Violet Evergarden

Episode 3

For all the strengths of Violet Evergarden as an adaptation, there are some directorial decisions that I feel ambivalent about. This is the second consecutive anime original episode, and it largely focuses on the same conflict as the episode that preceded it: Violet's inability to read subtext. While I enjoyed this week's episode, I am already starting to feel the repetition in the way this show handles its character development and themes.

On the face of it, episode 3 presents a fresh angle to the story. This is the first one that frames Violet's actions almost entirely through the perspective of another character. The light novels are told in a similar style, and it actually works pretty well as a way of presenting Violet's character development in a non-linear fashion. Luculia's perception of Violet is filtered through her own life experiences and insecurities, which reinforces the idea that learning to understand emotions isn't just something that a robotic person like Violet has to deal with.

To be honest, however, I feel that the anime could have dug more into Luculia's character. Her backstory is compelling and complements the postwar themes of the overall narrative. Simply put, her parents died in the war while her brother survived, and she doesn't know how to convey to him how glad she is that he's still alive even as he wallows in guilt. This rather emotionally heavy conflict is tied up immediately after Violet writes a single letter. Not only that, we don't get enough of a sense of Luculia as a person outside of her backstory to really understand why she wants to become an Auto Memories Doll or why she's drawn to Violet. As a result, she comes across less as a character in her own right and more as a stepping stone for Violet's character development.

I'm also a bit bothered by how the anime exaggerates Violet's soldier-like characteristics, often for comedic effect. For example, in the last episode she rewrites Luculia's letter like a dry, matter-of-fact report, when it honestly seems more understandable for a character that follows orders to a T to transcribe every single word exactly as the speaker says them. As it is, it doesn't seem like Violet misses nuance so much as wilfully misinterprets it, which makes her emotional growth harder to connect to.

This is not to say that there is no nuance in Violet Evergarden's storytelling, but most of it comes through the visual storytelling rather than the script. For all my complaints about Luculia's lack of characterization, her story is still emotionally affecting, and this is largely conveyed through the episode's unspoken moments. When she walks into her home and finds her drunken brother sleeping in a mess, the room is shown from above, which aptly conveys both the messy state of the room as well as a stilted atmosphere lacking in intimacy. The same visual deftness is on display when Luculia talks about her relationship with her brother. As she talks through her own perspective, the camera focuses on her brother embroiled in a fight, zooming in on his anguished face. This single, beautifully animated cut conveys everything we need to know about the depths of his guilt and frustration.

I'm also a fan of the detailed character designs, which even extends to the minor characters that had no spoken lines. Violet's class was filled with characters of varying ages, fashion sensibilities, and ethnic backgrounds, all of whom seemed to fit in with the anime's setting while looking distinct in their own right. The post office didn't get as much focus in this episode, but it was amusing to see Cattleya and Benedict at each other's throats. This really does feel like a world where you can imagine any individual character as the protagonist of their own story.

It's becoming increasingly clear that the charm in Violet Evergarden lies more in the details than the overarching story. I'm enjoying this version of the Violet Evergarden story, as it succeeds well in fleshing out its world and characters. But I'm also hoping to see more variety in the way this show represents Violet's character development instead of reiterating the same conflicts. We'll see how this anime shapes up as an adaptation when it begins covering the episodic stories in the light novels. As a show in its own right, however, Violet Evergarden comes across as earnest and frequently beautiful, even if it is as about as subtle as a sledgehammer.

Rating: B+

Violet Evergarden is currently streaming on Netflix in select territories.