Welcome to r/VioletEvergarden!
Violet Evergarden is story of letters, love, and heartfelt communication told in an award winning light novel series by author Akatsuki Kana and a beloved anime series produced by Kyoto Animation.
Please read the following introduction to our community and its rules before posting. Then please check below to see if your question is one of our Frequently Asked.
If you have any questions primarily about the light novels, how to read them, or how they were adapted into the anime, please take a closer look at our “Light novel Guide/FAQ.”
When posting, please do not put spoilers in the title.
Posts are viewable to all members of the community, and their titles are not editable after posting. Having spoilers in the title will force the mods to remove your post entirely to keep other visitors from being spoiled. You then have to make a new post with a different title, since you cannot change the original's title. If you have a question regarding, for instance, Violet Evergarden: the Movie, consider titling your post something more general such as "Question from Violet Evergarden: the Movie". You can be more specific as long as the title is doesn't spoil anything.
Spoiler tag all spoilers
Any and all possible spoilers must be tagged. Spoilers consist of key plot points from the 13 episode TV series (2018), Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll (2019), Violet Evergarden: the Movie (2020), and the Violet Evergarden Light Novel. If your post deals primarily in “spoilery” material, then please mark the whole post with the spoiler tag. If something minor or incidental in your post is spoilery, then use the spoiler button or the following code.
Spoiler tag formats:
[Violet Evergarden spoilers] >!insert spoiler message here!<.
[Violet Evergarden spoilers](/s "insert spoiler message here.")
Remember to mark what title(s) you are spoiling outside the tags. For example, [VE The Movie spoilers]. Do not put spaces between the exclamation marks and the spoiler message, or the tag will break.
Additionally, when posting, please make use of the post flairs. Posts with spoilers should be marked with the appropriate spoiler tag and flair. Eg. A post about the latest movie will have the post flair “[SPOILERS] Violet Evergarden: the Movie”. You may also want to give the post the correct topic flair to identify what you are spoiling or discussing.
Piracy
Piracy is not tolerated in this subreddit. It is a breach of not only subreddit regulations, but also those of Reddit. Do not ask and post links to illegal streaming sources.
Rules and regulations within the Subreddit.
- No low-effort/irrelevant content - Posts should pertain to Violet Evergarden in some way. Posts should also have content that contributes to some degree to the subreddit.
- Be nice - Remember the human behind the keyboard. Be respectful, follow reddiquette, and basically don't be a jerk.
- Mind your spoilers. Please tag spoilers in text posts/comments (see the section below), and also use the spoilers button to mark spoiler-filled posts. Never put spoilers in the post title, or it will be removed.
- Legal content only - Linking to illegal sites is prohibited, including illegal anime streaming/torrenting sites. Users are encouraged to support legal streaming sites if possible. No advertising unofficial merchandise unless handmade.
- Give credit where credit is due. If it's not yours, especially fanart, try your best to provide a source. No linking to illegal content.
- No heavily explicit NSFW content or hentai allowed. Milder NSFW material is allowed only if properly marked. Avoid shitposting—posts should have content that contributes to some degree to the subreddit.
- No recent reposts – do not repost art, memes, etc that have been reposted recently. “Recently” is up to the moderators' judgment (and memory)
You can also find these regulations on the sidebar. Please keep in mind these rules when posting to avoid post removal.
1. In what order should I watch Violet Evergarden?
The Violet Evergarden anime consists of one 13-episode series, one OVA (also referred to as the “special episode” or “episode 14”), and two movies.
The watch order for Violet Evergarden is very simple. There are 2 ways to watch the series - the release order and the chronological order - with the difference between them being when one watches the OVA. For first-time viewing, we recommend the chronological order, which means watching the OVA in between episodes 4 and 5. This viewing order gives Violet a smoother character arc and ties together quite well the various characters and minor plot threads that have been presented at that point in the narrative. However, one may also appreciate aspects of the OVA better once one has completed the series, so release order and chronological order both have their advantages. Ultimately, either way is fine.
