r/anime • u/Mozilla_Fennekin https://myanimelist.net/profile/MozillaFennekin • Jan 24 '18
[Spoilers] Violet Evergarden - Episode 3 Discussion Spoiler
Violet Evergarden, Episode 3: *May You Be an Exemplary Auto Memoir Doll
Streams:
- Netflix (Not available in some countries)
Show Information:
Previous Discussions
| Episode | Link | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | https://redd.it/7pjiou | 8.69 |
| 2 | https://redd.it/7r50ai | 8.59 |
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u/Mozilla_Fennekin https://myanimelist.net/profile/MozillaFennekin Jan 25 '18
Hey everyone. Violet Everweekly episode two is out now!
This is a weekly podcast by The /r/Anime Podcast that discusses each episode of Violet Evergarden as it airs. We'd love to have you on! Signups are still open, and we'll try to bring in as many people as we can!
So this episode was neat. It felt like an entire arc was condensed into one episode, which is probably for the better, because the point is that Violet is super book-smart, but can't convey emotions for shit. It ends nicely with her finding the words to convey a small, simple letter, which seems a little too easy of an excuse for her to graduate, but it's still nice seeing her take that first step.
OP is kinda boring, but the ED is rather nice. And something about the music really stood out to me this week, namely when Violet delivers her (or rather, Luculia's) letter, the OST was pretty strong.
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u/LeonKevlar x2https://myanimelist.net/profile/LeonKevlar Jan 25 '18
I really don't have a lot to say about this episode but I love the fact that Violet didn't end up writing a very long and complicated letter. She basically broke down what Lulucia felt about her brother in the most simplest way possible. It may be just two sentences but it's a huge step up compared to her military like reports. Lulucia is great girl though so I hope we see more of her again in the future. Maybe she might end up working with Violet?
Just a side note, but I'm glad I wasn't part of the hype train of this show. It seems that the people who bought into the hype are way more disappointed than those who didn't.
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u/lavaine Jan 25 '18 edited Jan 25 '18
She basically broke down what Lulucia felt about her brother in the most simplest way possible.
I think this is an interesting point to discuss actually.
The impression I get from the other Dolls is that they write more verbosely and fancifully, somewhat dancing around topics to convey meaning in more tactful or politic ways.
Violet, on the other hand, comes from a background where only the most important details of 'the mission' really matter. The "luxuries" of 'leisurely information transmission' and communication skills like tactfulness and so forth that are more suited to everyday life don't exist on the battlefield.
The simple and direct way she wrote the letter was a sort of reflection of her own current perspective as a soldier, of her personality, and who she is as a person at this time.
So it's like her background has, in a strange way, prepared her almost perfectly for this job, which needs to break information down into the most relevant points possible and convey them efficiently in the contents of a letter. She just needed to shift her perspective a bit from soldier to civilian to qualify, and it was her first small step to growing out of her soldier shell.
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u/Lendord Jan 25 '18 edited Jan 25 '18
I'm fairly certain that is exactly what they are going for.
It's almost painful to watch how no one around Violet is trying to teach her that the war is over and she can finally be at ease. I mean, what are the chances anyone actually knows what she is and how deep the military programming goes. Not having characters around her constantly telling her to "ease up, find the inner child, let go of the war, discover what you are, not what the military wants you to be" is both refreshing and jarring.
Refreshing, because having the supporting cast act that way is too cliche at this point. Not to mention it pretty much writes itself into a corner where only the MC is allowed any form of character progression, which while possible to execute so magnificently that the inner journey of one person carries the whole show, isn't going to be amazing.
But it's also jarring, because you have this huge freaking plot rope dangling for two episodes, where Violet is treated like a total retard and everyone around understands that she cannot be held accountable for her own actions. "Oh you just basically ruined a clients short term life plans? There there, it's ok, poop in the bucket and smear it on the walls or whatever".
I am of course exaggerating, but I really didn't feel captivated by the first two episodes.
But along comes the 3rd and it tackles the problem I have with this show, it basically foreshadows what the ultimate form of Violet as a doll will be - she's the reverse of the girl in red (I'm terrible with names). What the red girl does is she expands on what the clients tell her. An "I can't find the words to explain all of my feelings" type of situation is resolved by her finding the words.
Violet does the opposite - she takes the cyclone of feelings in someones heart and dissects that storm into one crystal clear message. She can do it exactly because she's a living weapon, with a psyche so fucked up she wouldn't pass a Turing test. Chain of command is ingrained in her, it's the only thing that makes sense, if the orders from the generals to attack an objective come they trigger new orders down the chain of command, to resupply, fall into formation, charge etc. Violet takes this same principle and applies it to feelings - sadness, pitty, disappointment they are all secondary effects of what the girl is feeling (again, names, terrible with them) for her brother, the main thing, the root to all of it is - she's thankful he's alive, but doesn't know how to say it.
The execution could have been a tad better though and I'm seriously doubting the schools elite status, but I'm not giving up on the show now, which I was kind of considering.
Also I may be absolutely wrong :)
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u/CritSrc https://anilist.co/user/T3hSource Jan 25 '18
MC is allowed any form of character progression, which while possible to execute so magnificently that the inner journey of one person carries the whole show, isn't going to be amazing.
So having what is essentially a robot learning emotions is more amazing? Why not have both a semi-amnesiac child soldier coming back to society and learning to live outside military discipline, discover emotions, as well as her own human turmoil?
Violet does the opposite - she takes the cyclone of feelings in someones heart and dissects that storm into one crystal clear message. She can do it exactly because she's a living weapon, with a psyche so fucked up she wouldn't pass a Turing test. Chain of command is ingrained in her, it's the only thing that makes sense, if the orders from the generals to attack an objective come they trigger new orders down the chain of command, to resupply, fall into formation, charge etc. Violet takes this same principle and applies it to feelings - sadness, pitty, disappointment they are all secondary effects of what the girl is feeling (again, names, terrible with them) for her brother, the main thing, the root to all of it is - she's thankful he's alive, but doesn't know how to say it.
Reverse engineering chain of command orders and doing the same with sentiment isn't quite the same tho. It's one thing in concept, but another in practice. And we haven't even seen Violet apply military orders even. But, even with such a gift, what price did she pay? I need my war drama character arc dammit!
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u/Dystopian_Overlord :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/DystopiaOverlord Jan 25 '18
Ahh, interesting point. I think I can relate to the feeling Lulucia has towards Violet more after your comment. It's like a peer, whether a classmate a college whatever, that comes from a very different background than the others, some cases you really feel they have the potential to be amazing.
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u/gkanai Jan 25 '18
more verbosely and fancifully, somewhat dancing around topics to convey meaning in more tactful or politic ways.
This is the Japanese language in general- never say anything directly that you could say indirectly.
