Did this hotel truly change people, or did it only claim to have the potential to do so? My answer is clear. “Hazbin Hotel” (2024) captured the moment when comfort moves people, but the subsequent steps were rushed.
Princess Charlie of Hell opens a hotel to give sinners a chance to change. In a world where angels regularly descend to kill sinners, Charlie proposes giving them a chance to change instead of killing them. However, Adam, a leader among the angels, mocks her words and accelerates the schedule for the killings. Heaven needs to rewrite its regulations for handling complaints.
What I was curious about in this setting was not whether or not heaven approves, but how the people who live together treat each other. While it is necessary to acknowledge mistakes, the way people treat each other’s vulnerabilities needs to change. This work is best experienced when the song directly portrays that very moment. In particular, in episode 4, when Angel and Husk sing together, I finally felt relieved. Because someone who simply stands by, rather than someone who tries to “fix” others, appeared.
The problem arises after that initial connection. Those who have begun to understand each other need more time to build a relationship. However, the season is too focused on the upcoming combat, leaving little time for the characters to develop. While “Hazbin Hotel” effectively conveys the comfort that changes people, it rushes through the actual process of that change.
Simply offering someone an opportunity does not change a person
The opportunity that Charlie offered was right, but giving someone an opportunity and a person changing are two different things. I evaluate this hotel by how much the behavior of the residents has changed towards each other.
Here, redemption involves acknowledging one’s mistakes, changing one’s behavior, and becoming a better person. Whether one can go to heaven is a secondary issue. If one’s attitude towards others remains the same, simply changing one’s location will not improve anything.
Therefore, the strength of Charlie’s proposal lies in the location: a hotel. It goes beyond simply advocating for non-violence; it creates a space for change and co-existence. Charlie doesn’t just proclaim that sinners have potential; he actively welcomes them.
I highly commend this decision. The responsibility of someone who explains their good intentions and the responsibility of someone who provides a space for others are different. From the moment Charlie opened the hotel, he must also bear the responsibility for any problems caused by the guests.
It is important to note that simply having residents move in is not necessarily evidence of change. The fact that someone is accepted as a resident demonstrates the owner’s goodwill. The fact that a guest has changed must be shown in how that guest treats others.
The moment when Husk’s confession causes Angel to let go of his pretenses is precisely that kind of moment. It is also necessary for someone who has only received help to choose to help someone else. I want to believe in Charlie’s dream only after seeing such actions.
Adam steals the time needed to test that possibility. It doesn’t end with mocking the proposal; it accelerates the next massacre. He effectively upholds the claim that sinners cannot change by reducing their opportunity to change.
However, just because Adam is wrong does not automatically mean the hotel’s experiment will succeed. The judgment that the massacre is unjust and the judgment that the person has changed are separate issues. I believe that the more these two are mixed, the weaker Charlie’s proposal becomes.
What Charlie needs is not just a worse enemy. It is the actual change in the residents who came in believing him. There is no substitute for showing the brutality of an angel by demonstrating that process.
The season quickly provides Charlie with reasons to agree. However, there must be a period of time for the residents to live together before agreement and understanding can be reached. I do not want to skip that time simply by supporting a good intention.
The moment when that promise was best kept was not through Charlie’s persuasion, but in the song by Angel and Husk.
The best redemption comes from a song that acknowledges each other’s shame
I believe that the four duets best exemplify what this hotel offers. When someone is told that they are not alone before anyone tries to fix them, change begins.
The hotel guest, Angel Dust, hides his vulnerable situation behind sexual jokes and arrogance. The bartender, Husk, recognizes this facade, but does not pretend that he himself is fine. He reveals that he, too, is not free.
Here’s why the song “Loser, Baby,” sung by the two of them, is good: It’s not a song where one person diagnoses a problem and the other person bows their head in submission. Instead, it reveals the circumstances that each person has been hiding from each other, and it changes how they endure in each other’s presence.
Blake Roman, who plays the role of Angel, perfectly captures the space between arrogance and pleading. The wavering voice when Angel pleads with Charlie reveals the sound of someone who can no longer maintain the self they had protected with jokes.
Keith David, who plays Husk, imbues his rough low voice with his own vulnerability as well. That keeps his words to Angel from hardening into a lecture.
In this duet, I felt relieved that Angel didn’t have to stand alone. Husk doesn’t demand immediate change. It provides the experience that dialogue can continue even if Angel doesn’t hide her circumstances.
Erica Henningsen, who voices Charlie, explores this possibility from a different perspective. The bright and powerful song that pushes forward Charlie’s dream makes us believe in Charlie’s good intentions. However, it also reveals how difficult it is to maintain that brightness in the face of repeated rejection.
Vaggie, Charlie’s lover and the one who supports the hotel’s operations, keeps that goodwill grounded in reality. Stephanie Beatriz’s down-to-earth delivery conveys both the effort of supporting dreams and the hard work of getting things done. Thanks to that, Charlie’s optimism does not remain a vow sung alone.