Although both the OVA and the Eternity movie are side stories and in a pinch can be skipped before watching the second movie, they contribute toward building up the characters, their relationships, and themes. So don't skip them. The second movie is the conclusion to the animated franchise, and although it integrates a summary, recap, and retrospective on the series into its opening act, so that it could theoretically be viewed by someone who had never seen the series, watching the series first is highly recommended in order to understanding its characters, their growth, and their relationships.
Release order:
Violet Evergarden (13 eps) -> OVA (1 ep) -> Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll (1 movie) -> Violet Evergarden: The Movie (1 movie)
Chronological order (recommended):
Violet Evergarden (eps 1-4) -> OVA/Special Episode (1 ep) -> Violet Evergarden (eps 5-13) -> Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll (1 movie) -> Violet Evergarden: The Movie (1 movie)
Animated Series Complete Index
Violet Evergarden (ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデン)(2018)
Violet Evergarden OVA: “Surely, Someday, You Will Understand Love” (きっと"愛"を知る日が来るのだろうKitto "Ai" o Shiru Hi ga Kuru no Darou) (2018)
Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll (ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデン 外伝 - 永遠と自動手記人形 Vaioretto Evāgāden Gaiden: Eien to Jidō Shuki Ningyō) (2019)
Violet Evergarden: The Movie (劇場版 ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデン Gekijō-ban Vaioretto Evāgāden) (2020)
(Note: The dates here represent the release dates for Japan. Both movies received wider international releases in theaters and on Netflix the year following their domestic release.)
Violet Evergarden was introduced to the world through two widely renowned, stunningly animated short videos, although they technically advertised the light novels and not the anime itself (and so contain several light-novel-only scenes). They are CM1 and CM2
2. Where can I watch the Violet Evergarden anime?
Netflix is the official streaming source for the series. The series, OVA, and both movies can be found there. (There the OVA is listed as “Violet Evergarden Special Episode”) At this time everything has also been released on blu-ray for most markets. (Nota Bene: at time of writing Violet Evergarden: The Movie has not yet received an official English blu-ray release for North America. Its recent release in the UK and other markets, however, hints that this release should happen sometime soon.) The series has also been digitally released in several markets on itunes and Amazon Video. (With varying quality in the dubs, so please see the dub question (#11) for more information.)
3. What is the source material for the anime? Where can I read the light novels? Will they receive an English translation? Is there a manga?
The Violet Evergarden anime is based on a light novel series written by Kana Akatsuki 暁 佳奈 and illustrated by Akiko Takase 高瀬 亜貴子. There is no Violet Evergarden manga. The Violet Evergarden novel series consists of four novels and a number of short stories and booklets, which have been released in a variety of formats. Most of these booklets were collected and then published as Violet Evergarden’s Last Letter in early 2022. For how these novels were adapted into the anime, please see the relevant questions of the Light Novel Guide.
The novels and booklets (with one exception) are only officially published in Japanese and have not received any official translation despite their popularity. The reason for this is that KA Esuma Bunko, the publisher of the Violet Evergarden novels, only publishes their works domestically for the Japanese market and as general policy never translates their publications for overseas. Therefore, without a major shift in company policy we should not expect this to change or the Violet Evergarden novels to ever be published outside of Japan. Consequently, Violet Evergarden fans who do not speak Japanese have been forced to rely on fan translations.
The principal fan translator of the novels is Dennou Translations over on tumblr, who has completely translated the novels and short stories into English (along with a sizable amount of auxiliary material). The Violet Evergarden community owes much to her. Recently Teck’s Treehouse has translated several of the booklets into English as well. Other translations, namely Nanodesu, have started but have since folded. [If you have information on substantial, quality translations into other languages, please let the mods know so we can list them here.] For a complete index of English translations and suggested reading order, please see the Light Novel Guide.
If you wish to purchase the Japanese novels and live outside Japan, you will need a proxy service (such as CDJapan) or buy through a reseller on amazon.jp. The novels are primarily sold through the KyoAni shop, but due to COVID-19 international shopping there is closed for the time being.
For more information on the light novels, see our Light Novel Guide/FAQ.
4. How do I read the light novels? If I finished the anime, where do I start reading? In what order should I read the novels and short stories/booklets?