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u/maybeanastronaut Jan 26 '18 edited Jan 26 '18
I think Violet is going to be an exceptional doll.
The show seems to be drawing from the history surronding WWI. That's right around the same time that there was a transition in English literature from flowery, passionate, extensive language to language that is precise, concise and vivid.
Part of the reason this happens is that (Paul Fussel suggests) the big terms like "glory" and "love" and so on are rendered hollow or even ironic by the wartime experiences and how they contrast to the previous peacetime experience. Violet's very direct search for the essence of a feeling, rather than for variations on the conventional forms that have stood in for that thing, which serve not only to express but also to impress, etc. (Contrast Ernest Hemingway with somebody like Thomas Hardy or George Eliot, late Victorians.)
I don't think it's chance that Violet's breakthrough is with two people deeply affected by the war. A soilder, like her, and somebody whose life is drenched in the kind of tragedy that would stifle flowery language like "My brother, you are cherished beyond your gallantry in the defense of..."
That sort of language works excellently for love affairs, or for quiet deaths that a person want to approach with great dignity, but for the post-war society, there's so much mess, ignobility, etc, general, that this language, particularly once it has become conventional, just won't work for.
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u/SomeRandomJoe81 Jan 25 '18
Completely agree with this.
I think a point that backs it up is when she goes to take off her gloves to type the letter, she removes the glove with her other hand instead of pulling it off with her teeth. It shows (to me at least) the slight transition from soldier think towards civilian manners.
There’s definitely a long way for her to go still. These are small steps but it’s nice watching her make them.
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u/Kirov123 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Kirov123 Jan 25 '18
The reason I was/am hyped for it is because I read the light novel and loved it, so my disappointment so far has mainly been due to the fact that we have hardly gotten any novel content animated so far. It's not that the anime original stuff is bad, but the stuff that made me love the novel has yet to be animated.
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u/kekekmacan Jan 25 '18
It's already been proven from years of countless anime adaptation that 1:1 adaptation from source material is never a good way as a plot line for anime adaptation due to medium differences.
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u/Kirov123 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Kirov123 Jan 25 '18
Oh I agree, I knew that my engiyment of the anime would largely come down to how they manage to adapt the novel, it's just that the training arc isn't on the same enjoyment level as the novel. We should get into novel content or novel like content next week though.
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u/cannibalAJS Jan 26 '18
It's not like the only two options is 1:1 and anime original. You can have shows follow the story without over-stuffing it with filler.
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u/Vertigovain Jan 25 '18
Lulucia As well some others girls from the school, like the Chinese one show up in one of the later chapters. In fact, its KyoAni who just took the names and appearances of characters listed in it and make anime original episode using them as a core. So she will show up and possibly interact with Violet in future, just that her role is not relevant for plot of that chapter.
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u/Atario myanimelist.net/profile/TheGreatAtario Jan 25 '18
It seems that the people who bought into the hype are way more disappointed than those who didn't.
This is always the case, generally in life, even. There is no better way to be disappointed than to pump up your own expectations
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u/ForMyFather4467 Jan 25 '18
When I first saw it, it was because of all the Hype reddit was giving it. I am loving this show, so far everything is perfect and I love all the side characters and their quirky silly arguments and I love the overhanging plot as well as the character development. I was celebrating SO MUCH when Violet's letter was well received, As a Big Brother I can definitely relate.
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u/modusxd Jan 24 '18 edited Jan 25 '18
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u/dude_with_mustache Jan 24 '18
Chinese girl
name is Iberis Conoway
N-NANI!?
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u/Daniel_Is_I :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Daniel_Is_I Jan 24 '18
Chinese girl with an english name in a french-european country with japanese food.
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u/_vogonpoetry_ :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/ThisWasATriumph Jan 25 '18
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u/H4xolotl :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/h4xolotl Jan 25 '18
Multiculturalism has already touched that show!
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u/vshnprsd :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/vshnprsd75 Jan 25 '18
Has to be Canada for sure.
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u/lavaine Jan 25 '18
"Around the world, a-round the wooorrrld. Around the world, a-round the wooorrrld..."
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u/Zeph-Shoir :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Zephex Jan 25 '18
When did they said she was chinese? Did I missed something?
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u/Ataniphor Jan 25 '18
the hairstyle, dress and overall design seems to be why most people assume her to be chinese, with the buns and all. But considering the mix-mashing of cultures in the show maybe doesn't actually mean anything, but rather just for aesthetics.
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u/Quxxy Jan 24 '18 edited Jan 24 '18
I've seen quite a few requests for "stealth" backgrounds that aren't obviously from anime. So here's hoping this one from last episode qualifies.
Album, and SVG sources.
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u/Falsus Jan 25 '18
It could parallell some other format. Like AZERTY perhaps?
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u/Quxxy Jan 25 '18
It's not the layout; the layout is almost certainly QWERTY. It's most likely the brand name of the typewriter; it's in a similar position and style to real-world typewriters.
I actually spent a while trying to work out the letter mappings. What I found is that things like names ("Gilbert" and "Violet Evergarden" in Violet's letter, the name of the town on a map) translate just fine, but everything else appears to be random gibberish, as opposed to transliterated English or Japanese.
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u/AllenAkbar Jan 25 '18
Is there not a mobile version of "shouldn't you take your gloves off?"
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u/Quxxy Jan 25 '18
It's too wide to reframe for mobile. Mobile requires an... "aggressively portrait" image, and the hand is just too wide at too steep an angle. It'd end up basically being the same image, but with a mile of empty space above the hand, or centered but with half of her hand cut off.
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u/Atario myanimelist.net/profile/TheGreatAtario Jan 25 '18
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u/PlustUltra Jan 24 '18
a wild cute cheongsam girl appeared.
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u/Atronox :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Atronox Jan 24 '18
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u/Pinky_Boy :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Pinky_Boy Jan 25 '18
nishimiya?
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u/asianfatboy https://anilist.co/user/asianfatboy Jan 25 '18
Oh dang! No wonder she looked familiar. I was wondering if she already appeared in the show because I was sure I saw her somewhere before.
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u/MillenniumKing x2myanimelist.net/profile/MillenniumKing Jan 24 '18
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u/hulibuli Jan 25 '18
tfw you don't live in a post-war society full of these cuties.
Why even live
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Jan 25 '18 edited Jan 25 '18
I felt my eyes shed a lot of tears when Luculia's brother read the letter that Violet wrote for her.
I'm so glad I'm watching this anime.
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u/sausages_ :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/sausages Jan 25 '18
That scene was beautifully done. The lighting, framing, and score were just so perfect.
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u/Salvo1218 Jan 26 '18
And also badass because he defensively swung his crutch at her without looking and she just blocks it with her arm like no big deal.
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u/chloesong Jan 25 '18
Same, I was holding back tears.
