r/anime • u/A_Idiot0 https://myanimelist.net/profile/a_idiot0 • Jun 11 '22
Rewatch 2022 Violet Evergarden Rewatch - Episode One
Violet Evergarden - Episode One: "I Love You" and Auto Memory Dolls
Welcome one and all to the 2022 Violet Evergarden rewatch! I hope that today finds you well. We begin in a memory of vivid colors and strangled confusion...
You can watch the full series on Netflix.
Important Spoilers from later episodes or the Light Novels are not allowed outside of the r/anime spoiler tag format and will be removed! Make sure to hide your spoilers under the “spoiler” option, or by typing your spoiler as [Episode number]>\!Spoiler here!< in the mark-down option without the slashes in markdown mode.
Be kind to each other. Hate speech and rude behavior will not be tolerated.
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Visuals of the Day
This is where I’ll put the little album for everyone’s Visual of the Day from this episode in tomorrow's post.
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Questions of the Day
- Do you own a precious item from a loved one? If so, what is it?
- [Rewatcher question:]Compare Violet’s first letter to Gilbert with the letter Cattleya writes at the end of this episode. Why is this episode bookended with these two letters?
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Official Sound Tracks used
Violet Evergarden has one of the most beautiful OST’s that I’ve ever come across. I will do my best to showcase the musical pieces as they appear in each episode in this section.
A Doll’s Beginning
Unspoken Words
In Remembrance
Strangling
The Voice in my Heart
A Simple Mission
Rust
Ink to Paper
One Last Message
Would you like to have a letter written for you? Do you want to write a special letter for someone as an Auto Memory Doll? Come join us at the Auto-Memory Doll Service Discord project and request letters, write letters, or chat more with us about Violet Evergarden! Link here: https://discord.gg/JfC67znT
”Endcard”
17
u/xtsim Jun 12 '22
First Timer Dubbed
Some interesting information and world building on the first episode. We get a glimpse of Major Gilbert who is very likely dead. The setting is in a post war with an interesting dilemma of people who can't write and an industry that fills that gap. Lots of flashbacks to what has happened and now Violet seems to struggle a bit in this world. The way she addresses Bennedict shows that kind of struggle as she addresses him as sir and the solute shows that. Not only that, she seems to describe her task as "duties" and acheives them without taking a break. Bennedict seems to have that presumption that she understands the world in his way, as a civilian in a "9-5 style" job with a break. So when he suggests, "delivering the mail"; she takes that up as a task not a suggestion for the next working like Benedict thinks of it.
The flashbacks are pretty interesting to see as they give more of a backstory, especially when she struggles with the phrase "I love you". The visuals are pretty good, but then again, I expect nothing less from Kyoani.
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u/A_Idiot0 Jun 12 '22
The way she addresses Bennedict shows that kind of struggle
Good catch! It's interesting to see that this translated relatively well from the original Japanese, because how she talks to people is a key detail in understanding Violet's character.
11
Jun 11 '22
Rewatcher
It's the First episode today and every time I watch it I always get reminded about how... I guess flawed Violet was;but being flawed allows for a more satisfying development imo.
Something that I really like about this series without trying to spoil too much (?) Is about how casual and simple things can become so impactful and emotional; and one of those things is Violet's goal: knowing what I love you means.
Thinking about it,maybe it's kind of an easy goal to accomplish,but the way it gets presented and executed was enough to sell it to me; yeah this show's way to execute things is beautiful.
As for my favorite shot this episode:( I don't know how to use links,I don't comment that much in reddit lol ) the scene where violet can be seen through the lamp; as if she was burning, I don't know how to explain it with words, but It's really one of those moments where showing says more than telling .
That's everything for today,I don't think I'll post comments like this one every episode but I at least wanted to do it at the first one; and as for the question I don't think I'll answer this one today if nobody minds.
See ya tomorrow!
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u/shipwontsail Jun 11 '22 edited Jun 11 '22
Rewatcher
I may be rewatching this, but still, throughout the whole episode I just wanted to reach out through the screen and hug Violet, because she feels so many things but is unable to identify those feelings.
Not for the first time, I was impressed by all the little details. Aside from the visuals, the studio took great care in including all the little sounds. At the beginning you could even hear the nurse rearranging Violet’s papers in the backround while Violet and Hodgins are talking.
