REVIEW: ‘Bartender: Glass of God’ Delivers A Pleasant Atmosphere With Its Drinks

In Bartender: Glass of God, Miwa Kurushima (Yoshino Nanjô) and Yukari Higuchi (Haruka Shiraishi, Wonder Egg Priority) are tasked with finding the perfect bartender for their hotel’s new private bar. But while they find their man in small-time bartender Ryu Sasakura (Takuma Terashima, Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness and the Secret Hideout), he is unwilling to leave the cozy confines of his current bar, Edenhall.

As Miwa comes to spend more time at Edenhall, she learns more about Ryu and how preciously he views his work as a bartender. Through Ryu’s interactions with her and random patrons, Bartender: Glass of God from Liber delivers an insightful slice-of-life story about how kindness and the perfect drink can help a person find their way.

One of the biggest problems slice-of-life series often face is balancing interesting events that can keep the viewer’s attention with the need to maintain a “daily life” tone for the show. If too much happens to the handful of cast members, even if they all feel like daily life events, things can feel far too packed. It loses believability with the sheer quantity of events that challenge the cast. Bartender: Glass of God manages to avoid this problem by allowing many of the series’ struggles to be focused on characters outside the core cast.  Random patrons and friends of friends who show up at Edenhall are allowed to take center stage as they reveal their struggles.

The various struggles the cast contends with quickly overshadow the central plot of getting Ryu to work at the hotel. Each story plays out throughout an episode or two, allowing them enough time to mature while never overstaying their welcome. These challenges are well thought out and flow smoothly. While many pull at the heartstrings, most end on an uplifting tone, allowing the series to maintain a positive energy.

Standing at the center of Bartender: Glass of God‘s success is Ryu. The character manages to be everything he needs to be while still feeling realistic. He’s gentle and kind, while able to say no when necessary. How Terashima delivers Ryu’s many insightful observations is pure voice-acting gold. Many of the soft-spoken character’s pearls of wisdom are delivered in barely more than a whisper. This gentle delivery draws the viewer in, commanding them to focus on Ryu’s words far more than any authoritative order.

Along with Ryu’s calm speaking style is a purposefulness of motion that makes every drink the bartender crafts audibly and visually soothing. The clatter of the drink stirrer moving through a cup, the gentle sound of the liquid pouring from a bottle, and the shake of the mixer as Ryu mixes ingredients with a meaningful rhythm come to calm the viewer. You could make a Youtube video that just a loop of Ryu mixing drinks and it would be great background noise after a trying day at work.

The series’s calm tone is further reinforced thanks to wonderful lighting and set designs. The Edenhall bar is small and cozy, lit with an amber hue that brings out an energy equal parts welcoming and calming. When Bartender: Glass of God goes to other locales, it manages to carry over the wonderful lighting while being subtle. This allows the low-energy tone to carry with the cast as they travel while not making the larger world feel muted.

The final element that allows all of Bartender: Glass of God‘s calming moments to come together is its willingness to embrace silence. I love a gorgeous soundtrack, and how much the right piece of music can enhance a moment cannot be overstated. But there are times when a series needs to step away and allow the natural sounds of a scene to dominate the moment. This series knows when to let Ryu and the tools of his trade own a moment audibly.

The one major element of the story that gets overplayed is how it presents bartending in general. Rather than allow Ryu to be the singular individual that he is, the show tries to play up all bartenders as individuals who have devoted their lives to bringing comfort and peace of mind to their patrons. Even my limited experience in bars is enough to make this presentation feel laughable. If the show had played this angle with a lighter touch, it could’ve been accepted as Ryu’s wishful thinking. But the view is so pervasive among the cast that it feels like a genuine belief the show is trying to convince the viewer is true.

Bartender: Glass of God delivers a slice-of-life story that is both relaxing and insightful. The compassion and attentiveness Ryu gives to each customer who walks through Edenhall’s doors comes with a warmth that can do as much good for the viewer as the character whose life is about to turn around.

Bartender: Glass of God is streaming on Crunchyroll.