Violet Evergarden is the titular protagonist of Kana Akatsuki's light novel of the same name and its TV adaptation by Kyoto Animation. Debuting in the Winter 2018 anime season, she was the fourth female contestant to win the International Saimoe League on her first appearance, following Nanoha's Fate (2008) K-On's Mio (2010), and DAL's Kotori (2014).
History
Character profile
Icons
Violet is a former child soldier who was treated as a "weapon" by her officers except Major Gilbert Bougainvillea, who treated her like a human. Due to her military upbringing, she is extremely deadly in combat, but has trouble expressing and understanding emotions. She lost her arms during battle, and her missing limbs were replaced by mechanical prostheses after the war ended.
At the start of the series, Violet enlists in the CH postal company to become an "Auto Memory Doll" with the goal of understanding the meaning of Gilbert's last words spoken to her[note 1] during the war's last stages. Her primary responsibilities as a Doll involve traveling to different places where she fulfills her clients' requests by ghostwriting letters, interpreting their thoughts, emotions, and intended messages through her own words. Her mechanical hands proved to be extremely useful because of her job's heavy focus on typing.
Contest profile
C:\Windows\system32>start Smile.exe
Both the show and the title character garnered positive reception from critics and audiences alike. The KyoAni anime adaptation is responsible for much of Violet's strengths, as it was praised for its signature highly detailed visuals, anime-original scenes, and the emotional impact of several episodes [note 2]. As a result, Violet came to be known as an well-rounded and successful player in character popularity contests, garnering many supporters from all around the world due to its wide-reaching appeal. She also bears strong resemblances to the Fate heroine Saber, such as blonde hair, blue and white dress, and emotionless demeanour; this has led her to be given nicknames such as "Sabergarden" and "Fullmetal Saber" [note 3] in the online anime fandom.
Violet's first major tournament happened in China, where she was pegged as one of the most likely contestants to win Bilibili Moe 2018. Her tournament run ended after losing to Fate/Extra's Saber in the semi-finals by two thousand votes despite significantly leading in true-love tickets, which are worth 2 votes each and can only be used once. She was defeated by top seed Rin Tohsaka in the following round, finishing the tournament in fourth place.
in ISML
Road to Tiara
It wouldn't take long for Violet to win a major title howver, as she had shown signs of promise to win the International Saimoe League by winning the 2018 winter seasonal contest and blowing out Fall champion Mai Sakurajima in the final inter-seasonal match. In the 2019 main tournament, news of the KyoAni arson attack and the ISML website putting a donation page for the victims on its front page may have played an important part on her status as a tournament favourite, as Violet immediately won the first necklace round and finished 20-1 in the regular season, only losing to Emilia in the Ruby period.
In the playoffs, the #3 seeded Doll dispatched Shouko in the last 16 before undertaking perhaps the most dangerous championship run in ISML history, as her matches from quarter-finals and beyond were decided by increasingly tighter margins. She defeated Kurumi by 426 votes, Mai-san by 168 votes, and finally Tohsaka by 173 votes, to claim this year's heavenly tiara and becoming the fourth female debutante to win the award. Furthermore, Violet becomes the third Kyoto Animation girl to win ISML after Mio Akiyama (2010) and Eru Chitanda (2015), putting the studio on par with J.C. Staff in terms of Tiaras won. [note 4]
Tournament of Champions
Evergarden competed in the following year's hall of fame tournament as a favourite to win (as is tradition for newly introduced champions). However, she stumbled to a 3-way tie for second with Katou and Angel (in her last ToC). In the final round, she placed second behind group-topper Eru Chitanda.
in r/anime
Best Girl
During her Seasonal Salt days, the Auto Memory Doll dwelt under the shadow of Franxx's Zero Two, losing to the horned girl in the semi-finals on both 2018 Winter and the yearly contest. Despite these losses, the former soldier matured into a fairly strong and better-seeded contestant in the subreddit's major brackets. Violet was the most successful newcomer on Best Girl 6, securing the highest seed (#15) and best finish (a last-16 loss to Aqua). The following year, she was eliminated by Yui Yuigahama in the fifth round of Best Girl 7. Violet returned to the round of 16 as an #11 seed in Best Girl 8, managing to give #6 Megumin a scare, but she ultimately fell with a 143* votes difference.
Best Character
In Best Character 5, Violet notably defeated Guts in round 4 before barely losing to Subaru in the next match.