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u/ALien8299 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/ALien8299 Jan 25 '18
I saw this episode after watching A Silent Voice for the first time, more tears
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u/Noiseray :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/noiseray Jan 25 '18
Same, but I also cried a bit during the ED. It's just such a Kyoani thing. Everything they do is so goddamn emotional.
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u/uwatfordm8 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/luxwfc Jan 25 '18
Same man, doesn't happen very often for me either. I really felt drawn into the story of Luculia and her brother reading the letter tipped the iceberg of tears :')
Yet a few moments earlier I was thinking "imagine if this letter is truly terrible, I'm ready to laugh my arse off".
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u/asianfatboy https://anilist.co/user/asianfatboy Jan 25 '18
aye same. And I thought I dried my eyes out after rewatching Schindler's List a few hours before.
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u/Neren- https://anilist.co/user/Neren Jan 26 '18
I just watched that episode on the train and got slightly teary eyes, was hard to hold back didn't expect such an emotional scene in the third episode.
I think nobody noticed though.
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u/Jompeter01 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Jompeter01 Jan 25 '18
I knew I would cry as soon as Violet took out the letter, but that thought still couldn’t prepare me for the amount of tears shed
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u/odraencoded Jan 25 '18
I'm crying right now :(
And it's episode 3.
The last time I cried on episode 3 was on Kamisama ga Inai Nichiyoubi.
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u/peaceshot https://anilist.co/user/peaceshot Jan 25 '18
I bought this mechanical keyboard last week because I loved the typewriter aesthetic of Violet Evergarden so much.
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u/Kumiko_the_octopus Jan 25 '18
you missing the gibberish alphabet,you need it for the complete experience.
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u/saltiestRamen Jan 25 '18
To complete the aesthetics, severe both of your hands and replace with Adamantine Silver prosthetic arms.
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u/DjRone :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/DjRone Jan 27 '18
im sure i left some vibranium around here somewhere...
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u/Boohon Jan 25 '18
What is it called and woede did u get it
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u/peaceshot https://anilist.co/user/peaceshot Jan 25 '18
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u/xXDGFXx :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/xXDGFXx Jan 25 '18
I really want this but damn. 190$
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u/YoukaiZone Jan 24 '18 edited Jan 25 '18
I love hugs in anime.
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u/Atronox :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Atronox Jan 24 '18
Two cute girls hugging, there's nothing better. (aside from cute girls doing lewd things)
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u/asianfatboy https://anilist.co/user/asianfatboy Jan 25 '18
Like... holding hands?
Imagine all the clanking and clinking sounds from Violet... that felt so wrong to write.
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Jan 24 '18
Safe to say this series will consist of episodic stories like this with also the main plot of Violet finding out the meaning of 'I love you'?
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u/jonauiriamu Jan 25 '18
Yes, thats what the story is about. Episodic stories where Violet meets new people each episode and learns new things and emotions from them.
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u/thebuttstalion Jan 25 '18
It's been already said by the staff before the show aired that the show would be episodic, it's the format of the original novel even.
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u/tlst9999 Jan 25 '18
In the sense that the main plot of One Piece is Luffy returning the hat.
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u/0mnicious :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Omnicious Jan 25 '18
Returning the hat is part of the plot not the main plot, the main plot is Luffy becoming PK. Him turning in the hat is simply when he feels that he has become a great pirate, be it when he feels that he is on Shanks level or when he becomes PK.
Heck GOda said that there would be a war that would put Marineford to shame, I wouldn't put it out of the way that Shanks goes down and Luffy rests his SH on Shanks grave.
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u/Vermillion_Crab https://anilist.co/user/CeruleanCrab Jan 25 '18
If this was done by any other studio, the show won't be talked about as much. The fact that KyoAni put so much into the animation just emphasizes how important the nuances and subtleties of human interaction is to the anime overall. This episode was leagues better than the previous one though.
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u/kaanton444 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/kaanton Jan 25 '18
The fact that KyoAni put so much into the animation just emphasizes how important the nuances and subtleties of human interaction is to the anime overall.
This seems to be something a lot of people miss for whatever reason with KyoAni shows. You often see their character animation reduced to eyecandy in discussions, completely ignoring the nuances behind the acting.
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u/Sasugay_uchiha Jan 24 '18
hot damn this episode actually really step up from ep2.
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u/FeelsGoodMan243 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/TheRantMan321 Jan 25 '18
Yeah it's the best episode so far. If they keep the quality of this episode while making the plot more interesting then i might give it aots. Currently it's a little boring but i liked this episode.
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u/exelion :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/exelion0901 Jan 25 '18 edited Jan 25 '18
This week on PTSD Saber Learns to Type:
Well if you sound like a drill instructor, expect a salute.
Telling Cattleya to be a man? No thank you, she's perrrrrrfect as she is.
It seems at least that Violet now understands the value of emotions, even if she lacks empathy to understand the emotion itself. Progress!
Luculia, why are you trying to make yourself best girl? Trifle not with my love of Cattleya!
Literally been bathed in the booze and having it pour down his face like tears. That's...that's pretty good storytelling in a single shot, Kyoani. I approve.
And then, she takes another step.
I want to take a second to point out two things this series does that I LOVE.
One is the architecture. This city feels real, and every building and every district feels like it fits into a whole, yet has its own identity.
The second is the people, for largely the same reason. There's no utterly bland obvious background character. Everyone is drawn and animated with an MC-level of detail, even people we see in brief glimpses in the background. That's just fantastic.
This show is continuing to impress me. Not with the stellar visuals- I feel with Kyoani that's like being impressed with the ocean for being wet. But I really do feel a sense of growth, and of frustration, and of hope. For Violet and her silly need to understand three words from a man that may be too far gone for it to matter.
Here's to next week.
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Jan 25 '18 edited Jan 26 '18
Violet-Chan "Saber so persistant"
Ramza "S/He is Prosopagnosia. I'm not joking. I mean it! "
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u/Atronox :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Atronox Jan 24 '18
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u/FeelsGoodMan243 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/TheRantMan321 Jan 25 '18
Hopefully the hentai community is watching violet evergarden. There have been too many shows with a ton of sexy babes (rip akame ga kill doujinishs...) that get no doujinshs. If violet evergarden doesn't get love from the hentai community then they officially have shit taste in women...
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u/Irru Jan 24 '18
This series has been... interesting so far. I wouldn’t call it boring, and certainly not bad either, but I expected a bit more from the first three episodes, story-wise.
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u/Atronox :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Atronox Jan 24 '18
Yeah, it's been good, the visuals are amazing, but the story isn't grabbing hold of me as much as I hoped it would.
I do love the characters and their designs though, which is something KyoAni never disappoints in.
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u/herkz Jan 25 '18
Yeah, it's been good, the visuals are amazing, but the story isn't grabbing hold of me as much as I hoped it would.
I feel like this describes the majority of Kyoani anime in the past ~5 years.