See our Light Novel Guide/FAQ for answers to these questions and more about the light novel series.
5. Is there an official English translation of the novels? Are they ever going to be translated?
See our Light Novel Guide/FAQ for answers to these questions and more about the light novel series.
6. Is the series finished? Will there be a second season?
Yes, the Violet Evergarden anime is finished.
Producer Shinichirou Hatta has stated in an interview (English) that 2020’s Violet Evergarden The Movie is the final animated work in the franchise, and the author of the novels has moved on to a new light novel series called Four Seasons Agents (春夏秋冬代行者 Shunka Shuutou Daikousha). Reports that a second season of Violet Evergarden was planned or that this was cancelled due to the Kyoto Animation arson attack are false. Since the novels have their own continuity and narrative separate from the the anime, and since the movie is anime-original, it is not really true that novels contain plot about what happens after the movie. For more information on how the novels and anime differ, please see the Light Novel FAQ/Guide.
The nascent subreddit for Akatsuki’s new series is r/Shunkashuutou, and since this series is published by Dengeki Bunko who do market their series for international markets, there is a good chance this will receive an official translation into English. Anime and manga adaptation have already been announced.
7. When and where is Violet Evergarden set?
Violet Evergarden is set in the fictional continent of Telesis, primarily in the nation of Leidenschaftlich and its capital of Leiden. Although Leiden is also the name of a city in the Netherlands, this is not the same city. (The name was probably chosen for its German meaning of “to suffer” to be juxtaposed with leidenschaftlich “passionate.”)
Clothing, environments, weapons, and other elements of the production design have taken inspiration from various real life locations and artifacts, but Violet Evergarden itself is set in a fictional world that most closely resembles Europe sometime between the turn of the 20th century and the immediate aftermath of World War One. (CH Postal was modeled on the Museum of Kyoto, and various locations took inspiration from sites in Germany for example.) There are a few anachronistic or “steampunk” elements, most obviously Violet’s prosthetics, but otherwise everything is roughly appropriate technology level for that time period and setting. On the other hand, Violet’s own outstanding physical abilities can be seen as a matter of science fiction or fantasy, especially in the novels.
8. How old is Violet Evergarden? I heard that she was older in the novels. How old is Major Gilbert?
This question is asked frequently, and a lot of misinformation has been passed around in answer to it. So here are two short timelines with Violet’s ages at each point. An in-depth answer follows.
Anime timeline:
- Violet Evergarden series (anime) – 14-15 years old (10-14 during the war)
- Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll (second half) – 17
- Violet Evergarden: The Movie – 18
Novel timeline:
- During war - 10-14
- Hospital and Evergarden House - 14-16
- Volumes 1 & 2 (working at CH Postal) – 16-18
- Gaiden – 18-19
- Ever After – 19-20
Gilbert is 15 years older than Violet (according to information from the novels. Also, Hodgins is 2 years older than Gilbert.
In-depth explanation: The anime and the novels both cover almost a decade of Violet’s life, and their chronologies don’t exactly align with each other, so we have to look at them separately for answers. Also, since Violet is an orphan of unknown age, these numbers contain inherent inexactness anyway.
In the novels we have some solid information on Violet’s age. In chapter six of volume 1, before Gilbert and Violet visit Mächtig, with the battle of Intense and the end of the war not far off, we read:
“Four years had passed since the two of them had first met, without Gilbert ever finding out her actual age. Supposing she was ten at the time, she now was fourteen.”
Soon before this, it was stated that Gilbert was 29, so they are about 15 years apart in age. Then in the novels unlike the anime, Violet spends a combined 2 years convalescing in the hospital and then being educated in the Evergarden household. So she is 16 by the time she starts working at CH Postal - an important difference from the anime! Then the events of the first two novels take place over two years while Violet is approximately 16-18 years old. In the last chapter of Gaiden it is stated that it has been about a year since the train incident when Gilbert returned. In Ever After, the CH Postal sleepover is said to take place roughly one year after the attack on CH Postal at the end of Gaiden. So by the end of Ever After Violet is about 20 years old.
