Violet Evergarden Review

Overall Rating - 6.2 out of 10 - Half Hayao Miyazaki movie, half Gunslinger Girl

I somewhat recommend watching.

The good about this show it Violet herself, quality of art and music.

Bad is almost everything else.

This show tries to be "right, nice and normal" way too much, just like Nibutani Shinka from Chunibyo. It panders to boomers pacifist hippy views way too much. As if just stopping all wars going to just magically solve everything. This is some sort of conservative dis/utopia (not my kind of utopia) show, that Hayayo Miazaki and One Piece keep making for their fans. Everyone here respects parents, elderly and women. Most men are filled with some form of guilt and most women are all too confident about themselves and make men chase after them. I guess to those who like these things it is a masterpiece or something.

Now back to good things. Music is good, art is of very high fidelity. On this level work is flawless.

Now the most important good thing in the show: Violet herself. She is like older Henrietta from Gunslinger Girl. Just as loyal to her master and deadly to his enemies. The kind of qualities I very much appreciate in a woman.

However unlike Gunslinger Girl where Henrietta just keeps killing for Guise ((this guy https://myanimelist.net/character/2024/Jose_Croce), she calls him Guise-san, that is what I remember), here Gilbert dies and Violet has to find a new purpose for herself. Gunslinger Girl too explores similar issues with Claes and possibly Angelica as well, do not remember the details.

Here however people around Violet all try to make her become more human and more selfish possibly. Even Gilbert actually wanted that from her.

In contrast while Guise liked the cute girl appeal of Henrietta, he actually wanted her to perform her duties as his tool well enough. That did confused Henrietta though.

Henrietta though did her duties well for the most of the show, I remember last episodes rather poorly though.

In contrast Violet is rather unstable at times. Occasionally goes very emotional and runs off somewhere.

I however like the way Violet talks in a very technical and factual way. Though I probably like the cozy warmth of Henrietta somewhat more. However both are good.

Overall I have a mixed feeling about it. It is not as focused on Violet as I would like it to be. In this regard episodes 8 or 9 was the best of them all. Though I do not remember which part of her flashback was the best.

For those who liked Violet I can certainly recommend this https://myanimelist.net/anime/134/Gunslinger_Girl great anime with a awesome selection of mini-Violets

For pacifist hippy tories I can recommend One Piece and Hayao Miazaki (Studio Ghibli) movies, they have so many you will never run out of stuff to watch. We only got 13 episodes of Gunslinger Girl, world is unfair and needs to be changed.

Without Violet Evergarden character I would have given this show 3.0 out of 10.

A different kind of show with Violet Evergarden in it can easily get to 8.0 out of 10