Hot Spot (2025)

A show that quietly sneaks up on you then catches you in its grasp

Hot Spot has a charm all of its own. This is a show that quietly sneaks up on you and then catches you in its grasp. From the opening moments of working in the hotel, the rescue of the Ki by the resident alien, through to saving the hotel, this story explores the true meaning of friendship.

There is a lot of talking in this show. Some would say it’s nonsensical chat. However, it has a charm all of its own and is the glue that holds Hot Spot together. This includes amongst the hotel staff at the Lake Hotel, the group of growing friends as they eat out on a regular basis to enjoying drinks at a friends bar.

Takahashi as the half alien is the show’s focus and the FL is the narrator and number one friend. The running gag is him bending a ten yen coin and everyone finding out he is an alien along the way. There is a cost to him using his powers that always results in him recuperating in the hot springs at the hotel. Each time the friends need his help, he starts out unwilling to help but in the end he always does.

A key production feature of this show is that there is no glitz or glamour. It’s like being in a town as you would expect to find that is almost like a sleepy hollow. Underlying it all are themes regarding friendship, acceptance, the challenges of tourism, environmentalism with a tiny touch of corruption thrown in.

I enjoyed the window into this part of Japan with a slice of pared back goofiness along with some very good acting with perfect timing.

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"I'm not sci-fi, I'm non-fiction!"

Who knew the base of Mount Fuji was a Hot Spot for alien and paranormal activity? In a seemingly quiet town, four middle-aged school friends had their boring lives given a tiny shot of excitement when they made the acquaintance of an unassuming alien working at the local hotel.

Kiyomi works at the Lake Hotel and one night discovers there’s more to her co-worker than meets the eye. Unable to keep a secret she fills her friends in on Takahashi’s alter ego. Before long the 54-year-old alien is being asked to do trivial and even illegal tasks for the women. Somehow, he always manages to thwart crimes and do good regardless of the random requests. When the hotel and the town itself are in danger, it will take not only Takahashi, but nearly a village of women to right the wrongs being committed.

I enjoyed the laid-back alien tale with some of the other interesting reveals. Takahashi showed that aliens could be heroic and kind, stubborn, grumpy, and prideful---just like humans. While I liked the small town vibes and inane excitement related to specimen cups and volleyballs, there were times the women’s behavior troubled me. Kiyomi catered to an older guest at the hotel hoping to be put into his will. She also promised to keep Takahashi’s secret but took every opportunity to share it. She was unwilling to switch shifts with him so that he could rejuvenate after doing a good deed because it would have mildly inconvenienced her. The women could be terribly self-absorbed when Takahashi shared his hidden pain or when he risked being exposed or arrested for them. On the positive side, the women eased the alien’s loneliness even if he had to call them on their rude behavior at times.

The drama had an episodic feel to it as each episode had a problem to be solved with the overarching theme of the importance of the hotel and friendship regardless of family heredity. The humor was gentle and subtle. As they grew more accustomed to each other, the women became less oblivious and more in tuned to not only Takahashi but the world around them. They also discovered that their small town might be home to more than one unusual resident.

9 April 2025

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