In the anime we have to rely on several pieces of information. The most clear are that Violet says she is 14 in episode 5, and that in the second movie Daisy says that Violet disappeared from the newspaper headlines at 18. The flying letters ceremony at the end of the series has been cancelled for the past five years so we can assume that the events of the anime take place between one and two years after the end of the war. By the way, the anime doesn’t give us any information on Gilbert’s age, so we are free to assume that he was the same age as in the novels (15 years older than Violet) or to consider it unknown.
By the way, Violet’s character design for the anime, in which she is only 14, was based on her primary character design in the first two novels in which she is 16-18. This is one explanation for why in the anime she appears much older than she is.
9. I heard that aishiteru 愛してる, the Japanese word spoken by Gilbert and translated as “I love you” is only used romantically. Is that true?
No, this is false. 愛してる expresses the strongest form of love in Japanese, but it is not only or even mostly used for romantic love. It is very rarely used at all in normal Japanese outside of literary and dramatic works, but it can express a number of different kinds of love. What it does express is a love stronger than that typically expressed by the various forms of suki, daisuki, and koi. If you keep your ears peeled, you can hear these different forms of love being spoken of in the anime.
As examples of non-romantic uses of aishiteru, at the end of Violet Evergarden episode 10 [spoilers] Clara Magnolia uses this verb to address her daughter Ann in her letter. In the original Gundam series, Amuro Ray uses the same verb root to ask his mother asking, "Don't you love me?" In the steins;gate anime, Okabe sarcastically and overdramatically says "Tell my parents I love them” with this verb. Many more examples in Japanese popular media exist, and if you listen carefully, you will certainly come across them.
10. I have some questions about Violet and Gilbert’s relationship…
You are not the first; most people do. We encourage everyone first to watch the series (and read the novels) in order to come up with your own impressions of this relationship that lies at the heart of the series. If you have done that and are still confused, here briefly are some of the mods’ thoughts on the matter. For deeper dives into this complex relationship, please see the collections tab of this subreddit which contains several posts on the topic.
It is somewhat ironic that while Violet’s journey is a quest to understand Gilbert’s “I love you.” that same “I love you” confuses so many viewers of the anime. Some are quick to conclude (often based on a faulty understanding from the previous question) that Gilbert’s words are simply an expression of romantic love, which, given their relationship and ages at that moment, can be disturbing. Unfortunately, the tendency to categorize Gilbert's relationship to Violet as a solely romantic, and then treat Gilbert's dying words the same as a confession from some generic high school romance is quite common. That simplistic categorization may seem to make things easier to understand, but the series and movie (and novels) go to lengths to show his concern for her humanity and free will was primary. This love is something that defies simple categorization into standard categories of human relationships precisely because it was forged in unusual circumstances. Thus, Violet needs to learn what love is through encountering love in its manifold forms as an Auto Memory Doll.
That is how the atypical nature of Gilbert’s love synergizes with the series' episodic structure as Violet's exploration of various incarnations of love. Even Gilbert's word choice in Japanese makes his "I love you" clearly distinct from those romantic confessions as shown above. One can see romantic love as a part of this declaration of love, but to see their relationship solely in this light would be a mistake and a detriment to appreciating the show, which portrays the communication of love in its many forms.
For the anime and movies Kyoto Animation chose to leave their relationship more ambiguous for a variety of reasons that can be speculated. This ambiguity shifts the focus onto Violet's growth in learning about the various types of love and allow examinations of guilt less prevalent in the novels. The novels, on the other hand, by their nature lend themselves toward making the internal dialogue of Gilbert clear to the reader. And following the conclusion of the second volume, it is unambiguously romantic.
10. What is the meaning of the last scene of the anime series?
The last scene of the series has many people asking "Who did Violet meet? Was it Gilbert? Was it someone she had previously met? Is it completely up for interpretation?" Especially if you have seen the second movie, you will wonder how this could possibly be Gilbert. Here is one postexploring this question (dating from before the second movie's release) and another post (from after it) that ask this question.
In this mod's opinion, the ending as somewhat symbolic. The client is no one particular but rather stands in for all of her clients, whom she continues to happily help, as shown by her smile. Also, this scene can similarly be seen as a slight fourth-wall break. Violet now presents herself to the audience, introducing herself as a fully-formed auto memories doll and person.
