The Hellaverse is having a Hellava Great time on Prime
The Hellaverse Is Expanding, and that’s a great thing for women in animation.
The cult-hit animated series Helluva Boss has officially joined its sister show Hazbin Hotel on Amazon Prime. Both series come from the bold creative vision of Vivienne Medrano—one of the few women leading in the world of animation.
Her ever-growing “Hellaverse” is shaking up the genre in a way that’s resonating deeply, especially with women viewers.
At this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, the cast, directors, and Medrano herself sat down with Rebelle Geek to discuss why these shows have struck such a powerful chord with audiences.
The Female Gaze in the Hellaverse
Medrano credits much of the show’s popularity among women to the distinctly feminine energy she brings to her work. As a queer woman, she infuses her stories with a perspective rarely seen in adult animation.
“Everyone’s hot. I wanted everyone to be hot,” Medrano joked. “But I think part of the female gaze the characters have is they’re just fun and cool and exciting, and that doesn’t always equate to traditional attractiveness.”
For Medrano, character appeal isn’t only about looks. It’s about layers. These characters are complex, dynamic, and often don’t even look human, but audiences, especially women, still find themselves drawn to them.
“Not really knowing why you have a crush on a weird-looking character guy that you grew up with? That’s a very female experience,” she added.
I can attest to that. As a kid, I had an inexplicable crush on the rooster from Cock-a-Doodle-Doo. I still don’t have a good explanation, but that strange affection is part of what makes Medrano’s characters so compelling.
Messy, Complex, and Relatable
In Medrano’s version of Hell, everyone shows up as their full, unfiltered selves. There’s no masking darker traits, no need to conform. Characters in the Hellaverse are messy, honest, and real.
“I was always into the sort of messy, grungy heroines of stories, like the Ramona Quimbys of childhood books,” said actress Erika Henningsen, who plays Charlie Morningstar in Hazbin Hotel.
Henningsen believes that as we grow older, society pressures women to suppress the “swirly” feelings of power and hunger for justice we had as girls. But Hazbin Hotel breaks that mold.
“Everybody [in Hazbin] is such an individual. Everybody is their own little cosmos, with feelings, emotions, and backstory. I think that’s why women respond to it,” Henningsen explained.
In this animated Hell, everyone wears their hearts, light and dark, on their sleeves. There’s power in that level of emotional honesty.
Growth Over Domination
Another reason the Hellaverse resonates with women may be its values around character growth. Instead of relying on battles and dominance, the series explores how characters grow through self-improvement.
“I think it’s a very male thing that you win by beating another person. In this show, you win by becoming better,” said voice actor Amir Talai, who plays Alastor.
It’s a subtle but powerful shift in storytelling, one that prioritizes inner strength, transformation, and healing over brute force.
Women Belong in Animation
The success of Helluva Boss and Hazbin Hotel sends a clear message to major studios: hire more women. Women aren’t just casual fans, we show up. We cosplay, we analyze, we buy the merch. And we want to see stories created through a lens that speaks to us.
While the animation industry remains a bit of a boys’ club, Medrano sees hopeful signs of change.
“I feel like I’m seeing more and more female showrunners,” she said. “But especially in adult animation, it’s still kind of a boys’ club. I feel like there’s also an element of this show breaking new ground.”
And that’s exactly what the Hellaverse is doing; creating space for new voices, new characters, and new audiences. Women, queer fans, and people who’ve never quite fit the mold now have an animated universe where they can see themselves.
Both seasons of Hellava Boss are currently on Amazon Prime including a special bonus episode titled “Mission: Zero”. Hazbin Hotel Season 2 will be released on Prime Video on October 29, 2025