Analysis of an Animation
Updated: Apr 23, 2020
Style:
The clip of an anime called "Violet Evergarden" is made using Digital 2D animation.
Due to digital 2D being used it allows more fluid motions to be made as each frame doesn't have to be entirely redrawn, instead they can take the previous frame and edit it to make the next one.
Character:
The three characters present in this short clip all have a unique personality, both the outer personality and their internal one. The way they present themselves, in the way they dress and how they look after their skin and hair, gives you their outer personality while their voice, actions and the way they react to events gives you their internal personality.
Violet
Violet is the main character of the anime while others become the main character of the episode, like Oscar Webster. The way she dresses is not only to present her personality but also to make her the center of attention.
Violet has an elegant white ribbon-tie dress with a Prussian blue jacket. She also wears a white, pleated silk skirt and an emerald brooch on the middle of the ribbon-tie, which is a gift she received from Gilbert, her late commander in the war. She also wears brown gloves and carries a blue parasol if the trip is a long one. Her outfit, despite being a white dress, resembles a soldier's uniform due to the Prussian blue jacket. This may be due to her time in the army as a living weapon, as the army treated her poorly due to her appearing emotionless due to a lack of education causing her to not understand human emotions, and she is used to wearing those kinds of clothes. Furthermore, her ribbon has holes in it that resemble bullet holes, and could symbolize that her life is held together currently by a ribbon but that ribbon will slowly break, which is seen in the episode this clip is from as she finds out that the has been lied to about Gilbert's current condition (she thought he was alive).
Despite her attachment to her less feminine sides of her time in the war, she wears the emerald brooch which she holds dear. This makes you see there is a child like and more feminine Violet in there, but it's not currently out there.
Moreover, Violet's voice sounds rather monotone, yet has a happy, carefree air to it. This reflects how she had no grasp on human emotions before meeting Gilbert, but is now learning and slowly getting more and more of her emotions.
Oscar Webster
The playwright, Oscar Webster, has a ragged look, with visible bags under his olive green eyes. His hair is red and unkempt and he has stubble growing on his youthful looking face while he stands with his back slouched. Oscar is the focus of this episode and his past becomes the main focus as confronting it with Violet allows him to move on as well as help Violet come closer to understanding what love means.
Oscar's outer personality is that of a troubled man that is still in his youthful days while his inner personality appears that of a man almost giving up on reality. His voice in the clip appears more sproutful and trembles as he cries due to him remembering his daughter and finally moving on for her.
Olivia Webster
The final character present is Oscar's late daughter, Olivia. You see her through Oscar remembering his time with her and gradually see her go from a baby to her last moments where she died of the same illness that killed her mother. She has blonde hair and brown eyes and would wear light colours to reflect her happy and carefree personality that she held on to despite any loneliness or sadness she felt from the loss of her mother or even when she succumbed to the self same illness.
Her voice is cheerful and full of joy, which contrasts to the monotonous voice of Violet. This contrast between Olivia and Violet works really well due to the similar look of the two that is even pointed out by Oscar when he mentions that Olivia would have grown up to look like her had she lived.
Narrative/Story:
The Anime
"The story follows Violet Evergarden, an Auto Memories Doll who helps write letters for those who cannot. She meets various clients with unique characteristics and requests: a man who wishes to write a play, a mother who wants to send her daughter letters for the future, a soldier who wants to convey his last message, a passionate, determined young astronomer, and a prisoner who wants to fulfill his last request. Violet's past is also learned; how she was a soldier and met the most important person in her life: her major in the army."(Violet Evergarden Wikia)
This Episode
"A playwright with writer's block and a tragic past summons Violet to the country of Genetrix to help him finish a script. They both learn about grief." (Violet Evergarden Wikia)
Violet goes to assist a famous playwright, Oscar Webster, in writing his next play. However, when she arrives he is a drunk recluse. When she eventually gets him to stop drinking, she finds out the play is about a girl named Olive who uses her power to summon magical sprites to defeat a beast, but in doing so sacrifices her ability and becomes stranded away from her home and father. Violet becomes curious about how the story will end, which Oscar hasn't decided upon yet. Violet then finds a parasol, triggering an angry outburst from Oscar. He then admits to Violet that he based Olive off of his late daughter Olivia and he is trying to write the play as a way to cope with his grief over her loss. Violet then inspires Oscar with the idea of Olive using her magical parasol to fly home. Oscar comes to terms with his daughter's death and thanks Violet.
Movement:
Animation creates the illusion of movement by placing many pictures in quick succession. As Violet Evergarden is made using Digital 2D processes, the movements looks much more fluid than those seen in Disney's old movies and shows many more things moving, from hair and dresses flowing in the wind and the ripples in water after something lands in it.
Despite this anime being realistic in it's setting, this scene is made to look fantastical via the use of movement which reflects on the story point of how Oscar was writing a play and Violet suggests the girl in the play crosses the lake using her magical parasol. The scene transitions from slow-motion shots showing Violet doing the jump, to Oscar and his memories of Olivia. His memories of his daughter have a lot of movement and show how she was full of energy as a child but lost it when she succumbed to her illness. The shots of Oscar show him trembling and crying, which help to show his emotion in the moment. In addition, during his memories of Olivia the glimmer effect that is seen in the shots of Violet remains, but in this case it reflects the tears in his eyes.
The slow-motion shots of Violet look magical due to the glimmer effect on the screen and the reflections on the water while the way the water is still and barely is effected by her steps makes her look breathtaking.
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