Violet Evergarden is one of the most well-known life-drama series in the anime community. It is renowned for its beautiful animation, emotional rollercoasters, and unique point of view. For these reasons, it has captured the hearts of millions of viewers.
In this article, we will show you exactly how to watch Violet Evergarden in order. As a warning, you should know that this article contains some spoilers.
Violet Evergarden is a Japanese light novel series written by Kana Akatsuki and illustrated by Akiko Takase. After winning an award in 2014, the series was adapted into an anime television series by Kyoto Animation Studio that aired between January 2018 and April 2018.
An original video animation (OVA) was released in July 2018, titled Violet Evergarden: Kitto “Ai” wo Shiru Hi ga Kuru no Darou, which is also known as Violet Evergarden: Special.
In September 2018, a spin-off film premiered called Violet Evergarden: Eternity and Auto Memory Doll. This film was produced by Kyoto Animation Studio, directed by Haruka Fujita and written by Takaaki Suzuki.
In September 2020, a second film was released, Violet Evergarden: The Movie. The second film was also produced by Kyoto Animations, but featured Taichi Ishidate as its director. The script was written by Reiko Yoshida.
Awards for Violet Evergreen
The written series won the Kyoto Animation Award’s novel category in 2014, and was later published by Kyoto Animation on the 25th of December 2015, under the KA Esuma Bunko imprint.
The anime series was also awarded the Best Animation at the 2019 Crunchyroll Anime Awards.
Watch Order of Violet Evergarden
The way to watch Violet Evergreen is to watch the episodes in chronological order. This is due to most of the episodes and specials being crucial to the character development of Violet Evergarden.
Violet Evergarden (all 13 episodes) is available to stream on Netflix. The first episode aired in 2018.
Violet Evergarden (episodes 1-4)
In the beginning episodes, there is a great war where a young soldier, Violet Evergarden, serves Major Gilbert Bougainvillea. She is completely devoted to him, but they both get injured on the battlefield. Gilbert’s last words to Violet are “I love you.”
When Violet wakes up from her injuries, she realizes she is in a hospital with two prosthetic arms, and is told that the war has ended. Violet is not used to being anything but a soldier and is unsure what to do next, or what happened to Major Gilbert.
She starts anew with CH postal services. Working at the postal services is where she first discovers auto memory dolls, who transcribe people’s emotions into letters.
Violet is inspired by their work and decides to start work as one of the auto memories dolls to better understand human emotions and feelings.
Violet Evergarden: Special (also known as Violet Evergarden: Kitto “Koi” wo Shiru Hi ga Kuru no Darou)
This Violet Evergarden special is also available to stream on Netflix as a special episode and is 34 minutes long.
Violet, who is now an auto memory doll, is approached by a special client – a renowned opera singer named Irma Fliech. Irma contracts Violet to write a love letter. However, after several unsuccessful attempts, Violet learns that Irma actually wants to transform the letter into a piece of opera music.
Irma wants to perform an aria about the recent war that Violet fought in, with themes surrounding love and grieving lost soldiers.
This special episode is exceptionally gut-wrenching, the production is excellent, and viewers are immersed in the plotline alongside Violet, experiencing the waves of emotions that overcome her.
Violet Evergarden (episodes 5-13)
These episodes follow Violet’s work as an auto memory doll, writing for other people and learning about love. She is still trying to understand Major Gilbert’s last words to her.
She writes a public correspondence for Princess Charlotte to her betrothed, Prince Damian. However, both feel that the letters are impersonal, as Damian also uses a doll to write his letter.
Violet and Cattleya (Damian’s doll) arrange for the betrothed to write letters directly to each other, which ends in a proposal of marriage.
Violet meets Leon, another orphan like herself, and they work together to make copies of rare books. Violet reveals that she is devoted to Gilbert, and Leon reveals that Violet herself is in love with Gilbert.
Violet works for a playwright with writer’s block, Oscar Webster, to help him finish a script. Oscar reveals that he is writing this play to cope with the death of his daughter. Violet returns home and learns that Gilbert is presumed to be dead. She is overcome with grief and flees.
While dealing with her grief, Violet remembers how she first met Gilbert and how Gilbert became her guardian. She learns that his family presumes he is dead, but according to the military, his body has never been found.
Claudia Hodgins, a former lieutenant, finds Violet and returns her to the post office, where she grapples with feelings of grief for Gilbert, but also feelings of regret for what she did to others and how many people she killed in the war.
She is contracted by a wealthy and sickly woman with a young daughter, Anne. Violet writes letters from the mother to her daughter and at the end of the episode is overcome with emotion at the thought of Anne having to grow up without a mother.
As the season progresses, Violet comes in contact with a range of emotions and, with each episode, it seems that she is starting to understand human emotions more and more.
Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll
In Japanese, this film is known as Violet Evergarden: Eien to Jidō Shuki Ningyō. It is also available to stream on Netflix.
In it, Violet is called to a boarding school to help Isabella York prepare to become a debutante. Violet realizes that Isabella does not want to be a debutante and is actually an illegitimate child.
Isabella then asks Violet to pen a letter to her younger sister, Taylor, who now lives in a children’s home.
Three years pass and Taylor applies for a job at the post office where Violet works. Because Taylor is illiterate, Violet decides to teach her how to read and write.
Eventually, Taylor asks Violet to help her write a letter back to her sister, Isabella.
Violet Evergarden: The Movie
Violet Evergarden: The Movie is also available to stream on Netflix.
A woman named Daisy comes across birthday letters that were sent to her grandmother, Anne Magnolia. Through these, Daisy becomes interested in the legendary Violet Evergarden, as she has faith that Violet would write lovely letters to people on behalf of her customers.
Half a century prior, Violet receives a request from Yuris, a terminally ill boy, to write letters to his family. While Violet is working, Claudia finds mail with a strange address and identifies the handwriting as Gilbert Bougainvillea’s, whom he and Violet thought to be dead.
Violet and Claudia immediately travel to the remote island where the letter originated from and find Gilbert alive, but missing an arm and right eye. Violet has been devoted to GIlbert for years and tries to meet him again, but shockingly, Gilbert refuses to meet with her. He has an enormous amount of shame and guilt for causing her misery.
Violet suffers an emotional breakdown at the thought of Gilbert rejecting her. When she tries to leave the island, she is prevented by a storm, and she also receives a telegraph stating that Yuris’ condition has worsened.
Violet arranges with Iris Cannary to travel to the hospital and transcribe one last letter for Yuris, but when Iris arrives at the hospital, Yuris is completely bedridden. They arrange for Yuris to talk to his friend instead of writing a letter, and Yuris dies.
The storm clears and Violet decides to write one last letter to Gilbert before leaving the island. Gilbert is so touched by her words that he chases after her and professes his love to her. Violet resigns from CH postal company and lives with Gilbert on the island.
Back in the present, Daisy is so moved by this story that she visits the island to talk to the locals and learn more about Violet’s history.
What’s Next for Violet Evergarden?
Although there has been no official statement regarding season 2 of Violet Evergarden from Kyoto Animation, it’s safe to assume that there will be a second season or at least another movie.
This speculation is mostly due to the massive success of the first season and subsequent movies. The series has stolen the hearts of millions of people across the world and has provided viewers with a different perspective on emotions.
