Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll (2019) User Reviews

Best to think of it as an overly long episode

[Vartiainen · 7/10 · 20 April 2020]

Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll is a continuation of the 2018 anime series Violet Evergarden. Its titular character is a former soldier who lost both of her hands in the war but is now nevertheless pursuing a career as an auto memory doll, a ghost writer slash typist slash secretary for hire.

The good things of the series carry to this movie as well. First of all, it's crazily good-looking. The animation is at times so beautiful that it honestly becomes a bit distracting. I found myself missing lines because I was admiring the details. Likewise here. And it's actually quite rare that a movie version of an anime doesn't look better, but here I'd say they're about even. That's definitely more of a compliment towards the anime than it is a flaw on the movie's part.

Furthermore, the story also fits nicely with what we've seen in the anime. This could have been a two-parter in the series itself. It's sweet, heartfelt, at times really sad and filled with melancholy, but in the end optimistic and looking hopefully towards the future. Everything that made the anime so great.

That being said, it can feel a bit padded. You'd have hoped that if they were going to make a movie, they would have chosen a storyline that would have better served its length. Still, that's pretty much the only disappointing thing about this film.

If you liked the anime series, then this is definitely worth a watch. As a standalone film... I think it actually might be a bit hard to follow. Not recommended.

Heartwarming as Usual

[refinuramir · 8/10 · 27 January 2020]

I just watched this movie, very recommended for all of you who wants to know what's next for Violet. Great addition stories, heartwarming as usual, the animation and songs are exactly just like the short series, and more importantly this movie has a soul.

For every Violet Evergarden fans, you just can't missed watching this.

Heartwarming story, but unfortunately kinda forgettable

[nodlimax · 7/10 · 29 April 2020]

I watched the show recently and even I have to admit that it brought me very close to tears a few times. Based on that I thought I'd been in for another emotional rollercoaster.

What the movie delivered is still good and enjoyable to watch. However after you are done you will most likely forget about it rather quickly.

The animation is really well done and the Japanese voice cast has done a really good job. I can easily recognize the voice of Aoi Yuki though which is a bonus for the movie.

A great addition to a great series.

[siberian_md · 9/10 · 27 December 2019]

Depend on what you know about the series, If you've been a fan of Violet Evergarden series, this movie is a must watch. If you never watch the series before, the story is about an ex-child soldier name Violet who had a problem of understanding and expressing emotion. After the end of the war she became a ghost writer (this occupation is called an automemory doll) and learn more about emotion through writing letters and interacted with her clients. This movie was set around 3 years after the main story and Violet is now capable of understanding emotion.( I recommend at least watch the 1st episode of the series, it would provide enough background for the whole movie, just don't be startled with the radical change of Violet's character).

Wether you are new or old to the series, this movie is still a good show in drama/slide of life genre. It's a kind of show that base on the thought that we, human have a good heart and is capable of improving oneself and be kind to one another, and it left me with a warmth in my heart. It's not perfect, the pacing is slow and some audiences may find it's boring and the movie tend to be overdramatic from time to time. The impact of emotion would variously affect each audience. Needless to say that it would be more impact to your emotion if you are already invested in to the series. If you are a fan of the series like me and felt connected to Violet, this movie is a joy to watch since Violet was grown up to be a gentle and kind person and many of her action/narration had a reference from the event of the main series.

The art, animation in this movie is top notch but not exceed the quality of the main series which in my opinion, is a quality worth to be a movie by itself. What is great about this movie is the detail of each scene. The team in Kyoto Animation must have put a lot of care and effort in this animation so many subtle things appear in the movie gave you a hint of feeling and intention of characters. This not a show that would always tell the audiences what the character was thinking or feeling but rather let the audiences figure out for themselves and this was made possible by the combination of many small details. The music composed by Evan Call is again, beautiful and suitable to the theme of the movie and the voice acting (I watched in Japanese soundtrack) is great. The only thing I complaint about is the narration of Taylor, one of the main character is a bit too loud and sometimes, downright annoying.

It's also important to note that this movie is a side story and the focus of the story is not on Violet herself. We just watch the story unfolded around her and other characters. It's the same experience as you watch each episode in the main series which is not a bad thing , but if you wish to see the story mainly focused on Violet, this show would not deliver.

I think this show is like a prequel before Violet Evergarden the Movie roll out next year. It move the time frame to 4 years after the war and violet is now 18 years old at least (which is why there are some fan service scene done right here) and it add some questions to be answered. I just hope that in the next movie all these questions would be answered and Violet would find the happiness she deserved to have.

