__This review is mostly spoiler-free. However, I will still mention minor elements.
If you want to fully discover the show, don’t read any further.__

Also, Violet Evergarden being both the name of the series and the main character’s name, I had to find a way to differentiate them. So when I talk about the show, I will use bold letters.

Violet Evergarden is about a girl who was raised and used as a weapon during a war. After the conflict ends, she becomes an “Auto Memory Doll,” a profession dedicated to writing letters for others. However, shaped by her past, Violet struggles to understand human emotions, including her own, and through this work, she slowly tries to learn what feelings truly mean.

To me, Violet Evergarden is a great show, both thematically and stylistically.

First of all, let’s talk about the animation.

It’s gorgeous and, for good reason, mostly well received. Kyoto Animation (Clannad, Clannad After Story, A Silent Voice, …) once again did an excellent (and emotional) job.

Violet Evergarden even won the Best Animation award at the 2019 Crunchyroll Anime Awards.

But it doesn’t stop there. Not only is the animation truly impressive, but the images and scenes themselves are beautiful: we can see northern lights, sunsets, and superb landscapes.

Second, I think (and I’m not alone) that the soundtrack is beautiful, ranging from harmonious classical music to touching, melancholic pieces. They perfectly accompany every moment of the anime, amplifying the emotions already conveyed by the animation and the themes of the series.

Evan Call worked on the original soundtrack. He also worked on Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End’s OST, which is also beautiful.

I sometimes listen to Violet Evergarden’s soundtrack even when I’m not watching the anime, notably “The Voice in My Heart” and “Never Coming Back,” which I find really memorable.

The opening and ending are good—emotional and beautifully animated, just like the rest of the series.

I used to not be a fan of the ending, but now I find it beautiful too.

Sometimes, the episode continues while the ending is playing in the background, which is amazing. Other times, all the emotions accumulated during the episode hit at the very end, and I find myself simply contemplating the ending—which is magnificent, by the way.

Now let’s talk about the actual content of the show.

Violet Evergarden explores deep and serious themes such as grief, war, and human emotions. For that reason, it may not be suitable for everyone.

The anime is often considered sad and touching—and it is, especially in the middle and towards the end of the series.

Violet is very well developed, and I think that her journey to understand emotions is incredibly touching.

The story takes place on the continent of Telesis, in the nation of Leidenschaftlich.

The setting is inspired by post–World War I / interwar Europe, with a light steampunk aesthetic.

The writing system is also different, and we can see references to real buildings and places.

I think the worldbuilding is interesting and enhanced by the landscapes and visuals we see throughout the series.

From one point in the series to another, several episodes are more or less self-contained (though you should still watch the whole series).

These episodes are among my favorites, as most of them evoke strong emotions. My favorite is episode 10, which is rated an impressive 9.8/10 on IMDb and might be one of my favorite episodes of all time. Episode 7 is also very memorable.

Violet Evergarden is overall very well received, with an 8.69/10 on MyAnimeList and an 8.4/10 on IMDb at the time of writing.

By the way, the series is only 13 episodes long (excluding extras such as films), so it can be watched in a relatively short amount of time and doesn’t require a huge time investment.

The only nitpick I can find is that the first three or four episodes are slower and a bit weaker than the rest, in my opinion.

However, they still feature the beautiful soundtrack and animation, and they help set the stage for the rest of the show.

In conclusion, Violet Evergarden is a great (and widely acclaimed) series, with well-developed characters, emotional moments, serious themes (war, grief, …), beautiful soundtracks, superb animation and visuals, as well as a strong opening and ending.

The kind of series that you remember long after the credits roll.