Violet Evergarden could be considered a fantasy-themed slice-of-life story with a slow burn. You’re not getting all the story in just a few episodes. As such, I’m going to avoid the entire explanation and just give you the first impression as you start watching it.
The war has ended and Violet, who served as a weapon for the Major, has to find her place in this new world. Her prosthetic arms and her military mind seem ill prepared for times of peace. Hodgins, a former Colonel, takes her in and gives her a job in his company.
She is soon drawn to the profession of writing for other people who can’t as an Auto Memory Doll. With her mechanical arms and disciplined mind she seems qualified except for one thing… She doesn’t know how to express her emotions. There’s more, of course, but I’ll end the description here as further explanation just spoils the discovery.
Slow burn? Yes, indeed! The characters are introduced slowly as Violet takes her first steps into a larger world, a world that has its own unique challenges for a creature like her. As she connects with more people and her world expands, so must Violet evolve.
A uniquely slow and rich world with a minimalistic approach to steampunk and subtle touches of a hero’s journey in the background. Highly recommended if you are willing to dive in with a cup of tea in a slow afternoon. That being said, there might be a few surprises coming up that I haven’t seen yet.
Violet Evergarden is the anime adaptation of the novels by Kana Akatsuki and illustrated by Akiko Takase. The anime was directed by Taichi Ichidate and written by Reiko Yoshida. Kyoto Animation both published the novels and was the studio behind the production of the anime. Netflix streams the series worldwide.
That will do for now.
Never Think Impossible 