Violet Evergarden has undeniably secured its place as a legendary anime series, thanks to its breathtaking visuals and poignant story. This dramatically charged anime series has earned the hearts of critics and the anime community, making it one of the most loved series set in the war setup.
For the uninitiated, Violet Evergarden is about the titular character who finds herself lost and searching for a new purpose after the end of the Great War. Once a warrior, she sets to discover her place in the world. Despite struggling to convey emotions in her work transcribing letters at CH Postal Services, Violet is determined to learn the art of touching people’s hearts with her words.
The anime series authentically portrays mental health issues, the impact of post-war experiences on individuals, and the capacity to persevere with unwavering optimism.
So, should you be interested in watching similar movies and series with jaw-dropping visuals, here are some excellent anime like Violet Evergarden that you can consider adding to your list of must-watch shows.
The best anime like ‘Violet Evergarden’ you must watch for their stunning visuals
1. Fruits Basket (2019)
IMDb rating: 8.6/10
Director: Yoshihide Ibata
Voice cast: Manaka Iwami, Laura Bailey, Nobunaga Shimazaki
Number of seasons: 3
Based on a manga: Yes
Fruits Basket revolves around Tohru Honda, a young orphaned girl, who finds herself in the company of Yuki, Kyo and Shigure Sohma. She discovers the Sohma family secret – 13 members of the family are possessed by the animals of the Chinese zodiac and are cursed to transform into their respective animal forms when they are vulnerable, stressed or embraced by someone of the opposite gender who is not possessed by a zodiac spirit.
Tohru becomes aware of the challenges and suffering endured by the Sohma family. With her kind-hearted and compassionate nature, she becomes a source of solace and support, helping to mend their emotional scars.
2. Your Name (2016)
IMDb rating: 8.4/10
Director: Makoto Shinkai
Voice cast: Ryunosuke Kamiki, Mone Kamishiraishi, Ryo Narita
Based on a manga: No
Your Name follows a high school student Mitsuha Miyamizu, who longs to experience life as a boy in the bustling city of Tokyo, a desire that sharply contrasts with her current existence in the countryside. On the other hand, another high school student Taki Tachibana leads a busy life in Tokyo, balancing his studies, part-time job and aspirations for a career in architecture. One fateful day, Mitsuha wakes up in an unfamiliar room and discovers that she is living the life she had always dreamed of in Tokyo, but in Taki’s body. Meanwhile, Taki is living Mitsuha’s simple life in the humble countryside.
As they both strive to unravel the mystery behind this extraordinary phenomenon, their actions begin to profoundly impact each other’s lives, intertwining them in a tapestry woven by destiny.
3. To Your Eternity (2021)
IMDb rating: 8.4/10
Director: Masahiko Murata
Voice cast: Jacob Hopkins, Takehito Koyasu, Dorothy Elias-Fahn
Number of seasons: 1
Based on a manga: Yes
To Your Eternity revolves around an eternal entity named Fushi, who transforms into various creatures and effortlessly harnesses their unique skills, such as embodying an orphaned white-haired boy and a white wolf, to progress and grow while exploring the essence of humanity throughout the passing decades and centuries.
4. A Silent Voice (2016)
IMDb rating: 8.1/10
Director: Naoko Yamada
Voice cast: Miyu Irino, Saori Hayami, Aoi Yûki
Based on a manga: Yes
A Silent Voice tells the story of an elementary school student Shouya Ishida, who resorts to the cruellest methods to combat his boredom. When deaf student Shouko Nishimiya is transferred to his class, Shouya and his classmates thoughtlessly engage in bullying her for their amusement. However, when Shouko’s mother brings the matter to the attention of the school, Shouya becomes the sole target of blame for all the mistreatment inflicted upon her.
Now in his third year of high school, Shouya continues to be haunted by the consequences of his past actions as a young boy. Filled with sincere remorse, he embarks on a journey of redemption, determined to reunite with Shouko and make amends for his past transgressions.
5. Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song (2021)
IMDb rating: 8/10
Director: Shinpei Ezaki
Voice cast: Atsumi Tanezaki, Jun Fukuyama, Cristina Valenzuela
Number of seasons: 1
Based on a manga: Yes
Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song centres around a world of artificial intelligence, where humans have concluded that AI can only truly function effectively when assigned a singular purpose to devote themselves. As a result, the initially independent AI Diva was designed with a specific mission — to bring joy to people through her music.
However, Diva’s aspiration to perform on the grand stage of NiaLand is interrupted by the sudden appearance of Matsumoto, an AI from the future, who warns her that AI will choose to eliminate humanity eventually and seeks her cooperation in averting such a catastrophe.
6. Kino’s Journey (2003)
IMDb rating: 8.3/10
Director: Ryûtarô Nakamura
Voice cast: Ai Maeda, Ryuji Aigase, Kelli Cousins
Number of seasons: 1
Based on a manga: Yes
Kino’s Journey tells the story of a 15-year-old traveller, Kino, who encounters Hermes, a talking motorcycle. Together, they traverse different lands and explore various countries and locations, even though they are uncertain about what lies ahead. Along their travels, they interact with multiple individuals: some are dedicated to their work, some find joy in making others happy and some are relentless in pursuing their aspirations.
In each country they visit, they learn valuable lessons from observing how people lead their lives. Kino and Hermes do not pass judgment on whether these values are right or wrong and act as mere spectators in this interesting anime.
