Bartender

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  • TV-14
  • 2006
  • 1 Season
  • 7.1  (284)

Bartender is a Japanese television drama series that first aired in 2006 on Fuji TV. The show stars Takahiro Mizushima, Iemasa Kayumi, Ayumi Fujimura, Leo Morimoto, and Masaaki Yajima. The show is an adaptation of the manga series by Araki Joh, and it centers around the story of a bartender named Ryu Sasakura.

Ryu Sasakura is a talented bartender who is known for his ability to create the perfect cocktail to match his customers' moods and situations. He runs a bar called Eden Hall, which is hidden away in the backstreets of Tokyo. The bar is not just a place to drink, but it is also a place where people come to seek advice or to escape from their problems.

Throughout the series, Ryu meets a variety of customers who come to him seeking solace, guidance, or just a listening ear. Each episode focuses on a different character and their story. Ryu's ability to create the perfect cocktail serves as a metaphor for his ability to listen and understand his customers' needs.

In addition to Ryu, the other main characters in the show include: Taizo Kabuto, a regular customer at Eden Hall who is a wealthy businessman with a troubled past; Miwa Kurushima, Ryu's love interest who is a journalist; and Kase, a young bartender who joins the team at Eden Hall.

The show is set in modern-day Tokyo, and the cinematography captures the city's bustling streets and neon lights. The soundtrack is also notable, featuring jazz music that complements the show's relaxed and sophisticated atmosphere.

Bartender has received critical acclaim for its unique premise and thoughtful storytelling. The show explores themes of human nature, morality, and the complexities of relationships. The series also touches on the art of bartending, discussing the history and techniques behind creating the perfect cocktail.

Overall, Bartender is a compelling drama series that offers a refreshing take on the genre. The show's strong writing, engaging characters, and beautiful production design make it a must-watch for anyone interested in Japanese television.

Bartender is a series that ran for 1 seasons (11 episodes) between October 15, 2006 and on Fuji TV