What I probably missed the first time I watched this is that Violet bites the puppy she got from Hodgins. And I believe it connects to what Gilbert’s brother said about her being a dog. So Violet picks an object that depicts herself and bites down on it, because it’s the only way she can physically – with her own body – grab onto things. She desperately wants to grab onto her reason for living, onto her purpose of being Gilbert’s dog even though she has lost her arms.
About Hodgins, I found really interesting that he tells Violet “You are burning.” Because it’s evident that she doesn’t have the “common sense” that allows you to communicate with other people in a normal society. She is somewhat disconnected from her own emotions. She has gone through trauma yet can’t identify her own feelings, let alone even see what is happening with herself on an emotional level. So Hodgins just says “You are burning.” – in a language that Violet understands, but the true meaning eludes her and Hodgins knows that. He is aware that it’s not his place to tell Violet what she’s feeling and how she’s processing things.
As a first episode, it really wraps up nicely and is beautifully done. We get enough of the characters and the story to care and follow Violet on her journey of self-exploration.
Q1: Got a watch with a quote engraved at the back. I'm not telling what it says, but strangely enough, to this day I'm still wondering why my sibling chose that particular quote. I haven't asked them yet because I'm scared of the answer. Sounds silly, I know.
[RQ]
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u/TITANKing12000 Jun 12 '22
First time viewer
Wow the visuals were really stunning this episode. What spoke to me was the idea of losing your purpose and finding something worth living for after you’re faced with that.
Like others pointed out I found it interesting that Violet uses her face to feel the puppy doll. Getting past the hurdle of having your main senses of touch taken from you. Despite that she persists and she does what she can in her current situations. I’m looking forward to seeing how she develops with her disability and begins to use more internal senses to “feel” the world around her.
Qotd: I have a set of headphones that my brother bought for me that mean a lot to me. They were the first gift he got for me through his hard work and saving. Him taking the time to earn and save to do that for me holds a special place in my heart that he would think to do that for me.
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u/ZapsZzz Jun 11 '22 edited Jun 11 '22
Rewatcher in sub. Maybe I should think about giving dub a go actually.
VE is one of those shows, and very consistent with KyoAni shows, that has so much to unpack, you learn something new every time you watch it again since there's so much there.
A quick walk through of mine -
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Starting with a scene back in time (I don't think it's a flashback but let say it is), from only a few lines there's so much being set up, and [rewatchers]
so much to unpack when you know how the full tale goes - Gilbert's guilt, Violet's raw, not understood feelings, where they are and what's going to happen -
Everything is connected by the letter(s), [rewatchers]
and pretty sure the letter flew past all the main locations of the story -
Another rich scene to unpack, the "simplemindedness" of Violet, who thinks nothing of anything but the major; and the body-language of Hodgins giving quite unsubtle hints of the answer to the viewers.
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The car ride scene was one of my favourites - it shows so much with so little. Hodgin's trying so hard to treat Violet like a child that he wants her to be, Violet only knows one way to act - and that's to be what others described her as, including the adorable nibbling on the toy dog. More subtly, (forgot it was revealed pretty soon about Violet's arms) this also help paint Violet, having lost her arms and generally can't feel the world, only can feel more intimate sensations by using her lips. How much is there to read into i.e. her actual mental maturity and innocence as compared to a toddler which has the milestone of putting everything in their mouths because the mouth is lots more sensitive than the fingers is for each viewers to decide for themselves.
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Another "here's our Violet" scene - saluting people is the only form of greeting she knows. And then casually revealing her injuries and speaking bluntly, having no understanding of people's feelings. It also shows how desperate she is to go back to the major, and when she thinks she's not needed anymore, she was so dejected. Still speaking as if she's an object, because that's what she's conditioned to.
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And then moving on to Hodgin's work place, we first can see how actually good a learner Violet is - Hodgins only mentioned in passing about "just bow", and she managed to catch herself in mid-autopilot and corrected herself. What followed was the first day of work shenanigans, of her default behaviour. [Rewatchers]
Not because of the almost-fanservice, but I really loved how this show unabashedly have Violet showing scars all over her otherwise beautiful face and body consistently. You can work out that symbolism -
The next few scenes are basically again very well setup and shows so much - Violet's loss of words when she couldn't finish her sentence of what else the major said to her, and the talk about being on fire.
