In this week’s Violet Evergarden, Violet Evergarden goes to school. That sounds more like an American sitcom commercial than a review, already.

Japanese Original Episode Title: 「あなたが, 良き自動手記人形になりますように」

Plot

Violet is attending Auto Memoir Doll School, probably after Claudia’s recommendation, where she is being taught the necessary skills to become a full-blown Auto Memoir Doll. At this point, I am once again confused on whether an AMD is something you are being fabricated as or something you learn to be, and I should probably let that go. It just bothers me greatly.

Either way, Violet, being Violet, excels in her studies in every possible way, except for the main one – she can’t actually write letters. Her teacher, an intimidating old lady who teaches people how to type and has been repeatedly commending her on the prowess of her skill and discipline, is not impressed by her inability to read her clients’ emotions and does not allow her to graduate from the AMD School. Violet is disappointed.

She has, however, earned the affection of one of her classmates, Luculia, who seems intrigued by Violet’s composure and is indirectly trying to help her externalize her feelings. She takes her to the top of the Leiden tower and shows her the beautiful view, something the Major had wished her to do for a long time ago. She also offers to help her write a letter to the Major, in order to encourage her to verbalize the things she feels about him. Instead, as Violet is completely unable to express and understand how she feels about the Major (you’d think that someone should have explained it to her by now instead of just going all ‘You wanna learn what “I love you” means, that’s so cute!’ on her), Luculia ends up doing most of the talking herself, in a way setting an example of what to let yourself show how you feel is like. She talks about the war, her dead parents, and her alcoholic brother, then runs away in embarrassment. Violet grasps that opportunity to practice her craft (a real workaholic, isn’t she?) and writes a letter from Luculia to her brother, then delivers it to him. Her actions help in a reconciliation between Luculia and her brother, and enable her angry teacher to award her an AMD brooch, and graduate from school.

Themes & Trivia

Typing School: Typewriting school is, of course, a real thing, and was a pretty large part of women’s professional history. During the first and second World Wars, the number of typists was constantly increasing and a huge market for women opened, as typing was seen as a female-oriented job. With most typists being unmarried young women, it was immediately seen as a lucrative environment to seek out partners. It is not in this way surprising at all that AMDs are supposed to be attractive women in the show’s context.

Accurate redhead: I am happy to say that this is the first time I see an accurately portrayed redhead in anime. Luculia had red hair and freckles in the perfect tone, as does her brother. Usually anime red hair is in the tone of borderline epileptic hues.

It’s English: After seeing Violet’s letter to Luculia’s brother, I finally realized that the written language in the show is actually English and not some sort of transformed rune language.

Comments

Yay, the first bits of actual progress for Violet’s career choices, but not much –again- in terms of story. I am a bit sceptical about the fact that despite all her current exposure to regular human behaviourisms as well as how people keep repeating to her that she doesn’t need to behave in this way she still acts like a soldier wherever she goes. I guess it’s a bit of a humorous token and well as a big part of her character for the writers to normalize her into society right away.

Also, I think that in this episode it is very evident how Violet is not a hollow shell, and has a lot of feelings that are new to her and she wants to express but is not how to do so. I seriously hope someone would explain to her the mechanics of love, especially since her loved on is dead and she has no hopes of finding out herself. Instead, people just keep her second guessing.

First step for Violet

Somehow it feels like I’ve been watching this show longer than I actually am. I guess this is a good thing – it really feels like it sinks in instead of idly going by. I am very curious to find out what will be happening in the immediate future since Violet’s love interest is gone (at least we think so, right?)  

What did you think of the Violet Evergarden’s third episode? Did it live up to your expectations? Let us know in the comment section below! And don’t forget to check the rest of the Winter 2018 anime reviews on MANGA.TOKYO!

Violet Evergarden

Winter 2018 | Anime Info | Simulcast