ISML record
Seasonal & Exhibition
- Group stage: 1st, 2W; CVP: 5.014 (seed 1)
Hana Ichinose {Slow Start) 8331 - 1176 (Aqua 7)- Lacia (Beatless) 11,165 - 1617 (Aqua 13)
- (16) Koizumi-san 12,646 - 4007 (Aqua Gem)
- (9) Yuzu Aihara 8479 - 2048 (Topaz 2)
- (4) Takagi-san 10,365 - 5885 (Topaz 3)
- (2) Ichigo (DitF) 8729 - 3212 (Topaz 4)
Inter-seasonal:
- (Spring) Ochako Uraraka 17,180 - 9445 (PO 5)
- (Summer) Platelet 23,871 - 19,759 (PO 7)
- (Fall) Mai Sakurajima 30,967 - 19,221 (PO 8)
Main Tournament
- Overall record: 24-1
- Necklace won: 2019 Aquamarine
| ISML 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Directly qualified (2018 winter winner) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Rd | Opponent | Score | W-L? | ||||||||||||||||
| Aqua 1 |  Ginko Sora
|
7035 - 3140 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Aqua 2 |  Eriri Spencer Sawamura
|
6179 - 4760 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Aqua 3 |  Origami Tobiichi
|
6031 - 5389 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Tpz 1 |  Kei Karuizawa
|
6472 - 4256 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Tpz 2 |  Umaru Doma
|
6557 - 5500 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Tpz 3 |  Sora Kasugano
|
9136 - 6139 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Amet 1 |  Shouko Makinohara
|
6238 - 4232 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Amet 2 |  Mirai Kuriyama
|
6578 - 3726 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Amet 3 |  Zero Two
|
6160 - 5117 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Sapp 1 |  Megumin
|
7738 - 6624 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Sapp 2 |  Index
|
7415 - 6105 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Sapp 3 |  Yoshino
|
9031 - 6452 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Eme 1 |  Isla
|
6830 - 5335 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Eme 2 |  Chino Kafuu
|
7004 - 5500 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Eme 3 |  Tohru (Dragon Maid)
|
7967 - 5145 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Ruby 1 |   Azusa Nakano
|
6438 - 6045 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Ruby 2 |  Mio Akiyama
|
6530 - 6319 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Ruby 3 |  Emilia
|
6100 - 7049 | L | ||||||||||||||||
| Dia 1 |  Iroha Isshiki
|
10,294 - 9282 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Dia 2 |  Kanna Kamui
|
9976 - 8256 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Dia 3 |  Asuna Yuuki
|
12,249 - 9932 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Playoffs: seed 3 (Dia 1st, 4W)
RS CVP: 25.6250 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ro16 | (14)  Shouko Nishimiya
|
11,748 - 10,052 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| QF | (6)  Kurumi Tokisaki
|
11,946 - 11,520 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| SF | (2)  Mai Sakurajima
|
10,410 - 10,242 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Final | (4)  Rin Tohsaka
|
13,329 - 13,156 | W | ||||||||||||||||
| Final position: CHAMPION | |||||||||||||||||||
Tournament of Champions
| ISML Tournament of Champions history | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rd | Opponent | Score | Period | ||||||||||||||||
| ISML 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Groups 2nd (tied w/ Kanade & Megumi) 5W 2L |
 Kanade Tachibana
|
3523 - 1858 | Aqua 3 | ||||||||||||||||
 Ruri Gokou
|
4052 - 2119 | Aqua 4 | |||||||||||||||||
 Kotori Itsuka
|
2725 - 2057 | Aqua 7 | |||||||||||||||||
 Eru Chitanda
|
2591 - 3551 | Aqua 8 | |||||||||||||||||
 Shana
|
2676 - 1290 | Topaz 2 | |||||||||||||||||
 Megumi Katou
|
2192 - 2347 | Topaz 3 | |||||||||||||||||
 Rem
|
3212 - 2527 | Topaz 5 | |||||||||||||||||
| Final (range) | Chitanda
|
50,257.3 | Topaz Gem | ||||||||||||||||
 (You)
|
42,266.1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Katou
|
37,998.8 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Angel
