The Glassworker is a 2024 Pakistani animated movie set for its UK Release this Friday (19th of September). But you may be wondering why are you talking this on a anime website well lets go to the start of this movie production 11 years ago in 2014, Usman Riaz was first comming up with the idea for The Glassworker he was talking his idea throw with his future Assistant director Mariam Paracha with the idea of a young girl walking throw a glass shop the more he when into his idea they realize this project need to be animated. But there was one problem neither had made a animated movie before and to make this dream project they would need to set up a full animated studio to make this dream project come ture.

Flash foward 11 years and a lot of hard work and the formation of Mano Animation Studios a new hand drawn animation studio base in Pakistan with the goal to make Pakistan first ever hand drawn animation movie. One of Mano Animation Studios biggest influence was Studio Ghibli and even got Geoffrey Wexler a ex Studio Ghibli producer to join the team.

There have been any anime inspired projects over the years to come from country outside of japan Teen Titan, Totally Spies!,Avatar the last airbender and the very overlooked The Boondocks just to name a few so how dose The Glassworker compare to these projects, that have all been praise for capturing the sprit of anime but adding a new elements to the mix?

*** Spoiler below***

The Glassworker is the story of Vincent Oliver at the start of the movie is getting ready for a exposition show casing his glass work, he is working along side his father Tomas Oliver who reminds him there was a time he was the one who used to tell Vincent what to do. We flash back to a young Vincent who wants to play with trains than do his glass work Tomas tell him its time to do his work, Vincent is a Glass Apperntice and to beacome just like his Dad, Thomas also tells him of his mother who was also a super skilled glass worker but sadly past on. Vincent wants to go to shcool with the other kids But Thomas tell him he learn everything he needs at work, Vincent and Thomas live in a quit town called Waterfront a peaceful seaside town but this peace will not last long when signs of war breaking out and Colonel Amano moves to town with his family lncluding his young daughter Alliz who has just enroll at the local shcool and is a skill violinist she ends up befreind Vincent and the 2 beacome freinds. Years go by the two freinds have grown but there one big issues Thomas is anti war and the only vocal passive in the town now with a bigger militry present and the start of a war Thomas and Vincent beacome even more outcasted by the town, now with low glass supplies due to rationing with no one buying from there shop due to been made an outcast due to Thomas passive views. Colonel Amano come to a store with a proposition, his army have created a new plane to win the war but they need specialist light bulbs that only a masters glass maker can make with Thomas store been there only real option. Thomas refuse and say the never help the army what leads to Colonel Amano to give all types of threat such as sending Vincent to the front line, Thomas and Colonel Amano comes to a compromise Thomas will make the light bulbs but he must also be given the materials and glass so Vincent can finish his apprenticeship. The years keep going by Vincent and Alliz grow older Alliz is given a fancy Violin and told it from the spoils of war by her Father the years show her growing into a very skill Violinist but Vincent tell Alliz she not a ture artist until she creats somthing of her own and that she only playing other people music, Alliz also beacomes close to a other boy in the town Malik who is part of her dad army, he even confesses his love for her after getting into a fight due in a bombing raid of the town, this the pair beacoming distance. Soon after this Colonel Amano gose missing due in a battle and is missing presumed dead this leads to Alliz to find solace in music and witre her own music she ends up getting a solo at a big performance, she ends up inviting Vincent to her show. Vincent really want to reconnect and is looking foward to the show he even makes Alliz a hair pice from glass and will gift it to her after the show, Vincent ends up showing up late losing his ticket then one of the soldier throwing the ticket away Vincent this leads to Vincent having to watch the show from the window but then notice a gourp of soldier about to enter the buliding.

I am not going to say what happens at end of this movie I realy do think this is the type of movie that sould been seen by as many people as possible.

Character

I really enjoy the full cast of this movie Vincent is a great protagonist we watch him grow into someone who dose not care for his carft to then understand why his dad love glass so much his relationship with Alliz is great and go along side his grow as a artist and the innocence of a child we see him grow up in a world with war and how his father is trying to do everything to protect his son from this hard world, towards the end we also see the mental health fight Vincent is facing and how it broke him insdie in one of the best carfted sences of the movie everything from the animation, the visual and the voice actor performance all world class. Alliz has had a life of most thing handed to her as the only child of a Colonel but find wonder in Vincent the two friendship dose fill genuine as Alliz grows as an artist and Vincent helping her grow her world view, I love the sence where she throw the violin her dad got her from war into the fire known that it likely been stolen from somone.Thomas was my favorite character he love his son so much he wants the best for him even picking his carrer pick out for him as a glass worker and not willing to change his world view this cause Vincent to be shut off from the world until he meets Alliz. Thomas is a passive in a world with a war going on but his willing to give up his world view to give his son a future he also understand at the end that he push Vincent to far and is willing to make a huge sacrifice to give his son a future. Colonel Amano is a other stand out character he could of easily beacome a generic villain but they make him a other caring dad such as parachuting in to see his family on his time off and getting gift for his family and is shown to care about his family.

Dub Voice acting

I will say I love the full english cast been Pakistani-British its gave me vibles of the first english dub of Arrietty (its has a young Tom Holland in it) Ghibli needs more British dubs, I must say Art Malik as Tomas Oliver was a stand out perfomance but the full cast did a really amazing job.

View on the story

The Glassworker is a story of war and how it can seperate people, its also the story of sacrfice what a father is willing to do for his son is willing to give up his world view, also the idea that somtime you can good intentions that can lead to bad places and somtime you need to do is sit down and listen let people make there own choices.

Animation

This is the first time in I dont know how long I seen a fully animated hand drawn movie even most anime use a lot of CGI these day The character design is top notch you can see the Studio Ghibli influence. I love the little touch of pakistan culture in the design such as the clothing and the food but mixed toghter with that classic Ghibli small town look. Most of the animation looks great with some really love work on all the glass working (if you pardon the pun) I will say some of the waling cycle didnt look quite right and somtime look like there some frames missing hopful over time Mano Animation Studios will get better at and for a first go a really great job

Final views

So do I think you should go and see The Glassworker yes you should this is the type of movie that should get all the support you can give it, Its right next to Teen Titan, Totally Spies!,Avatar the last airbender and The Boondocks its understands what its playing tribute to and adds a new flavor, this dose fill like a movie that Studio Ghibli would of made its give me very much when the wind rises and When marnie was there vibes. With the world how it is right now The Glassworker commentary on war is now more ture than ever and shows that there always humanity on all sides no matter how much you try telling yourself there not. I am really looking foward to seening what Usman Riaz and his team at Mano Animation Studios will do next I could see this Studio growing into somthing very Special.

The Glassworker will be in Uk cinema this Friday 19th of September thanks to Dazzler Media make sure to get your ticket now.

Also make sure to check out this youtube video on how the movie was made