Bartender: Kami no Glass

"Do you know the meaning of the word 'bartender'? 'Bar' means a perch to rest on, and 'tender' means gentle. So 'bartender' means 'a gentle perch.'"

This is a line from the first episode that sets the premise and the tone of the show, romanticizing bartending as a sophisticated and almost therapeutic vocation. Except that I am pretty sure that is not where the word comes from. A bartender is the person who “tends” the bar, as in “taking care of,” similar to "tending to a patient." This may sound like a strange nitpick, but it encapsulates the show for me.

The show is at its most ... interesting when it “talks shop” and explores the many kinds of cocktails, flavor, technique and bartending philosophies. If this is enough for you, you will have a good time. But in almost all other areas the show is awkward and unsatisfying.

The writing in the bar scenes feels very simplistic for what is supposed to be a conversation between adults about refined tastes and hardships in life. Sasakura, the genius bartender and the main character, explains every single detail about what he is thinking, what he is doing and what he means by it. Nothing is left unsaid or ambiguous so that the customer (and the viewer) can contemplate and interpret. Sasakura speaks more through words rather than through his drinks, which I feel goes against the premise of the show. When he mixes in some trivia and some life lessons, he often comes across as preachy rather than sympathetic. The stories that the customers bring to the table are also straightforward, like a rough day at work or doubts about a career choice. There are no layers to peel back, unusual personalities, or particularly complicated circumstances.

These interactions may be more enjoyable if the characters are charismatic or likable, but that is not the case here. Sasakura is just a “cool guy,” always poker-faced, both at work and outside of work, and he rarely says or does anything that reveals anything about himself. It is revealed in the first episode that he has some eccentric sides to him, but those have not been brought up again. I think his character is intended to be an enigma of sorts, but at the moment he just comes across as dull. Other characters are completely flat and get one-word descriptions like “perfectionist” or “workaholic,” if they are lucky. There seems to be an overarching story about recruiting Sasakura to work at a newly-open bar, but there is not much to it, and little progress has been made.

Unfortunately, not much is going on in the art and animation department, either. The cocktails themselves look nice, but the rest of the art is very bland; the bars look mostly flat and featureless. Characters are not very expressive and barely move, and most scenes unfold with characters sitting still and flapping their mouths. I understand that this show is a drama where people sit down and have drinks, but it does not look like the director is trying to do anything creative here at all.

I have not read the manga or seen the original anime adaptation, but I knew that they were well-regarded, and this show has not met my expectations so far. Going back to the “bartender” quote, I feel similarly about the show itself; it feels mildly pleasant but does not hold up to a closer look. This show is just not doing anything nearly as interesting or “elegant” as the subject matter itself, which makes the little annoyances all the more glaring. If you simply want to see great-looking cocktails, or if you want a calm, relaxing show to chill out to, you may enjoy this show. If you are looking for anything beyond that, I really doubt this show will deliver.

Bartender is one interesting piece of media, which provides us with insight of the nightlife bar venues in Tokyo, the people whose work is to manage them and the people who provide their service to the customers. As much as the bartenders serves drinks, they also provide entertainment for those who desire it, and could be good listeners for the more somber customers - this is one of the many more points that this show proves.

This protagonist of this show is Sasakura Ryu - the prominent and charismatic bartender of Eden Hall, the so called "Glass of the Gods". In his representation, we ... see a lot of the before mentioned traits that his line of work expects him to have, but on top of that he's person who is extremely perceptive of his surroundings, and his clientele's physical and mental state, which is his personal style. On top of that, he uses his craft to cater and refine the cocktails he makes so that they'd cater to everyone's personal desires, altering or straight up re-imagining the drink in new form and way to provide perfect service to those that are in need of it.

But this story is one that is not focused on him alone - rather, it presents a view point to the whole bar entertainment industry and the proper etiquette while being in that kind of establishment, which is certainly a reflection of the experiences of Jou Araki, the mangaka that this work is inspired from.

