The Gift Which Keeps On Giving.
Where can I start? I mean sure everyone has seen Violet Evergarden or heard of it. I thought at first it was like one of the "Girly Animes". Oh, I was wrong. I loved the show when I watched the first few episodes. Also, do stay tuned, where I'll be reviewing each variation of the Violet Evergarden segments - which includes the two films and the special 30-minutes episode.
So just for clarity, I'll be talking about the TV show released in 2018. There are other variations of Violet Evergarden - which was eventually made into a few movies - to name a few: Violet Evergarden Special, 2019, Violet Evergarden and the Auto Memory Doll, 2019, and Violet Evergarden Recollection, 2020.
Violet Evergarden might be seen as something slow. But let's be honest, there's no such thing as a slow cinema or tv show because, at the end of the day, it all depends on whether the viewer enjoys it or not. I mean, if you're able to watch a film such as Batman, released in 2022, it all depends on whether you like it or not. But you might find the pacing to not be like what you would get in your typical blockbuster - where you would get constant actions all the time, but this is one of the reasons why I think the show standout.
Violet is a girl who was fighting in the war, and ever since the war finished, she has had a tough time adjusting to the real world. She has found work at this postal service where she has a tough time dealing with what is expected of her. Her job is to write letters for people who ask for her company's service. With that being said, Violet has ambitions to find out a simple saying which was said by her officer in the war, Major Gilbert.
"I love you", were the last words that Gilbert said to Violet, and she is on the task to find out what the phrase means. The phrase alone is a well-known phrase we all know and say in our lives. With her ambitions set, she was enrolled into a memory doll school for her to train, after impressing all of her colleagues, where she will learn how to write to clients. The show does a good job of showcasing the life of Violet - the problems she faces as she tries to adapt to a "normal life", due to Violent not understanding how to express her emotions through writing. It took her a while for her to graduate from the class. But despite her setbacks, she eventually graduates. Throughout the series, you will hear her reminisce about Major Gilbert. Gilbert has had a big impact on her life - shaping her into the woman she is today. Despite the setbacks that Violet had to face, as the series progresses, you see her blossom into a new character which you don't recognise at the start. Through practice, she was able to make connections with people and, in a way, can help with their respective problems. In one of the episodes, this is one of the moments which I remember clearly remember from the series. One of Violet's clients was a single father, who needs help writing a play and lost his daughter, and wife and was drinking a lot. There was this moment when Violet ponder upon this umbrella, and it just straight away reminded her about his daughter. This is the first time where you can see Violet develop some sort of an emotional connection. You probably see Violet as that "Heartless Person", but this is the first time you'd see her showcase some sort of emotions. Whilst writing the play, he was experiencing writer's block whilst writing. Whilst spending time together, you can see how she develops somewhat a father-daughter relationship with each other. Through Violet's help, he is able to come up with ideas for his play. This for me was one of the moments where the emotional connection was at its highest. I am trying my best to not spoil any other moments, but trust me, there are other similar moments like this. You can say that through any form of art, especially writing, you might be able to solve a person's problems.
Stunning: The first word which comes into my mind when I think of Violent Evergarden. Visually, it looks like a masterpiece, especially with the finer details of some of the locations, and how the cinematography was done. With its storyline, this makes the cinematography stand out and helps gel with the story. Each shot takes its time to show what's happening in the story, and it makes you feel you are part of it. In my opinion, visuals alone for this show, I would say it's up there in terms of visual looks. I would say that for me Makoto Shinkai is a master of visuals - especially if you're talking about films such as Garden of Words, Weathering with You, Your Name, 5 Centimeters per Second, Suzume, and other films of his. For the music for the show, I would give it a solid 9/10 for it. The music gels with everything. It's like that cherry on top. Again, it's not that fast-paced, but the way it utilises vocals and piano makes it pleasing to listen to and watch.
Overall, if you are wanting a different change of genres and you want to try something new, give Violet Evergarden a go. You experience the hardships of Violet, and how she tries to navigate a post-war life. Some moments of the show hits you hard and make you feel like you're part of it. I mean, it shows that if you're able to release a show, followed by a special episode, and two films relating to the show, it just shows how the show is a hit amongst people. There might be a possibility of a season two for this show, but there's no news about it.
P.S: Be prepared for a box of tissues
Rating: 9.5/10
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