine N. Ziemba of Paste argued that the series is not "simply a rehash" of the pilot, is not for kids, and includes "wickedly pointed adult humor", characters which are eccentric or are sinners, and "Disney-esque musical numbers", and called
1120-424: The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 80% of 30 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The website's consensus reads: "A hellzapoppin' musical series swathed in hot, vibrant colors, Hazbin Hotel is worth a booking." Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned a score of 69 out of 100 based on 8 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Erik Piepenburg of
1176-463: The "Misfit Demon Gang" in Medrano's webcomic series ZooPhobia . Originally, the pilot was meant to be an adult comedy "with a raunchy, demonic aesthetic". It took over six months to write the episode, and over two years to animate it, with teasers released in that ensuing period to garner an audience of fans. The series contains various LGBTQ+ characters. This includes a gay character named Angel Dust,
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#17328561503871232-642: The #3 dance song on iTunes on July 21, 2020. Additionally, the song #14 on the US Dance/Electronic Songs chart, #4 on the Dance/Electronic Digital Songs chart, and #77 on the Dance/Electronic Songs Year-End. A spin-off series, Helluva Boss , unveiled its first season on October 31, 2020, almost one year after the release of its own pilot . Helluva Boss takes place in the same fictional universe as Hazbin Hotel ,
1288-461: The 2023 movie The Long Game. This song was quietly sampled by thrash metal band Megadeth on their song " Set the World Afire " on their 1988 studio album So Far, So Good... So What! The song was also sampled by Joji (musician) in his song "Asian Pizza" on his PG3* album The Ink Spots' 1941 version has been featured in numerous media. The cover has been featured prominently in
1344-533: The Academy over remarking that animation was synonymous with "kids" during the 94th Academy Awards in 2022. The award for the Best Animated Feature was presented by three actresses who portrayed the Disney princess characters in live-action remakes of their respective animated films: Lily James ( Cinderella ), Naomi Scott ( Aladdin ), and Halle Bailey ( The Little Mermaid ) . While introducing
1400-609: The Autons ”, the Third Doctor ( Jon Pertwee ) sings the song whilst in the TARDIS , but is interrupted by the console catching fire. He continues to hum the tune after he exits the TARDIS. A quartet of Muppet firemen sang it in an episode of The Muppet Show , guest starring Roy Clark . The song was used in the 2023 Star Trek: Picard episode "The Next Generation". The song was used in
1456-606: The Hellaverse, but it has a different cast of characters and story. As Medrano described it, while both shows share the same setting, Hazbin Hotel is about redemption and consequences of past actions, while Helluva Boss follows "characters and societies that already exist in Hell", focusing on relationships between characters. Some characters of the pilot had been around for years when Medrano began working with people at School of Visual Arts on what would later become Hazbin Hotel , as
1512-686: The Heron , officially rated PG-13 by the MPA . For the 22-year history since the inauguration , it became the first adult animated film to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the 96th Academy Awards ; all the previous winners were either rated G or PG. I Don%27t Want to Set the World on Fire " I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire " is a pop song written by Bennie Benjamin , Eddie Durham , Sol Marcus and Eddie Seiler. Originally written in 1938,
1568-549: The Silva Hound song of the same name. It centers around Angel Dust's relations with his best friend, Cherri Bomb , his abusive boss, Valentino , and their experiences with addiction . The song was performed by Michael Kovach and Kelly "Chi-Chi" Boyer. Tito W. James of Comicon.com described the video as giving viewers a "deeper look" at the lives of Cherri Bomb and Angel Dust, and praised the "world of Hazbin " for being "paradoxically provocative and empathetic". The song ranked as
1624-419: The artists who worked on the pilot would be returning for the first season, and argued that the "indie spirit of the pilot lives on". On October 28, 2022, the third anniversary of the pilot's release, a teaser trailer was released on Medrano's YouTube channel promising a summer 2023 release date for the first season, but this was later stalled due to the 2023 strike of actors and writers . On September 28, 2023,
1680-445: The attention of the powerful "Radio Demon" Alastor who, despite finding her belief in redemption laughable, wants to help Charlie run the hotel for his own amusement. The score of the pilot episode was released on November 3, 2019. The day after the release of each episode of the first season, the songs featured within them were released on a soundtrack EP through A24 Music , starting with Part 1 on January 19, 2024. Two songs from
1736-410: The category, Bailey stated that animated films are "formative experiences as kids who watch them," as James put it, "So many kids watch these movies over and over, over and over again." Scott added: "I see some parents who know exactly what we're talking about." The remarks sparked controversy and with those working in the animation industry describing them as infantilizing the medium and perpetuating
Hazbin Hotel - Misplaced Pages Continue
1792-457: The evening, but they are not generally pornographic or obscene. AdWeek called adult animation "animated projects aimed at grown-ups, not kids." They also focus on issues that adults handle, and have cheeky, and occasionally crass, humor "that has no limits—bouncing between funny and offensive," while evoking a "balance of reality and fantasy". They may also contain violence or sexual themes. International animators and filmmakers were among
