------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INTRODUCTION
"Do you know the meaning of word 'Bartender'?
A 'bar' is a perch,
And 'tender' as in gentleness.
Together, it means a gentle perch.
This wood here is the bar
By itself, it's a mere board for placing liquor upon.
But because a bartender is there, 'bar' and 'tender', gentleness is born."
Alcohol is considered as one of the greatest inventions of mankind, of course it is, that's why humanity and alcohol are going hand-in-hand since time immemorial. Today, alcohol has become an inseparable and integral part of our lives and culture, from medical supplies and cosmetic products to that beautiful art of a bottle of Johnnie Walker (sorry for my predilection towards scotch whiskey). 'Bartender' tries to pays homage to a small part of this long history with arguably one of our oldest friend. Liquor usually has always been presented in a negative light through art and literary mediums all over the world for as long I remember, further more being born and raised in a culture where even the mere act of drinking has been frowned upon as something against society's virtue. I naturally grew up with this notion of disliking liquor, hammered and engraved into my very soul since childhood. I bet quite a lot of people can relate to this predicament, it's pretty common in India. But then because it was like the forbidden fruit, I became more and more lured by it and when I did finally consumed my first shot of liquor (vodka), It was an epiphany of sorts.
Have you ever been to a bar before? A bar is a special place for relaxing and socializing, but above all, as Sasakura Ryuu puts it:-
"A bar, after all, is a hideout. Because it's a hiding place, the bar's door is heavy. In exchange, once you enter inside, you can forget the whole world. Then you can forget your status and age, and face your true self."
For the limited amount of time you're there, you can just relax and be yourself. If you happen to find a good bar with a good bartender, you may end up talking (even confessing) about various aspects of your life, your worries, your joys, etc. that you even find difficult to express to your loved ones, at times especially to your loved ones. A brief hint on the setting of another anime "Death Parade", which uses bar and characters dressed as bartenders to make their "customers" confess. As this 'bartender' describes it:-
"Being a bartender is a strange job. In a bar, any customer returns to being an ordinary human. Because, while the customers speaks to us, they are actually conversing with their own hearts and their own past. Perhaps, that is what a bar is. Therefore a bartender's number one job is to listen to the stories of the customers."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EXECUTION
It's an episodic anime with the only difference that many of the newly introduced characters in each episode doesn't disappear from the show completely and have their particular parts to play later on, much like a good cocktail. The show gets rather informative and philosophical at times while remaining significant. It talks about the history of various cocktails through a documentary-esque direction, narration and editing, with a bit of trivia sprinkled over it. That's why I believe it demands a mature audience, those who have seen (or have began to see) enough in their lives to feel a connection. So, strictly a NO for people looking fast paced, action filled anime.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHARACTERS
Characters felt as a breadth of fresh air. Surely, for the sake of creating drama and making them relate-able to the tale(s) of cocktail(s), certain attributes/roles have been assigned to them. But as they seem totally comfortable in their skins as if the actions performed reflects a free will, they still come out as realistic. We eventually discover more and more about them through many sessions, but the past of our bartender, Sasakura Ryuu, remains shrouded in mystery the most. Which I felt was very appropriate because ---> "a bartender's number one job is to listen to the stories of the customers" and not to talk about/impose themselves.
Though at times I felt it to be somewhat draggy because of actions totally unrelated to the show, that's certainly a negative point there as it doesn't ass any significance what so ever.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ART/ANIMATION
Art compliments the theme of the story quite well. Character designs are pretty "simple", with little shading wherever required, as if to complement the complexity of their "human" struggles. Low-key lighting, reflections of glasses, though not photo-realistic but a commendable effort regarding the details of liquor bottles, glasses and furniture. It creates this feel of mystery and intoxication. The use of CG gives a certain liquidity to animation especially concerning the liquor pouring scenes. Overall it has this powerful sense of serenity that consumes you completely. For a better experience, night time watch is preferable with little to no lights.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MUSIC
OP feels much brimming with energy and positivity, a lot (if not complete) different from the overall slow and shady aura of the anime. ED however, is quite appropriate and lovable. A touch of jazz while a "real" bartender prepares a cocktail, being superimposed and juxtaposed through motion graphics ---> umm! tastes good. The in-between tracks, also helps setting up the atmosphere through the use of piano, violin, cello, etc.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VERDICT
It's been more than a year since I watched it and while the synopsis does states the important facts, it's still a red herring going by the bigger picture. I've been to a substantial amount of bars since then, mostly with friends, sometimes with my own company. I noticed that each and every cocktail is different, since humans can only be as precise as they come. Even if the same bartender mixes the same ingredients to create the same drink again, it'll still be different from the previous one somehow. In short, each cocktail is unique and especially prepared only for YOU, your own "Glass of God". Cheers!
"No matter which cocktail, every single one of them contains a magic that is able to change the life of the customer."
