A spin-off movie from the Violet Evergarden animated series, Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll is a vibrant emotional rollercoaster that follows warmly in the footsteps of it’s initial series.

Photo Credit: Seekers of Atlantis (May 2021)

Directed by Haruka Fujita in 2019, the film follows Violet Evergarden, a former soldier returned from war, that is assigned to teach at a girl’s boarding academy. On assignment, she is tasked with training Isabella York to become a debutante worthy of nobility.

The storyline is broken down into two parts, with the initial half seamlessly blending into the other. In the first half, Violet’s relationship slowly blooms with Isabella as she is assigned as her handmaiden. Isabella initially does not like Violet; however, the relationship progresses and they soon develop a true friendship. The two embark on a journey of discovering what friends truly are.

The second half of the storyline focuses on Taylor, a young girl who Isabella adopts as a child, who journeys to the CH Postal Company with dreams of becoming a mail carrier and spreading happiness through delivering letters.

Subtle and soft-paced, Fujita incorporates philosophical elements that allows viewers to rawfully connect to their own life experiences. A film that inspires self-reflection, Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll is heartwarming and touching.

Kyoto Animation, the animation studio responsible for developing the movie, paid great attention to detail and allowed each character to blossom genuinely through maintaining a high level of detail and attention. The film credits also feature the names of those who passed in the Kyoto Animation arson attack, which happened during production in July 2019.

Overall, Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll is a thoughtful, memorably heart-warming experience whose success of the main characters and their development lies in Kyoto Animation studios impressive attention to detail. The film expresses the idea that happiness can be found in the most simplest of forms, and is a great watch if you are looking for a feel-good film.

Published by HOLR Magazine.