Despite struggling with inconsistent pacing and too clichéd characters with predictable motivations, the ending of Netflix’s new Japanese drama series, Glass Heart, is truly thrilling and heartwarming. With the TENBLANK band members having discovered the physical illness of their composer, writer, and vocalist, Naoki, the very existence of the band is in doubt. They had also been unsure about participating at the rock festival organized by Isagi, but ultimately TENBLANK takes over the stage and impresses with their performance, while Glass Heart ends with quite a few matters left slightly unclear.
Spoiler Alert
Are Isagi and Yukino’s careers in music totally over?
The record producer and music composer, Ichidai Isagi, is technically the only antagonist in the entirety of Glass Heart, and so it was expected that he would finally meet a fate as dark and bleak as his own nature. Isagi is not just immensely selfish and ruthless when it comes to dealing with artists, he is also a shameless pilferer who does not hesitate to steal and plagiarize the work of others. While the series begins with an irreparable split between Isagi and Naoki Fujitani, the reason for this split is revealed much later. The two musicians had been working together for quite some time, with Naoki writing and composing tracks and Isagi publishing them under his record label.
When Isagi had written his own track on one occasion, Naoki had praised it and had then gone on to make new additions to the track to make it even better. Although the final track had been a result of a collaborative process, Isagi had decided to publish it under his own name, without crediting Naoki’s contributions. This was not only a direct insult to Naoki, but it also hurt him tremendously, for he had genuinely trusted Isagi like a friend and had even hoped that he would openly talk about his wish to publish tracks under his own name. Therefore, Naoki had decided to split from Isagi and his label and had made up his mind to never work with the man again.
Although this was a decision mostly taken from an emotional perspective, and also to establish professional boundaries, Ichidai Isagi took the matter egoistically, growing angry and vengeful against Naoki. He felt that Naoki was trying to prove himself superior by pulling such a stunt and could not come to terms with the fact that his most successful collaborator was no longer going to bring him profits. Thus, the publisher made it his mission to sabotage Naoki and bring an end to his career, all while keeping up with his plagiarizing tendencies. Because of their lengthy collaboration, numerous tracks written by Naoki were still in Isagi’s possession, and so he chose to make use of these tracks to get famous by calling them his own creations.
The only popular client of Isagi at present, the celebrity singer, Yukino, does not have a clue that the songs she has been singing throughout her time with the label had been written by Naoki, not Isagi. The revelation is shocking to her, and Yukino obviously wants to take some action, or at least stop performing for Isagi, but she is unable to do so because of his unruly ways. The music producer outright threatens to end her career and cause her harm and temporarily buys her silence. However, there comes a time when Yukino has had enough of the emotional torture and manipulation, and she realizes that her career is going to end soon anyway, when there will no longer be any more Naoki tracks left for her to sing. Thus, Yukino chooses to expose Isagi’s real nature in the end, and she reveals everything about the producer’s plagiarizing and blackmailing to the public over a live stream, which has an immediate effect on his company.
The rock festival that Isagi had arranged instantly becomes a flop when one performer after another issues public statements condemning his theft and withdrawing from the event. Fans all over Japan are also extremely angry at his actions, and they call him out on the internet, with Isagi’s reputation plummeting way faster than it had once risen. Following her brave act, Yukino really assumes that her music career is now truly over, but she does not consider the fact that the audience would still support her. Moreover, the protagonist, Akane Saijo, is there to support her as well, as she gives her a shoutout while on stage with TENBLANK and arranges for a very special moment.
Now that the public knows that Naoki had written Yukino’s songs, there is really no reason for TENBLANK to not perform one of the songs, especially since Akane had already invited Yukino to the event secretly. Thus, the band starts to play one of the songs, and Akane invites Yukino to the stage to sing it, encouraging fans to rally their support for the pop star. Thus, in Glass Heart’s ending, Yukino’s career is not even close to being over, as she comes out as the heroic figure who called out the malpractices of her producer. The same cannot be said for Isagi, though, as his music career is now definitely over, with no chance of redemption. Given the very public nature of the dispute, all the other producers and decision makers in the Japanese music industry will also support Yukino and cut ties with Isagi, even if they do not actually want to, out of fear of public backlash.
Does Naoki decide to perform to save Isagi from the public?
When the news about Isagi’s malpractices is exposed, his reputation sinks very quickly, with his business getting horribly affected as well. Every band that was supposed to perform at the Rock Live Japan event that his company had arranged pulled out at the very last minute and refused to be associated with him anymore. Since this happens just a few hours before the scheduled performances, the situation is even tougher for Isagi, as the crowds have already gathered at the Saitama stadium. The fans, who must have paid hefty amounts of money to experience the event and watch their favorite artists live, are naturally very angry and frustrated at this catastrophic failure, and they start to demand refunds.
It is quite obvious that Isagi will not be able to arrange for refunds for all the fans at such short notice, and trying to do so will bankrupt him and his company. But not taking any action would make the fans angrier, and it would be a total disaster if the thousands of youngsters wanted to storm Isagi’s office. Therefore, it is an absolute moment of relief for the producer when buses full of TENBLANK fans arrive at the scene, under the leadership of the band’s former manager, Miyako. Despite having earlier been ousted from events and concerts solely because of Isagi’s dirty politics, and also having recently dealt with a number of internal conflicts, Naoki decides to bring his band to perform at Rock Live Japan.
