Tasokare Hotel [Season 1 Episode 1 to 12]

Tasokare Hotel: A Hauntingly Beautiful Dive into the Twilight

If you’re into mystery, supernatural vibes, and a touch of existential dread wrapped in a cozy (yet eerie) hotel setting, Tasokare Hotel might just be your next obsession. The anime, based on a popular mobile game, follows Neko Tsukahara—a girl who wakes up in a strange hotel stuck between life and death, with no memory of how she got there. The hotel, bathed in perpetual twilight, serves as a purgatory of sorts for lost souls, each room hiding fragments of their forgotten pasts.

First Impressions: Death Parade Meets Haibane Renmei?

The internet is buzzing with comparisons to Death Parade, and it’s easy to see why. Both explore the afterlife through a unique lens—Death Parade with its high-stakes bar games and Tasokare Hotel with its slow-burn mystery-solving. But fans are quick to point out that Tasokare Hotel carves its own identity. One Redditor put it perfectly: “It’s like Death Parade, but funny and with lower production values.”

The first episode introduces us to Neko, a protagonist who’s equal parts charming and enigmatic. Her voice actress (a newcomer, apparently) nails the balance between sweet and mysterious, making her instantly likable. Some viewers were thrown off by her lack of urgency—“She just starts working at the hotel like it’s no big deal?”—but others argue it adds to the surreal vibe.

The Hotel’s Quirky Inhabitants

The real stars of the show are the hotel’s bizarre residents. The manager, with his flaming head (Ghost Rider who?), steals every scene, while Haruto, another amnesiac employee, adds a layer of camaraderie. Then there’s the tarot-card-headed guest—because why not? The character designs are a visual treat, blending whimsy with an underlying sense of unease.

Fans are already theorizing about the deeper lore. One MyAnimeList user speculated: “What if Neko’s ‘no-face’ phase hints at a unique cause of death? Maybe she’s not even dead yet…” The show drops subtle clues, like Neko’s opening scene where she’s shown stabbed—a detail some found too revealing too soon, while others see it as a hook to keep us guessing.

Pacing and Potential Pitfalls

The biggest divide among fans is the pacing. Some adore the slow unraveling of memories, calling it “refreshing after binge-watching action-heavy anime.” Others worry it might drag, especially since the game adaptation leans heavily on item-hunting mechanics. A gamer-turned-viewer reassured skeptics: “The story picks up around episode 3. Trust the process.”

Then there’s the episodic format. Each guest’s story is self-contained, but the overarching mystery of Neko’s fate ties everything together. It’s a risky move—some viewers love the “guest-of-the-week” approach, while others crave a faster-moving plot.

Final Verdict: Worth Checking In?

For now, Tasokare Hotel is a solid 8/10 for mystery lovers. It’s not without flaws—some animation shortcuts are noticeable, and the Death Parade comparisons might overshadow its originality. But the atmosphere, characters, and underlying tension make it a standout this season.

As one fan perfectly summed it up: “It’s like checking into a weird, wonderful dream. You’re not sure where it’s going, but you don’t want to wake up.”

So, grab your metaphorical room key and dive in. Just don’t be surprised if you start side-eyeing your own memories afterward.