Lastly, there is no additional scene after the credits end. Still, it's an emotional moment to think that 35 lives of talented animators were lost from the arson attack at Kyoto Animation. May they rest in peace.

Every single frame from this movie is a pure GEM.

[arishsankar · 10/10 · 24 April 2020]

This is probably the most beautifully animated anime I have ever seen, every single frame from this anime is so astonishing and gorgeous and background music is so good I guess even filler episode from violet Evergarden doesn't disappoint fans

Love the series, but this is a bit of a let-down

[Snootz · 6/10 · 22 April 2020]

I am a big fan of the Violet Evergarden series. However this "movie" seems more like an extended episode and (no spoilers) has a rather abrupt and unexpected finale. The entire presentation is excellent up until the last 5 seconds, then leaves the audience in a "What? That's it?" state of mind.

Up until that point this does not disappoint. Who would believe that anyone could pull this much meaning and emotion from the simple plot of a letter writer and mail carrier. This movie will tug at the heart strings... right up until the "what???" ending.

It makes one wonder if this is intended as the first of a 2-part series. If so, there is no indication of such. It leaves the impression that the production company hit a time or budget constraint and said, "Okay, that's a wrap!".

So if you haven't seen this yet, you can go go into it eyes wide open. It will be a wonderful excursion further into this very unique world, but then

One more impression: I personally felt this movie could have used another 30 to 60 minutes to add some more plot elements and better examine the Violet character herself (she is after all, supposed to be the theme of the show). This series is about her development as a person. Despite their unconvincing attempt at such... that element of the series just doesn't quite succeed. Prior presentations of this story have been significantly better.

So, rating it a step above mediocre, but at 6 stars considerably lower than the 10 stars I would give Violet Evergarden as a complete series. This just didn't quite live up to what fans would hope for and expect.

Definitely a must watch side story from Kyoto Animation💝💝💝💝💝💝

[Irishchatter · 8/10 · 23 March 2020]

No Joke, I really thought this was the 2020 movie that came early but that doesn't matter, it was great that I finally got a proper chance to seeing this side story , thanks to it being uploaded on a particular site (can't say sorry or otherwise it'll be at a risk of site being taken down).

Anyways man...it just felt so good to see a Kyoani anime again, especially seeing Violet Evergarden . It still breaks my heart into millions of pieces when the Kyoani logo appeared at the beginning like seriously, it's just so tragic and heartbreaking that the animators who worked behind the scenes of this anime died during that tragedy.

Thank you Watanabe Mikiko for giving us Violet Evergarden with your amazing art direction 💓💓

The fact that the story of Taylor and Amy will make you cry too so get your tissues folks if you're planning to watch this charming powerful side story!

Didn't work for me sadly

[aarongnr · 6/10 · 28 January 2020]

I love the show and episode 10 is one of my favourite episodes of TV of all time, but sadly, this movie didn't work for me at all.

I rewatched the show's finale in preperation and had tears in my eyes there, but this movie just didn't do amything for me emotionally.

It's not that the story wasn't sad (in a good way), it's just the execution of it.

The show got me crying repeatedly within 20 minutes, and in 1.5 hours this didn't manage that.

My heartfelt condolences to the friends and families of the victims of the Kyoto Animation arson attack.

A good filler for the series

[WeAreLive · 8/10 · 9 April 2020]

Plot

Violet Evergarden, a former soldier returned from war, comes to teach at a women's academy and changes a young girl's life.

I don't really have much to add to the review but I do feel like the movie had two stories taking place at once and cramps them into one single movie. But other then that complement you might enjoy it if you liked the series.

Just missed a bit of the flair from the 1st series.

[elegyforthefallen · 6/10 · 3 April 2020]

I honestly don't think this movie is bad per se, It was still an enjoyable experience, but it definitely had a lacking element that made me fall in love with the original series.

Kyoto animation usually never fails to deliver on the artistic side of this series. I found myself spellbound by the artistry, (soundtrack is as amazing as ever) and the character growth was nothing short of satisfying.

My main concern is of course storyline . It wasn't that it didn't have a good premise, there was tons of promise to it.

The problem was it just pulled on my heartstrings just enough for me tear up, But not enough for me to truly care about these new characters.

What truly touched me was more about the sister's bonds themselves, but even that fell short for a while.

