Originally airing in 2006, the TV series Bartender is finally seeing release. It ran for eleven episodes and definitely had interest back in the day because it wasn’t the usual kind of title but it never saw a domestic license. And sadly, it still doesn’t because it’s UK distributor Anime Limited who has picked it up. They’re shooting for a third-quarter 2020 release for it but don’t have any firm dates yet. It’ll be done as a collector’s edition and you can see the latest look of the packaging for it to the right.
The series was directed by Masaki Watanabe based on the scripts and series composition by Yasuhiro Imagawa. Based on the original work by Araki Joh and Kenji Nagatomo, Hirotaka Kinoshita adapted the character designs with Palm Studio handling the production of the animation.
The Japanese cast includes Ayumi Fujimura as Miwa Kurushima, Takahiro Mizushima as Ryuu Sasakura, and Leo Morimoto as Narration.
The series features the opening song “Bartender” by Natural High featuring Junpei Shiina and an ending theme “Hajimari no Hito” by Natural High.
Plot Concept: Genius bartender, Ryu Sasakura makes the most incredible cocktails anyone has ever tasted. Seeking his “Glass of God”, individuals from all different walks of life visit his bar. With both a compassionate ear and a godly drink, Ryu helps people with their problems.
