Hazbin Hotel Pilot

Lore & Background

In the cosmology of this universe, Hell is a realm where souls are trapped based on their sins in life. The prevailing belief among demons and angels alike is that redemption is an impossibility; once a soul arrives in Hell, it remains there forever. This status quo is maintained by the annual Extermination, a holy crusade where angels called 'Exorcists', armed with angelic weapons and led by Adam, descend from Heaven and kill sinners to manage overpopulation.

Charlie Morningstar, crown princess of Hell, challenges this ancient dogma by founding the Hazbin Hotel, aiming to rehabilitate sinner demons so they can 'check out' from Hell as redeemed souls and be accepted into Heaven. The pilot introduces the initial roster of residents, including the reluctant first patron, pornographic film actor Angel Dust, and the powerful 'Radio Demon' Alastor, who finds Charlie's belief in redemption laughable and helps run the hotel for his own amusement. The pilot remains canon to the story.

Reader's Guide

The pilot episode was released on YouTube on October 28, 2019. It was made by freelance animators and financed by Medrano's Patreon followers. 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, including gay Angel Dust, bisexual Charlie, and asexual Alastor.

The pilot was critically acclaimed for its animation quality, music, and characters. Matthew Field of Go! & Express argued that 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 a lot of time and heart into this project'.

In December 2019, 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...