Violet Evergarden is one of Kyoto Animation’s most popular titles, and it started as a light novel series that was then adapted into an anime. Because of this, some may be wondering about the differences between the Violet Evergarden anime vs the light novel series.
What’s also interesting is that Kyoto Animation is also the publisher of the original novel series, though it’s fair to say that the anime is the more popular of the two versions.
Spoiler Warning: There are Violet Evergarden anime spoilers in this article.
Is the Violet Evergarden Anime’s Story Complete?
The Violet Evergarden anime by KyoAni began as a 13-episode anime series that aired in the Fall 2018 season. It became one of the most praised shows of the year thanks to its moving and emotional story.
This series was then followed up by the Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll film, along with another film simply titled Violet Evergarden: The Movie.
Unlike many anime movies that are not canon, these two movies are canon follow-ups to the anime series. The second film also featured what many believe is the conclusion of Violet and Gilbert’s story.
Based on the movie’s ending, it seems that the anime’s story has been wrapped up, though there’s still a slim chance that a new season or anime project will be released in the future.
Where to Read the Violet Evergarden Light Novel After the Anime
As for the light novel series, it is confirmed to have ended with its fourth volume, which was released in March 2020.
For those wondering where to start the novels after the anime, there’s no proper answer to this. That’s because the anime and novels have lots of differences.
Even if you only count the TV anime, it’s not recommended that you jump further into the light novels.
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Violet Evergarden Anime vs Light Novel, Explained
Unlike most anime adaptations which retain the same core story, the Violet Evergarden anime diverges heavily from the light novel series.
While the first volume and the initial anime episodes don’t have a lot of changes, the story takes a turn in the anime after these initial episodes. Thus, they should be treated as entirely different stories.
In a way, you can think of the anime as an alternate version of the light novel. This is good for anime-only viewers as it means reading the light novels will give a different yet still familiar experience.
The Violet Evergarden anime is currently streaming on Netflix.
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