I’m rewatching Violet Evergarden as part of an, ummm… Let’s call it a ‘cultural exchange program’ with a friend. She’s an English Professor and had commented that while her students often write about Anime, she hasn’t found any that interested her. Given the topic, the amazing art, and compelling story ~ I suggested she watch this one. In exchange, I’ll be reading a book she recommended about the Middle Ages.

Let’s jump in!

Background: Violet Evergarden was originally published by Kyoto Animation as a light novel series in 2015, written by Kana Akatsuki and illustrated by Akiko Takase, before KA made an anime adaptation in 2018. It’s since received an OVA and a feature length movie, with rumors of a second movie that predated the global pandemic.

Episodes 1 & 2: Episodes 1-2 are pretty standard getting to know you fare. We’re introduced to Violet Evergarden, an injured war veteran, and her former commander ~ Major Gilbert Bougainvillea. Violet is portrayed to be a soldier, through and through ~ she knows and understands orders, austere conditions and environments, and shows the flat affect of someone who’s been through some stuff (i.e.: she’s wracked with PTSD). The Major is no longer with her ~ “Missing” and “Not available” are terms others use when she asks about him. Lieutenant Claudia Hodgins picks Violet up from the hospital, where she’s been recovering from her injuries and informs her that the Major has tasked him to see that she is cared for by the Evergarden Household. Violet, unable to adapt, follows Hodgins to the capital and his young company ~ a private postal and ghostwriting outfit.

We have some exposition about the world throughout both episodes, although the series unapologetically doesn’t concern itself too much with the world, as the focus is on every tiny bit of character development. The war Violet fought in lasted approximately four years, was pretty horrific, and caused considerable damage and loss of life. The population is largely illiterate (explaining the need for the ghostwriters known as “Auto Memory Dolls”). Highlighting the horrific casualties of the war, much of the ghostwriting currently involves welfare checks, trying to track down people missing after the war’s conclusion. The world has a great deal of social and technological / industrial changes occurring, and people are forging a path ahead. We also see bits and pieces of Violet and the Major during the war, including a particularly emotional scene where Violet tries to save the severely injured Major, resorting to grabbing his uniform with her teeth and trying to drag him away, as her arms are mangled beyond use, screaming that she won’t let him die here.

In Episode 2, we find Violet lacks the proper disposition to be an Auto Memory Doll, but has the support of her colleagues to try to learn (particularly Claudia who is struck by her expressing her own will, not just following an order, and Erica, who defends Violet in part due to her own perceptions of inadequacy as a Doll). Violet’s black and white view of the world and lack of understanding emotions makes her path as a Doll challenging. She tries, but just doesn’t understand why people don’t say what they really mean, or doesn’t understand the nuance / subtext in their words.

Next, we’re formally introduced to the majority of the Doll staff ~ the always-in-demand immensely popular and talented journeyman of the group and her two rookies. Cattleya is the experienced Doll of the group and was one of Claudia’s first employees when he started his business. Her two juniors are Erica and Iris. Erica is not a confident young woman and seems to have trouble when clients challenge her, whereas Iris comes across as competent, yet bored with the tasks given to her, aspiring to be a great Doll.

Initial Reactions: Violet’s disposition as a Soldier strikes an emotional chord for me. I always cry when I watch Saving Private Ryan, and in the first watch through of Violet Evergarden, I cried at every episode except one. Sometimes multiple times… But her unflinching loyalty, selfless sacrifice, honor, and commitment to her duty is admirable. She embodies these amazing traits, but she has never learned to temper them with emotion and humanity, making her very robotic ~ but despite that, we see time and time again how much emotion she really has, even though she doesn’t understand it and can’t deal effectively with it.

Animation: Let’s touch on the animation next. Coming from Kyoto Animation, its as incredible as one would expect, obviously, but looking at the subtleties, there’s so much that shines here. The flashbacks to the war are dark, gritty, bloody, and generally not good places to be. There’s unyielding violence and we see Violet unleashed. The Weapon everyone (except the Major) sees her as. She’s brutal, efficient, and skilled. A veritable force of nature. But then we see Evergarden Manor ~ beautiful, brightly lit, with stunningly vibrant colors and pastel flowers and plants. Peaceful and serene. Leiden has the feel of a city between the old and modern, being rebuilt after the war. Progress waits for no one as the streetcars are seeing semi-motorized bikes and automobiles riding across their tracks. It’s a wonderfully illustrated and feels like the real world, possibly a rebuilding Europe after WWI.

My friend pointed out another element of the animation ~ the way that hands are used “as expressions of restrained emotions” and how the directors make considerable use of this tool, not relying exclusively on exposition and facial expressions. We see Claudia’s hands in his pockets, shifting uncomfortably whenever Violet asks about the Major’s whereabouts. Erica is nervous and wringing her hands at the prospect of any confrontation. Violet is trying to adapt to the use of her mechanical hands, mirroring her attempts to learn to understand and ‘use’ emotions.

Rating Time! This is one of my current favorite series and I’m happy I have an opportunity to rewatch it and share it with someone. The story, animation, and VO cast are all rock solid. Add to that the topical material and the delving into Violet’s emotions and what she’s going through, it’s a 9.5/10. Strongly recommend.