It’s always good to see a series finishing with its best material, even if it’s not a great one overall. That seems to be happening with Bartender: Kami no Glass, though it still has a couple of eps to change my mind. There was a monthlong stretch of episodes there that left me pretty cold, but these past two have been really excellent. This is one of those shows that just doesn’t work when it tries to be conventional. The talky, philosophical nature of this most recent arc is much more attuned to the series’ strengths.
A couple of thoughts cross my mind here. First, of course Sasakura shouldn’t feel guilty about the suicide of one of his customers in Japan. “Leave matters of life and death to a priest” indeed. That’s not to say it isn’t human nature for an empathetic person (as he certainly is) to blame himself over such a tragedy even when it’s misplaced. And second, I wish Gramps would go eff himself and leave Edenhall and Ryuu alone. What he’s doing is unethical (like that ad) and to me, predatory. If Ryuu is happy working at a humble basement bar for a man he respects, that’s his choice. Ambition means different things to different people.
Supporting the Sasakura story is a reprise of Hayase and Kirishima, the cigar couple. Hayase has become a regular at Edenhall, and he tells Sasakura that he’s going to be moving to America after a promotion at work. He then going into an explanation for why ambitious salarymen do what they do, and as depressing as it is it’s probably not far from the truth most of the time. He talks about sacrifice – in his case his family. His wife died when he was out shopping – for a client’s wife. But hey – we all make choices, and choices have consequences, so if Hayase is looking to get a medal pinned to his chest he’s not getting one from me.
Kirishima pops in, much to Hayase’s surprise. She’s back from Sendai, she says, because of a “problem with her family”. The timing is hardly perfect, but he’s clearly still infatuated. He and Ryuu wind up going to Kitakata-san’s bar, where Hayase orders a boilermaker (the way he drinks it I always called a depth charge) for courage. Kitakata has been a nice addition to the cast, and I enjoyed his monologue about dice (and I never knew that bartenders used dice to practice for shaking cocktails).
Kitakata notes that “Instead of hedging your bets and regretting it later, it’s easier to accept losing on a big bet”. To be frank, that’s one of the core principles I live by (and probably the reason I’m in Japan). It’s obvious what Hayase was taking from all this, but between that and the business about the thorn of regrets you carry with you I really felt like this episode was speaking directly to me. Anime don’t get into philosophy too often and when they do, rarely rise above the level of a fortune cookie. So when a series can do it as competently as this, I have a real respect for it.
As for Sasakura-san, I have a suspicion we’re being encouraged to believe that leaving Edenhall and going to the Cardinal is the right thing for him, so that’s what I expect to happen. I’m not remotely convinced of that myself, but if the reason he’s hesitating is that he’s afraid then sure, that’s not a good situation either. But loyalty and contentment are an entirely different matter, and I’ve seen nothing to convince me that Ryuu isn’t content where he is, or that his loyalty is misplaced.
RurouniGaijinn
June 7, 2024 at 12:32 amComing into your post after watching it, it’s mad how much I’m getting the same resonance I’ve had of this episode as you. Watching the whole Hayase bit, it made me realize how much I find myself in his position (and some, not so much. Ultimately, I chose NOT to make that sacrifice precisely because I’d feel like I’d be selling off my soul), but when it comes to chasing a dream, I didn’t bat an eye at showing my hand on the gambling table. I guess it really depends on how much weight you put on the the subsequent result, whether it be a benefit or a consequence. (And realizing the dream of staying even for a slight prolonged period in Japan is already a win in my books. Truly a “Journey is more beautiful than the destination” definition if there ever was one)
For how much self-reflection it has given me, this ep is truly one of the most memorable stand-alone sub-plots since I started watching anime.
Guardian Enzo
June 7, 2024 at 6:42 amYeah, sometimes you just feel like a series is whispering right in your ear.
It’s fitting for a show about bartenders, really.
Nicc
June 7, 2024 at 8:13 amWe get the story from Kitataka about what happened to Sasakura. It sounds like one of his customers committed suicide after having one of his drinks. Certainly, it’s not his fault that it happened, but we can’t help but second-guess. Old man Kurushima is really pulling out all of the stops now, even printing ads that the counter bar is going to open with Sasakura as the bartender. I don’t like this either and it’s like he’s putting Sasakura into a trap. In his current state, he’s in no position to make such a decision. Miwa realizes this and so she’s been staying way from him for a while.
Right, it looks like the cigar couple is back again. Hayase tells Sasakura that he got a promotion that’ll take him to North America. The featured cocktail in this scene is the A1. I’ve never heard of that one. I sometimes use the other A1 on steaks, though. Getting to the top is a difficult road and there is often a price to be paid. However, Hayase’s plans go out-of-whack when Kimishima unexpectedly shows up. Of all the below-ground bars, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into Edenhall, eh? She’s back in town again due to family issues and Hayase is clearly still carrying a torch for her. Right, Hayase and Sasakura later heads on to the North Wind and for Hayase to get the kind of encouragement that Kitakata can provide. The featured cocktail in this drink is the Boilermaker (No relation to the state of Indiana, I suppose) and gets some liquid courage. The thorn in Hayate’s heart has been removed and he knows what to do next. I expect that we’ll see Hayase and Kimishima again at some point, but will it be at Edenhall or at the Hotel Cardinal or maybe even somewhere else.
Back to Sasakura, it seems that even his boss, Maki, thinks that he should move on. Maki has let it known that should he go, Edenhall will be closed. I’ve thought about before on who could take over Edenhall should Sasakura depart. Kelvin’s in Singapore, Kyouko’s working at the Hotel Cardinal and Yuri wouldn’t fit with the vibes at Edenhall. There’s a timeskip and now it seems to be around Christmastime. Miwa drops by for the first time in a while on a soaked night and that’s when Sasakura learns that she too knows his story. The featured drink in this scene is the Tom and Jerry. That’s another new one on me. I also just learned that cartoon may have been named after that cocktail. We got an unexpected tears in the rain scene too. I’m not sure how many episodes are left in this cour, but I too have enjoyed the direction of the current episodes.