Extra episode previously shipped on 4th DVD/BD release in Japan in July

Netflix revealed on Friday that as part of its October lineup, the company will stream the Violet Evergarden extra episode in Japan starting on October 4. The stream will be exclusive to Netflix.

The "Extra Episode" anime originally shipped with the television series' fourth Blu-ray Disc and DVD release on July 4. The story of the new episode centers on a letter request from an opera house songstress and takes place over several months between the events of the anime's episodes 4 and 5. The episode previously screened at the "Violet Evergarden Film & Concert" event in Tokyo on July 1.

The anime series premiered on television in Japan on January 10, and launched on Netflix on January 11 in some territories, including Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Philippines. The anime launched on Netflix in the United States on April 5.

Kyoto Animation announced the anime project based on author Kana Akatsuki and illustrator Akiko Takase's Violet Evergarden novel in May 2016, and has streamed two animated commercials from director and storyboard artist Taichi Ishidate. Takase served as character designer and animation director for the videos. Ishidate and Takase returned for the anime itself, and Reiko Yoshida (Yowamushi Pedal, Bakuman) was in charge of series composition. Yota Tsuruoka was the sound director, and Evan Call composed the music.

The anime project is inspiring a film that is slated for a release in Japan in January 2020, and a "same time period" release worldwide.

Author Kana Akatsuki and illustrator Akiko Takase's Violet Evergarden novel won the grand prize in the fifth Kyoto Animation Award program's novel category in 2014. The win marked the first time that any work won a grand prize in any of the contest's three categories (novel, scenario, and manga). KA Esuma Bunko published the novel series' two volumes in Japan in December 2015 and December 2016. Akatsuki and KA Esuma Bunko published the Violet Evergarden Gaiden side story novel on March 23.

Source: Anime! Anime! (仲瀬 コウタロウ)