Charlie is trying to create an opportunity for change, while Baegie is working to maintain the status quo. The duet between Angel and Husk conveys a moment where someone opens their heart. I do not believe that this song signifies that Angel’s problems have been resolved.
Instead, the question became who they could talk to about their situation. The relationship between the two people changed before and after listening to the song. This demonstrates how accurately the work portrays the initial steps of change.
However, can this song, which uses demeaning language to refer to each other, be considered a form of comfort?
It is more important who you speak with than who is considered the loser
I do not agree with the interpretation that “Loser, Baby” mocks the victim. Husk not only belittles Angel, but also reveals her own circumstances.
I understand that some people find the harsh language offensive. The question of whether it is necessary to say such things to someone who is already hurt is also a valid one. However, it is important to distinguish between judging the language as harsh and blaming the other person.
There are no words that parents would recommend using when comforting someone who is in a state of extreme distress.
However, Husk’s words do not show any attitude of making exceptions for himself. He does not expose Angel’s weaknesses while concealing his own. His confession that he himself is not free supports his statement.
In this song, what I believe in is precisely that equality. Husk doesn’t tell Angel that she should live like him. Instead, she acknowledges the fact that her own situation is also difficult, and continues the conversation.
This is not advice given from a position of authority, but rather comfort offered by someone sitting beside you. Angel feels that the need to pretend to be okay diminishes. Since the other person is not hiding their own vulnerability, Angel does not feel like the only one being exposed.
Blaming the victim is a way of shifting the responsibility, implying that the victim is at fault for what happened. In contrast, this song tells you that you are not alone in your suffering. It does not mean that exploitative relationships are acceptable.
Therefore, I interpret this scene as the first condition for Angel to change. It is the experience of being able to confide in someone without the relationship being severed. Husk provides Angel with that experience.
What is important here is not an immediate declaration of becoming a good person. It is a moment when one does not need to resort to jokes to avoid listening to others. The work portrays this subtle difference as a song sung together by the two people.
If someone had claimed that this alone would solve Angel’s problems, I would not have accepted it. However, what this duet demonstrates is a process that brings us closer to a solution. The fact that it only shows that much is precisely what makes me believe in it.
Therefore, further changes in behavior are necessary for them to live together harmoniously. The fact that they have opened their hearts is not the same as the fact that they are leading different lives. The work must sufficiently demonstrate this distinction.
Having demonstrated such a precise start, why does the process of personnel changes throughout the entire season feel rushed?
The progress is significant compared to the prototype, but the incremental steps are small
In 2019, the pilot episode introduced a second opportunity, but Season 1 provides evidence of that potential. While I appreciate this progress, the presence of evidence does not necessarily guarantee the completion of the change process.
The pilot episode serves as a test run, showcasing the characters and atmosphere before the official production. The pilot of “Hazbin Hotel” introduces the hotel itself as an experiment, along with its scheming and helpful assistant. The premise is that not everyone enters a place that accepts them with the same mindset.
Alastair, who assists the hotel, is not someone who acts solely out of good intentions. His presence creates a distinction between those who receive help and those who are trusted. This means that simply because the hotel opens its doors, it does not automatically improve all relationships.
Season 1 goes further, shifting the story to focus on the characters living together and acting for the benefit of others. This provides a concrete example to support the argument for giving them a second chance.
The character of Sir Pentious, who infiltrates the hotel as a spy, demonstrates this. The experience of accepting him turns the hotel’s promise into a relationship rather than mere words. Subsequently, his interactions with his colleagues serve as a basis for evaluating that promise.
I trust this choice more than Charlie’s explanation. It is stronger for the person themselves to act on behalf of others, rather than someone else advocating for their potential. The season, at the very least, is trying to answer its own questions through action.
However, there is a difference in the fact that the behavior has changed and the judgment that this change has accumulated sufficiently. I also want to see how they spent time together after being accepted. If they continue to uphold the initial faith, the final decision will be more resolute.
Season 1 explores various characters and power dynamics within 8 episodes. While following the relationships between the residents, it is necessary to understand the conflict between heaven and hell. As the story progresses, the number of immediate issues that need to be addressed increases, overshadowing the time spent living together.
The schedule includes move-in assessments, guidance on daily life, and emergency evacuation drills. I must first show the hotel staff the employment contracts.
What I find regrettable is not the fact that there are many events, but rather the short amount of time available to confirm the differences after the relationship changes. I wanted to observe whether the way they treat each other continues even after the initial confession.
It is important to clearly state that we have come a long way since the initial prototype. However, demonstrating a possibility and realizing that possibility are different things. Furthermore, the latter part of the story focuses more on the combat to protect the hotel than on the process of the residents changing.
Hotel battles overshadow hotel life
The most regrettable aspect is not the combat itself, but the choices made that prioritized preparing for combat, which resulted in less emphasis on showcasing character development. Upholding Charlie’s ideals and demonstrating how those ideals actually function are two different things.
