dsmith8

This movie was a lovely addition to the Violet Evergarden franchise. I am so glad to watch such a beautifully created anime after the tragedy that happened to Kyoto Animation. The quality has not slipped one bit, and seeing this makes me tremendously hopeful for the future of the studio. 

As for the movie, the strong points were the animation (as you would come to expect from a KyoAni production), as well as the voice acting and soundtrack. The characters movement and expressions were full of life. The backgrounds and scenery were equally gorgeous, as we got to explore a bit more of the Evergarden world. It was also nice to see some changes to the world as time passed. The returning cast delivered excellent performances. Standouts were the interactions between Violet (Yui Ishikawa) and Isabella York (Minako Kotobuki). The soundtrack was full of lush orchestral arrangements that emulated the emotions that the characters and audience are meant to feel. There were no opening or ending songs for this movie.

Where this movie lacked for me was emotional connection. The story and plot were very well done. However, the emotional climaxes did not connect with me on a personal level like some of the previous arcs have. That was certainly not the case for others in the audience. Muffled sniffles were clearly heard among other viewers, so your personal experiences  will obviously dictate how this movie connects with you. I also hoped the movie would explore more of Violet's backstory, but unfortunately that was not the case. Perhaps the next movie will.

Regardless of the negatives, I certainly enjoyed the movie. If you liked the first season of Violet Evergarden, I definitely recommend seeing this movie. If you havent seen the series, the movie could be seen standalone, but you will be missing a lot of characterization for the minor characters as well as some subtle details. Thanks for reading. Feel free to let me know what you thought in the comments.

- ds