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If I described the Violet Evergarden TV series as a "Gesamtkunstwerk" (a complete work of art), I should describe the movie with another foreign idiom: "Urbi et Orbis". This is the speech the newly elected pope gives to both the city of Rome (Urbi) and all the Catholics around the world (Orbis). In the very same way, the movie speaks to both the city of Kyoto after the KyoAni arson and the world during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The movie tells two different stories (at least). In one of them, the characters end up meeting their loved ones again, but in the other, they have to say ... goodbye forever. Both of these endings reflect not only the aftermath of that tragic event but also the reality which I believe we all faced during the pandemic. We cherished the opportunity of seeing our family and friends again, but we also lost some of them to COVID - and we were lucky if we could call them one last time. Those reunions, farewells and never agains are all somehow portrayed in this movie.

But the most impressive thing is that this speech was not given by the new pope, but by the old one. The dead one.

The movie was mostly ready when the staff that made it was murdered. They couldn't have imagined that something so horrible would happen to them, nor could they predict the state of the world during the movie's premiere. And yet they gave a suitable answer to our grieves. For me, this proofs that the message of this movie - and the franchise as a whole - is timeless and universal.

Violet carried on the legacy of her clients, even the deceased ones, and at the same time, she changed the environment surrounding her for the better. Now that the franchise is officially over, I can tell that Violet Evergarden also changed me for the better, and I'll carry it in my heart while I live.

“I have raised a monument more lasting than bronze and taller than the pyramids. Neither rain nor wind will tear it down, not even the course of time. I shall not die altogether, but a great part of me will escape from the grave.” (Horace's Odes, Book III, verse 30)

When S1 ended I wondered where would the story go without the claustrophobic tension within Grace Field's walls. I was warned by a manga reader that it would be no good. My fears grew as I learned that a whole bunch of volumes was being adapted to such a few episodes. To make a project like this succeed was mission: impossible! But I had to give it a try as I noticed the same director would be in charge of the S2. I love his previous filmography, which was already quite controversial, so I couldn't miss its current developments despite all the criticism.

Did the vote ... of confidence live up to the (already scarce) expectations? No, not at all. Was it worth watching it? Yes, totally.

I won't deny the obvious flaws, that the season was rushed and the story was confusing. The first five episodes shocked me as much as they did to most people. The pace was too fast, the mysteries were solved too quickly (if ever), all too often some scenes seemed to be out of place... Of course, there were a few good bits along the way: the forest's animation (when the CGI monsters were out of sight), some of the interaction among the children, and especially the development of Emma's inner conflicts. But what really held me throughout the first half of the show was nothing but hope. Hope that it would suddenly get better.

This hope was not ungrounded, though. As I told you, I knew the director's body of work beforehand and I was aware that the shows he makes are full of sudden ups and downs. Aside from it, what I expected from him was a heartwarming tale of a sweetheart protagonist coming to terms with the cruel world surrounding him/her. That's exactly what I liked in his previous works. And that's what I got during the second half.

Apart from one of the episodes, which is a terrible sequence of "dei ex machina", I really enjoyed this part of the season. It could be better handled, no doubt, but still I'm satisfied with what I got. Emma was much more ambitious in her radical empathy as this time she tried not only to save more of her kind (ie. the children of Grace Field) but also their theoretical enemies! I understand why people got confused with it and why they thought Emma was just being stupid but for me... It was just so cool!

I have no idea of how it is portrayed in the manga but for the little I expected, the anime did handle it quite well. It was clear that Emma was aiming at the real enemy and trying to offer concrete solutions rather than just perpetuate the cycle of violence. The obstacles to this plan, ie. resentment and want for vengeance, were all well set, and the tension created was enormous, especially through very interesting pieces of dialogue. The conclusion was as rushed as the rest of the show but at least what happened in that ending was well deserved.

[Edit: I've just talked to some manga readers and they told me Emma's pacifist ideals were much better dealt with and challenged in the manga, especially during the Goldy Pond arc. But knowing it didn't change how much I enjoyed the anime, it just made me more compassionate towards the manga readers and sadder that it didn't make it to TV.]

Finally, while considering this season's strengths and weaknesses (more weaknesses than strengths), I kinda did what Emma would do: forgave the mistakes, paid more attention to the good, and worked with what I had. With that said, I'll give S2: 6/10. It was far from being a good anime overall, but considering its completely unfavorable conditions (little time, endless chapters to sum up in a few episodes...), it was quite a good attempt. Not successful, unfortunately, but worth having tried.

Richard Wagner once coined the term Gesamtkunstwerk, meaning "a complete work of art", one that excels in each branch of the arts, from prose to poetry, from painting to acting, from music to architecture. This is the best way I can describe Violet Evergarden. Just like Wagner's operas at his time, Violet manages to use all visual and sound elements available to enhance the experience and take your heart by storm.

The results? Well… Imagine that your heart is a walled city. The first episodes are like a bunch of vandals throwing rocks against it. It seems ineffective and the guards just laugh at them. ... Then, as the story goes on, they bring some catapults and battering rams. And then it suddenly evolves into trebuchets and siege towers. Before you know there is a whole tank division taking the streets. And when you are ready to hoist a white flag, there is a final merciless aerial bombing. That's what it feels like to watch Violet Evergarden.

How do I rate this blitzkrieg of emotions? Honestly, I don't think I can do it with Violet Evergarden, at least not objectively. It touched me so hard and so deep inside that any argument I could say in its favor might be indistinguishable from anecdotal evidence. But if something like this happened to me, if an artwork was able to blur my reasoning and keep me only with my sentiments, that means it must be outstandingly good. Ten out of ten.