Violet Evergarden

General Outline

Four years ago in the now peaceful land of Telesis, a war ended dividing the country in two between North and South. Violet Evergarden, a young girl previously known only as “the weapon” and raised as a child soldier, has retired from the battlefield and taken up a new life as an employee of CH Postal Service. Knowing nothing of normal life and human emotions, Violet is fascinated by the work of the “Auto Memory Dolls” who take people’s feelings and turn them into text. Determined to find out what the last words said to her by her beloved commander Major Gilbert Bougainvillea truly mean, Violet begins her new life in post-war Telesis.

Violet Evergarden is an adaptation of the light novel series written by Kana Akatsuki and illustrated by Akiko Takase which was published by KA Esuma Bunko from Dec. 25, 2015 to Dec. 26, 2016 and is comprised of two volumes. The light novel series won the Grand Prize for novels in the fifth Kyoto Animation Awards - the first time any work won the Grand Prize in any of the three categories (novel, scenario, and manga).

Anime Adaptation

The anime adaptation of Violet Evergarden was announced with an animated commercial uploaded on the Kyoto Animation official YouTube Channel on May 26, 2016. Produced by Kyoto Animation, the first season of the anime is scheduled to run 14 episodes and premiered on Jan. 10, 2018. The opening theme for the first season is “Sincerely” by True with “Michishirube” by Minori Chihara as the ending theme. Violet Evergarden is also available to stream worldwide via Netflix.

Characters

Violet Evergarden (Japanese: Yui Ishikawa / English: Erika Harlacher)

The protagonist of the series, Violet Evergarden was raised as a soldier from a young age and understands little of regular human emotions. Having lost both of her arms (now replaced by mechanical prosthetics) and much of her memories of the war, Violet thinks she should be “discarded” now that she is no longer able to fulfill her original function but has agreed to obey the final orders given to her by her beloved commander Major Gilbert Bougainvillea. Unwilling to live as a lady in an aristocratic home, Violet has taken a job at the CH Postal Service as one of the “Auto Memory Dolls” - young women who write letters on behalf of the illiterate, transforming human emotion into text. Through this work, Violet hopes to better understand human feeling and learn the true meaning of the final words Gilbert said to her.

Claudia Hodgins (Japanese: Takehito Koyasu / English: Kyle McCarley)

A former friend of the late Major and Violet’s commanding officer Gilbert Bougainvillea, Claudia Hodgins is founder and president of the CH Postal Service. Having agreed to become Violet’s guardian in memory of his friend, Claudia is determined to help her begin to live her own life and is happy when she makes her first independent decision to become an Auto Memory Doll.

Gilbert Bougainvillea (Japanese: Daisuke Namikawa / English: Tony Azzolino)

An aristocrat, Gilbert Bougainvillea became a Major in the Leidenschaftlich Army and saw service during the war in which he was later killed. Four years prior to the beginning of the story, Violet was found abandoned on a battlefield by Gilbert’s older brother. Ordered to treat her as a weapon without mercy or compassion, Gilbert nevertheless became deeply attached to Violet during their time serving together, finally uttering the words “I love you” as he lay dying.

Cattleya Baudelaire (Japanese: Aya Endo / English: Reba Buhr)

An old friend of Claudia Hodgins, Cattleya Baudelaire is the most popular Auto Memory Doll currently working at CH Postal Service.

Benedict Blue (Japanese: Kouki Uchiyama / English: Ben Pronsky)

Benedict Blue is a postman at CH Postal Service. He’s known Claudia Hodgins for some time and so feels entitled to his slightly brusque workplace manner.

Erica Brown (Japanese: Minori Chihara / English: Christine Marie Cabanos)

A shy young woman working as an Auto Memory Doll at CH Postal Service, Erica is skilled at her job but often has trouble interacting with clients. Though Erica originally found Violet strange, once she got to know her and found out the reason Violet became an Auto Memory Doll the two became firm friends.

Iris Cannary (Japanese: Haruka Tomatsu / English: Cherami Leigh)

An Auto Memory Doll who joined CH Postal Service shortly after Erica Brown, Iris Cannary is an outspoken woman unafraid to express her boredom with the tedious side of being a Doll and wishes she could do more glamorous work like writing letters to celebrities.

Lux Sibyl

Claudia Hodgins’ secretary at CH Postal Service, Lux Sibyl was once worshipped as a demigod on the island of Chevalier.

Luculia Marlborough (Japanese: Azusa Tadokoro)

A young woman who lost both her parents in the war, Luculia Marlborough befriends Violet when they are both students at the Auto Memory Doll training school. She is also the sister of Spencer Marlborough.

Spencer Marlborough (Japanese: Subaru Kimura / As child: Yoko Hikasa)

Older brother of Luculia Marlborough, Spencer Marlborough sustained injuries to his legs in the war and has taken to a life of dissipation out of guilt for not being able to protect his parents who were both killed in the conflict.

Rhodanthe (Japanese: Yukari Nozawa)

Rodanthe is the teacher at the Auto Memory Doll training school which Luculia Marlborough and Violet attend.

Tiffany Evergarden (Japanese: Toshiko Sawada)

An elderly woman who lost her son during the war and agreed to take in Violet after being contacted by Gilbert Bougainvillea.

Broadcast Information

• ABC: Every Wednesday night from Jan. 11 at 2:15 am
• Tokyo MX 1: Every Wednesday night from Jan. 10 at midnight
• TV Aichi: Every Wednesday night from Jan. 11 at 2:05 am
• Hokkaido Television Broadcasting: Every Saturday night from Jan. 13 at 2:30 am
• ABA: Every Saturday night from Jan. 20 at 1:30 am
• BS 11: Every Thursday from Jan. 11 at midnight

• Official Website
• Twitter

• Violet Evergarden - Japanese: Yui Ishikawa / English: Erika Harlacher
• Claudia Hodgins - Japanese: Takehito Koyasu / English: Kyle McCarley
• Gilbert Bougainvillea - Japanese: Daisuke Namikawa / English: Tony Azzolino
• Cattleya Baudelaire - Japanese: Aya Endo / English: Reba Buhr
• Benedict Blue - Japanese: Kouki Uchiyama / English: Ben Pronsky
• Erica Brown - Japanese: Minori Chihara / English: Christine Marie Cabanos
• Iris Cannary - Japanese: Haruka Tomatsu / English: Cherami Leigh
• Luculia Marlborough - Japanese: Azusa Tadokoro
• Spencer Marlborough - Japanese: Subaru Kimura / As child: Yoko Hikasa
• Rhodanthe - Japanese: Yukari Nozawa
• Tiffany Evergarden - Japanese: Toshiko Sawada

• Original Creator: Kana Akatsuki
• Series Director: Haruka Fujita
• Director: Taichi Ishidate
• Series Composition: Reiko Yoshida
• Scenario: Reiko Yoshida (eps 1 -2), Tatsuhiko Urahata (ep. 3)
• Art Director: Mikiko Watanabe
• Chief Animation Director / Original Character Design: Akiko Takase
• Director of Photography: Kohei Funamoto
• Music: Evan Call
• Sound Director: Yota Tsuruoka