Kara Dennison
January 3, 2025 
Mobile game TASOKARE HOTEL puts players in the shoes of Neko Tsukahara, an idol-loving schoolgirl in a twilight purgatory. While working as a maid at the hotel between worlds, she helps patrons remember the circumstances of their life, and possibly death. As she does, she attempts to figure out if she’s still alive or dead. With a combination of careful searching and deductive reasoning, you help lost souls get home. And just maybe you’ll figure out what happened to Neko.
This month, the mobile game gets an anime adaptation. And if that description alone wasn’t enough to interest you, read on to find out what else makes this story stand out.
A Colorful Cast
TASOKARE HOTEL is populated by humans and… other things as well. Neko, her coworker Atori, and most of their other guests are lost human souls. But there are other beings in this lush hotel, too. The nameless Manager seems like a normal guy, except for the fact that his head is a color-changing flame. Menow, the beautiful woman who works in the hotel bar, sports a massive pair of horns. And then there’s Kiriko, the barfly who… well, we’re not sure what his deal is.
Regardless of species, each character is fascinating. The guests who come and go from the hotel include gamblers, jilted lovers, idols, and even a murderer. And of course, the staff themselves have mysteries to unravel while they spend their time working here.
A Vintage Vibe
The art, design, and music of the original TASOKARE HOTEL game are all gorgeous. The between-worlds resort has a sort of 1940s feel, from the technology level to the smooth jazz soundtrack. (There’s a reason for that, but we’ll let you find that out for yourself.) The hotel’s architecture blends Eastern and Western influences of the time, as do the staff’s uniforms.
The project’s art style is intriguingly surreal, too. Upon arrival, each guest sports something other than a face—a pachinko ball or a pansy blossom, for example. Once they remember who they are, they wear their own face again. We’re curious to see how this will look in fully-animated scenes.
A Murderous Mystery
The first half of the original TASOKARE HOTEL game has you figuring out other people’s pasts. But there comes a point when the mystery gets much closer to home. Neko discovers that she and her coworker Atori share a complicated and terrifying bond. And seeing justice done could lead to much more permanent consequences. If you kill someone in the hotel, regardless of whether they’re already dead or going to hell themselves, you will go to hell.
Initally, Neko and her fellow staff members learn to cope with the presence of a malignant spirit. But once she uncovers more of his crimes, she can’t just sit by. Can she put things right without sacrificing her immortal soul? Find out when the series premieres!
