‘Violet Evergarden’: Anime & Both Movies in Order

Violet Evergarden is a heartwarming anime about a young woman learning to understand feelings. Originally a light novel by Kana Akatsuki and Akiko Takase, the series follows Violet, who was raised solely to fight in war. After the war ends, she tries to discover the meaning of emotions and love, especially missing her former commander, Major Gilbert, who was her only connection to the world.

Even though ‘Violet Evergarden’ only has one season, an OVA, two films, and a recap movie, it’s become incredibly popular. Because so many people love the series, we’ve created a guide to help you watch everything in the right order.

Update: This watch order was last reviewed in November 2023. The most recent installment in the series is ‘Violet Evergarden: Recollections,’ which came out in 2021.

‘Violet Evergarden’ Anime series & movies in release date order

The story first began as a light novel and was then turned into a 13-episode anime series that premiered in 2018. After the anime, an additional OVA episode was released, and then two popular movies followed.

‘Violet Evergarden’ Anime (13 Episodes – 2018)
‘Surely, Someday You Will Understand Love’ (2018)
‘Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll’ (2019)
‘Violet Evergarden: The Movie’ (2020)
‘Violet Evergarden: Recollections‘ (2021)

Are ‘Violet Evergarden’ anime series & movies connected? What’s the best way to watch them?

As a huge fan of “Violet Evergarden,” I can tell you the anime series and the films are definitely linked. The series is where everything begins – it’s the core story of Violet learning about feelings and finding herself. Then, the movies – “Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll” and the main movie – build on that foundation, diving deeper into Violet’s life and the connections she makes with others. They really expand on everything you love about the series!

The best way to watch the franchise is in chronological order, mainly because of the OVA.

‘Violet Evergarden’ anime, OVA & movies in chronological order’

The timeline for ‘Violet Evergarden’ is generally easy to follow. The only exception is the OVA series, which should be viewed between episodes 4 and 5 of the main anime. The 2021 film, ‘Violet Evergarden: Recollections,’ is essentially a summary of the story. Here’s the correct order to watch everything in ‘Violet Evergarden’.

‘Violet Evergarden‘ (Episodes 1-4)
‘Violet Evergarden: Kitto “Koi” wo Shiru Hi ga Kuru no Darou‘
‘Violet Evergarden‘ (Episodes 5-13)
Violet Evergarden: Recollections (2021)
‘Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll’
‘Violet Evergarden: The Movie’

1. ‘Violet Evergarden‘ (Episodes 1-4)

Violet, a dedicated soldier, loses both arms during a mission led by Major Gilbert. When the war ends, she finds it difficult to adjust to life as a civilian. Colonel Hodgins offers her a job at his postal company, and seeing the letter-writing services there inspires her to uncover the meaning behind Gilbert’s final words to her: “I love you.”

She applied to join the department, showing she was determined and capable, and Hodgins, impressed by her, agreed to let her in even though she wasn’t an Auto Memory Doll.

2. ‘Surely, Someday You Will Understand Love’

This special episode fits between episodes 4 and 5 of the series. Violet struggles to write a love letter for an opera singer who keeps sending it back with changes. Violet eventually learns the singer isn’t just looking for a perfect letter – she plans to turn it into a song for her next performance.

3. ‘Violet Evergarden‘ (Episodes 5-13)

Violet is given an important task: to write a love letter that will appear to be from Princess Charlotte to Prince Damian. This is meant to help bring peace between their kingdoms, which used to be at war. At first, Violet struggles, but she eventually understands the princess’s true feelings and skillfully arranges a meaningful exchange of letters between them.

The lively discussion charmed both kingdoms and led to a joyous wedding. But when Violet returned, Gilbert’s brother, Dietfried, questioned her, bringing up her experiences as a soldier and casting doubt on her intentions.

4. ‘Violet Evergarden: Recollections’

‘Violet Evergarden: Recollections’ is essentially a recap of the first ten episodes of the series and doesn’t add any new story content. While not essential for those who have been watching continuously, it’s a helpful refresher if you’ve taken a break and need a reminder of the key events before seeing the movie.

You can watch ‘Recollections’ whenever you like, but the story happens before the events of the first movie.

5. ‘Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll’

Violet Evergarden is asked to help Isabella York prepare for her debutante ball at an exclusive boarding school. At first, Isabella is hesitant to accept Violet’s help, but she begins to open up when she realizes Violet doesn’t care about her family’s wealth or status. Isabella eventually shares her story: she was originally Amy Bartlett, a child born out of wedlock, who grew up poor. She joined the York family with the hope of providing a better future for her sister, Taylor.

6. ‘Violet Evergarden: The Movie’

This latest film in the series tells two interconnected stories. In one, Daisy, the granddaughter of Anne Magnolia, finds letters written by the famous Violet Evergarden and becomes fascinated by her skill with words. The story then jumps back over fifty years to when Violet receives a heartfelt request from a sick boy named Yuris: to write letters to his loved ones after he’s gone. At the same time, Claudia Hodgins discovers a puzzling letter seemingly from Gilbert Bougainvillea, who everyone believed was dead, which sends him on a journey to a distant island called Ekarte.

She discovers Gilbert is still alive, but deeply troubled and avoiding her because of his guilt. Violet, heartbroken and determined to connect with him, falls apart as he continues to push her away.

Where to watch the above-mentioned series & movies?

The ‘Violet Evergarden’ anime is available on Netflix, or you can purchase it through the Apple TV store. For ‘Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll,’ you can stream it on Netflix or rent it from Amazon. Currently, both ‘Violet Evergarden: The Movie’ and ‘Violet Evergarden: Recollections’ are only available to stream on Netflix.

Will there be more ‘Violet Evergarden’ movies or episodes?

It’s been three years since the story of Violet and Gilbert concluded, with only a recap movie released since then. While a second season of the anime or further movies haven’t been confirmed, there’s also no official word that the series is finished. For now, the future of the franchise remains uncertain – we simply don’t know what’s next. We’ll be sure to share any new updates as they become available.

2026-03-05 13:46