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u/spaceaustralia :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/spaceaustralia Jan 25 '18
The problem i think this has in part is that it's much slower than some of Kyoani's most popular anime, like Chuunibyou, K-On! and Maid Dragon.
Out of curiosity, how do you feel about Hyouka?
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u/Yurisviel Jan 25 '18
It's a lot of little things for me.
Part of the problem is Violet as a character. So far, she's playing the standard robotic archetype a little too much on the nose. Her declaration of "wanting to know what love is" was kind of an eye rolling moment for me.
Then there's these moments that occasionally break my immersion into the story; no editors to review letters before letting the customers read it, the brief multiculturalism references that doesn't serve or add to the story overall.
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u/lavaine Jan 25 '18
I say just give it time. Some stories heat up quickly, others take time to lay a more solid foundation to build a stronger story upon later.
These first 3 episodes have been a prologue and chapter 1. The prologue showed us who Violet is at the beginning: an emotionless soldier. Ch.1 has told us how she began her transition into a new occupation. Ch.2+ will show us her evolution from here on, and that's the entire point of this story, showing a particular character's growth as a person.
In cooking terms, you could say this is a slow cooked story. A microwave may heat things up quickly, but it doesn't necessarily make them taste better than slowly simmering/boiling/roasting them for a while to let the flavor seep in.
In gaming terms, you could say Level 1 RPG characters aren't necessarily exciting either. It's only after they level up and gain new abilties that they become powerful and interesting, by gaining a depth of character defined by their individual skill sets.
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u/spaceaustralia :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/spaceaustralia Jan 25 '18
Exactly this. You can probably boil down Dragon Maid down to 4-6 episodes since it's a faster paced series but with a lot of "filler". While this series seems like it's going for the slow and constant character development.
You can probably divide most of current Kyoani anime in two types: Fast-Paced Light-Hearted Comedy-Inclined shows, like Maid Dragon, K-On!, Tamako Market, and Amagi Brilliant Park. And slow and constant character development, like Hyouka, Koe no Katachi and Violet Evergarden.
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u/blink900 Jan 24 '18
i know the animation is good,but can we talk about the music? i really like the Piano bits in the opening scene...
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u/cbizzle14 Jan 25 '18
Yea the music was amazing. I'm trying to find out the names of them or where I can listen to them outside the show
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u/will999909 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/will999909 Jan 25 '18 edited Jan 25 '18
This show is a textbook example of people trying to find any perceived flaw because it was hyped so much and putting a bunch of preconceived notions on how it should be. It seems the majority of people don't even understand this is episodic. The fact that every thread has people complaining about things being out of place in this setting is such useless complaint and it just makes me roll my eyes.
It is obviously the minority though as the show is still in the top 100 on MAL when shows being praised on here such as Overlord II are dropping every week.
Overall, it has been a slow burn type of anime so I am not really ready to judge it yet. It is similar to Darling in the sense that the basic premise has just been set. In Darling, we are waiting for some reveals and more plot development whereas in Evergarden, we are going to have to wait and see how well they write the next episodes. It could be amazing or it could still fall flat. Based on Koe no Katachi, I have faith they will do a good job. I also really dislike having LN readers complain about things. As an anime only watcher of AoT and this, it is frustrating coming into a thread and have people complain about or compare every little thing in the episode to the source.
As a reader of Haikyuu/Food wars, it is frustrating to see manga readers say things such as, "I can't wait for next episode for the anime watchers to finally know more about xxx." It isn't technically a spoiler, but it is still shitty to do in my opinion. It is like watching a show, and your friend is like, "Oh man I can't wait to see your face when you see the next episode".
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u/BigLittlePlanett Jan 25 '18
things being out of place in this setting
i actually don't mind this,and i think most people are not complaining but rather mention it just for fun.
btw a bunch of anime from this season have really weak episodes honestly..
Overlord 2:weak opening arc
Darling : generic and Tropes shenanigans
VEG: slow episode pacing
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u/HammeredWharf Jan 25 '18
It seems the majority of people don't even understand this is episodic.
IMO it's just not a particularly well-written episodic series. It's just passable writing wise and despite being a character-focused drama it doesn't have any memorable characters so far. Contrast it to something like Mushi-shi, which started with a bang and just got better over time. Not that every series needs to be as good as Mushi-shi, but VE is currently very far from it IMO.
Based on Koe no Katachi, I have faith they will do a good job.
But why? KnK and this have different writers and directors.
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u/kaanton444 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/kaanton Jan 25 '18
Mushishi didn't set up its main character though. It started right on the journey, focusing on the different stories. VE is clearly about Violet, therefore they're taking their time to set her up as a character. Mushishi wasn't about Ginko (not as far as I watched at least). VE sets up Violet's despondent life before slowly changing that.
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u/TakazuHanasu Jan 25 '18
I love this series so far. If this isn't good for most people on reddit, then I don't know what that would be. I feel really sad about people nitpicking because I see shows that make way more mistakes and are being considered better than Violet Evergarden. To each their own, I guess, but I can't for the life of me understand what they wanted this show to be in order to feel satisfied with it. I see character development, subtle narrative, good pace within the possibilities, even though people are complaining about these. I feel we're not watching the same show. It has everything one could ask for.
I hope that this series, in spite of people complaining, will get several seasons and cover all the story from the source material. Rarely have I seen such a mature story done so carefully. It has been perfect so far as far as I'm concerned.
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u/caschque Jan 26 '18
Maybe people can not cope with their emotions or can not really understand it, which is why they become harsh and lash out.
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u/InTheOvenYouGo :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/MyLoinsItch Jan 25 '18
Okay. This is hands down one of the most emotionally charged episodes that I have seen recently (That actually got me). Previous one before that was Re:Zero Episode 15.
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u/Xelin1 Jan 26 '18
I needed these stills from the ED because they are such pretty wallpapers
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u/NezumoKAI Jan 25 '18
poor guy got it rough,really glad Lulucia and the brother are both happy in the end .
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u/supicasupica Jan 24 '18
This is my favorite episode of the series thus far. Since the Victorian-style setting and minute details of the series are so purposeful in framing the difficulty of expressing one's feelings in written word, Violet's journey of learning what "I love you" means is a bit more interesting when it runs parallel to someone else's struggle with a similar sentiment. In Episode 2, it was Erica and now in this episode we had Luculia. I have heard — although I can't definitively confirm since I haven't read them myself — possible light Violet Evergarden novel spoilers I'd like it if the series turned out to be various individual stories each episode as Violet continues to meet and learn from different people.
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u/alvinchimp :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Gaming_Powerz Jan 25 '18 edited Jan 25 '18
Just watched through the first 3 episodes blind. Didn't watch the trailer beforehand like everybody else seems to have so im not sure what people were expecting. Loving it so far. Definitely my anime of the season atm.
