User Reviews

We learn a bit more about Violet in this episode. As this is revealed at the beginning it could not be considered a spoiler. Major Gilbert Bougainvillea's brother finds what appears to be a young girl in enemy territory and gives her to the major to use as a weapon. She is obviously not a normal girl as she obeys orders in a robotic manner, so there is a deeper mystery here. We also discover the major's brother, Dietfried Bougainvillea, is a bit of an arrogant dick. I expect this to have some effect in later episodes. The actual story continues with Violets journey through life and her continued devotion to the major.

The second instalment in the series has us spend more time with Violet's future colleagues, the Auto Memory Dolls. There are three: Cattleya (efficient, charming, most popular with customers, visually reminds of Lust from Hagane no renkinjutsushi (2009)), Erica (comparatively insecure, despite working for the company as long as Cattleya; wears round glasses and dresses like a porcelain doll), and Iris (an ambitious newcomer who wouldn't be out of place in a steampunk story). The perspective for most of the episode is Erica's, who also narrates some of the scenes.

A couple of the missing puzzle pieces appear; for example, we learn how Violet and Major Gilbert Bougainvillea met. Yet, as that part is revealed, more questions are left still: about Gilbert's family, their role in the war, Violet's life prior to that point. It appears that the scenes set in the past are provided at the start of each episode, which, to me, is an approach better than flashbacks - Violet Evergarden (both the character and the series) is quite stilted and dramatic as it is.

The animation is beautiful; the landscapes, views of the city, and any depictions of nature are especially so. The quarters of the CH Postal Company appear grotesquely oversized, built for someone twice as big as the characters. Will that change as Violet gradually finds her place? I doubt her growth will affect the extant visual choices, but I do look forward to her gaining more of a personality. A sense of humour, perhaps. For now, her progress has been practical, like gaining confidence adjusting her mechanical arms.

The second episode of Violet Evergarden has the same technical excellence as first one, featuring gorgeous animations, a subtle yet fitting soundtrack, fantastic direction, and a solid storyboard.

The plot itself slowly expands, properly introducing a few new characters. As is typical for shows of this type, only a few hints of Violet's mysterious past are revealed, while the overarching plot develops fairly slowly.

It's still too early to say much about the story or the characters, though what I've experienced so far I find very compelling. I'm eagerly looking forward to watching the next episodes.

While I've already come to like the characters quite a lot already and enjoy the thoughtful atmosphere of the series, I wouldn't mind if the plot advanced slightly faster. I'd hesitate to call this a filler episode, however; with how story-focused Violet Evergarden is, I doubt that there even are filler episodes.