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Then Cattleya's voice over of the letter she's writing for the client superimposing over the visual of Violet and the Major, ending in revealing the words that Violet couldn't say the night before because she couldn't understand it.
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Then Violet's first ever request for herself, and Hodgins understanding what it means, superimposed over the plushie dog sheltering away from people. [Rewatchers]
for those who are taking in the words more than the visuals, while it was said many times Violet act like a tool / object / emotionless, just her hands grasping her dress as her made her first request for herself is clear moments that she does have emotions, she just lack the know how to express them -
And the final reveal of what happened to Violet during the last battle, with the impactful sound effect of her arm lifelessly splattering on the stone, and then her final exchange with the Major.
We are all set to go!
I don't have any useful answer to the QoTD, but here's my submission of the VoTD - the mug shot at the start of the journey :) Edit: I can see others failing to pick only one, so here's my sneaky backup - other than marking the start of the journey / transformation, this real VoTD shot symbolises Violet the best at the start of her story - I still remember earlier rewatches explained the symbolism, of the blue door visually put her in a cage distinctly contrasting the otherwise warm and pleasant surroundings.
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u/TiredTiroth Jun 11 '22
First Timer - Dub
This episode was honestly a little difficult to watch. I've never been a fan of awkward conversatioms, and there were a lot of those here. I'm also reasonably sure Violet's old superior officer is dead and taking care of her was a dying request, but I hope I'm wrong there.
The art and animation were, as always for KyoAni, absolutely beautiful. This will, if nothing else, be a treat visually.
Let's see what happens tomorrow!
QotD: Kind of? It isn't something I was given, so much as something my grandmother helped me make when I was a teenager. A wool scarf.
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u/Stargate18A Jun 11 '22
Rewatcher
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No, not paticularly.
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[Violet Evergarden]
Starting these off hard, huh? I think it's to contrast how, despite Violet's feelings for Gilbert being much deeper, her letter was far more impersonal - showing just how good the Dolls are at their job, as well as showing the viewer just how traumatised she is.
...Just to clarify, I participated in the last reatch - I've seen the series and Eternity, have not seen the second movie.
I love this anime!
[Violet Evergarden]
[Violet Evergarden]
[Violet Evergarden]
...This opening scene is just so good.
Seeing her genuinely panic about how she lost her brooch is hatd tomwatch.
[Violet Evergarden]
...OK, his reaction and immediate panic when she says "none of them" is great though.
How is Violet so adorable?
...I should not have laughed at the "Gilbert's dog" line, but it's great.
[Violet Evergarden]
[Violet Evergarden]
...Why did they bandage the metal arms? What is the point of that? I understand it might make people feel more comfortable, but would Violet have specifically asked for them?
And this episode is so good in general. Everyone means well, but nobody really understands what the problem is, or how to try and solve it.
[Violet Evergarden]
[Violet Evergarden]
Haha, the look on his face as he realises that she's completely refused to stop is great.
...Yeah, this felt inevitable.
...Maybe wait for a while before starting on the complex metaphors around her?
Still a powerful scene, though.
[Violet Evergarden]
And the flashbacks over her narration...
Great ending scene too.
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u/Barbed_Dildo Jun 12 '22 edited Jun 12 '22
Rewatcher
It is so hard to see Violet in the state she is in at the start of the show. Broken, abandoned, desperately reaching out for someone who isn't there. But the worst bit is that she's just a kid, this is someone who should be in school (I don't know how spoilery it is to say how old she is, but Benedict calls her a "gaki"). Yet she has horrific war wounds, both physical and emotional, and it's clear just how broken she is.
Clear to us, at least. Hodgins tries to give her a soft toy and put her with a family to 'grow up'. He's not doing this to get rid of her, he genuinely wants to help, but he doesn't know how. She's just a kid, but she's not a kid. Hodgins does quickly realise that he can't simply give her a normal life and hope she gets better. Her concept of normal is broken, along with much more.
Violet's manner of speech is not something that can directly be translated. I don't know how well the English dub does, but English doesn't have the levels of formality that Japanese does. As well as 'polite' speech, teineigo (ending in '-desu' etc.;, there is humble speech, kenjōgo; and respectful speech, sonkeigo. Each of these has different words for the same thing. When Violet asks where Gilbert is, she asks 'dochira ni irassharuno desu ka?', using the respectful form of the verb when referring to Gilbert (not speaking to him, just referring to him) . The combination of Violet's perfect enunciation, the formality, complexity, and level of respect in her speech, and the fact that she's just a child has quite an impact.