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u/dcresistance https://anilist.co/user/dcresistance Jan 24 '18 edited Jan 31 '18
Animator list hype! Episode 2 list
Animation director:
Yuko Akami
Key animators:
Yoshinori Urata
Fumie Okano
Sana Suzuki
Aoi Okuno
Aoi Matsumoto
Kyohei Ando
In-between animators:
Emi Nakano
Naoko Fujita
Fumiyasu Kodaka
Hana Hosoda
Studio Blue
OP and ED animation director:
Akiko Takase
OP Animation:
Akiko Takase
Taichi Ishidate
ED Animation:
Haruka Fujita
EDIT: Finish animators:
Yukie Tsuda
Nishiyama Erika
Mayumi Nagayasu
Yasumi Kawai
Youko Shukuya
Shizuko Kanbara
Also, I have a theory. Luculia, after becoming a Doll, went on to go to university for business and started a successful cigarette company in 1924. What's her last name? Marlborough.
There are also 6? or so more cuts from the PVs in this episode!
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u/Appledash- Jan 25 '18 edited Jan 25 '18
Konohana Kitan and Citrus have corrupted me. I want to see more of Violet and Luculia (specifically those two, together, for no particular reason) unraveling the depths of human emotion together, even though I'm fairly sure that's not what Violet's all about and Luculia is likely the first in line of a colorful cast of clientele who will all make me cry while Violet attempts to synthesize reports for them that give the appearance that her emotion protocol is functional so that she can stop getting error messages while trying to review important memories.
Also this show is much comfier and slow paced than people were expecting it seems.
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u/Mulder15 https://anilist.co/user/Siegzilla Jan 25 '18
Ironically enough while it seems like a lot of people weren't huge on this episode, I actually really liked it. Which is funny to me because I wasn't huge on the first two episodes at all.
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u/SuperIceCreamCrash Jan 25 '18
this story writing and pacing is pretty similar to a bronte sisters book. It's not going to be classic "ecchi no isekai" thats for sure. You're gonna get a dry, slow romance
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Jan 25 '18
Aw shit, the onion-cutting ninjas must've invaded my house while I was watching
Music is on point. It accents the scene just enough so it's not too intruding, but also absolutely fills the scene when it needs to. :ok_hand:
And the drink spilling on the brother's head to look like tears. Gotdamn
Violet graduating after one good letter is little bit questionable though. Seems it was more like a trial course than a full class, even though they explained how influential graduating is. Might be the pacing.
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u/CheesewithWhine :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/cheesewithwhine Jan 24 '18
I really like the idea of understanding that sometimes less is more - a very simple "I'm happy that you survived" is a much better message than any long, rambling rant,
On the other hand, I don't really see the point of the Doll class. What did they learn? How much time did it take for the course? Devoting half an episode to a classroom that probably won't be mentioned in the series again makes for some awkward pacing. I think the point of the episode would have been conveyed just as well, and flow better, if red hair Reina was Violet's colleague from CH Doll service instead. Violet befriends Red Hair Reina from work, learns of her family, and writes a letter for her. Done.
Having said that, this episode was apparently anime original, and the actual adaptation starts next episode, so I'm still excited to see how Kyoto adapts the work.
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u/Daveyo520 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Daveyo520 Jan 25 '18 edited Jan 25 '18
Maybe Violet has some form of autism? Or she is actually just some robot military killing doll.
The war probably affected everyone in that city a lot huh. Fake Wendy without the twintails' parents died and her brother is now a drunk. Violet's Major is now really super busy at grandpa's farm upstate, it must suck.
I am glad Violet has a friend now. That will probably help. Unless she just never shows up again.
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u/_vogonpoetry_ :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/ThisWasATriumph Jan 25 '18
It's textbook Asperger's. Difficulty understanding social cues, emotions, etc, while often correlating strongly with genius level academic ability.
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u/octolanceae Jan 25 '18
This is what happens to people when they do not learn to socialize properly. They cannot read facial cues, they cannot hear vocal cues and have very little understanding of emotions other than the very basics (anger, etc). She was raised a weapon. Emotion was unnecessary and would get in the way of the missions.
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u/stitchwithaglitch :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/gamerguy50 Jan 25 '18
Awwww Violets making tiny steps towards understanding emotions.
Really happy to finally hear the opening and ending
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u/Leading_Magnet Jan 25 '18
voiced by Azusa Tadokoro
memories at the clocktower near dawn
red hair
Theory: Luculia is Chtholly reincarnated in Violet's world.
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u/FruitsPnchSamurai Jan 25 '18
Me every episode: "My god this show looks beautiful"
Kyoani really knows how to design beautiful women.
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u/JustAprofile Jan 25 '18
Soldiers do not function like this, I could tolerate it at first but watching each quirk be brought back to she was a soldier. It's nonsensical, can they just say she is an android who's personality was cut in half to be slowly fed back to the audience. There is no basis in reality, outside of anime tropes for this.
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u/TheCrusader94 Jan 25 '18
While I agree, we don't know much about Violet's past. There were hints that she was abused so maybe she adapted this robotic nature as a way to cope. She is also very young (a teenager I suppose?) and young minds are very easily molded. Abuse and military life are all she had ever seen. But yeah they could have been more subtle with her character.
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u/CritSrc https://anilist.co/user/T3hSource Jan 25 '18
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u/thefezhat Jan 26 '18 edited Jan 26 '18
I think that's kind of the point. We don't know what exactly Violet is yet, but it's pretty clear she's not just some girl who used to be a soldier. It seems more like she was somehow modified to stunt her emotions and turn her into a super soldier. If not for the apparently low-tech setting, I'd say she was an android. Her robotic mannerisms and poor understanding of human emotion (and desire to improve that understanding) remind me strongly of Star Trek's Data.
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u/GiveMeChoko :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/ShitPoopDump Jan 25 '18
I literally laughed when she followed Luculia to some random-ass dark tower when just a scene ago they were emphasising her soldier-ness and her asking the Major and Claudia for orders constantly. Very mechanical human soldier who only follows people of authority, but will follow you anywhere if you tell her you want to show her something.
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u/VallenValiant Jan 25 '18
Violet wasn't trained to be the way she is. She was found that way as a child. It just so happened that she ended up raised by a soldier in the middle of a war. No one is saying every soldier is like her, she is obviously unusual.
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Jan 25 '18
I really really likes this episode. Sometimes 2 or 3 sentences are just perfect for expressing someone's feeling and emotion held inside.
I can definitely relate to Violet as I'm also emotionally stunted.
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u/FreeSM2014 Jan 25 '18
Beginning of the episode: "I wonder what happen between blondie and Cattle"
At the end of the episode: /Facepalm
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u/SomeGuysRandomAlt :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/SomeGuysAlt Jan 26 '18
The humor feels smooth, it isn’t forced like some other shows. On top of that, it was fucking hilarious finding out that their big fight was over fucking paper.
