'Violet Evergarden' Series Review

I had this anime on my watchlist ever since it popped up on MyAnimeList recommendation page and it never really stuck out as something I was interested in watching. After deciding I needed something to binge-watch on my plane ride to Oklahoma City (that was probably a mistake on my part), I can now say that Violet Evergarden is one of the best anime I have seen in a very long time.

The series is set shortly after the Great War, where people are beginning to become adjusted to life apart from war. A young girl who was raised with the sole purpose of being a weapon to destroy enemy forces, Violet Evergarden, is also adjusting to a life without the war, scarred by multiple war wounds and the last words of the general she took her orders from. Not sure what to do with herself after the war, she takes a job at the CH Postal Service and becomes an Auto Memory Doll, a literary assistant who writes letters that translates people's thoughts and feelings onto paper. Thus begins her journey to understand what more there is to life and the meaning behind the last words her commander left her.

First and foremost, the artwork and graphics that this anime has to offer are just spectacular. Each scene is beautifully set and the illustration really impacts the feeling and emotion that is presented on the screen to the viewer. There were many times where I could feel the sense of calm from the open field scenes, to the distraught feeling when seeing the mass destruction in the war scenes. Each scene stands out so perfectly as we are seeing how Violet and the other characters saw their world.

The character depth and emotion in this show was like no other anime I have watched previously. Each episode told its own story, while relating back to Violet's own, as she helped various amounts of people put their thoughts and feelings into letters to loved ones. With each person she assisted, the more she began to understand herself and those around her. At the end of each episode, it wouldn't be surprising if a couple tears were shed (hence the bad idea to watch it on a crowded plane) as this anime had me very much involved in each character's story.

There is one particular episode that really stuck out to me as I thought it was beautifully done and it was also very moving. Not to go into too much detail as to not spoil the episode, it centers around a mother and daughter relationship and how Violet helps the mother communicate with her daughter about her illness. From the start of the episode we are not told why the mother has hired Violet to write a numerous amount of letters for her. It isn't until the end of the episode that it is revealed why the letters were written and it is very touching.

As the series comes to a close, we are left with a sense of closure as Violet comes to terms with her emotions and the last words left by her general. It ended the journey we watched Violet take as she discovered what lies behind human emotion but left her story open for her to continue on as an Auto Memory Doll, even if there isn't a second season for us to experience. That's why I found it as one of the few anime that didn't leave me wanting more out of the story as I was satisfied with the 13 episode journey I went on with Violet. With its beautiful animation, character depth, and emotional story-line, it's an anime that needs to be seen. Available on Netflix, it's an anime that I would suggest putting at the top of your watch-list.