It's impossible to not mention the first adaptation of Bartender from 2006, and their differences. The newer work sticks closer to the source material, and presents us one more inexperienced and flamboyant version of our protagonist - his laid back demeanor and more carefree attitude is hardly evident in the previous version, in which we saw him as this gallant, refined and soft spoken gentleman. The support cast is far more evident and has much more screen time than in the original series, but they feel like much different people, more playful and silly. In short, the current adaptation feels as it is much more lighter, relaxing watch, but in the same way, a bit more prone to fit in tropes - many of the characters behave and express like caricatures of their former selves, including the protagonist. Also this adaptation is much more focused on the story's plot and it's development, while the original show provided more of an episodic, self contained vignettes of stories, but the way that they were developed, and the way that it used clever, often mind-bending cinematography, as well as much more somber, almost psychological approach, made the series absolutely phenomenal for the niche of watchers that enjoy exactly this, myself included.

The dark and enveloping night, the bright street lights in defiance of that, the soft and comforting voice of the narrator, exploring yet another human fate on the canvas of this episode - a well defined character, often lost in his desires that they can hardly express properly, and the feint, gentle smile of Ryu, accepting their presence as yet another customer he'd provide his craft for, by this way alleviating their anxieties. In contrast to this, the remake of Bartender provides story that is a bit more simple to consume, and is a bit more cheerful and joyful. In the same sense it also means that this newer interpretation is more appealing to the casual watchers who are not quite ready for the contemplative psychological approach to the version that 2006 has, but in the same sense that doesn't diminishes the current adaptation's qualities.

In a sense, both adaptations provides two sides of the same coin, and in my opinion, both deserve our attention and praise.

This doesn't feel like the Bartender I know.

In case you're wondering, yes, this anime is a remake/reboot of an anime that came out all the way back in 2006, called Bartender. Why is it getting remade almost an entire 18 years later? Other than how it might be connected to the fact that 18 is the legal drinking age in many countries, it beats me.

I'd heard about this new anime coming out that focused on bars and drinks and all that, and I just had to check out the original. And guess what? I genuinely liked it! I'm not even old enough to drink, ... and tbh, I'm pretty scared of alcohol, but getting to learn about different drinks, their origins, and the struggles of troubled individuals who wander into Eden Hall, all in such a cozy, homey atmosphere, was so refreshing.

So, now that this remake's finally airing, what are my impressions of it? Well, I'm conflicted.

Now, writing a preliminary review having only watched three episodes so far is kind of unfair in my eyes now, but WHAT THE HELL happened???? Nothing seems very comforting anymore and nothing is interesting. It just feels like some sort of odd ASMR instead, because the inside of the bar is so much more goddamn quiet, it's literally almost unnerving. The 2006 Bartender was one of those anime where it was soothing, and even lulled me to sleep a few times (because it was so chill, not because it was dead boring), but I just felt so oddly alert during every moment inside the bar in this one, and this feeling is strengthened even more by how off the characters and their dialogue seems, and the new sort of personality they gave Sasakura, our lovely bartender. It's like they made him so much more of a goofy idiot than actually mature and collected. Like, okay, maybe he regains himself when he's bartending, but there's still that lingering new aura around him that I just find so unfitting of him, and that really disrupts the already off-putting atmosphere.

I'm glad they didn't take the core aspects of Bartender away, though at least not yet. It still seems to have the same formula of a stressed-out drinker coming in for a drink, and having their worries completely washed away by Sasakura's exquisite skills in creating the perfect drink for any individual. Sometimes there's a bit of drama, sometimes it's just that smooth-rolling, straightforward experience. This time, though, there seems to be a goal of trying to get Sasakura to work at a bar, specifically on the top floor of a building. The problem is, he has a fear of heights, and refuses every time he is asked. This is an example of how they made him kind of dumb, but hey, there's a little underlying goal there. But I want my Gary Sue ikemen Sasakura Ryuu in perfect form!!!!

I'm not really liking this new adaptation of Bartender so far, but I'm not necessarily hating it either. It's got its unwanted changes in there, but it's not like it's a completely different anime. I'm holding on to hope that by chance this new adaptation could turn in a good direction soon, but that's gonna be a wait. Maybe I might write a complete review once this has finished airing, going over it in more detail, but who knows.

Thank you for reading my review.

One of the biggest draws of this anime for me was that is was adults, in an adult world, not dealing with any supernatural stuff. It's a change of pace from so much of the rest of anime out there. They deal with real-life adult issues. And this anime delivered that. And as a gigantic departure from so many other anime (and media in general) they don't shy away from using actual brand names. When alcohol is shown, they use real brand names. Denny's isn't "Danny's" here, Smirnoff is Smirnoff. I really appreciate that fact. It keeps the immersion.