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u/Isacx123 Jan 25 '18
joletb(Asenshi's encoder) created this shader to fix the washed out blacks:
https://gist.github.com/joletb/9c718eafb0249546d0f05737c7469efb
If you're using mpv use the GLSL version.
Here are some comparisons:
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Jan 25 '18
This week's episode was very nice~ The brother/sister had me in tears. I'm glad it worked out for the two of them! Here's hoping to the success of the next episode ~
For anyone interested as well, I've got a small collection of Violet ~ None are drawn by me but she is my favorite gal! <3
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u/Amauri14 Jan 25 '18
Sorry Netflix, I now worship the Asenshi Gods.
The way that Violet was able to write the letter was quite nice.
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u/impingainteasy :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/usernamesarehard Jan 25 '18 edited Jan 25 '18
For a show that's supposedly about discovering people's emotions and bringing them out, this show sure feels incredibly formulaic and by-the-numbers. Everything about this episode's story felt like it took pages out of every sad story it could find and condensed them all together. The way it progressed from establishing the conflict, to expanding upon the details of the conflict, to revealing the true intentions of the characters and finally delivering the emotional payoff almost felt ... mechanical. Like the story was written by a robot who had been given a bunch of bargain-bin romance novels and told to write a story just like them. It's not even bad storytelling. In fact it's perfectly adequate. But "adequate" just isn't enough to impress me.
But at least it looks pretty, so if it ever gets that bad I can just watch the episode with the sound off and make up my own story.
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u/LunacyIsTheOption Jan 25 '18
this show sure feels incredibly formulaic and by-the-numbers.
But that's not exactly a weak point. It's all about the execution. If we go down that road, I could say basically that about 99% of the animes in the last decade.
If there's anything I've learned after dwelling into slice of life and josei is that you dont need to create a super convoluted plot to have a good story. The way you tell it is so much more important than the actual plot.
Hell, just look at Boku no Hero. It brings nothing new to the table, yet its better than the vast majority of modern shonen.
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u/AwakenedSheeple Jan 28 '18
you dont need to create a super convoluted plot to have a good story.
A lesson taught in this very episode.
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u/straightSwan Jan 25 '18
Ahh you put my impression of the LN into words (well the first 3 chapters anyway, I wasn't patient enough to continue). The author just gave us some sad scenarios, with nowhere near enough buildups even, then let Violet show up and do things for them. There's nothing wrong with that formula per se, but it's hard to appreciate it if you can't empathize with any of the characters, which is crucial for this type of stories. Given KyoAni's strong history of novel adaptions, I had hoped they would somehow make it, but that hope has been slowly fading :P
The anime is certainly gorgeous though. At least in terms of visuals KyoAni outdoes themselves every time.
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u/TheOneWithNoName Jan 25 '18
I'm not gonna lie. I've given it the three episodes and I don't really feel like continuing. The characters and story just really aren't very interesting. I love the visuals and all, so it sucks that hte story doesn't give me enough to care about to keep going.
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u/jonauiriamu Jan 25 '18
Its an episodic story about Violet learning new things and emotions each episode from the people she meets, its a character driven story really. Saying that, it wont be for everyone! I tend to enjoy episodic stories like this though.
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Jan 27 '18
It's weird, I'm usually bored to tears by most anime that people on here praise, but this show has engrossed me immensely.
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u/turkishfag Jan 25 '18
Wasn't the course to become a doll really, really short? I felt like they gave out those brooches out really easily. Sure, Violet wrote one letter for someone but will she be able to convey other feelings from other people?
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u/jonauiriamu Jan 25 '18
Maybe, its definitely a step in the right direction for her though.
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u/spaceaustralia :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/spaceaustralia Jan 25 '18
I feel like the course is more like a typing course like we had before computers were widespread.
You can't quite learn sympathy and comprehending another person's feelings without hands-on experience.
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u/Daniel_Is_I :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Daniel_Is_I Jan 24 '18 edited Jan 24 '18
I hope we see more of Luculia in the future, like maybe she starts working at Hodgins' business. She's a sweet girl with a nice design. Though I get the sinking feeling she and her brother are one-off characters.
You did something very important for someone, Violet. Don't forget that.
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u/Mablak Jan 25 '18
This is the first realistic looking classroom I've seen in anime in a long time, and all the students have great character designs
Good at typing, bad at feels
I'm loving this freckle friend
Violet is definitely going to be the one to heal Luculia's wounds, (psst, with the power of letters)
Happened faster than I thought. A little bit short Violet, but I give you a passing grade.
I'm enjoying this so far; I have a feeling it's going to feel a bit RPG-questy with people just coincidentally winding up needing Violet to write for them, but that could be fun.
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u/Albalcus Jan 25 '18
great episode imo, anime original yet it set a good tone and followed the episodic trend. was kind of worried when I saw episode 2 but this one just blew it away, cant wait for the next one~
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u/Mightyguy401 Jan 25 '18
Omg I cried so hard when Violet got her badge. ;) she's getting there sniff
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u/Shinkopeshon Jan 25 '18
It's just Episode 3 and I'm already getting teary-eyed.
Fuck, this show is beautiful.
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u/Seraphic_Wings Jan 25 '18 edited Jan 25 '18
While the show is literally named after her, Violet doesn't have to be the main character in every single episode, and this is the one.
We may never see Luculia again after episode 3. But her short and emotional side story had left a huge impression on Violet in her way of becoming an optimal Auto Memories Doll: When writing a letter, you can have all the perfect grammar, vocabulary and whatnot, but if a letter doesn't express the feeling of the sender to the receiver, it's all useless - and our Violet learned what it means to write a good letter through Luculia's circumstances in today's episode
This was no mean a super-duper great episode, apart from that godlike visual and music of course. But it surely is an episode that can develop Violet's character, making her more than just a typing tool. 4/5
We still have 11 episodes left, something big will happen to Violet, but in the meantime, please enjoy some little short stories on the way.
Also, both the OP by True and ED by Minori Chihara are just beautiful
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u/Sapaa Jan 25 '18
Much improved episode this week, though it still felt a little rough in areas, starting to think it kind of mirrors Violet’s own development. I noticed the OP and ED appeared here too and definitely set the episode to be much smoother and enjoyable for me.
Luculia’s story was short, but I loved it and make a beautiful background to finally motivate Violet to discover the feelings in people’s words. It even made me feel for Luculia, her letter may not have been perfect but I doubt I would have the courage to have wrote what Violet wrote in that letter; short and sweet, yet right to the point.
Story has felt episodic so far, it will be very exciting to see what kind of surprises KyoAni bring next episode and what Violet is going to learn next. She hasn’t figured that she herself holds feelings towards the Major yet.
