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Bartender
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Animation - 7.0 |
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Sound - 7.8 |
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Story - 6.0 |
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Character - 6.0 |
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Value - 6.0 |
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Enjoyment - 6.3 |
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Average - 6.5 |
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Summoner |
(2008-05-11 11:06:13) 2008-05-11 10:56:56 |
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| Average |
4.5 |
| Animation |
6 |
| Sound |
6 |
| Story |
4 |
| Character |
4 |
| Value |
3 |
| Enjoyment |
4 |
| Bartender is not a show about degraded drunkards trying to forget their sorrows in alcohol. This anime tries to look at everything from a more philosophical point of view, it tries to convey that each alcohol drink, cocktail or whatever has a special meaning behind itself and can soothe any restless soul there is.
Unfortunately what is bad about this show is that it's boring. Yeah, there are those people with their petty worries, there is a genius bartender who finds a one special drink to change their hearts, but still... None of the customers' problems are particularly interesting or special. None of the solutions are groundbreaking. Heh, there is really little to say about this show, as half of the dialogue consists of various names and explanations about beverages I have never heard of. Characters, while not bad, are not really interesting either. To tell you the truth, I was sceptical about this show from the very beginning (I mean, I don't really drink) and in the end I wasn't surprised.
As long as you aren't particularly interested in various alcoholic liquids you should pass on this show. It's educating in a sense, as it gives all those various stories behind the beverages, as well as explains how they get some of their flavours. However since my favourite cocktail is milk/chocolate, I wasn't particularly excited about all that.
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| Average |
6.3 |
| Animation |
6 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
6 |
| Character |
7 |
| Value |
6 |
| Enjoyment |
5 |
| "A bar is where one does not have a clock, for it is a place of relaxation to release oneself of the troubles of the outside world."
This is just one of the heart-lifting quotes that abound in this slice-of-life series. Bartender appeals to the viewer not by a show of flashy effects or heart-pounding suspense and action, but through a commentary of the soul.
The series stars Sasakura Ryu, a bartender known for his "Glass of the Gods", to enlighten the weary soul who stumbles upon his bar, the Eden Hall.
The animation is fluid and crisp, but not at all special which is fine. Almost all of the fluidity that you will see here is the movement, mixing, pouring, and serving of spirits. Bartender incorporates still shots mainly as a reference to popular works or as an overview of the history of a certain spirit. Character design is plain and simple as expected in a seinen series, which fits the overall mood and tone. One would be put off if they were to be designed as gaudy characters that you would see in a typical shonen title.
The music is very pleasant to hear. It augments the series intended mood quite well. The OP for Bartender, which is also named "Bartender", is a fitting tune for a bar with jazz elements like the brass and piano, it is also a fitting song that you could dance through as well, not like in a rave party of course. The ED is much more laid-back which properly closes each episode with a real version of the featured spirit. BGM is mostly piano music that neither stands out like a sore thumb nor wanes completely, music you would typically hear in a bar setting.
The plot is relatively the same, but in an episodic manner. Once you view a few episodes, you can predict how the formula works, but this is not an aspect that should be criticized for. Bartender was not meant to have a dynamic or entirely sophisticated plot. One who nitpicks the series for this very reason is sadly mistaken and would not grasp the series' intended message which is...
...the characters. The different customers who come in and out of the Eden Hall are the highlights of the show. They are the personifications of our current society. These people are plagued with realistic dilemmas that still affect us today, and our friendly neighborhood bartender lifts them up with a good spirit and a heart-to-heart talk. It never gets dull or repetitive since Sasakura Ryu always cleverly yet humbly points out the problem and solves it surprisingly.
The series only spans for 11 episodes and as of this writing is not yet licensed by a Western distributor (probably due to lack of audience, which is depressing). For someone looking for a different approach in anime besides the usual hack-and-slash action and over saturated comedy and trite romance, give Bartender a try. It's a good pick-me-up for the soul.
Enjoyment may not be the right word to describe how I felt about Bartender, rather I was relaxed. It was like an oasis that quenched my heavy self.
A romanticized viewpoint of a bar. Everything that happens and said about a bar may not be entirely factual, but the message that it conveys in each and every episode holds a thousand truths.
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1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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| Average |
8.2 |
| Animation |
9 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Story |
8 |
| Character |
6 |
| Value |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
| I'd like to first thank petran79 for making his review when he did. I was browsing through anime and saw his review of this, and thought it was interesting. Don't get me wrong, even if this anime is about drinking and the story of alcohol, it is very good. For full reviews please read on!
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petran79 |
(2007-12-13 01:57:35) 2007-07-28 06:01:58 |
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| Average |
7.0 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
6 |
| Character |
7 |
| Value |
7 |
| Enjoyment |
7 |
| (Lunar anime fansubs. As usual very good quality. This is btw the first HD fansubbed series I watched)
At last a series for adults. Because who will really have the patience to watch a series about cocktails and the habit of visiting bars and talking about various themes.
Not that some artistic touches arent present. In one episode excerpts from Hemingway "The Old Man and The Sea" are shown, though I think the animator producers were obviously influenced from the Oscar short animated movie "The Old Man and The Sea".
Another episode takes excerpts from Ibsnen's "The Dollhouse", while quotes from popular novels are there too.
But most importantly this is the first animated feature that made me stand up and pick something to drink. Not beer as I usually drink but for the first time some cherry. I wonder if the series was about smoking if it would have the same effect.
Most of the episodes were very well directed and were memorable but unfortunately the were a couple of episodes that were mediocre or to put it better not good enough.
Characters were very good as it is to be expected for a slice of life title.
This is one title were you have to be in the right mood to watch. The only drawback by watching it is: Why do I spend time watching a series about bar and cocktails and I dont go to a bar myself to drink something, watch a game and play some pool?"
Excluding this drawback this series is original and introduces the viewers to the art of drinking and cocktail mixing. Not in the shounen-way or comedy of Yakitate Japan but in a more relaxing way. Had they followed the comedy of Yakitate it would be more popular, but as it is now it is addressed to selected anime viewers.
The Jazz music gives the anime many points and is very well used.
Animation is mostly static but CGI is appropriately used and cocktails were never more refreshing. Character animation isnnt something special, but some of the visuals are.
An underrated series and since I've lost touch with the current titles and considering the drop of quality and repetitiveness in anime, it is a worthy watch
But who will bother. 100 reviews for Haruhi, 50 for Death Note, 550 for Naruto and only a few here and elsewhere for Bartender.
I seriously feel neglected and cast aside for my anime preferences.
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2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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