In the latter part of the story, Charlie takes on the responsibility of protecting the hotel along with the residents. The princess, who was explaining her good intentions, also takes responsibility for the people who became endangered because of those intentions. I clearly acknowledge this development.
As the massacre approaches, it is impossible to simply continue living in a hotel. The plot point that one must survive in order to preserve an opportunity for change is also reasonable. I do not intend to criticize the story for abandoning the initial questions simply because war has been introduced.
The problem is that the time spent preparing for survival takes away too much time that could be used to build relationships. The fact that we fought together shows that we have become important to each other. However, I also want to understand from what point and because of what experiences we became important to each other.
Angel needed more time after opening up to Husk about his situation. I wanted to observe how someone who had learned to talk about their situation would then respond to others’ words. I wanted to watch that difference for longer in scenes of them living together.
The relationship between Charlie and Bailey is also the same. Since the two are already a couple, there is no need to create a new event that marks the beginning of their romance. Instead, it is more important to explore how they balance their dreams and reality while protecting the same hotel.
Charlie’s optimism is supported by a clear narrative structure. Therefore, I would like to see more of how the two characters rely on each other. The fact that they stand together in the face of crisis does not fully explain their usual relationship.
Based on my estimation, it seems they tried to create a major crisis within eight episodes, which led them to focus their efforts on combat. The conflict with the angels immediately clarifies what needs to be done. On the other hand, significant changes in a person require repeated small actions.
The work opted more often for the former. As a result, while the scope of what Charlie had to protect increased, the duration of the residents’ transformation process shortened. I regret that the time lost in that process outweighed the reduction in the magnitude of the threat.
The four duets demonstrated how well this work portrays subtle shifts in relationships, making it all the more regrettable. If those moments had been given more time, the promise of redemption would have felt even stronger.
Because of this regret, the criteria for recommendation become clearer. I will offer different answers to adults who enjoy the moment when relationships change through music, and to readers who prioritize the process of gradual change in everyday life.
I believe in comfort; change needs more time
I believe in the consolation offered by “Hazbin Hotel.” However, I don’t believe that it gives the person who has been comforted enough time to change. This difference is the reason why I enjoyed the first season, but ultimately found it unsatisfying.
I commend the power of the music and the voice actors’ performances in creating a narrative shift. My rating is 3.5 out of 5 stars. I deducted points because the process of change was shortened as the war pushed aside the hotel life. While emphasizing the result of the change, the intermediate steps that would have made that result believable were presented briefly.
There is a clear reason to spend time listening to it. In particular, the four duets precisely capture the moments when the person behind the crude jokes reveals their own circumstances. I would re-enter this noisy hotel just to listen to songs like these.
This is recommended for adults who are comfortable with sexual jokes and exaggerated emotions. If you enjoy works where the distance between two people changes throughout the song, this is especially suitable. Conversely, if you find depictions of exploitation difficult or prefer stories where small changes accumulate in everyday life, this is not recommended.
When observing someone, it is better to focus on how they react to the weaknesses of others, rather than on who belongs to Heaven. Let’s not listen to the songs as performances inserted between the story. What matters is who they become able to share their true feelings with before and after singing.
Next, I recommend the 2019 pilot episode, “That’s Entertainment.” Rather than the visual style, it is useful to compare how the promise of a second chance led to action. This comparison clearly shows how much of what the pilot episode proposed was actually achieved in Season 1.
The best moments at this hotel are not when someone promises to fix things. They are when someone sings about staying by your side, even when you are broken. I believe in that comfort. However, the time for the guests to change should not have been given over to battle.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is “Hazbin Hotel” an animation suitable for children?
This is a musical animation intended for adults. It contains sexual jokes and exploitative depictions, as well as violent scenes, so it is not suitable for families looking for a fantasy film.
Do I need to watch the 2019 pilot first to understand it?
Even starting from Season 1, it is possible to follow Charlie’s purpose in opening the hotel. The pilot episode is a test version before the official production. After watching the season, comparing it to the pilot provides an interesting perspective on how the initial idea of a “second chance” was translated into action.
Season 1: Number of episodes and where to watch.
The first season of 2024, consisting of 8 episodes, was released on Prime Video. This review focuses solely on that specific season and does not include events from subsequent seasons.
Is it worth watching even if you dislike movies with many songs?
If the songs themselves are a burden, we do not recommend watching it. In this work, the characters reveal their true feelings and their relationships change while they are singing. In particular, skipping the fourth episode, “Loser, Baby,” means missing a crucial development in the relationship between the two characters.
“Loser, Baby”: Is this a song mocking Angel Dust?
I do not interpret it that way. Husk, rather than simply belittling Angel, also reveals his own circumstances. The lyrics are harsh, but the song shares a sense of shame rather than shifting the blame to the other person.