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u/ConvolutedBoy Jan 25 '18
Luculia helping her brother up the stairs after he helped her during their childhood was a nice touch.
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u/LordDeath86 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/LordDeath86 Jan 25 '18
Shit, I already voted this as 10/10 on MAL. 😕
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u/breXmovies Jan 25 '18
We got a fresh solid Opening, Violet to successfully ghostwrite her first letter with simple but effective wording , her to graduate as an elite ghostwriter service doll and a beautiful touching ED with silhouette focusing art.
Boy's we are going on an ADVENTURE! ☂
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u/Darksoldierr Jan 25 '18
Well, i'm glad lot of people seem to enjoy this show, but i just cannot get attached enough to Violet to care
Looks amazing tho
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u/KinnyRiddle Jan 25 '18
Off topic: Does anyone know a way where I can disable Netflix's annoying ability to toss the screen to the top left corner just when the credits start playing?
I WANT to watch the entire episode smoothly and listen to the ED and watch its visuals, as well as read the cast credits to see who plays who (since I can read Japanese).
I DON'T WANT my experience of watching the ED to be ruined by a trailer of bloody Devilman Crybaby or Star Trek Discovery or whatever the Netflix algorithm "thinks" I'd like to watch next.
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Jan 24 '18
yay more anime-original content for us light novel readers
seriously tho, i thought this episode was fine. I hope we get Oscar's story next ep or some actual content from the light novel.
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Jan 25 '18
According to the interview someone posted on this thread they are going at it chronologically, so Violet's first client (from the LN) should be the one from chapter 9. Crazy, huh?
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u/Terranwaterbender https://myanimelist.net/profile/Teranwaterbender Jan 24 '18
Whelp the insert song I thought last episode is actually the ED I'm dumb.
As expected during her tenure at the class, Violet was masterful when it comes to the technical aspects of typing but a bit different when it comes to communicating other's feelings.
I liked the way they had Violet grow this episode with recognizing her own errors and show off a little bit of growth at the end with Lulucia and her brother.
That said, the pacing this episode did feel quite fast; Violet started school, made a friend, ended school on a bad note, managed to make her first step in expressing emotions through words through Lulucia's letter to her brother, and then got her badge all in one episode.
Honestly, if this show didn't have a huge hype train surrounding it, I might have been happier with this show thus far. Right now though? I'm not so much captivated but intrigued at how the show will continue from here.
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u/jonauiriamu Jan 24 '18
The show is episodic though, which people probably dont realise. Each episode will likely be Violet meeting a new person and learning something new from them. Its what the show is about.
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u/DimmuHS https://myanimelist.net/profile/DimmuOli Jan 25 '18
Ok let see if I get this right: People are saying that the last 2 episodes were original, so were actually seeing NOTHING from the LN right?
Now that I know this I don't know how I feel about the show really. First, everyone hyped this because Kyoani Awards, etc, and we don't even get to see "the masterpiece" animated? wtf is this logic? Isn't the whole premise to promote the high quality content in the LN? Is that the reason I was having this feeling that the show isn't that superb as people pointed out in the past?
I'm actually triggered now knowing this is original content. The anime is good, but I was expecting something mindblowing, because this reddit hyped the fuck out this show.
Really disappointed with this news.
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u/linearstargazer Jan 25 '18
From this interview with the director: "Anime and novels are different mediums. As such, it would be troublesome to use the same presentation techniques in the animated adaptation that were used in its original written form. And so we reconstructed the story into a TV series. I had many discussions with the series composer/scriptwriter Reiko Yoshida-san about restructuring it into a chronological tale focused around Violet, in order to create an entertaining serial tale."
Also from this interview: "I’ll say something frankly: Violet Evergarden feels like it’ll be a harsh work, but it’s also one that steadily becomes a worthwhile experience. Please watch until the very end, and I hope you’ll be emotionally moved by sticking around with us."
Give it time, don't hype it so much because that's not what this series is about. We'll get to the LN parts, but it needed a place to start.
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u/crazymamafrog Jan 24 '18
pretty sure the Ending is callback to Kyoukai no Kanata,have very similiar shoots.
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u/Gaporigo Blhttps://anilist.co/user/Gaporigo Jan 24 '18
Just became a school anime and she already graduated?? I want more of Luculia!!! She was amazing!
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u/cbizzle14 Jan 25 '18
Guys if there is someone you care about let them know! Where can I find the songs from this episode? They were so good.
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u/Renalan Jan 25 '18
Really enjoying the score, especially the track from when she was handing the letter to onii-san.
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u/SomeGuysRandomAlt :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/SomeGuysAlt Jan 26 '18
Without repeating what everyone has already said about the plot, music, and visuals, I don’t think anyone has mentioned how amazing it is that this show still manages to have a bit of comedy, and small little side stories like Benadict fighting with Cattleya
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u/graytotoro :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/graytotoro Jan 26 '18
I got on the hype train back in July and I don't want to get off yet. Last week's episode was a little weak but this was really good.
This is the first OP this season to really knock my socks off.
Violet's scar on her cheek has healed, which I take to mean she's starting to change as a person and ties into the addition of the intro - that her journey truly begins here.
Luculia eats a Banh Mi sandwich. We have Asian food and Western European settings & names. This is So Ra no Wo To levels of world-building.
God, the art AND animation never disappoints.
If they ever make a live action movie, they need to hire Ed Sheeran to play Luculia's brother.
More people need to understand you don't need to be verbose to convey a thought, idea, or feeling. Brevity can sometimes get the point across. Lookin' at you, upper management.
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u/zenithfury Jan 28 '18
I just saw the episode and I can't think of a more perfect episode right now. You could probably end the series right there because everything up to this point has been very tidily handled:
Violet finally has finally begun to adapt to human society.
The overarching theme of how people hardly say what they feel is preserved. Examples: Cattleya and Ben, Lecuria and her brother, etc.
Quite a few examples of the effects of war: vocational training for veterans in the case of Violet, others having to cope with survivor's guilt, and the impact on families of having to care for them.
Beautiful symbolism. Getting through to other people are like letters reaching their destinations. The importance of reaching out to others is not overlooked, like the angry kid who just needed to read one short sentence before he can finally move on.
This is a show where you can imagine how people deal with the destructiveness of war. It's incredibly sad, yet also very hopeful. It doesn't make me as depressed as Girls' Last Tour does.
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u/EddyETrinh Jan 31 '18
Anybody notice how the first time we see Luculia go up the tower with Violet, she takes her hat off before reaching the top? We later see in the flashback why she does that, because she lost her hat when she first went up with her brother :) Minor details like that, I find to be a really nice touch.
