Glasslip

Glasslip (グラスリップ, Gurasurippu) is a 13-episode Japanese anime television series produced by P.A.Works and directed by Junji Nishimura. The screenplay is written by Rika Satō and Junji Nishimura with character designs by Miki Takeshita. The anime aired in Japan between July and September 2014. A manga adaptation is serialized in Pony Canyon's Ponimaga online magazine, and a light novel series has also been published.

Plot

Tōko Fukami's family runs a glass-working business in a small seaside town named Hinodehama (日乃出浜, "Sunrise Beach"). She hangs out with her four best friends at a cafe called Kazemichi (カゼミチ, "Wind Way"). During the summer break of their senior year in high school, they meet a transfer student named Kakeru Okikura, who claims that a voice from the future talks to him, and that it has led him to Tōko.

Characters

Main characters

Tōko Fukami (深水 透子, Fukami Tōko)

Voiced by: Seria Fukagawa

Tōko is an 18-year-old girl from Fukui Prefecture and is the main protagonist of Glasslip. She is the daughter of a glass workshop owner, and she dreams of becoming a glass artisan. She has big hazel eyes and long brown hair which is seen down, with two braids on either side. She has a cheerful personality and never seems to be upset. She likes to draw. When she focuses on glass, she can see images from the future. She has feelings for Kakeru.

Kakeru Okikura (沖倉 駆, Okikura Kakeru)

Voiced by: Ryōta Ōsaka

Kakeru is a mysterious and aloof high school student who appears to have some relationship with Tōko. He has black hair and blue eyes. He recently transferred from his old school and is a third year. Tōko's first impression of Kakeru was "David". He has feelings for Tōko.

Yanagi Takayama (高山 やなぎ, Takayama Yanagi)

Voiced by: Saori Hayami

Yanagi is a high school student who is taking lessons to become a model. Yanagi has olive brown eyes and mid-length brown hair which curls at the bottom and is usually seen wearing a colored bow in her hair, which is dark red and pale yellow. Yanagi sometimes has a tsundere-like personality, but usually is cheerful and participates in most conversations. She has feelings for Yukinari and is jealous of Tōko.

Yukinari Imi (井美 雪哉, Imi Yukinari)

Voiced by: Nobunaga Shimazaki

Yukinari is Yanagi's step brother. He is on his high school's track team, but is in rehabilitation at the beginning of the series. He has black hair and dark green eyes. He is a cool and laid back boy. He is in his third year much like his friends. He has feelings for Tōko and is jealous of Kakeru.

Sachi Nagamiya (永宮 幸, Nagamiya Sachi)

Voiced by: Risa Taneda

Sachi is a quiet and soft spoken third-year high school student. She has black shoulder-length hair and violet eyes. She is usually seen wearing her glasses and reading a book. Upon their first meeting, Sachi takes a disliking to Kakeru.

Hiro Shirosaki (白崎 祐, Shirosaki Hiro)

Voiced by: Daiki Yamashita

Hiro is a cheerful high school boy who is always seen smiling. He has brown hair pulled back with a white band and has dark brown eyes. He has feelings for Sachi. His grandfather runs a cafe called Kazemichi where he and his friends often hang out.

Other characters

• Ken Fukami (深水 健, Fukami Ken) is Tōko's and Hina's father. He runs a glass workshop named Yataglass Studio. Voiced by: Hiroyuki Kinoshita
• Mari Fukami (深水 真理, Fukami Mari) is Tōko's and Hina's mother. Voiced by: Rieko Takahashi
• Hina Fukami (深水 陽菜, Fukami Hina) is Tōko's younger sister and is a junior high school student. She is in the school's swimming club. Voiced by: Nao Tōyama
• Momo Shirosaki (白崎 百, Shirosaki Momo) is Hiro's older sister and is a college student. She just got her driver's license. Voiced by: Ai Kayano
• Matasaburou Shirosaki (白崎 又三郎, Shirosaki Matasaburō) is Hiro's grandfather who runs Kazemichi cafe. Voiced by: Tomomichi Nishimura
• Toshihiro Okikura (沖倉 利尋, Okikura Toshihiro) is Kakeru's father. Voiced by: Yūji Takada
• Miwako Okikura (沖倉 美和子, Okikura Miwako) is Kakeru's mother and a pianist. Voiced by: Atsuko Tanaka
• Suzune Nagamiya (永宮 すゝね, Nagamiya Suzune) is Sachi's mother. Voiced by: Miki Itō

Media

Anime

The 13-episode anime television series is produced by P.A.Works and is directed by Junji Nishimura.^[1] The series aired between July 3 and September 25, 2014 on Tokyo MX. The screenplay is written by Rika Satō and Junji Nishimura, and the music is produced by Akito Matsuda.^[2] The opening theme is "Natsu no Hi to Kimi no Koe" (夏の日と君の声, "A Summer Day with Your Voice") by ChouCho, the ending theme is "Tōmei na Sekai" (透明な世界, "Transparent World") by Nano Ripe, and the image song is "Lucent Eyes" (ルーセントアイズ) by ChouCho.^[3] The series was simulcast in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Turkey, Latin America, parts of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa by the Internet streaming website Crunchyroll.^[4] The anime has been licensed in North America by Sentai Filmworks.^[5]

Episode list

Print media

A manga adaptation titled Hina's Lip (陽菜'S リップ), written by Kazemichi and illustrated by Mayumi Katō, began serialization in Pony Canyon's online manga magazine Ponimaga on July 3, 2014.^[6] Pony Canyon began publishing a light novel series on October 3, 2014 under their Ponican Book imprint. The novels are written by Yoshimori Uchi and illustrated by Shino.^[6]

Reception

Matt Packard of Anime News Network praised Glasslip for being visually beautiful, but criticized it for the generic characters, the lack of explanations for the supernatural phenomena introduced at the beginning of the series, and the presence of too many incongruities.^[7] Stig Høgset, writing for THEM Anime Reviews, also praised the striking visuals, but found the characters believable and showed maturity when dealing with their respective relationships. Høgset ultimately found the show disappointing because its great start was marred by Tōko's visions leading toward a vague conclusion, saying that it "basically sells its own gimmick as a huge waste of time."^[8]

References

External links

• Official website (Japanese)
• Glasslip (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia

Works by P.A.Works
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Television series	True Tears Canaan Angel Beats! Hanasaku Iroha Another Tari Tari Red Data Girl The Eccentric Family Nagi-Asu: A Lull in the Sea Glasslip Shirobako Charlotte Haruchika Kuromukuro Sakura Quest
Original video animations	Angel Beats!: Stairway to Heaven The Other -Karma- Exodus! Episode 1: Exit Tokyo Angel Beats!: Hell's Kitchen The Third Girls Aerial Squad Episode 1 Charlotte
Video games	Wild Arms 3 Professor Layton and the Curious Village Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box Professor Layton and the Unwound Future Triggerheart Exelica -Enhanced- Professor Layton and the Last Specter Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy
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