1848-529: The first two episodes were released ahead of the series and are not present on any of the EPs; "Happy Day in Hell" was released on October 20, 2023, following a preview at New York Comic Con and " Poison " was released on January 5, 2024. Following the release of the series, "Poison" debuted at number 34 on the US Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, having accumulated 2.7 million US streams in
1904-456: The late-1990s with South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut , and for those future adult animated films including The Triplets of Belleville , Persepolis , Waltz with Bashir , Chico and Rita , The Wind Rises , Anomalisa , My Life as a Courgette , The Breadwinner , Loving Vincent , Isle of Dogs , I Lost My Body , and Flee . Most of them were nominated in various categories , though none have won until The Boy and
1960-601: The latter with many distinct styles have defined such unique artistry. Adult animation is typically defined as animation that is aimed at an adult audience. It is also described as something that "formative youths should stay far, far away from" or has adult humor and comes in various styles, but especially sitcoms and comedies. Some have stated that it refers to animations with "adult themes and situations", which uses "explicit language" and make jokes that adults, and occasionally teens, are "more likely to understand" than others. On television, such animations often run in
2016-472: The live broadcast; some speculations suggested that the speech played a role in the decision to not broadcast the award. The winner for the Best Animated Short award was The Windshield Wiper , a multilingual Spanish-American film which is considered adult animated, while another nominee in three categories: Best Animated Feature, Best Documentary Feature Film , and Best International Feature Film ,
2072-750: The notables of adult animation works: Some television channels and their segments or blocks that focused on broadcasting adult animation: Several highly-acclaimed adult animated films and television series have received substantial recognition from critics. Thanks to Bakshi's Fritz the Cat , the film influenced animators and filmmakers over the course of the late-20th century and into the 21st century, catering such important artistic and narrative structures with mature subject matter. Conversely, several works have been largely ignored by many detractors for their depiction of graphic subject matter and sensitive topics, such as violence, race, gender, and sexuality. They still show
2128-524: The official Hazbin Hotel Twitter account teased the release of the first season. It was later reported that the cast from the pilot was not asked to reprise their roles for the A24 production, though these voice actors showed support for the show despite their removal. Medrano said that she loves her characters "more than anything" and that they are "in good hands". Several main characters had been redesigned from
2184-467: The pilot was part of the "animation renaissance" on YouTube, and said there may be "a lot more projects like Hazbin in the future". Lidia Vassar of the MSU Reporter praised the show, noting its "raunchy sense of humor and quirky art style". She also stated that she was looking forward to future episodes, enjoyed the "diversity of character designs", and stated that it is clear that the show's creators "put
2240-595: The pilot would remain canon to the story with the show itself acknowledging it in multiple episodes while continuing plotlines that were established in it. On July 26, 2024, it was announced that the series was renewed for a third and fourth season. On August 13, 2024, it was announced that DogHead Animation in Florence, Italy, will also be handling animation services for the second season. The pilot episode has been critically acclaimed for its animation quality, music, and characters. Matthew Field of Go! & Express , argued that
2296-432: The pilot, including Charlie, Vaggie, Alastor, and Angel Dust. Along with SpindleHorse Toons, Bento Box Entertainment co-produced the series for A24. Princess Bento Studio , a Melbourne -based studio jointly owned by Bento Box Entertainment and Princess Pictures, alongside Bento Box both handled animation production, with SpindleHorse Toons and Toon City both handling digital animation services. According to Medrano, many of
Hazbin Hotel - Misplaced Pages Continue
2352-424: The protagonists. She said the series has retrograde morality, gets lost in "its chaotic, contradictory atmosphere," and is not far along enough to "function as a full season of TV", comparing it unfavorably to The Good Place . In addition, Jenna Scherer of The A.V. Club said the series has a "lot going for it", praising the premise, stylish and innovative animation, music numbers, and voice actors, but criticized
2408-453: The series "lively", praised the cast, characters, catchy songs, and "chaotic energy", while saying the themes of good and evil could be "more nuanced" and that the characters can act "extremely childish" at times. In contrast, Alison Herman of Variety said that although the series has a "feel-good backstory belied by its grim premise" and original idea that's "easy to root for", it pays less attention to cosmological details or motivations of
2464-455: The series "visually eye-catching". Hope Mullinax of Collider said series expectations were "easily smashed", praising the music, cast, and design choices. She was excited to see where the series went forward, but was disappointed that Cherri Bomb didn't get a bigger role. Joe Draper of Digital Spy described the series as explicit and including an "all-star cast of stage performers and TV favourites". Petrana Radulovic of Polygon described