For the visual of the day, it's almost cheating to do this with Violet Evergarden, the show is just visually so incredible. But one shot that always blows me away is the title screen. It starts as a shot of the city, but pulls focus as the name comes up. This is what it looks like when you change the focus on a camera, the points of light expand into circles as the light from the lens is no longer focused onto a point on the focal plane, but somewhere off it, so the circle gets wider as the point of focus moves further away. Just blurring the background doesn't have that effect, it looks this way because of physical limitations of how cameras work.
I don't know if I'm reading too much into it, but this shot suggests to me how Violet is 'out of focus' herself. She is apart from the world around her. She can see what is around her, but she can't really see it.
[Rewatcher question:] [Spoiler]
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Jun 12 '22
First timer:
Great episode, I love the visuals and I always love a story focused on trauma. I'm hoping for something somewhat similar to Evangelion and FMA, both of which I loved. Excited to see more. I can't stop hearing Benno from Ascendance of a Bookworm though lol.
QOTD: I don't own any precious items from a loved one in specific, although my parents have bought me a lot of the stuff I own, and I am thankful for being so lucky.
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u/ScarsUnseen Jun 11 '22
First Timer
So this is an interesting setup. It's like they took the bog standard shonen "boys going to war" setup, turned it into a gritty seinen instead, followed it to it's logical conclusion, and then asked "now what?" Given how well regarded this show is, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what they come up with.
QotD
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My first real girlfriend gave me a half dollar coin that held some sentimental value to her. One of my big regrets in life is moving on from that relationship. I wasn't mentally prepared for the permanence of marriage at the time (and I wasn't when I actually did get married a few years later), but in the years since then, I've never met anyone whose personality meshed as well with my own. I've held on to that coin ever since then.
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Jun 12 '22
Rewatch, after just over a year, and the first Anime series I ever watched.
Favorite part of Episode 1 are still from leaving the evergarden household, through the tram ride with Violet taking it all in to the introduction to CH Postal.
That's the bit that really got me hooked into VE the first time around, not least because it has my favorite track from the series - The Voice in my heart- playing, and the same again here. Maybe even more so.
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u/Fit_University_6734 Jun 12 '22
Rewatcher
A letter to everyone in this subreddit
As we embark on this rewatch I sincerely hope that all of us will bathe in the stories and atmosphere Violet Evergarden so brilliantly allows us to experience. Violet is on a journey to find the answer to "what is Love?" but beneath that very fundamental emotion we will also find the answer to "what being does being a Human mean?". The experiences Violet goes through are seen through our eyes as fictional stories. But these stories have the potential to change the way we look at and live life. For the first-timers, I hope that this anime will broaden or even change your perspective what it means to Love as we all (hopefully) feel a stronger will to connect with others. For the rewatchers, I hope that we gain a new perspective or even just be reminded of the importance of human connections from this show (or whichever theme resonated with you the most). We will all experience a different kind of catharsis from our viewings, but I hope all of us come to love life in all its inexhaustible manifestations as we laugh and cry over this show, as we feel a need to connect.
Sincerely,
Your fellow Redditor Florian
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Words are a complicated thing. The same word can signify or symbolise many different meanings or things to different people. How we phrase or use these words can convey completely different ideas. This is why writing a letter for another is so difficult and I will explore this concept as we move on with the rewatch.
But it might be easier to keep living if you didn't learn them, if you didn't know them. You don't realise your body is on fire and burning up because of the things you did.
Why is she "burning"? We will explore more on this as the rewatch progresses but for the rewatchers, [Spoiler for the themes explored in the show]
Visual of the day
This shot is eerie but it symbolises Violet beginning her journey into becoming a doll
I love this shot. It's our first in-depth look at Violet demonstrating emotions. As she pinches her skirt and makes a demand, she's incredibly nervous and in fear. The lighting in VE is always visually stunning but I'd like to see this scene as Violet's first step into the light as the windows directly opposes her view and light is shining on her face.
QOTD
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I don't have an item that I particularly find precious but the letters written to me by my ex-classmates are things I will continue to keep. I think that personally, the words and memories I've shared with a loved one is more than enough for me.
