Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll Blu-ray Movie Review

A smart continuation of the acclaimed anime series.

A continuation of the Violet Evergarden storyline, the first feature-film adaptation (of the light novels penned by Kana Akatsuki and featuring illustrations by Akiko Takase) shakes up the franchise with a new drama to unfold. Released in North America by Funimation Entertainment, Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll is worth a watch for fans of the original anime. Featuring classy animation produced by Kyoto Animation (Beyond the Boundary, K-On!), this is a feature-film for all lovers of anime.

The story picks up with the world of royalty: the well-to-do Isabella York (Kotobuki) lives a seemingly easy-going life and attends a prestigious academy that others would find difficult to get in to. The young woman is under a contract with her father and does what she can to please him. Yet the experiences of her training at the Academy lead her to rekindle memories of a troubling past. Accompanied by the mysterious Violet Evergarden (Yui Ishikawa), Isabella is trained to be the best student she can be. Yet Violet wishes to help the young woman remember the past – in a compelling turn of events. Can Isabella discover the true meaning of life?

The animation is one of the highlights of the entire series. The first thing that struck me about the feature-film adaptation was the change in scope. The ratio is different – and it seems to play a big role in the filmmaking. The scope is much wider and the visuals use more wide shots that showcase the rich imagery of the natural outdoors. There is something undeniably special about the manner in which the visuals unfold in the feature-film.

Expanding upon the remarkable animation quality of the series, the film further solidifies the artistry of the animators and the team that brought the story to life. Under the exceptional art-direction of the great Mikiko Watanabe (Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid), Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll finds magic in layers: the natural beauty of the outdoors, the splendor of the scenic landscapes, and the finesse of the characters themselves. Everything comes together beautifully and the animators never fail to showcase their creativity.

Alita, Battle Angel. Oh, wait...

The visuals are enhanced by the engaging cinematography by Kohei Funamoto (Violet Evergarden: The Series) and that is part of the beauty of the production. The feature-film is even more visually inventive than the series – as Funamoto brings his A-game and accepts nothing less for a moment. Throughout the feature-film, I found the cinematography to showcase the countryside with delicate lighting and stylistic flourishes that are uncommon in many productions. A job well done by the great cinematographer.

Then there's the score: returning to the roots of the music established in the anime series, composer Evan Call (Tokyo ESP) finds magic in the story. The score heightens the heart and will pull at the heartstrings. There is a sense of whimsy in the score that is unmistakable: the music provides the production with the DNA necessary for a solid film viewing experience. Call has excelled here: establishing themes that are even more engaging than the already brilliant animated series.

Bringing the storyline to new heights, the screenplay penned by Reiko Yoshida (The Cat Returns) is just as well-written as the series. The storyline finds more ways to explore Violet Evergarden and enhance appreciation for the character. The drama is heartfelt and potent. This makes the film compelling.

Unlike the anime series, director Haruka Fijita (Myriad Colors Phantom World, Violet Evergarden) takes the helm solo and showcases their craft in every sequence. The production seems even more ambitious than the anime series was – and no doubt this was partly due to the dedication of the filmmaker assembling the final cut. The results are outstanding: Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll is an ambitious, beautifully animated, and entertaining film that will appeal to the series fan-base (while perhaps even enticing some newcomers along the way).

Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Funimation Entertainment, Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 widescreen. The first feature-film in the Violet Evergarden saga looks significantly different in comparison to the television series. Though both offer viewers a sublime video experience, the film manages to feel more bold and cinematic with the 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio. The framing is quite different – with a number of wide shots that showcase the vast landscape of the natural outdoors – in a way that is never quite as well felt in the television series.

The expanded scope ratio truly helps to round out the production and it makes the experience all the more engaging. Colors look outstanding: vibrant and bold. The animators outstanding efforts are well appreciated here. The encode is top-notch, too: the presentation never suffers from egregious issues with regards to compression artifacts and other-such video anomalies. Though the presentation has some occasional minor banding in a few scenes, this is nonetheless a terrific presentation that conveys the wonders of the television series well. A top-notch encode.

Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Blu-ray release includes two lossess audio options: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (with English subtitles). Both options will provide fans of the franchise something special. The high-resolution quality of the audio is superbly crisp, clear, and dynamic. The music score is well reproduced and adds a sense of evocative wonder to the experience. Dialogue remains crisp and clear throughout the entire film. The sound-effects are also terrific and are surprisingly engaging. This is an even more in-depth and impressive aural experience in comparison to the television program. It is hard to imagine any fan being disappointed: a top-notch audio encode.

Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release comes packaged with an attractive o-card slipcover. The set is a Blu-ray + Funimation Digital combo pack edition.

Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll Theatrical Trailers (HD, 1:34)

Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll is entertaining and ambitious as a production. The scope of the feature-film is even more exciting than the beloved anime television series. This is certainly a must-see film for fans of the franchise. While newcomers might wish to start with the television series first, the film is still worth a watch for those unfamiliar with the source material. Featuring an exceptional video-audio presentation, Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll is worth a watch. Recommended.