Although it initially seems like Naoki had taken this decision to save Isagi’s reputation and also his physical well-being, which would have been threatened had the angry fans turned into a mob, the truth is actually different. As Naoki’s words, both at present and also in the past, clearly state, he is really no longer bothered by Isagi and is quite happy he achieved so much financial success and fame. The real reason for Naoki to perform at the event is evidently to entertain his fans one last time, since his health has been deteriorating and there might not be such a grand opportunity later on. Thus, he comes to the event only for the sake of his fans and not to help out Isagi, who has already started to become irrelevant in the Japanese music scene.
Who leaks the news about Naoki’s illness?
About midway through TENBLANK’s performance at the concert, we see the crowds suddenly receive some shocking news, resulting in them immediately checking their phones for more updates. This news is obviously about Naoki’s brain tumor, and especially about the fact that he is not meant to be performing, as the immense stress and fatigue from such activities will push him closer to his death. The fans are absolutely devastated by this news, and they want their idol to be safe, but Naoki convinces them that music is the only thing that will keep him feeling healthy, and he now, for the first time, openly addresses the fact that this could very well be his last stage performance ever.
Glass Heart does not delve into who actually leaked this news, probably because it considers the matter to be insignificant, which is inconsistent with the fact that it made us go through about 6 episodes of drama that could have definitely been shortened. One possibility is that some of the paparazzi journalists might have found out about Naoki’s recent visit to the emergency room because of his worsening condition. We had earlier seen a photographer following the band members around when Akane had taken Naoki and Kazushi to the Hikawa Shrine, meaning that the band did have the paparazzi looking for a scoop about them. Therefore, one such photographer, or reporter, might have found out about the illness and published an online article on it.
But it is also extremely likely that Naoki himself had leaked the news online in his effort to come clean to his audience about the matter. After all, the band looks to have had their entire performance arranged in such a manner that would include a shift in tone following the announcement of Naoki’s brain tumor. In this sense, it seems actually quite convenient for the band that the news leak online and the crowds become more engaged. The fans would have found out about the illness eventually either way, and the band might have decided to reveal it in this manner to ensure that Naoki would get the deserved farewell in his possibly final stage performance.
Are Naoki and Akane still together?
The romantic feelings that Akane feels for Naoki, and also the ones Kazushi feels for Akane, are extremely pertinent in Glass Heart, and while there is no final resolution in the end, there is definitely a hint at what is about to happen. Having stayed away from any romantic bonds for many years, both because of his artistic inclinations and also what often seems to be clinical depression, Naoki finally realizes the importance of being loved. Rather, he understands that he needs to open up and give people around him the chance to love him, a feeling that he also desperately missed, all while trying to be unnaturally selfless in spreading love. Akane had initially looked up to Naoki as her teacher and maestro, but she was the one who managed to see through the chinks of the musician’s toughened exterior and make him understand the meaning of life and love.
It is ultimately music that brings the characters close together, with Akane being the only one among the band members to let Naoki practice music despite being sick. Besides, Naoki had also found music to be the form of expression most suited to him, and so he ultimately gives in to the feelings that he too had been developing for the drummer through his new music. Naoki and Akane kiss and express their feelings for each other on the night before the final concert, and this ultimately brings the band back together. While Kazushi had been heartbroken by the realization that Akane does not actually love him, he too accepts his fate, with the help of Sho’s support, and determinedly uses his feelings to propel his musical prowess.
During the last performance of the band, Naoki does take the opportunity to thank all his band members and express his bottomless love for each of them. While there is a slight and personal nod towards Akane, it does not seem like Naoki has made his relationship, if there is any official one, with the woman public just yet. Glass Heart does not make any more mention of the matter in the end, but the suggestion is definitely that Naoki and Akane are going to be together to the end, till the singer unfortunately passes away in the near future. At the end of the J-drama, all four of the band members come closer to one another, and in the case of Naoki and Akane, they also acknowledge and accept the romance that had been budding between them.
What happens to the TENBLANK Band?
Glass Heart’s ending also does not make any mention about the fate of the TENBLANK band following their performance at Rock Live Japan, and we are made to keep guessing, based on the hints provided in the final episode. Before their performance, Naoki does gather every individual linked with the band and makes them promise to go on performing music, not just by themselves but also as a band. He expresses his desire to continue with TENBLANK as well, although this seems to ultimately be a sad reminder of the fact that Naoki is extremely sick, and he is going to be sicker by the end of the performance. The reality of the matter is that Naoki now has very little time left, and it is extremely unlikely that the band will get to perform or record any new music within this time. The final performance does seem like Naoki’s swansong before his retirement, meaning that even if TENBLANK survives, it will be in an incomplete state without their writer and vocalist.
Can there be a season 2?
But Glass Heart might as well use this plot point to come up with a second season, in which the remaining band members, and especially Akane, will be seen dealing with the grief of Naoki’s death. If we think of new vocalists for the band, there are multiple candidates who can take the position, like Naoki’s half-brother, Toya; the pop star, Yukino; and even the former manager of the band, Miyako, who had aspirations of being a musician herself. If such a sequel does take place, then Akane can also be expected to be the new leader of the band, as her experiences with Naoki would have toughened her by then. Perhaps Kazushi might also get a second chance at pursuing her romantically, unless he wants to stay away out of respect for Naoki, who had also been a dear friend.