The last series did SO GOOD so much so that these stories all brought something to the table that was unique and heartbreaking/heartwarming, it left me a quivering mess afterwards.

You could literally feel like they we're grasping for straws on the emotions of the audience, which sadly wasn't very effective.

Does this movie suck? No, I would say it was pretty decent overall. But I feel like they developed this film just enough for the audience to like it, but not love it.

It's worth watching at least once, I'll leave you to make your own astute observations.

I waited this movie about 2 years 😭

[budi_prabhawa · 10/10 · 1 February 2020]

This movie is not in my expectation I hope Violet story still continues

(Every letter bring the happiness)

Visually stunning

[briancham1994 · 7/10 · 25 April 2021]

I haven't seen any of the Violet Evergarden series so I watched this movie with no context. The story was still easy enough for me to pick up though. It starts off with the titular Violet Evergarden taking on a student Ms. York at an etiquette student as they open up to each other. We learn more about their characters and their backstories but for a while the plot doesn't really go in any particular direction. It is not clear who is the protagonist - we can't see who is propelling the action because there isn't really any progress anyway. Around halfway, we finally see a focus on Taylor Bartlett who aims to become a delivery person, bring joy to others and find her long-lost sister again - a plot thread that took far too long to set up. By far the defining feature of this film is the visual animation quality. Everything pops out with well defined colours and details like the light in the sky, the reflections in the water, the architecture of the town and even the mechanical arms of Violet Evergarden.

Weak storyline, doesn't live up to the series

[pearlinasilverbasin · 5/10 · 14 August 2020]

Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto-Memory Doll starts out nicely, with crisp animation and our titular character arriving at a ladies' school to become a girl's personal teacher and handmaiden.

As they spend time with each other, they become close and open up to each other. This is very sweet, and I genuinely liked this part, but I also felt they threw Violet's character growth from the series out of the window by making her stiff all over again.

What I also didn't like was the weak storyline. It doesn't feel like one cohesive plot, rather it feels like three separate episodes played back-to-back for 1,5 hours. The movie starts out strongly with Violet and Isabella gradually warming up to each other, but after the debutante ball Isabella had been trained for (about 40 minutes in) the movie begins to lose its pacing and storyline quality. The story's pacing slows to a near halt as we are expected to love a newly introduced character who keeps sticking around. I found myself becoming truly bored with this film until it was suddenly over.

All in all, I don't think this is worth watching.

Makes u feel good again

[yashoseynian · 9/10 · 8 April 2020]

Violet evergarden is an anime that warm ure heart and makes u full of love and emotions, with a perfect music , and masterpiece art. U will enjoy watching it.

Ehhhhhh

[brittanyhutchins20 · 9/10 · 5 April 2020]

I love everything about Violet Evergarden. But this? NO. I love everything about violet as a character in this movie but it downturned in the middle of the movie. The little girls voice is really annoying and they made the little girl "Taylor" a really dumb kid. I feel like a kid should be able to talk more at that age. And the reading part is understandable. NEEDS A BETTER VOICE FOR TAYLOR

It's just ok that's all

[ACollegeStudent · 6/10 · 23 January 2021]

Rating 6.5

This is a continuation of the Violet Evergarden series not a TV Show. The movie is just ok.

I can't find the words

[gynoemi-25225 · 10/10 · 7 February 2021]

This is the animation where you feel you are not worthy to watching this. Do you know the feeling when you say 'I love you' on the first date? I felt this while I was watching it. I was just repeating that 'I love you, all of you, who draw this'. This is what most artist want to achieve. This is when you give your soul to your work. I love it. I just want to marry this movie. I just want to live there as a tree or a wood paneling or a ribbon in a girl's hair. I love those people who draw this with deep passion. They did the best job I have ever seen.

A Poignant Tale of Emotion, Connection, and the Art of Healing

[Mysterygeneration · 7/10 · 12 January 2024]

Two chapters make up the intriguing anime film Violet Evergarden Gaiden. The first chapter centers on Violet Evergarden, who tutors Isabella York privately. The second chapter centers on Taylor Bartlett, Isabella's younger sister, as she begins an apprenticeship as a postal carrier at CH Postal Company. The film receives accolades for its superb visual effects, vivid hues, and painstakingly rendered landscapes. Outstanding sound design completes the picture by enhancing the scenes' vibrancy and emotion. The movie is entertaining and comes highly recommended because of the well-rounded and nuanced characters. To sum up, Violet Evergarden Gaiden is a masterpiece that enhances the TV show and provides an amazing viewing experience, ranking among my all-time favorite anime films.

