MARIAH'S THOUGHTS on Violet Evergarden (2018)

Japanese Title:

ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデン

Genre:

Fantasy, Drama, Slice of Life

Season:
1
Rating:

PG-13 – Teens or older

Episodes:

13

Run Time:

23 min per episode

Release Date:

Jan 11, 2018 to Apr 5, 2018

Directed by:

Taichi Ishidate

Producers:

Lantis, Pony Canyon, Rakuonsha, ABC Animation

Cast:

Yui Ishikawa, Aya Endou, Kouki Uchiyama, Minori Chihara, Haruka Tomatsu, and more in different languages

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Plot Summary:

The Great War finally came to an end after four long years of conflict; fractured in two, the continent of Telesis slowly began to flourish once again. Caught up in the bloodshed was Violet Evergarden, a young girl raised for the sole purpose of decimating enemy lines. Hospitalized and maimed in a bloody skirmish during the War's final leg, she was left with only words from the person she held dearest, but with no understanding of their meaning.

Recovering from her wounds, Violet starts a new life working at CH Postal Services after a falling out with her new intended guardian family. There, she witnesses by pure chance the work of an "Auto Memory Doll," amanuenses that transcribe people's thoughts and feelings into words on paper. Moved by the notion, Violet begins work as an Auto Memory Doll, a trade that will take her on an adventure, one that will reshape the lives of her clients and hopefully lead to self-discovery.

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*My Thoughts*

A simple story of self-discovery and emotional growth, Violet Evergarden is enhanced by the beautiful art and soundtrack. The story follows the main character, Violet, as she adapts to her new life at the CH Postal Services. She is mysterious, enigmatic, dutiful, and to top it all off, she is as small and elegant as a doll. In the beginning of the anime, Violet is stern and blunt when she writes letters for her clients and it leads to less than pleasant results. But throughout the anime, she learns more about how to interact with people and how to help them express their most heart-felt emotions, all the while learning about how to enjoy life herself. But Violet Evergarden is not just, about Violet. It is the connections she builds and those she helps that make Violet Evergarden so captivating. The empathy that Violet learns throughout the anime makes her an unforgettable friend to other characters. Her different view to see the world in a literal sense, helps them solve their problems and show their most sincere words.

My rating:

MARIAH's THOUGHTS on WataMote: No Matter How I Look At It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Unpopular! Season 1

Genre:

Young Adult

Anime/Shounen

Comedy/Drama/Slice of Life

Season:

1

Episodes:

12

Rating:

TV-14

Run Time:

25 minutes

Release Date:

July 8, 2013-September 23, 2013

Directed by:

Shin Onuma

Studio:

Silver Link

Produced by:

Square Enix, Silver Link, Sentai Filmworks, Watamote Production Committee, Good Smile Company

Plot Summary:

Fifteen-year-ld Tomoko Kuroki believed that she would become popular upon entering high school because she'd become well-versed in the world of otome games. In reality, she finds that she has become an unsociable loner and she is force to take a long hard look at herself for the first time in years. The story follows Tomoko as she attempts to improve her social status as she progresses through high school.

Cast:

Izumi Kitta, Ayaka Asai, Monica Rial, Yûko Kurose, Kanami Satou

See Full cast on IMDB

*My Thoughts*

Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dō Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui! Or Watamote for short doesn’t resonate well for those who are deep thinkers. I guess I ran into that one, considering this anime is considered a comedy and comedy isn’t my forte. The anime seemed more sad or homely rather than comedic. However, I do see this anime gained some popularity. At first this anime interested me because of the appearance of the main character, Tomoko Kuroki, as seen numerous times on Facebook or other anime/manga sites. To start off like a regular episode, the opening theme is representative of the main character: chains in which she breaks free from, a dark or gloomy atmosphere, and angry music, all symbolizing a need for change or growth. The main character herself is very much like a shut in and the unpopular girl not even I would notice but somehow she can be relatable such as when she is awkward speaking to others, sleeping at 3 am in the morning, or taking interest in 2D animation, particularly Otome Games/Dating Sims. An animation detail done by the studio is that all other characters are nothing but grey figures with little detail done on them. The only ones with color are Tomoko or others that she notices; for someone who is unnoticeable, she is forced to be noticeable as she is the main character. To be honest, I couldn’t really relate to Tomoko very much and although I liked her scruffy appearance I actually found her annoying because at least I have the social capability of ordering a cappuccino or asking for a pencil. There’s also some mild controversy over the portrayal of social anxiety and the life of an “otaku,” Japanese for “no life,” in which case this anime has portrayed it to an extreme. Tomoko takes it to the extreme to the point where it is hard to see future in her. While this anime filled an empty time space, it was a waste compared to other anime choices.

My rating: