Otakuism

Story:

In Tokyo there exists the bar Eden Hall, where resides the genius Bartender, Ryou Sasakura. He is reknowned as the ” Glass of the Gods, ” the man who knows the perfect drink for any problem. Ryou puts this ability to good use throughout the series, encountering a number of people and their problems. From the young to the old, from problems of love to problems at work, all can be solved with the Glass of the Gods. A mature healing anime where the medicine is alcohol and there’s always a seat at the counter.

Animation and Music:

As befitting an anime about drinking Bartender has a very stylish look. Eschewing moe aesthetics, Bartender strives for a realistic and adult look in both characters and setting. The characters can look a little plain, but there’s enough distinguishing characteristics to tell them apart when you have to. Not that you will have to often, since rarely do characters show up for more then one episode. Bartender uses a hefty bit of CG to depict the ethereal bar of Eden Hall and the many drinks in it. Unlike most use of CG in anime it wasn’t obtrusive at all, and, in fact, enhanced the overall experience. The way Bartender is stylish is how well the animation mixes with the narrative. Even if Ryou is the main character, we never hear his internal monologue. Rather, the story is told from everyone elses point of view, and the animation meshes the varied people and their situations into a cohesive storyline. The music, composed and performed by the wonderful Ootake Kaoruko, is mostly comprised of piano tracks that fall into the jazz or blues genres. They’re all perfectly fitted for the world of smoky and dimly lit bars. The OP, Bartender by Natural High (oh the irony), is a wonderful vocal piece that is also piano heavy. The ED is ok, but I didn’t like the singer very much. If ARIA makes you nostalgic for sun-drenched Venice, then Bartender does the same for bars, creating a beautiful world where problems seem to melt away.

Impression:

Bartender is a show that I enjoyed immensely, even if I didn’t always blog about. Bartender is a healing-type/slice-of-life anime, like ARIA or Manabi, if a bit more mature. I have a hard time describing what exactly I like about Bartender. Nothing really happens, but it definitely leaves you with some powerful emotions at the end. Whereas in ARIA these emotions come from cute girls discovering the magic in the world, in Bartender it comes from people discovering more about themselves, and life, than they expected. Revitalized dreams, hopes, and love; this is what Bartender is all about and it does an excellent job of it. And if your not an alcoholic, Bartender will probably make you one. Seeing as how the whole show revolves around drinks it uses a lot of terminology, brand names, and ancedotes to highlight the story. Fortunately, the show manages to educate you about drinking without making it boring. It’s actually some pretty interesting stuff, like how the margarita got it’s name from Hemmingway. Of all the stories, I would have to say the episode where Ryou is sick for a day or the christmas miracle one were my favorites, though, the final episode did have a certain poignancy to it. Sadly, Bartender clocks in at only a measly eleven episodes. I know it has a lot more stories to tell, seeing as how the manga is still running. Hopefully that will be scanned soon. So if your looking for the next anime you want to just make you feel good, give Bartender a try. It will have the perfect Glass of the Gods just for you.