Violet Evergarden Official Event Report: Anime Expo 2017

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“Violet Evergarden” is an anime series produced by Kyoto Animation, which will air January 2018 and has been announced worldwide. The work’s first episode was screened at 2PM of July 2nd during Anime Expo 2017, which happened at the Los Angeles Convention Center in America.



A long line formed before the opening; the venue was full and about 3,500 people had gathered in it. Prompted by the MC, Ishidate Taichi, the director, Ishikawa Yui, in the role of Violet Evergarden, and TRUE, in charge of the theme song for the performance, entered the stage. They were received with a big applause from the enthusiastic American fans.

Director Ishidate: I’ve come from Kyouto, Japan. I’m Ishidate, the director.

Ishikawa-san: Hello, Anime Expo! Thank you. My Name is Yui Ishikawa. I am the leading voice actress of Violet Evergarden. I’d been really looking forward to a lot of people watching the screening today! Please enjoy it until the very end!

TRUE-san: Hello, AX! My name is TRUE. I sing the opening theme song of the anime “Violet Evergarden”. I will sing the opening theme song “Sincerely”.

A great cheer rose along with the MC’s voice, and so, the screening of first episode of the World Premiere started. The cheer then died out, the venue was quiet; the audience merely gulped back and stared at the video, with cheers rising once more in some scenes.

By the same time the screening was over, there were big ovations and cheers again, and Ishidate-san, Ishikawa-san and TRUE-san returned to the stage. When the director asked the audience, “Have you enjoyed it, everyone?”, it responded with more cheer and applause.

Continuing, there was a Q&A corner, and to the question of, “What kinds of thoughts did you have when making this work?”, director Ishidate answered, “I think Violet’s character is like a baby. I believe it would be great if everyone could watch over that baby as she grows up.”

When Ishikawa-san was asked, “How do you take Violet’s character?”, she replied, “She’s a very innocent girl.”

As they were inquired, “How are you liking having come to Los Angeles?”, director Ishidate laughed, “Kyouto is very humid, so here is a really good place to be as it is very dry, and I had wanted to stay here for a while… but I go back home tomorrow.”

Ishikawa-san remarked, “I was shocked at how huge the meal sizes are here.”

TRUE-san added, “Yesterday was a day off, and I managed to go shopping at Melrose and play at Santa Monica Beach, so it was fun.”

At the questions corner for the audience, the question of, “Kyoto Animation-san, thank you for coming. What kind of impressions did you want to cause when making the first episode?” came about, director Ishidate responded, “Violet understands the meanings of words, but she is unable to get feelings from them. This is the kind of character that she is. I thought I should transmit the beauty of her blameless circumstances, so we showed in episode one how she was at zero.”

Proceeding to the LIVE corner, TRUE-san sang the opening theme song of the first episode, which had just aired. The spectators flailed their penlights while enhanced by TRUE-san’s singing voice.

Finally, the three of them exchanged greetings with each one of the fans that had come to the venue.

TRUE-san: After I was chosen to make the opening theme “Sincerely”, I reflected a lot on how to deliver the words. I’ve realized that, from the time I started learning my first words and as I have learned many words until now, phrases like “I love you” and “thank you” had become exceedingly common. Still, they are important. I’d wanted to directly convey my gratitude to everyone here, but I also think I want to transmit, through the animation and music, that these phrases are extremely precious.

Ishikawa-san: I was happy that the people who first watched “Violet Evergarden” welcomed it so very warmly. As a voice actress, I also want to do my best at the recordings, so as to not lose to the amazing animation, soundtracks and songs. Please watch over Violet as if you were her parents. I want to come to Anime Expo again, so please give your support!

Finally, Director Ishidate commented, “I’m very glad we were able to show this work for the first time in the world to everyone here at AX. In order to answer everyone’s expectations, I want to keep doing my best in producing the next episodes to come. We’ll be in your care from now on as well.”, and the World Premiere was over.