The ... animation itself is very solid. The voice acting is very good. Almost all of it is understated, which goes with the vibe of the show. The music, when you notice it, works. I generally like a lot of the characters. I'd love to be able to rate this show higher. This is the kind of show I want to rate a 9 or 10. Two things.

1) I said I generally like a lot of the characters. But, I like them at arm's length. Over 12 episodes (which with this show, each episode feels long) I couldn't feel any connection with any of them. It's like every character was kept at arm's length. I don't think that's what they were going for. Some were supposed to engender some level of empathy or connectedness, but for me none of them clicked. I know sometimes that's a goal for one or more characters but I don't think that's what they were going for here. Everyone just seemed so muted and detached. I don't know if it's because anime characters in general are over-the-top that everyone here was "normal" so they came off flat, or this was their idea of "sophisticated" or something, but I had a hard time cheering that hard for anyone, save a couple of the side character bartenders. The main character actually started to get on my nerves towards the end, and I really don't think that was the goal of the writers (and not the fault of the voice actor).

2) The show became unintentional comedy at certain points with how up its own ass it is about how amazing bartenders are. Look, this is no slight against bartenders at all, but even in a show called Bartender: Glass of God it was too much. If they have a season 2, I wouldn't be shocked if there's a line where they say, "Jesus Christ may have been a carpenter, but when he turned water into wine, that also made him a bartender." And play it totally serious.

Will I watch a Season 2? Probably. Mainly because there's such a lack of anime about adults in a realistic world, and I need a break from all the isekai, yokai, kaiju, demon lords, talking vending machines, and people with psychic abilities that make up the rest of my Crunchyroll watchlist. But damn, I wish these characters were a bit more engaging.

It’s refreshing to watch an anime with adult characters, but Bartender: Kami no Glass takes too many cues from shounen sports and music stories. Bartending isn’t the same as high school volleyball or competitive piano—many of the tropes that this show attempts to use feel awkward and forced because the parallels between bartending and sports/music are flimsy at best. The resulting drama feels contrived and out of place among working adults.

I think Bartender: Kami no Glass works best in the background. It’s chill and relaxing, but it doesn’t reward you for getting invested. I enjoy it most when I’m not asking too many questions and ... my brain is turned off. Sometimes, that’s exactly what I need out of a show.

This drink reeks of old man. It has the old school writing maturity from 2 decades ago or more. Sorry, whoever wrote this work, but you really reek of old man.
Episodic formula is very prevalent in older shows, I believe. It's easier, shorter, flexible and delivers the punch fast. But of course, we want a major plotline to anticipate the final punch. I think... this anime run kinda fumbled on the last major punch. The ending isn't bad, but I didn't really go crazy either.

A lot of the stories always have an old man yapping his ideologies and beliefs that comes in the ... shape of Sasakure Ryuu, a handsome and robot polite young man. If I were a teenager, I would go "Wise words, old man," and go this is deep af bruh. But I'm past that age, and have seen enough of this kind of delivery to anticipate the catch. So in my view, the whole anime constantly has an opinionated nagging dialogue, no matter how roundabout it tries to spin it.

That's not the fatal point, however. The true problem that this anime fails to excite me is the lack of conflict. I feel... all the questions presented to the viewers are too simple and easy to answer, or rather, Sasakure Ryuu always answer them quickly without fail. So I don't really have the chance to brew in the bitterness before I taste the sweet aftertaste. I think it needs more morally challenging topics or devastating tragic tales. It's just too light to be anything distinctive or memorable.

You want something light while not being overly hahahappy. Sure... Unfortunately, this is not my glass of god.

It was a great anime despite being very simple, showing how there are variations of drinks, each character was well constructed, conveying charisma, both Sasakura and the other Bartenders were excellent despite each one having a type of quality and defect, as in Chen's case, but everyone They were developed, I heard there was another bartender anime before this one but I never saw it so maybe I'll watch it another time.
Unfortunately, this beautiful work that is not just about drinks, but also teaches things about life, has ended. I honestly didn't expect much from this anime at first, but it ended up really surprising ... me!