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7. Death Parade (2015)
IMDb rating: 7.8/10
Director: Yuzuru Tachikawa
Voice cast: Jamie Marchi, Alex Organ, Asami Seto
Number of seasons: 1
Based on a manga: Yes
In Death Parade‘s universe, when an individual dies, they are transported to one of the numerous bars managed by bartenders who act as judges within a towering structure in the afterlife. Here, they participate in Death Games, risking their very souls, to uncover the hidden truths that led them to their current predicament and determine their ultimate fate. The arbiters preside over these games, deciding whether the souls will be reincarnated or condemned to oblivion.
The sci-fi anime series centres around Decim, the solitary bartender of the Quindecim bar, where individuals who have died simultaneously are brought, along with his assistant.
8. The Ancient Magus’ Bride (2017)
IMDb rating: 7.7/10
Director: Norihiro Naganuma
Voice cast: Atsumi Tanezaki, Ryôta Takeuchi, Dani Chambers
Number of seasons: 2
Based on a manga: Yes
After facing rejection from her relatives and society, Chise Hatori makes a decision to offer herself for sale at an auction and aims to find someone who will provide her with a new home and a sense of belonging. Eventually, at the auction held in London, she is purchased for a staggering five million pounds by Elias Ainsworth, a towering humanoid figure with an animal skull as his head. This magus, who resembles a demon, holds the power to either illuminate the darkness that engulfs Chise’s life or plunge her into even deeper shadows in her newfound residence, Great Britain.
9. Blue Spring Ride (2014)
IMDb rating: 7.5/10
Director: Takahiro Miki
Voice cast: Yûki Kaji, Ai Kayano, Tsubasa Honda
Number of seasons: 1
Based on a manga: Yes
Yoshioka Futaba has several motivations for wanting to reset her image and life as a new high school student. Rejected by her female peers and misunderstood by the boy she liked in junior school, she is determined to behave in an unladylike manner to avoid jealousy among her friends. While leading her life this way, she unexpectedly reunites with Tanaka-kun, her childhood crush. He reveals that he experienced similar emotions in the past, but their circumstances have now changed irreversibly.
10. The Garden of Words (2013)
IMDb rating: 7.4/10
Director: Makoto Shinkai
Voice cast: Miyu Irino, Kana Hanazawa, Fumi Hirano
Based on a manga: No
The Garden of Words follows a 15-year-old aspiring shoemaker Takao Akizuki and a mysterious 27-year-old woman Yukari Yukino whom he repeatedly meets at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden during rainy mornings. While Takao is skipping his morning classes to work on shoe designs, Yukari is avoiding her professional responsibilities due to personal issues. Despite Yukari keeping her identity a secret, Takao shares his passion for shoemaking with her and even offers to create a pair of shoes for her.
As their relationship unfolds, both characters realise they have been teaching each other valuable lessons about life and love.
11. Iroduku: The World in Colors (2o18)
IMDb rating: 7.3/10
Director: Toshiya Shinohara
Voice cast: Kaori Ishihara, Shoya Chiba, Kana Ichinose
Number of seasons: 1
Based on a manga: Yes
Hitomi Tsukishiro, who belongs to a lineage of witches, experiences a profound loss that leaves her colourblind in 2078. Hitomi’s grandmother Kohaku Tsukishiro takes a drastic step to alleviate her pain and sends Hitomi back in time to the year 2018, when she will encounter her 17-year-old self. Although the purpose of this journey remains unclear to Hitomi, her grandmother assures her that clarity will come with time.
She sets on a time-travelling train that transports her to the room of a reserved artist named Yuito Aoi and it is through his drawings that Hitomi’s monochromatic world is suddenly infused with vibrant colours.
12. Plastic Memories (2015)
IMDb rating: 7.3/10
Director: Yoshiyuki Fujiwara
Voice cast: Yasuaki Takumi, Sora Amamiya, Chinatsu Akasaki
Number of seasons: 1
Based on a manga: No
Tsukasa Mizugaki joins the Sion Artificial Intelligence Corporation, a company that specialises in developing “Giftias”— advanced androids that closely resemble humans. Giftias have a limited lifespan of 81,920 hours (around nine years and four months). Tsukasa is assigned to Terminal Service One, a division responsible for retrieving Giftias that have reached the end of their lifespan to prevent memory loss and aggression. Upon joining Terminal Service One, Tsukasa is paired with Isla, a skilled Giftia known for her expertise in Giftia retrievals. Soon, he starts falling for her, making the situation even more complicated.
13. Your Lie In April (2014)
IMDb rating: 6.8/10
Director: Kyohei Ishiguro
Voice cast: Natsuki Hanae, Risa Taneda, Ayane Sakura
Number of seasons: 1
Based on a manga: Yes
Music and sorrow are key elements in the series. Kousei Arima is a former child prodigy pianist, who cannot hear the sound of his piano playing, after his mother’s death. Kousei develops a condition known as psychogenic or conversion disorder, which manifests physical symptoms. As the series progresses, we see Kousei’s struggle with grief and the psychological barriers that prevent him from reconnecting with his passion for music. This is a must-watch anime if you like Violet Evergarden.
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(Hero and feature image credit: IMDb)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– Which is the best anime to watch if you like Violet Evergarden?
Your Name, A Silent Voice, Your Lie in April and Kino’s Journey are some of the best anime series and movies like Violet Evergarden.