|
29,920.5 | ||||||||||||||||||
| ISML 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Groups TBD TBD |
Kotori Itsuka
|
||||||||||||||||||
| Ruri Gokou
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Shana
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Eru Chitanda
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Rem
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Megumi Katou
|
|||||||||||||||||||
 Yukino Yukinoshita
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| ISML 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||
r/anime record
Seasonal Salt
Seasonal Salt - 2018 Winter - seed 4
- (61) Haruka Kyan 2316 - 220
- (29) Akira Tachibana 1589 - 596
- (13) Yuzuki Shiraishi 1999 - 1374
- (5) Shirase Kobuchizawa 1794 - 1699
- (1) Zero Two 1820 - 3189
Best Girl of 2018 - seed 6
- (27) Kaoruko Moeta 2672 - 843
- (11) Rin Shima 1753 - 1316
- (3) Rio Futaba 2542 - 1960
- (7) Zero Two 1919 - 2830
Best Girl Contest
Best Girl 6 - seed 15
- (498) Mako Reizei 5209 - 950
- (271) An Onoya 4445 - 1235
- (114) Felt (Re:Zero) 5438 - 1838
- (50) Krista Lenz 5708 - 3786
- (18) Yui Hirasawa 6485 - 5796
- (2) Aqua 3440 - 6717
Best Girl 7 - seed 14
- (499) Yuzuki Seo 2552 - 655
- (243) Kumin Tsuyuri 3677 - 946
- (142) Hitori Bocchi 3718 - 1634
- (78) Shiro 4451 - 2257
- (19) Yui Yuigahama 3301 - 4575
Best Girl 8 - seed 11
- (502) Aries Spring 4745 - 774
- (267) Kayo Hinazuki 2620 - 524
- (118) Emma (TPN) 3468 - 609
- (54) Taiga Aisaka 3026 - 1601
- (22) Ram 4249 - 1931
- (6) Megumin 3562 - 3704
Best Character Contest
Best Character 5 - seed 23
- (490) Altair (Re:Creators) 686 - 123
- (234) Nagisa Furukawa 737 - 255
- (106) Rei Ayanami 886 - 377
- (170) Guts 731 - 569
- (10) Subaru Natsuki 631 - 687
Other contests
Bilibili Moe
| Bilibili Moe history | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bilibili Moe 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Qualifying: 1st (Advanced) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Rd | Opponent | Score | Series | TLV | |||||||||||||||
| Ro128 Group F4 |
(You)
|
121,247 | Violet Evergarden | 2221 | |||||||||||||||
| Francis Drake (Rider) | 35,887 | Fate/Extra | 42 | ||||||||||||||||
 Momo Yaoyorozu
|
24,161 | My Hero Academia | 52 | ||||||||||||||||
 Kaho Hinata
|
13,179 | Blend S | 24 | ||||||||||||||||
| Bracket stage | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ro32 |  Narberal Gamma
|
142,091 - 39,486 | Overlord | 1132 - 100 | |||||||||||||||
| Ro16 |  Kurisu Makise
|
132,190 - 94,572 | Steins;Gate | 1599 - 4672 | |||||||||||||||
| QF | Umaru Doma
|
138,273 - 110,530 | Himouto! Umaru-chan | 2482 - 2415 | |||||||||||||||
| SF |  Nero (Saber)
|
173,627 - 175,459 | Fate/Extra | 16,254 - 7522 | |||||||||||||||
| 3rd-4th | Rin Tohsaka
|
163,195 - 209,331 | Fate/stay night | 6936 - 5600 | |||||||||||||||
Honours
International Saimoe League
Chronological List
Total Wins = 3 (Rank: ★)
- ISML 2018 Winter Diadem (seasonal contest)
- Baidu Nova Moe 2018 (Baike Baidu, China)
- ISML 2019 Heavenly Tiara ★
"But Violet, the letters you wrote... they will reach her. No matter how far away she is."
In the Chinese-language ISML Tieba forum, a certain infamous user (mobile link) who posts Facebook waifu tournament results lists Violet as one of the "Kings of Runner-up" due to her many 2nd place finishes in these contests.
List of runner-up finishes = 11
- ISML 2020 Tournament of Champions
- Torneo de Beleza 2021 [1]
- Facebook Vote Anime Girl 2021 [2]
- Facebook Favorite Waifu Hoc Vien Anime 2021 [3]
- ACGN Miss Anime Tournament 2019/2020
- Facebook Queen Cup Anime Vuong Quoc Anime 2020 [4]
- Facebook Queen Cup Nuoc Mam Senpai 2020 [5]
- Facebook Torneo Waifus Rubias 2020 [6]
- Facebook Mary Sempai 3 [7]
- Facebook Waifu War Nghien Anime 2020 [8]
Notes
- ↑ "i love you"
- ↑ in Youtube and Reddit, the most commonly cited episode that made audiences cry is Episode 10, which involves a terminally ill mother and her young daughter.