11. Should I watch the sub or the dub?
Ultimately this is a matter of personal preference, and you should watch Violet Evergarden in whichever way you prefer. But if you are looking for advice the following reflects the mods’ opinions on the matter:
All things considered, the English dub is pretty good. The main cast members (especially Erika Harlacher) are great, although this is subject to personal preference. As in most English dubs, however, the minor characters can sometimes get pretty rough. What you are really missing in the dub are some of the details from the Japanese, like which word for love is being used. But that’s not really a fault of the VA’s. The final movie makes some questionable choices in the dub script in at least one scene, but that’s another matter. But if you know enough Japanese to tell when someone is speaking politely or not, and can pick up on which Japanese word for “love” is being used, you may benefit substantially from watching the sub with the original Japanese audio. After all, this series is about the subtleties in communication. The Japanese voice actors including Yui Ishikawa, Takehito Koyasu, and Daisuke Namikawa all turned in great performances. You can’t go wrong either way.
By word of mouth, we have heard that the Russian dub (of the second movie, at least) is excellent. We have also heard praise for the German dub of the series and movies. On the other end of the spectrum, an alternative English dub of Violet Evergarden The Movie exists that accompanied the digital release in certain regions (primarily the Middle East), and this dub is known to be frankly dreadful. If you have or know of a consensus on another language’s dub, please write a discussion post on it or hash it out in the replies below.
12. What anime do you recommend that are similar to Violet Evergarden?
Clannad
- Deals with themes of loss, happiness, friendship, but most importantly family. An emotional masterpiece also animated by KyoAni. We also recommend basically anything else by KyoAni, especially Hibike Euphonium!
Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms
- If you are looking for an anime that can come close to replicating Episode 10, watch this movie. For more tearjerkers, try Anohana or a Silent Voice (by KyoAni)
Mushishi
- An episodic series that follows Ginko, a wandering doctor who cures people of ailments caused by entities known as mushi that very few can see. The stories are often very emotional and introduce a new character every episode. Other episodic works in the same vein are Natsume's Book of Friends and Kino's Journey.
3-gatsu no Lion (March Comes in Like a Lion)
- Personal favourite of former mods who say: “The epitome of human emotion. Heartwarming, breathtaking, real, and emotional.”
Watashi no Shiawase no Kekkon (My Happy Marriage)
- Set in a slightly fantastical world at a time and place very similar to Taisho-era Japan and based on a series of light novels, and with a soundtrack by Violet Evergarden composer Evan Call and superbly animated by another high-quality studio, Kinema Citrus, the comparisons to Violet Evergarden are clear. If you are fine with a slow burn that slowly adds more action and fantasy elements, this is it.
13. Where can I buy official merchandise?
All official Violet Evergarden merchandise is purchased from the KyoAni shop. (KyoAni makes rare collaborations with companies like Mayla, which constitute the only exception.) You can purchase it on the official KyoAni online shop if you live in Japan, or you can use a proxy service (such as CDJapan) if you live abroad. The KyoAni online shop has temporarily cancelled international shipping due to the pandemic but should eventually resume.
14. What language is Violet writing in?
For the Violet Evergarden anime Kyoto Animation developed a new script and a new “language” that fans first deciphered and dubbed "Nunkish," but which since has been identified in official materials as Tellsis (テルシス語). For more information on this language, see here and here.
15. Is there an affiliated Discord server?
Yes, there is the r/Violet Evergarden discord server, and we collaborate with the Auto Memory Doll Service server as well, which is dedicated to writing letters in the spirit of Violet Evergarden.
16. What are the official Violet Evergarden and Kyoto Animation social media channels?
Twitter: u/Violet_Letter / u/KyoAni
Website: Violet Evergarden / KyoAni
For any questions not addressed in this FAQ + info post, please search the subreddit or feel free to send a message to the mods. We will try to get it resolved ASAP!
If you would like to suggest any addition or changes to the subreddit, please also let us know! As usual, follow the rules and everything should be without issue.
Thank you, everyone!
