This quote perfectly sums up Violet Evergarden and what the show is trying to get across. After reading the synopsis of the show I was intrigued to see just how they are going to portray this type of character. In my opinion, they've done it almost perfectly. Knowing nothing but war, pain and suffering. Showing us how she finds meaning in these new emotions and how she experiences them for the first time.
Story:
Starting off with the story. We follow the journey of a girl named Violet Evergarden. Who has been in the army as "the weapon" from a very young age. Knowing nothing apart from how to follow orders. The story starts in a hospital where we discover she was greatly injured in the war costing her both arms. When she wakes up we find out the 4-year war has ended and this girl who missed pretty much all her childhood now needs to discover emotions for the first time and so her journey begins to discover the meaning of these emotions. Although you might think the story seems pretty simple it's actually the exact opposite. With flashbacks to show what happened to her in the war as well as meeting new characters and dealing with new emotions with every person. This actually turns into a pretty complex storyline.
Although the first few episodes may suggest this is a generic anime with stunning visuals I can pretty much guarantee that it's not. The story might also seem very basic to people but the way its executed is honestly astounding. You can really sense what the author is trying to get across in every scene. The studio really outdid themselves when trying to make every scene perfect. Each scene has something to be learned from... not just Violet but even the viewers can take away these emotions. You can find yourself emotionally sucked into the story within the first few episodes. Even if you don't like how the story develops you still want to know how she turns out in the end. Which just proves how excellent the story writing is for the show.
Art:
I don't believe there is a word to describe the visuals in this show apart from mind-blowing. It's stuff you would expect from a movie budget. I'm definitely glad they focused on the art in the show. It's needed to flush out some of the emotions the character is trying to develop. One example is in one scene she looks out on the city during a sunset. Now that scene wouldn't have worked at all without amazing art. It just wouldn't show why the character appreciates it. Now it's not just the environment that has amazing art the characters also have amazing detail even just people in the background. The show does an excellent job of capturing facial expressions since is especially needed when trying to convey new emotions across. The fact this show has 14 episodes and keeps this type of art up is honestly astonishing to me. I would honestly recommend the show just for the art. Best I've seen for the budget of a show.
Sound:
This part is definitely the weakest of the show. Don't get me wrong it's still good but compared with the writing and art it just doesn't compare. The show does still deliver excellent soundtracks and the voice actors fit perfectly for the roles for both dub and sub versions of the show. They perfectly express the emotions the characters are feeling. However, I feel like the soundtracks are more just background music rather than dramatic music helping to convey emotions. Although it's still better than must it just isn't as good compared to other shows.
Character:
The story is focused solely on the development of one character and that being Violet Evergarden. At least that's what you would expect. However, that's not the case. Violet has this tendency to change the way characters think and feel showing us great character development throughout every episode. With new characters being introduced for a short time and some long-term character which we can see progressively change throughout the entire show. One of my favourite things about Violet Evergarden. Now I don't know if it was done on purpose or just how I perceived it but she was given the personality of a machine. Knowing nothing but how to follow instruction and orders similar to computers. Then we find out both her arms are mechanical which for me was a massive nod towards her being a machine emotionally. This was amazing character design if it was intended. Her full character is based on being this good soldier knowing only how to follow orders and getting things done according to what was specified. Which is shown a lot in the show like typing at a certain speed when doing a letter. Then we begin to see her develop new emotions and rekindle ones she didn't know she had like love which is a major development in 14 episodes especially when she started with pretty much nothing just a blank canvas if you will.
Enjoyment:
This show definitely gives me amazing enjoyment looking forward to every episode each week knowing its going to be better than what I expected. Each episode brings old and new characters into the mix allowing for new storytelling and new emotions to be developed and sitting watching her develop these emotions is honestly so entertaining. I couldn't praise it more it keeps me coming back every week wanting to know what will she discover this week.
Negatives:
Now there are a few things people may dislike about the show which will ruin there experience so here are the main problems people are having with it. The first major problem is the story feels dull and slow which can ruin some peoples experience so try to keep in mind this isn't a fast show. It likes to go slow and let the characters built up progressively rather than being rushed.
Another major point would be the character development which goes hand in hand with the story. It feels slow and underwhelming. Making people dislike the show straight from the first few episodes. So if you aren't a fan of slow shows I would suggest staying clear of this show or a least give the first 3 episodes a try.
Now my last negative point isn't too much about the show itself it's more for other people's comments on it. A lot of people were really hyped about this show and feel let down by its performance so far. I would suggest just giving the show a try regardless of what they say. Usually, if something is hyped up too much it just can't reach what people are expecting. So try to go into the show with an open mind and if you don't like it by the end of episodes 3 then its probably not for you.
Overall:
This show is a much watch for any person looking to get emotionally invested in a show for a complex storyline. With amazing visuals and stunning character development. There are few negatives I can give this show apart from the pacing feeling off in some early episodes. However, this is soon fixed after a couple of episodes and we are left to completely get sucked into her world and what she will discover. If anybody is thinking about watching the show but not sure. Highly recommend watching until the end of episode 3. I think by that point you should have a clear direction for what type of story the show is trying to get across. This definitely has the potential to be the best anime this winter. That now concludes my review of the show. Feel free to add me if you want to comment on my review or discuss anything.Thanks for reading.
Overall Scores:
Story: 8/10 (Very Good)
Art: 10/10 (Outstanding)
Sound: 7/10 (Good)
Character: 8/10 (Very Good)
Enjoyment: 9/10 (Great)
Overall: 8.4/10 (Very Good)
