Flashback: Glasslip

Are you lost P.A. Works? What story do you want to tell with Glasslip?

Frequent readers will know I’m a fan of P.A. Works, but recently I’m becoming more and more skeptic about their productions. They seem to have lost their touch in making a slice of life story with meaning or a message.

You may argue that Hanasaku Iroha also belongs within the string of series that didn’t add much value to the lineup of P.A. Works. But Hanasaku Iroha gave us one of the most ‘human-like’ characters ever, namely Ohana. Her emotions were transmitted perfectly from within the setting to the viewer.

After Hanasaku Iroha P.A. Works didn’t really deliver strong characters that really made a difference. They were bland characters, used as plot devices to progress a story. This sounds very skeptical, but I cannot really make a connection with the characters anymore. They seem distant and unreal.

Red Data Girl was abstract, Tari Tari was boring and Glasslip follows the same pattern. It has no clear understanding where it wants to go. There is no beginning and no end. The story has no underlying message to convey to its audience and guide them through the events at hand.

Perhaps I’ve lost the understanding of what a slice of life series should do. Strictly speaking it gives a glimpse into one’s life. Look at Minami-ke that does just that, and only that. It doesn’t add supernatural elements to spice up the slice(ha, good one).

Glasslip, and therefore P.A Works, seem to be in confused what their series should do. Create an fully immersive supernatural series such as Angel Beats! or the daily happenings of an inn in Hanasaku Iroha. They try to mix and blend, ultimately creating a series that is nothing of both with Glasslip being the embodiment of this inner struggle that has befallen P.A. Works.