Taichi Ishidate Had the Most Fascinating Partner While Directing Violet Evergarden
Violet Evergarden is not your typical anime; the overarching theme of war and technology is deeply intertwined with the poignant story of a character who can’t decipher her own emotions. While some audiences might place the developing romance between Violet and Gilbert in high regard, the roles of war and technological progress in the narrative also cannot be overstated.
As mesmerizing as the animation is in Violet Evergarden, the tone of the story can only be described as maudlin. The story does not shy away from depicting the horrors of the war and its aftermath. The artwork is clean, detailed, and crisp with a focus on small details that only prove how deeply enriching the series is. Of course, the majority of the credit goes to Taichi Ishidate, who is also known for his work in A Silent Voice. However, there is one more person who should be credited for their vision.
Stepping Into Reality: How Taichi Ishidate Mirrors Violet Evergarden
In a special interview with Hatta Shinichirou, the producer of Violet Evergarden, the interviewer asked how the movie adaptation came into the picture. Shinichirou responded that the team believed depicting the future of the titular character after the series would be the conclusion point of this work. He stated:
While making this episode, we staff members were talking amongst ourselves things such as, “How was Violet doing during the time those letters were being delivered?” and, “What happened to her in the end?”. They linked up in a natural manner with the concept of this movie, which depicts “her future”.
The interviewer then talked about Yoshida Reiko, who has been working on the script since the TV series, and then asked Shinichirou about the charm of her screenplay. Shinichirou said that according to him, the charm of her screenplay came from the fact that she wrote sensibly about Violet Evergarden as a young woman. He continued on to say:
On top of having Violet stand at the center, she also granted her the function of narrator, and I think she was able to very finely portray the process where Violet could do nothing at first but then developed through the meetings she had with all kinds of people and through accomplishing the jobs assigned to her by them. I have the impression that she operated in tandem with director Ishidate.
The idea that Violet Evergarden was present by Ishidate’s side is an appealing one, nonetheless a bit jarring. Taking into account that the protagonist is a ghostwriter who establishes herself as a capable worker, it mirrors how the director builds a world around her, yet it is Violet who is making it a reality.
Sometimes, characters take a life on their own, and this is true in the case of Violet. Considering that, Violet Evergarden is a narrative within a narrative wherein the actions of the directors are directly mirrored by the protagonist.
In Violet Evergarden: The Movie, Love Was The Very Base Of Development
In the Violet Evergarden series, Violet had no idea what emotions were and did not understand the “I love you” that Gilbert had conveyed to her, so she was trying to comprehend what these words meant by joining as an Auto-Memory Doll. Shinichirou adds:
In the TV series, we have portrayed her until she comes to understand the meaning of “I love you” a little through her many encounters, but in the movie, this “I love you” has become the very base of the developments.
Talking about director Taichi Ishidate and the appeal of his work, the producer mentioned that he was someone full of obsessions and skills, from the making of the art to the layouts, up to the action of the animation. Moreover, he strongly loved the titular character as if she were his own daughter, which added to his appeal as a director.
Violet Evergarden is a melancholic and somber story about a young woman who is shackled by her PTSD and depression, yet finds the courage to look deeper within herself and search for answers to the questions that beguile her. Violet Evergarden is more than just a love letter. It is also a letter of faith, a step of courage, a hope for tomorrow, and endless patience and perseverance in the face of unimaginable trauma.
You can watch Violet Evergarden and Violet Evergarden: The Movie on Netflix.