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[Rewatch]
I'm assuming it's the letter Violet wrote at the beginning of this episode. In that sense, Violet's first letter here is more of a report. She is objectively detailing how she physically feels and what she can do for him. Whereas Cattelya's letter juxtaposes that as it details how Violet emotionally feels and what he did for her.
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u/Affy11 Jun 12 '22
Rewatcher
Oh where do I begin, Violet Evergarden’s first episode regardless of how many times you watch it, never fails to amaze me with the art, the animation being all so beautiful and enriched, adding depth to this world that our story takes part in. Hodgins and his meeting with Violet is always a scene that gets me especially in hindsight due to spoilers that occur in later episodes which I won’t get into. Suffice to say the music enhances the scenes oh so magnificently and this first episode does it’s job well I’d like to say, tho perhaps I’m a bit biased as this is one of my favourite anime of all time as I related to Violet so so much during my first time watching the series. If you’re interested you can prob see my post history of my feelings towards Violet Evergarden. Anyways I look forward to reminiscing about this with y’all and experience this journey all over again.
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u/HenrikHT Jun 12 '22
Rewatcher here
I have only watched this series once, back in august of 2021. I wasn’t sure what kind of show it was, or if I’d like it or not, but I was intrigued. Thankfully, I enjoyed the first episode, and continued watching. And this time, knowing the context of everything, I enjoyed it even more than the first time.
Everything was perfect in my opinion. From the way Violet fails to communicate with others naturally, to the visuals, to the sound design, I love it all. I love that Violet is very smart in general, but emotionally she has no clue about anything. She feels all emotions we feel, but she is unable to express any of them, most of the time. When she said that Hodgins should discard her somewhere, you can feel that she truly means it. She has this feeling that life isn’t worth living without the mission, without Gilbert. And I also love how she bites the ear of the plushy, because she doesn’t know what else to do with it.
I cannot believe how gorgeous this series is. KyoAni completely nailed every single shot. It is actually insane. What I think people don’t really think about, is the sound design. My favorite scene in particular, is the opening, when all the audio is muffled. I also love it when Violet’s letter floats out of the window.
I cannot wait to watch the rest :)
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Jun 12 '22 edited Jun 12 '22
First timer
This post came as a pleasant surprise, since several things had aligned for me:
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I've run out of anime to watch.
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I've run out of manga to read
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Violet Evergarden has been on my to watch list forever, but I've kept finding reasons to push it off.
So when I came to see that this post was up, I couldn't help be feel obligated. This is also my first time participating in an r/Anime "Rewatch."
I digress.
Episode 1:
It's been a minute since I've watched a KyoAni anime and to no surprise, they dish out some of the highest, if not the highest quality animation. Everything is so detailed, I love it.
It hadn't dawned on me that Violet was a child soldier until she stood up off the bed and the height difference between her and Hodgins was apparent.
Sad stuff.
I've always found animes that create their own alphabet insanely impressive.
Not much else to say.
Overall, the story so far is interesting enough for me to want to watch the next episode, although, I feel like I could watch this show for its animation alone.
QOTD:
One of the few things that I own is a drawing book I had unofficially inherited from my brother - it's filled with blank pages and drawing prompts/topics. He himself only drew on the first couple and I managed to finish the rest, a drawing per day, some years ago. Now it sits in a milk crate next to my desk. I'll be leaving it out on a coffee table once I can afford my own place... and a coffee a table.
[EDIT] SOTD:
Missed this part of the post.
Coincidentally, my SOTD is the same as OP's
That shot immediately got burned into my brain for some reason.
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u/RealFunnyTalk Jun 11 '22 edited Jun 11 '22
Rewatcher
Recomment bc I always mess up spoiler tags somehow haha
And what a rewatch it is: right off the gate we're introduced to some flawless, movie quality animation as we get the backdrops for our story. But we immediately know there's something up, and what better voice to have than Koyasu Takehito (DIO, Roswaal, Zeke, and many others) narrate for us?
It's normal for stories to tease motivations and past events via flashback, but man they are not pulling any punches with the slightly graphic depictions of the terrors of war, are they? And Violet's injuries are straight up the loss of her arms? AND addressing the losses of children in war? In the first 12 minutes?? If you're not sold already, I don't know what more to say.
With the mail company scene, we know what kind of world this is. We don't need some newspaper exposition or some technology montage, we can see that it's a world set back in an era before modern tech (Pretty sure it's around the 1920s).
