Violet Evergarden was one of the anime that made its mark in 2018. This coming-of-age genre anime is based on the light novel series written by Kana Takase. The anime originally aired on local Japanese networks, including Tokyo MX, TVA, ABC, BS11, and HTB, starting on January 11, 2018. The production, licensed by Netflix, was also featured by prominent anime distributors such as Funimation, ensuring worldwide recognition. Violet Evergarden has earned a prominent place in the anime industry with its exceptional ratings, and even after years, new viewers continue to discover and recommend the series. Animated by Kyoto Animation, the studio behind beloved series like Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, the anime’s first season consisted of 13 episodes, with an OVA episode released on July 4, 2018. Following the success of Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, which was renewed for its second season in the summer of 2021, fans are now asking if the same fate awaits Violet Evergarden. Many still eagerly anticipate the second season. Here’s everything we know so far about the potential future of Violet Evergarden.
What Was the Plotline of the Anime?
Auto Memory Dolls are mechanical devices designed to record speech and emotions. The concept originated with Dr. Orlando, who created these devices to bring happiness to his wife. After discovering their potential, companies began selling Auto Memory Dolls to the public, and over time, various groups adapted the technology for military purposes. Violet Evergarden is one of these dolls, and with her captivating beauty, she quickly becomes the most popular Auto Memory Doll.
The anime begins in a hospital room, where Violet awakens to find that the war has ended. As she regains consciousness, her first question is about Major Gilbert, her mentor and companion with whom she spent most of her time during the war. Lieutenant Colonel Hodgins, who visits her, informs Violet that he came at Major Gilbert’s request and encourages her to join him.
With the war behind her, Violet must learn to adjust to civilian life. She begins working as a writer, also known as an “Auto Memory Doll” in the anime. These writers are responsible for composing letters, not just transcribing words, but carefully capturing the emotions and thoughts of their clients. Throughout the series, Violet encounters a range of human emotions and diverse expressions of love. Each episode unfolds with a different letter, telling a unique and heartfelt story.
Violet Evergarden the Movie (2020)
The spin-off film to the 2018 anime series, Violet Evergarden the Movie, continues the journey of Violet, the Auto Memory Doll who struggles to forget Major Gilbert, the person who taught her the meaning of love. After the events of the series, Violet encounters her older brother, Dietfried, who insists that she must forget Major Gilbert and move forward with her life. However, Violet finds it impossible to comply with this request.
The story takes a new turn when Violet receives a mysterious phone call from a young customer and discovers a letter without an address in the post office warehouse. As she embarks on this new journey, Violet, still scarred by her past, learns to move beyond the emotional wounds left by the war. The movie explores Violet’s continued growth as she faces the emotions and complexities of the people she helps, all while uncovering the deeper truths about Major Gilbert’s feelings.
With stunning visuals and heartfelt moments, Violet Evergarden the Movie further enriches the story of a young woman learning to live again after trauma. The movie’s emotional depth and the closure it provides to Violet’s journey resonate with fans who have followed her transformation from a battle-hardened soldier to a compassionate writer, helping others express their innermost feelings.
Will There Be a Second Season of the Anime?
As of December 2024, the series has not been renewed for a second season. Unfortunately, it has previously been confirmed that the Violet Evergarden anime series is finished. Contrary to previous rumors, no second season is in the works. The producer, Shinichirou Hatta, clarified in an interview that Violet Evergarden The Movie (2020) is the final animated work in the franchise. The anime series’ story has reached its conclusion with this movie, which wraps up Violet’s journey and provides closure to fans.
Additionally, it’s important to note that Violet Evergarden was adapted from a light novel series written by Kana Akatsuki, and while the anime follows a general outline of the novels, it diverges at certain points. The author has moved on to a new light novel project, Four Seasons Agents (Shunka Shuutou Daikousha), meaning no more new material related to Violet Evergarden is being written.
There have been reports suggesting that a second season was planned or that production was canceled due to the tragic 2019 Kyoto Animation arson attack. However, these claims are false. The production of Violet Evergarden was not directly impacted by the attack, and the planned story for the anime concluded with the 2020 film.
Fans of Violet Evergarden can explore the novels for more depth and alternate perspectives, but it is clear that the anime series has concluded with its movie.
Violet Evergarden: Light Novel Compared to Anime and Movies
As mentioned earlier, Violet Evergarden was adapted from a light novel written by Kana Akatsuki and illustrated by Akiko Takaseto. The light novel series, published by Kyoto Animation, began airing on December 25, 2015 and consists of four volumes in total. The final volume was released on March 27, 2020.
| 1 | December 25, 2015 |
| 2 | December 26, 2016 |
| Gaiden | March 23, 2018 |
| 3 | March 27, 2020 |
Although the Violet Evergarden anime draws inspiration from the light novel series, it introduces an original plotline and diverges in several key ways. The anime also features chronological differences, with certain parts of the light novel being adapted. The series mainly covers the first and second volumes of the light novel, but not all content is directly represented. Here’s a comparative list of how the light novel and anime correspond.
| Volume 1 | Light Novel | Anime |
| Chapter 1 | Episode 7 | |
| Chapter 2 | Episode 10 | |
| Chapter 3 | Episode 11 | |
| Chapter 4 | Episode 6 | |
| Chapter 5 | N/A | |
| Common (1&2) | Chapter 6&7 | Episode 8&9 |
| Volume 2 | Chapter 8 | Episode 1 |
| Chapter 9&10 | N/A | |
| Chapter 11&12 | Episode 13 | |
| Chapter 13 | Episode 12&13 |
Episodes 2 and 5, which are not listed above, feature entirely original stories. These episodes did not delve deeply into the backstories of Gilbert and Violet, and for more in-depth character development, we strongly recommend reading the light novels, where these details are explored in greater depth.
The OVA episode, released on July 4, 2018, does not serve as a direct sequel but rather as an intermediate story set between episodes 4 and 5. On the other hand, Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll (2019) is an adaptation of two chapters from the Gaiden volume.
The final movie, released on September 18, 2020, ties into Chapter 13 but features an original story with significant differences from the light novel. While there may still be enough source material for more content, the interview with the animation team confirmed that this movie marks the end of the anime series. If there are any future developments, updates will be provided.
| Anime | Release Date |
| Season 1 | January 11, 2018 |
| OVA Episode | July 4, 2018 |
| Movie (2019) | September 6, 2019 |
| Movie (2020) | September 18, 2020 |
| Season 2 | Not expected |
Can Popularity Change Things?
Violet Evergarden has established itself as one of the most popular and beloved anime productions in recent years. It holds a special place among all-time great anime, ranking as the 46th most popular anime on MyAnimeList. The anime’s global appeal is further reflected in its impressive search volume on Google, where it consistently outperforms even other popular anime like Fruits Basket and Mob Psycho 100.
With a massive fanbase eagerly awaiting a potential second season, Violet Evergarden continues to dominate, boasting almost 400k followers on X. This substantial following further demonstrates its ongoing popularity. Under typical circumstances, the success of a show with such a large fanbase would make a new season almost inevitable.
While a second season remains unconfirmed, it’s hard to believe that the creators would ignore the overwhelming support. Even if a direct continuation of the series doesn’t happen, new projects related to the anime seem likely. Only time will reveal what the future holds, so stay tuned!