A heart-warming movie. An ULTRAPIECE for me

[Sabbir_Zoro · 10/10 · 16 December 2020]

1. Animation : 5 out of 5 2. Screenplay : 5 out of 5 3. Character Development : 4 out of 5 4. Scores and soundtracks : 6 out of 5 5. Story : 5 out of 5 6. Appreciation score : 5 out of 5 7. genre defined : 5 out of 5 8. Connectivity : 5 out of 5 9. Ending : 5 out of 5

Touching and Emotional Story

[Movi3DO · 7/10 · 15 March 2021]

Aiya back at the anime that made me sad and emotional for weeks whenever I thought about it.

This first movie felt pretty long and somehow stretched out. However, I would like more time and conversations between Violet and the other characters.

Nonetheless, it still had the good and emotional moments with some small comedy in between. The ending still hit and made me emotional. However, it's not enough to make me cry like the episodes in the series. But that's fine.

Overall, the movie still delivered good story and emotions. 7/10

A great addition to Violet Evergarden

[MovieWarfare · 9/10 · 28 November 2021]

If you were already a fan of the anime series then obviously you are going to watch this.

It has everything you loved from the series but over a 90 minute runtime. What's not to love?

Lost potentials and not enough effort.

[jameszijianguo · 7/10 · 26 August 2021]

They did decently well on the second half (felt a little unoriginal tho, I smell Pattington and Disney.), but the first half sucked ass. Like, the musical experience, the logic in the story, the building of the story, all lags a lot. The beautiful graphics never changed, but not as shockingly beautiful as in the original show. Basically, watchable if you are a real Violet fan, but not so recommended if you are not that much of a fan of it.

A long episode... and it's missing an important piece

[Drewthecashew · 5/10 · 15 March 2021]

I like to refer to episodes 4-7, 10, and the special (and arguably episode 3) as the "vignette episodes," as they each introduce new characters whom the central plot of the episode revolves around. This movie does something similar. However, it takes an hour and thirty minutes to do what the vignette episodes do in 20 minutes... and it's still missing a key ingredient.

While the central narrative of each of these episodes focuses on the newly introduced character(s), a clear subplot is present in all of them: Violet's journey to understanding the meaning of love and human emotion in general. The reason these episodes work so well is that the subplot of each is driving forward the primary narrative of the miniseries as a whole.

What this does for the audience is make you feel like both the vignette characters and Violet are gaining ground in their respective journeys simultaneously. The movie misses this aspect, and you will finish realizing you've learned essentially nothing new about Violet; and she's essentially learned nothing new about herself.

Overall, a charming movie in many ways and a brilliant artistic achievement, but mediocre at best in comparison to the miniseries. I may return to watch once again at some point. The miniseries, on the other hand, I'll continue to watch again and again to participate in Violet's journey.

A BEAUTIFUL TALE OF TWO SISTERS

[ADI-0004 · 10/10 · 7 June 2022]

"Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll" is yet another emotionally rich tale which is canon to the show "Violet Evergarden." The animation and background score are as AWESOME and BRILLIANT as the show. The new characters are given proper characterization. The eternal love and trust between Amy and her adopted sister Taylor has been portrayed very nicely. I absolutely loved the character of Taylor. It was because of her that character of Benedict learnt to realise the importance of his job and got some much- needed character development.

Lastly, I humbly wish that the departed souls of the victims of the arson attack, at the main building of Kyoto Animation, rest in peace.

A side story of the awesomeness of Violet

[Baipass · 8/10 · 13 July 2020]

No, this movie did not reach the emotional depths as the first season. Violet has already developed as a character and we know what to expect of her. Still, this movie did not lack in visual aesthetics and it had a decent plot. It simply is like a long episode giving more time to get to know the characters. However it does not lead to a great culmination as the series did. The events and characters were not as gripping, but the movie has subtle feel good moments all through out it. I can see why some people might be disappointed by it since the universe of Violet Evergarden is incredibly rich and we could have gotten possibly an insight on Violet's past or another original subplot. And I say original since the movie felt like a template of some of the episodes from the series, just for an extended time. It still does not make it less awesome, I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you want to get more of Violet Evergarden, this is good way to continue and hopefully we'll see even more movies/series in the future.