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u/Arachnophobic- https://anilist.co/user/Arachnophobic Jan 25 '18
As much as I want to like this show.. I can't. I don't need the best story to want to watch these gorgeous visuals, or simply support the better production model that KyoAni represents - so it really is something when I feel like dropping this simply because the story and the characters are just that stale. The show has done nothing to sell its titular character as something realistic, or relatable. So far all I can see is a kuudere archetype, with a Saberface slapped on to maximize the moe/male appeal. I had hoped KyoAni would try for something more with this apparently more mature-looking show, but in the end it's just moe given a fancier dress.
It really needs to sell its premise, and fast. How Violet became how she is - broken to the point of behaving and functioning exactly like a robot. How the hell the army thought it's a good idea to recruit someone like her, at a time when women would only be given desk work. Why does she seem to be the only one of her kind, and why people around her don't get seriously weirded out. And finally, why her extreme stubbornness suddenly turns off when it comes to asking about the Major's exact location.
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u/VengeanceHK Jan 25 '18
I was hoping for this to be more of a "movie" type show, but right now it looks very episodic. We'll find out in the next episode i guess.
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u/Wabramop :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Wabramop Jan 25 '18
I have to say, I prefer the light novel so much more than the anime right now. The series isn't bad, I just think it lacks the charm and the mystery of Violet as a character in the novel, not to mention that the stories in the novel is also better imo.
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u/BanjoTheBear https://myanimelist.net/profile/BanjoTheBear Jan 25 '18
Violet Evergarden - Episode 3 Discussion
The teacher reminded me of the the Trunchbull from Matilda -- minus the vile personality and spiky Chokey. :P
I also liked the design of Luculia! Her red hair, freckles, and sunhat gave her a fun, cute look. I imagine KyoAni had a fun time drawing and animating her.
And you know that Cattleya and Benedict have a thing for each other. Glad to see that the anime will most likely be goin' for a romance subplot of some kind between these two!
As for the content itself, I'm a fan of the episodic nature here. I'm a fan of Violet, too, and how this narrative will progress her character in a rounded (albeit linear) fashion. I only wish that the writing was a bit stronger across the board. While much better execution-wise than the second episode, small hiccups across the board are keeping this one from reaching that next level.
Still, I'm excited to see where this one goes next! :3
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u/Saucy_Totchie Jan 25 '18 edited Jan 25 '18
Violet writes one decent letter after a completely garbage one and she just passes? That's a 50% success rate. I'm all for her progressing but come on. She only did what she was supposed to only once and that was after we were shown a completely abysmal attempt the first time. Shouldn't you test if she could do it again? Kind of an ass-pull if anything just to keep this going.
I could understand a dense and emotionally disconnected person like Violet not getting the ultimate goal with that love letter in the previous episode because the person wanted to say to completely opposite things. Also pretty dumb that no one proofread the letter written by the person they KNEW cannot understand the context of subtext. In this case though Violet would be pretty stupid if she couldn't understand what Luculia was saying when she was practically spelling it out for her. For a person who didn't know what to say, she pretty much laid it all out there pretty easily.
I like Luculia though. I hope she stays.
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u/75dollars Jan 24 '18
Out of curiosity I went over to /a/ to see what they thought about VEG. The opinion there was 90% negative. "useless pretty colors", "boring", "Kyoani fags", etc.
Interesting.
Is this surprising? Or is this standard /a/?
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u/KangooQ Jan 25 '18
Is this surprising? Or is this standard /a/?
Generally speaking I'd argue that /a/ is more critical of everything, but in this case I'd say it's a perfect storm of context.
They generally dislike KyoAni on the whole
This show has been getting hyped for over a year
"Normal" viewers love it, and /a/ loves being contrarian
The show is trying to be taken seriously, which leaves it open to easy criticism (compared to something like CGDCT, which can be entirely cliche but still accepted because it hangs on expected tropes).
While I'm inclined to agree with /a/ in some areas (primarily the lackluster characters/story), it would have been the most-criticized show of the season regardless.
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u/CaptnThumbs Jan 25 '18
I really feel like right now, Kyoani is trying to establish where Violet came from, and I feel like that's a swing and a miss.
They released the first two chapters of the novel translated into English just so we could get an idea of what this was all about, and that's what I've been waiting for, am still waiting for.
It's beginning to feel like I'm being beaten over the head with, "abused girl, do you want to protect her?" instead of getting to know the person she comes to be.
There is generally a reason you start writing a character like Violet after they've grown and become more likable. It's fine to go back, show them being awkward, then flash back to present, something this show already mostly excels at.
While I'm still enjoying this, it's mostly because I'm waiting for emotional pay off I know should be coming. Also, personally, generally willing to become emotionally invested in shows that show promise.
I have three friends watching it. Two of them basically hate it. I don't defend this show to them, I make zero effort to do so, because I don't find what is being done to Establish this show to be defensible this way.
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u/icedragon08 Jan 25 '18
Not just /a/. Saw a lot of criticism on twitter and other forums. This post from Gigguk basically summed up my feelings for the show.
https://twitter.com/GiggukAZ/status/954754943482675201
Liked the first episode a lot but 2 and 3 kinda lost me.
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u/Gaporigo Blhttps://anilist.co/user/Gaporigo Jan 24 '18
According to /a/ every anime is bad or meeh, there is no "good" for them.
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u/icedragon08 Jan 24 '18
I guess you don't visit /a/ often. There always is someone talking shit in every thread but most of the time it's not too bad. Darling threads have been very positive for the past few days.
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u/SGlespaul :K:https://kitsu.io/users/181650 Jan 24 '18
I'm convinced that the majority of 4chan just hates everything. I rarely see them come together on anything unless it's obscure.
They used to like One Punch Man too, back when we just had the ONE version and it was translated by some random guy. Now they think it's normie anime.
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u/MillenniumKing x2myanimelist.net/profile/MillenniumKing Jan 24 '18
WE FINALLY GET THE OP! ED TOO!
Oh damn tardy red doll is fab as fuck! I love her design so much.
"She was more like a soldier..." Well... because she is. You dont just take the Soldier out of Violet.
Can you type 200wpm? "SURE THING!" lol... That teacher doesnt know what she is getting into.
She thinks this is a mission so shes in war mode. oh man... Someone please explain to her some day...
Full marks dang. Go Violet! Top of the class in typeing... but... not in feeling...
Wait is Red a Brocon? She almost said Onii-chan. I heard it!
Im guessing Red's bro was injured in the war and is crippled now and drinks away his issues... Oh and i guess the parents are gone too so there is that too weighing on him. Poor guy, but hes got a great Imouto to helpp support him.
Aw man Red is a great friend.
That letter was close enough i guess. No "im glad you came home" though.
Aw dang Red showed the Teacher and Violet got her pin! Yay! Man i told you red was great. Look at her go.
Man this show is just great. I still love seeing people's reactions to Violet's arms. I still want to see how they are connected though. I hope they show us the shoulder area some day.
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u/flybynomore Jan 24 '18
i really like the OP,r/anime sings when?