- ↑ a reference to Fullmetal Alchemist character Edward Elric, who has an arm and a leg replaced by metal prostheses.
- ↑ Three characters from J.C. Staff-produced anime have won the ISML tiara: Mikoto Misaka (2011), Kuroneko (2013), and Shana (2016).
External Links
Beware of spoilers and pop-ups.
- Violet Evergarden Wikia
- MyAnimeList
- Baike Baidu (Chinese)
- Moegirl (Chinese)
- Namuwiki (Korean)
| Kyoto Animation Characters | ||
|---|---|---|
| Air | ||
| Kanon | ||
| Clannad |  Tomoya Okazaki •  Nagisa Furukawa •  Kyou Fujibayashi •  Tomoyo Sakagami
| |
| Haruhi |  Kyon •  Haruhi Suzumiya •  Yuki Nagato • Mikuru Asahina
| |
| Lucky Star |  Kagami Hiiragi •  Konata Izumi • Tsukasa Hiiragi
| |
| K-ON! | Mio Akiyama •  Yui Hirasawa •  Azusa Nakano • Ritsu Tainaka • Tsumugi Kotobuki• Ui Hirasawa
| |
| Chuunibyou |  Yuuta Togashi •  Rikka Takanashi • Shinka Nibutani • Sanae Dekomori
| |
| Hyouka |  Houtarou Oreki • Eru Chitanda
| |
| Free! | ||
| Amagi |  Isuzu Sento
| |
| Kyoukai no Kanata | AKihito Kanbara • Hiroomi Nase • Mirai Kuriyama • Mitsuki Nase
| |
| Phantom World | Mai Kawakami | |
| Euphonium |  Kumiko Oumae •  Reina Kousaka
| |
| Dragon Maid | Kobayashi • Tohru • Kanna Kamui
| |
| Koe no Katachi |  Shouya Ishida • Shouko Nishimiya
| |
| VE | Violet Evergarden
| |
| ISML Necklace Winners | |
|---|---|
| First year of necklace win only. Circlets from 2012-2015 included (if applicable). | |
| 2008 | Shana •  Setsuna S. •  Kagami • Kyou • Haruhi
|
| 2009 | Tomoyo S. • Yuki N. •  Suigintou •  Suiseiseki •  Hinagiku •  Shinku
|
| 2010 | Mio •  Taiga •  Mikoto
|
| 2011 | Kanade • Ruri •  Hellscythe
|
| 2012 | No new winners. |
| 2013 |  Mashiro • Rikka • Asuna
|
| 2014 |  Kuroyukihime
|
| 2015 | Yukino •  Kosaki •  Chitoge •  Chiyo •  Ayase
|
| 2016 |  Nao • Tohsaka •  Saber • Kurisu
|
| 2017 | Rem • Emilia • Katou
|
| 2018 |  Chtholly • Azunyan • Kanna
|
| 2019 | Violet •  Sagiri • Kurumi •  Mai-san
|
| 2020 |  Kaguya
|
| 2021 |  Elaina
|
| ISML Seasonal Diadem Winners | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 |  Ririchiyo • Kuroyukihime • Asuna • Rikka
| |||
| 2013 |  Black Rabbit • Kurumi •  Kirigiri • Mirai
| |||
| 2014 | Chitoge •  Shiro • Chiyo • Isuzu
| |||
| 2015 | Megumi K. • Isla • Nao •  MitsukiND, SEQ
| |||
| 2016 | Megumin • Rem •  Aoba •  Chitose
| |||
| 2017 | Kanna • Chtholly •  Suzune •  Nayuta
| |||
| 2018 | Violet •  UrarakaND, SEQ •  Platelet • Mai-san
| |||
| 2019 | Kaguya •  Fumino •  Gray •  Ishtar
| |||
| 2020 |  Kotoko •  Kei S.SEQ •  Chizuru • Elaina
| |||
| 2021 | Female |  MikuND, SEQ •  IinoND, SEQ •  Keke DC •  RanND, SEQ
| ||
| Male |  TanjiroSEQ, DC •  NatsumeSEQ •  Kimihiko •  Lugh
| |||
| 2022 | ||||
| ND - NOT a DEBUTANT; appeared in a seasonal contest beforehand SEQ - Appeared in a SEQUEL installment DC - Won inter-seasonal playoffs (Divine Circlet / Crown) DCX - Won inter-seasonal playoffs but not a seasonal (listed last) | ||||