Bartender
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Seasons
The Water of Life
11. The Water of Life
December 31, 2006
Ryū completes his apprenticeship at Eden Hall and the episode revolves mostly around the life of a bartender. A few cocktails are featured in the episode, such as the Red Eye, No Name and Rob Roy. Ryū and the senior bartenders explain the meaning and purpose of bartending and the importance of meeting the needs of the customers, they mention the bottle of 'Macallan 1946', a rare and expensive whisky made using peat during World War II, which is passed through every generation of bartenders at Eden Hall. They regard the spirits they use as the 'The Water of Life', Ryū states that he is fortunate to have not just learned the craft of bar-tending, but rather choosing the life of a bartender; the final featured drink is a 'Bartender'.
A Christmas Miracle
10. A Christmas Miracle
December 24, 2006
Professor Okita, an unworldly specialist in computational fluid dynamics enters Eden Hall on a Christmas night after being entranced by seeing Miwa and following her. He refuses Ryū's recommendation of having a champagne, and downs a glass of Guinness beer instead. Afterwards, Ryū offers Okita a Black Velvet, which is a mixture of beer and champagne, he doubts that Ryū could pour the drink without it bubbling over the glass, based on his years of research and study of fluid mechanics. However, Ryū successfully pours the beer and champagne simultaneously, without the mixture spilling out of the glass; the narrator mentions that Ryū is among the few bartenders in Japan who are able to mix the Black Velvet perfectly by pouring the liquids simultaneously. The featured drink of in this episode is Black Velvet.
The Bar's Face
9. The Bar's Face
December 17, 2006
On a rainy night in Ginza, Miwa runs towards Eden Hall seeking shelter from the storm only to find a 'Reserved' sign posted on the front door. A nearby street vendor explains to her that every year on this particular day, the bar is closed for a single customer; the vendor proceeds to tell the story in flashback of Ryū's early days as an apprentice at Bar Saito when he served an inappropriate cocktail. On that evening, an important looking businessman named Ryūichi Minegishi arrived at Bar Saito with an attractive companion, Kanako, she ordered a champagne cocktail and Ryū served her Champagne Pick-Me-Up in a tall flute glass which Kanako rejected. Ryū later learned that drinking from a tall glass would have exposed her neck and lines of ageing, it transpires that Minegishi is actually quite poor, but likes to maintain the impression of being wealthy. The cocktail featured in this episode is the Gin & Tonic.
The Lies at the Counter
8. The Lies at the Counter
December 10, 2006
Ryū serves Angel's Tip to a young dating couple. The man claims to be a doctor, but his behaviour causes Ryū to suspect that he is a con-man, seeking to cheat the woman; the man challenges Ryū to perform a 'taste test' with five glasses of water containing a drop of a different pastis. Ryū turns away and he switches the positions of the glasses and Ryū has to guess the names of the drinks. Ryū correctly identifies the drinks, including one glass where the man added a second pastis. Having lost the challenge, the man does not continue his charade with the woman; the featured drink is 'Pastis Water'.
On One Closed Day
7. On One Closed Day
December 3, 2006
Ryū has fallen ill and the bar is closed for the day. Two senior bartenders who visit Ryū decide to concoct some drinks to help him. In the meantime, two customers enter the bar: Kōji Sōma, a politician embroiled in a scandalous court case and endlessly pursued by the paparazzi, and a female lawyer who is supposed to meet Kōji to discuss the case but misses the time; the two bartenders separately give the customers 'Rusty Nail' and 'Bull Shot', who eventually arrange to meet again. The featured drink is the Rusty Nail.
The Story Inside the Glass
6. The Story Inside the Glass
November 26, 2006
Shizuo Kasahara, a screenwriter, has been having trouble writing scripts. He poses a riddle to various bartenders, having ordered four brands of single malt Scottish whiskeys (Laphroaig, Miltonduff, Glenburgie, and Ardbeg), asks what should be next. After going to several bars, his long-time friend and director Ryūji Mineyama catches up with Kasahara and they argue over why their productions are no longer original. Ryū answers the riddle, and by doing so helps the two men with their problem; the featured cocktail is the Aberdeen Angus.
Things Left Behind in a Bar
5. Things Left Behind in a Bar
November 19, 2006
A young salesmen, Shibata, is given a transfer notice from his boss after his sales figures are low. Ryū lifts the young man's spirits by telling him about Ernest Hemingway and the story The Old Man and the Sea; the featured cocktail is the Daiquiri.
The Amber Dream
4. The Amber Dream
November 12, 2006
Ryū assists a couple on their first date. Meanwhile, Sayo Yusada is waiting for her husband for their anniversary, however the two have grown apart. Ryū mixes the Bijou Cocktail, then creates an Amber Dream from it, he explains that amber takes time to get its beauty, much like a marriage and the time a couple puts into it. The featured cocktails are the Bijou and Amber Dream.
The Glass of Regret
3. The Glass of Regret
November 5, 2006
Shimaoka, the head of an advertising company, is retiring, and his old love, the actress Mieko Yuzuki, has just died. The two of them wanted to perform together in Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House, until he decided to take over his family's company. Ryū uses the Margarita and its history to show Shimaoka that love can live on; the featured cocktail is the Margarita.
The Menu of the Heart
2. The Menu of the Heart
October 29, 2006
Miwa Kurushima comes to Eden Hall to ask Ryū to find her 'Menu of the Heart.' As a child, she broke a bottle of alcohol intended to mend the rift between her father and Taizō Kurushima, her grandfather. The two had been fighting over modernizing the family hotel. Shortly after this accident, Miwa's parents were killed in a car crash. Ryū extrapolates that the beverage was Suntory's Kakubin (referred to in the show as 'Kaku'), a beverage at the crossroad of old and new Japan; the featured cocktail is the Nikolaschka.
The Bartender
1. The Bartender
October 15, 2006
At the bar Eden Hall in Ginza, Ryū Sasakura creates cocktails dubbed 'The Glass of the Gods.' Hotel redesigner Kamishima holds deep disregard for bartenders because of an embarrassing mistake he made as a younger man. He is shown the skill of the profession by Ryū, who creates a simple water-mix (mizuwari) by smashing Eden Hall's signature ice cup. Kamishima's bar redesign incorporates Ryū's explanation of the importance of bars; the featured cocktail is the Grasshopper.
Description
Where to Watch Bartender
Bartender is available for streaming on the Fuji TV website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Bartender on demand at Amazon Prime, Amazon, Vudu, Apple TV, Tubi TV and Pluto TV.
  • Premiere Date
    October 15, 2006
  • IMDB Rating
    7.1  (284)
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