2520-478: The series as a "character-driven musical with an overarching driving plot and a lot of deep world-building", also noting that it features "multiple female and queer leads". Rendy Jones of Rogerebert.com said that some jokes are not as effective, and that the "ambitious wings" of Medrano were trimmed "by corporate streaming demands". He claimed the series has hit-or-miss gory humor and disorienting camera angles, but overall has stellar music, skillful voice actors, and
2576-472: The series as a rare exception to shows on YouTube that are picked up by companies as a "long form TV series". He argued that the show generated enough attention and views to interest A24 in producing the show as a TV series. Medrano told Insider in February 2021 that she was surprised the show had gotten so big, saying that the fandom of Hazbin Hotel rivals those of shows with multiple seasons, even with only
2632-503: The show as having inspired the "imaginations of thousands of fans" and noted that there are over 7,000 fan fictions for the series on Archive of Our Own , along with "thousands of fan comics and fandubs ". Scholar Ben Mitchell described the series as "sensationally popular" and an effective use of Patreon to subsidize the show's art "through monthly tiered payments". Adult animation Adult animation , also known as mature animation , and infrequently as adult-oriented animation ,
2688-399: The show's first season. Sarah Laudenbach of Screen Rant noted that the series had developed a strong fanbase despite having "minimal content" available, with "longtime fans" praising the series for dealing with "dark topics like abuse and addiction". She also said that Medrano created an "entire Hellish universe" which gained a "fandom of its own". Kimberly Terasaki of The Mary Sue described
2744-608: The song was first recorded three years later by Harlan Leonard and His Rockets. It was covered by several musicians and groups, most successfully by Horace Heidt on Columbia Records , whose version reached number one on the US pop chart ; and by The Ink Spots on Decca in 1941, whose version reached number four on the same listing. Other early versions included those by Tommy Tucker , Mitchell Ayres , and (in Britain) Vera Lynn . The song, with its open line "I don't want to set
2800-515: The songs " You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile " and " I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire " in character. He reprised the role in several fan-made music videos for original songs, including " Insane " in June 2021, which was reviewed by One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda as his "second-favorite song of 2023". In July 2020, Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss songwriter Sam Haft released "Alastor's Game", in which Haft voiced Alastor. In February 2024,
2856-469: The stigma that animated works are strictly for children, especially since the industry was credited with sustaining the flow of Hollywood content and revenue during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic . An addition to the controversy was that the award for Best Animated Short Film (the nominees for which were mostly made up of shorts not aimed at children) was one of the eight categories that were omitted in
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#17328561503872912-579: The week following the show. From October 27, 2019, to July 7, 2020, a webcomic titled "Chapter 1: Dirty Healings" (which showed how Angel Dust learned of the hotel) was completed, containing twenty-two pages and hosted on the official Hazbin Hotel website. Another comic entitled "A Day in the Afterlife (The Radio Demon)", which focused on Alastor's daily life in Hell, was posted to the website on October 19, 2020, containing sixteen pages. In February 2020, Gabriel C. Brown, Alastor's pilot singing voice, covered
2968-518: The world on fire / I just want to start a flame in your heart..." became especially popular after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The song was later recorded by Betty Carter , Frankie Laine , Brian Hyland , Anthony Newley , Suzy Bogguss and others. In the 1949 Ealing comedy film Passport to Pimlico , after it is discovered that Pimlico is technically part of the Duchy of Burgundy ,
3024-488: The writing as lacking, and hoped the second season allowed the series to "slow down and find its groove", but noted that the series will "find its audience regardless". Kristy Puchko of Mashable described the series as a "perky pink cartoon show about sinners and singing", but argued that the first three episodes are "unremarkable" to newcomers, and said that the dialogue is jarring when compared with an animation style which "seems to be aping Disney XD ", as well as saying it
3080-512: Was Flee , a PG-13 rated animated documentary about an Afghan refugee. Phil Lord , co-producer of one of the nominated films, The Mitchells vs. the Machines , tweeted that it was "super cool to position animation as something that kids watch and adults have to endure." The film's official social media account responded to the joke with an image reading: "Animation is cinema." A week later, Lord and his producing partner Christopher Miller wrote
3136-536: Was the largest global debut for a new animated series on Prime Video. In February 2024, the pilot episode surpassed 100 million views on YouTube. The series follows Charlie Morningstar , the princess of Hell, as she sets about fulfilling her seemingly impossible dream of opening a hotel called the "Hazbin Hotel", which aims to rehabilitate sinner demons. Due to overpopulation, Hell goes through an annual purge where angels , led by Adam , descend from Heaven and kill sinners. Charlie finds this upsetting, and wants to find
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