Violet Evergarden (anime)

Violet Evergarden is an anime series adapted from a series of light novels initially released in 2015. The adaptation was animated by Kyoto Animation, and was released in early 2018. An OVA was released in July. A feature-length film was released in 2020, delayed after the arson attack at the studio.

The series follows the titular Violet Evergarden as she seeks to become an auto memory doll after a war. Other areas of focus are her helping other clients, and the nation of Leidenschaftlich recovering from the war. Auto memories dolls write down, on letters, what others cannot put into words, and must be attuned to the emotions of others and a fast typer. Violet journeys around, travelling to meet other clients, such as an ill mother and an alcoholic poet recovering from grief, offering them service. But what is thing thing they call "love"? As the series progresses, the focus on impacts of the war and Violet's time in the military grows.

The series is heavily focused on evoking an emotional response, and thus is stuffed to the brim with Tear Jerker moments. Having tissues near you may be handy. Because it's a Kyoto Animation production, each episode gets a lot of love, and thus is stuffed with Scenery Porn and beautiful animation.

Tropes used in Violet Evergarden (anime) include:

Action Girl: Violet during her time in the military, who frequently rushes to the front lines and takes out enemy soldiers with grace and speed.
Artificial Limbs: Both of Violet's arms are prosthetic as she lost them in the war.
Body Horror: One of the tools used in the arsenal to deliver War Is Hell messages. Both of Violet's arms falls off while trying to save Major Gilbert. The Major is shot in an eye, with blood splatters and screams.
Cast Full of Pretty Boys: Every boy that Violet helps out can be classified as handsome.
Cast of Snowflakes: Every face is unique in some way or another, regardless of whether a character is the protagonist or a background extra who disappears after eight frames. Especially visible in Episode three at an academy for training auto memory dolls.
Cerebus Syndrome: The beginning of the series is by no means light-hearted, but they are mild when compared to latter episodes tackling themes of war, grief, and loss, even containing an attempted suicide. The beginning mostly focuses on Violet's internal struggles trying to understand emotions and leaving behind her war stricken self, whereas episodes eight and nine deal with bloody decapitation and people getting shot.
Character Title: Guess who the main character of the show is! You'll never guess it, not in a million years and a lifetime!
Close on Title: Most of the episodes ends with the episode name. Some episodes doesn't, and are never given an official name.
Credits Running Sequence: One shot in the credits sequence is of a silhouette of Violet walking in place, holding up an umbrella, while seasons change around her.
Cue the Rain: In episode nine, when Violet mourns over Major Gilbert's death.
Despair Event Horizon: In episode nine, after Violet hears about Major Gilbert's death, she attempts suicide.
Emotionless Girl: Violet, when she first starts, cannot understand what love or any other emotion is, speaking in a stoic, composed voice. Because of this, she struggles to express others' emotions down on paper, leading to many angry complaints. By the end of episode three she still remains emotionless, but finally learns how to express others' feelings in the letter she writes. Later episodes does show her opening up and publicly crying.
Ghibli Hills: In episode four, when Violet and Iris visit Iris's home town of Kazaly, Leidenschaftlich, as it is a small mountain village primarily focused on agriculture. They are drawn with enough detail to make the actual Studio Ghibli proud. They are also prominence in episode seven.
Great Offscreen War: The war sweeping across the continent of Telsis that Violet participated in before recovering. Aspects of it are shown in flashbacks, and takes center stage in episode eight.
Heroic BSOD: Violet gets one after realizing that Major Gilbert is dead in episode seven, lasting all the way until episode nine.
In Medias Res: The series opens with Violet saying that an accessory is the same colour as Major Gilbert's eyes, before curing to the present day. Context to that scene is later given in episode 8.
Living Weapon: Some members of the military call Violet this, due to her nimble and deadly nature, single-handedly turning around a war.
Long Title: Episodes like "You Won't Be a Tool, But a Person Worthy of That Name" and "May You Be an Exemplary Auto Memoir Doll" have long titles, although other episodes like "Never Coming Back" are of the normal length. Some episodes don't have titles at all.
No Social Skills: Violet is unable to sustain a meaningful conversation near the beginning of the series, and her attempts at writing letters generates many complaints.
No Title: Episodes seven has a blank name when it closes on the title sequence. Episode eight doesn't even have a title sequence when it closes.
Scenery Gorn: During Violet's war flashbacks, animated with stunning detail.
The Song Remains the Same: In the English dub, the ending song "Michishirube", as well as the opening theme, remains in Japanese.
Time Skip: In episode ten, where we are shown Anne growing up, and receiving the letters her mother wrote her.
War Is Hell: The war sequences in flashbacks, often focusing on violence and death. Many bloody decapitation scenes are visible, along with screaming and suffering.
What Is This Thing You Call Love?: The entire reason why Violet joins the CH Postal Company and becomes an auto memory doll is to learn about what love is.
Whole-Episode Flashback: Episode eight focuses heavily on Violet's time in the military, with only a couple of minutes set in the present day.