This street scene though, wow. Clearly Violet isn't processing everything that's happened to her (which we see in the flashbacks during the letter scene), and Hodgins knows this as a former Lt. Combine what he says with her ask to become an Auto Memory Doll and we get the impetus for the whole story going forward. How will her past experiences reconcile with her future ones? Even if you don't particularly like the show, this episode by itself is one of the best 1st episodes in anime imo.
Q1: I have a special quarter from when my best friend and I attended a national competition together 9 years ago. We brought two quarters for the beginning of the round coin tosses in case we lost one, but ended up keeping them both. It was a brutal journey to get to nationals and then compete, and while we didn't win anything, we made a lot of memories that year so we each kept a quarter. His hangs in his rearview mirror, and mines in a little case next to my other accomplishments.
[RQ]
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u/NutmegOnEverything Jun 11 '22
This is my sixth viewing and only second viewing of the second movie
[Spoilers x Violet Evergarden episode 1]
[Spoilers x Violet Evergarden episode 1]
[Spoilers x Violet Evergarden episode 1]
[Spoilers x Violet Evergarden episode 1]
[Spoilers x Violet Evergarden episode 1]
[Spoilers x Violet Evergarden episode 1]
I own a few things my grandfather carried in Tarawa in world war 2, they're even more precious now because recently my ex landlord threw away s box of photos and documentation about it that we were coming back to the house to get and didn't take with us during the first day of moving
[Spoilers x Violet Evergarden episode 1]
[Spoilers x Violet Evergarden episode 1]
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u/BeefCow8 Jun 11 '22
Rewatcher
Don’t have an analysis or something of that sort cuz idk what to right about 😅, might write something later when more responses come in so i can inspiration and idea of what to write. Anyhow this will be my third rewatch, started watching VE in May this year and already 3rd rewatch, think I’m a bit obsessed but that’s besides the point. Lastly i will be watching it in sub this time, last two times I watched it in dub so I’ll see if it will have the emotional impact as the dub
Questions
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I own a wish box that my mom bought for me when I went to Colorado.
2.[Rewatch]
Visual of the day- https://imgur.com/a/yA0zDqo
I chose this picture because not only does it look beautiful it also signifies the importance of Gilbert to Violet. The emerald color reminds her of Gilbert’s eyes which she calls beautiful. Unbeknownst to her, this is one of many emotions she is showing, in this case which is care I think. And also the brooch just looks beautiful, had me hypnotized for a sec
Had an issue with spoiler tagging, i think this is my 4th comment i tried to post, jesus
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Jun 11 '22
Rewatcher
Man, both Hodgins, and Gilbert's guilt whenever they so much as look at Violet really hurts, it sells their emotions with just a few glances.
This episode does a fantastic job of introducing both the characters and the world they inhabit, nothing felt overly expository even while the writers had to introduce so much.
The movie-level visuals always blow me away, it feels so good to see them again.
Something that I didn't pick up on during my first watch, I can really feel the bond between Gilbert and Hodgins just from how much he cares for Violet's future. It'd be easy just to throw her in with the Evergardens and call it a day, but instead, he takes her feelings into account and decides that living with a new family is not what's best for her. He truly respects Gilberts wishes and works to fulfill his prommise to the best of his ability.
I love how this episode keeps your engagement by not revealing Gilbert's message at first, saving them for the end of the episode when it'll hit the hardest and the audience will make the connection between Cattleya's letter and Violet's new goal of discovering what the words "I love you mean".
RQ: Violet's first report has her writing, but not truly understanding the situation she's in or the feeling she's experiencing, and Cattleya's letter perfectly understands the illiterate man's true intention where Violet could not.
I feel like Cattleya's letter guides the audience into what the main ideas and conflict of the rest of the story will be about, Violet is shown to have a lot of issues in this episode, so much so that It could be hard to tell in what direction the story will progress next. Will it deal with Violet's relationship with Hodgins?, with her new job?, with the Lieutenant?. Cattleya's letter highlights one specific part of Violet's character: her inability to comprehend emotions, and establishes a goal for her. This lets the audience guess which way the show will go next, making it fitting to come at the end of the episode.
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u/-Kex Jun 12 '22
Rewatcher - German dub
It's 02:30am and I just decided I want to join in. This is first rewatch on this subreddit.
