The past few years have been great for adult animation. From Rick and Morty blowing up to the success of Bojack Horseman on Netflix, it seems that cartoons for adults are everywhere. Yet one of the most popular series isn’t on a network or streaming service: it’s on YouTube, and it’s getting more views than The Simpsons.
Helluva Boss is an adult animation series that is beyond humorous and just overall entertaining. The background and storyline of this show are just creative and out-of-the-box thinking. Created by Vivienne Medrano, the series spun out of the pilot for a series called Hazbin Hotel, which was picked up by A24 and will be released sometime next year. Although the show was released in 2019, Helluva Boss has shown an uprising in views and a growth of audience and viewers.
Like Hazbin Hotel, Helluva Boss takes place in a vibrantly colorful underworld. In Hell, the lowest of the low people are imps, creatures born in Hell to a servant class. But one imp named Blitzo (the o is silent) feels like he can get a rise in popularity and wealth by starting his own business, the Immediate Murder Professionals. Thanks to a favor granted by a demon prince, Blitzo is able to go to the mortal realm where he works as a hitman for souls in Hell who want revenge against the living. Blitzo hires fellow assassins Moxxie and Millie, an imp couple that specializes in weaponry and combat, as well as his adopted hellhound Loona.
Over the series, Blitzo and his crew start getting into Hell’s public eye as more and more people start to come and ask them for favors. While each episode is very different, each one is carried by rapid-fire humor, intense violence, and at least one musical number (yeh, this show bout Hell is a musical). While each episode works on its own, they all align into a continuing storyline where we learn more about the politics of Hell and the inner lives of the characters. The episodes also feature a rich, detailed art style that goes beyond what is normally seen on YouTube. The sleek angles on characters and saturated backgrounds make the show both unlike anything on TV or streaming yet that same quality.
This show has everything that an animated show needs: the voice animation is on point, the humor, the character and their roles, and the overall production of the show is all perfectly well done. Each and every one of the characters introduced throughout the seven episodes is lovable and so fun to watch. The big boss Blitzo is the head and founder of I.M.P. Blitzo always wanted what was best for his company and tried constantly to always be professional, but with the kind of coworkers he has, it’s almost impossible. Even though he can be disrespectful, rude, or selfish, he always makes sure everyone’s doing good. Moxie who is married to Millie is a gun specialist. Although a lot may think he’s too shy or weak to kill, he definitely has his moments to prove you wrong. Millie is Moxie’s complete opposite: she is bold, fearless, and downright funny. She is always ready to have fun and is so lively and cheerful. Although all of the characters are completely different, they all work together to make a strong team and successful company.
This show was hilarious but it is humor that can be sensitive to some viewers. Helluva Boss is definitely for an older and more mature audience, as it has graphic killing scenes, some sexual content (but no nudity), and obscene language that would make a sailor blush. But mature content should be expected for a series that literally takes place in Hell. While it won’t fit everybody’s tastes, Helluva Boss is a very impressive show, as seen by its impressive view counts (over 1 million views on each day a new episode is released). If you love dark humor, bloody violence, and action-packed animated shows, this show is definitely the one for you. You can find the entire series to date on the Vivzipop Youtube channel.