This is one of those types of anime that focuses on moments of exposition about some topic, drinks and beverages, and the bartending role in this case, while trying to create some kind of story around those moments of exposition, and i don't think it worked, actually most of those animes don't work, unless they don't make it all about exposition, and this one failed miserably at that.

There are lots of anime that do this kind of formula in interesting ways, and several other that commit the same mistake. Mostly often they over focus on the exposition topic, being food, science, etc; and leave it ... lacking in any other aspect of story, character development and world building, creating some repetitive routines and becoming stale and boring very fast.

A big one that does this well it's Doctor Stone, having its moments of exposition, but relying on the actual now and then of the story, even when focused on the scientific development. Another great one is Paripi Koumei, aka "Ya Boy Kongming!", related to the topics of music/entertainment shows management, mixed with an strategist of the 3 kingdoms era helping a young star on her career; A last good one is Thermae Romae Novae, even tho it wasn't that well received, it focuses on the comedy and overreaction of the main protagonist when dealing with modern designs and architecture of Thermas, without creating long moments of tedious explanation and talking.

That all said, Bartender: Kami no Glass still have another great problem, it lacks emotion. Almost every character feels stale and lacks the proper facial expression for the scenes and moments they are acting in, that's an even bigger problem when the anime already don't have an interesting hook in the story, and the exposition about drinks and bartending don't do that well of a work when mixed in with the story.

The mystery of who could enter next in Isekay Shokudou, and the overreaction when people ate things in Shokugeki no Souma did a better work, even when getting strongly repetitive and stale, feeling a lot more immersive and interesting than the boring inexpressive way that this anime does this formula, all because of the characters personality and the general aura of these shows, this is even more ironic when the Bartender says something about "your drink lacking personality". Just a Mid Class disappointment...

This show is quite something. To open, there is the obvious - this show highlights, likely accidentally, much of the crises and stress embedded in Japanese work culture. In this sense, it is clear why the show takes place where it does - a cozy bar in the corner of a larger building - and why the main character is written as he is - a laid-back master of his craft. The most exciting thing about this story is the narrative's flexibility - it is less about alcohol and how cool it is to be drunk and more about the glory of Third Places - ... how people need a place to relax and build a community outside of work or home. In this sense, I would likely be less conflicted if the show were about, say, a massage parlor - minor would have to change, But with what we have...

The show's strong understanding of the reality of bartending is evident, and this can make bartenders feel acknowledged and respected. Despite some very well-animated sequences and quite a good soundtrack, the show seems to cater to demographics that might be actively hurt by its message. It is cheers for the modern generation - selling your community and belonging in a bottle. And while its presentation is powerful, I worry that the people most receptive to its message - those who are searching for the community during a rough patch in their lives or working a dead-end job, would be better spent considering a coffeeshop or videogame cafe, rather than an establishment peddling a highly addictive product.

For those seeking a soothing and healing piece of animation, this show is a solid recommendation. However, it's important to note that it's a meditation on the nature of community that doesn't fully explore the consequences of building a community around alcohol. If you're comfortable with this theme, the show could be a thought-provoking watch.

After watching the first episode I immediately fell for the show's charm and atmosphere so I started reading the manga right after the first episode.
Only after reading it have I realised that this adaptation doesn't follow it at all, I quite liked the short story-esque with an overarching plot in the background formula that the manga had, and this creative liberty of the studio to create a more connected story just doesn't sit right with me.
Until it is done airing I can't really recommend it to someone that liked the source material, but I also can't say that the show is awful for an ... anime only.

It was hard for me to get through this anime but I'm trying to rate it objectively. This anime is one of those that is all about exaggerating a hobby or niche interest with dramatic cuts. If you're intensely interested in cocktails and bartending then maybe you'll adore this anime and enjoy watching a character drinking a cocktail having an life changing moment from how the main character mixed the whiskey and the soda water SO WELL, but if you're looking for something with even a scrap of actual plot or characters that deviate from the most bland possible mould, you'll be so bored your ... soul might just leave your body while trying to watch this.

Personally I'm not much of a cocktail fan so it doesn't really speak to me. I'm more of a fan of enjoying a good single malt whiskey neat with a lunch or dinner meal. That being said I can appreciate that the temperature of a beverage can really change the flavour profile as the anime points out many times over. P.S. Japanese Whiskey sucks balls. Just the worst.