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KyoAni Award-Winning Novel Violet Evergarden Gets Anime Project

Kyoto Animation posted an animated commercial on Friday for author Kana Akatsuki and illustrator Akiko Takase's Violet Evergarden novel, and the ad ends with the announcement that an anime adaptation project is in the works. The video has English subtitles.

The video's description lists its staff:

Director/Storyboard: Taichi Ishidate
Character Design/Animation Director: Akiko Takase
Key Animators: Nami Iwasaki, Fumio Tada, Kohei Okamura, Shinpei Sawa, Nobuaki Maruki, Tatsuya Sato, Miku Kadowaki
In-Between Animation Check: Hiroko Kuroda
Color Design: Yūka Yoneda
Special Effects: Rina Miura
Background Art: Mikiko Watanabe
3D Art: Joji Unoguchi
Director of Digital Composite: Kōhei Funamoto
3D Computer Graphics: Tetsuro Umetsu

Kyoto Animation has not confirmed if the staff for the commercial will return for the announced anime project that is in the works.

Kyoto Animation describes the story:

Auto Memories Doll.

It's been quite a while since that name caused a fuss. Originally invented by Professor Orland solely for his beloved wife, Auto Memories Dolls eventually spread out into the world, and a machine that allows people to rent out the dolls was also created.

"I will run as fast as I can to wherever my customer desires. I am the Auto Memories Doll, Violet Evergarden."

A girl who almost appears to have popped out of a fairy tale with her blonde hair and blue eyes said this with her inorganic beauty and sweet voice.

KA Esuma Bunko published the first novel in Japan last December. (Note: the kanji used to indicate the novel's first volume is usually used when a novel has two volumes total.) The novel won the grand prize in the fifth Kyoto Animation Award program's novel category in 2014. The win marked the first time that any work won a grand prize in any of the contest's three categories (novel, scenario, and manga).

Kyoto Animation previously streamed a Comiket 89 video for the novel in January.

Previous honorable mention recipients in the contest's history that have been animated include: Chū-2 Byō Demo Koi ga Shitai!, Free! (originally known as High Speed!), and Kyōkai no Kanata.