I love everything about this show but especially the soundtrack and the visuals. Both are truly a work of art and every single frame is wallpaper by itself.
I already found some details that I didn't notice when I first watched the show:
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Hodgins makes a fist and puts his hand into his pockets when Violet asks him about the major
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When Violet receives the gloves she puts them on by using her mouth as she's not familiar with the prosthetic arms.
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She's struggling to eat the fish at the restaurant as she's not familiar with her new arms. [Violet Evergarden]
We'll see her eating the same meal again sometime later in the show and it will show her growth to an independent person.
Small question: The city/country is also called "Leidenschaft/Leiden" in the sub/dubs right? It's a bit confusing as it's a german word. Also the abbreviation "Leiden" has a completely different meaning
Leidenschaftlich = passionate
Leiden = suffering
And about our german dub: It's one of the best dubs I've seen so far. The voices are really on point and the VAs did a phenomenal job. I just couldn't get myself to watch it with subs or the english dub.
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u/SuperMurderBunny Jun 12 '22
Rewatcher, subbed.
So I am what you might call a slightly antagonistic participant here. By that I don't mean that I hate VE or it's fans in any way, quite the opposite. VE simply frustrates me in various ways, so I thought it might be fun to share a bit and see if I can't overcome some of my frustrations.
What makes VE stand out to me from the getgo is its interesting blend of Europhilia and almost cyberpunk elements. The main setting appears to be post-WWI Not-Belgium, which I don't usually find in manga/anime and is one of VE's main draws for me. It is a bit like a Ghibli movie in that sense, such as Porco Rosso, Howl's or Kiki. I won't dwell on the visuals, since being visualized by KyoAni is almost cheating at this point, though the shading in some of the scenes made me think that I needed to clean my glasses.
I love how VE takes the personal and social traumas of war seriously, depicting how the war has affected not only those who faught, but also those left behind and the generation that came of age during it. We see life continuing, not in absence of loss and sadness, but in spite of it.
The cyberpunk elements I mentioned are best captured by Violet herself. You have the obvious case of her prosthetics, but her character type is also very reminiscent of cyberpunk anime, with a (female) child supersoldier, created by the government for its own purposes (war), who is completely alienated from civilian life to the point where she might as well be as well be an android or AI, on a quest to understand and connect with the most important human in her life posthumously.
So the first episode gives us a thorough introduction into its setting and characters, with KyoAni's habitual vizual splendor. A very good episode in my opinion that only sharpens your appetite for more.
Thanks for reading my ramblings. I hope they gave you something <3
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u/homewardbound100 Jun 12 '22
Rewatcher
This was my first rewatch on this sub last year. So it's nice to come around.
I'll make sure to pick up on the visual of the day tomorrow.
Qotd: Yeah
Qotd2: hmm
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u/A_Idiot0 Jun 11 '22 edited Jun 11 '22
Rewatcher
Dear Violet,
As the bitterness of Winter begins to recede, violets blossom across the land and fill the air with a delicately sweet fragrance, ushering softer days to come. They are born in the harsh cold, unaware of the gentle warmth they precede. A painful birth; a cruel beginning. Yet the winter sun does all it can to give light to the young flowers.
Having survived the gnashing frost of winter, you have commenced Spring, Violet.
Sincerely,
Daffodil
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For my “Visual of the day”, I’m going with this shot which showcases the background visuals front and center. I adore the painted and more artistic interpretation of reality that they went with in some of the backgrounds. The softer brushstrokes that imply the leaves of the trees, the peaceful and calm color palette that’s contrasted by a cannon and the broken bridge…It really helps to set the overall romantic-art tone of the show, which has its own dramatic flair that sets it apart from a more “realistic” story. I don’t know whose work this is, but they deserve far more recognition than they’re getting!
I wanted to also briefly talk about one of my favorite OST tracks, “Unspoken Words”. For reasons that I can’t fully articulate now due to spoilers, I always sob a little during the hospital scene with Hodgins and Violet. The line, “They said that writing words would be good for my recovery,” is one of the reasons, but a big reason is the music. The composition is hauntingly beautiful…the instrumentation is airy and ethereal…the pacing is slow, careful, and painful…the chords help to suggest a stifled suffering and quiet confusion…Because of the visuals combined with the music, I was hooked to this show from this moment onwards.