After the Great War and her time in it came to an end, Violet Evergarden is adrift. Her purpose was once only battle, and now she must find a new one. After recovering from the loss of her arms, Violet takes up a job at the CH Postal Services. Here she transcribes people’s thoughts into what should be emotional letters. However, the “emotional” part seems to greatly escape her, but she aims to learn how to move people with words.

Although it hosts some of that eye-drug KyoAni animation, Violet Evergarden gets off to a slow start. However, if you are into emotional anime, it is well worth sticking around. If you are already a fan, then give some of these anime recommendations like Violet Evergarden a try.

For Fans of Understanding Emotions

Your Lie in April

After the death of his mother, young musical prodigy Kousei Arima is left the professional music world unable to play the piano. However, after being urged to attend a concert by his friends in support of another friend, he watches the brilliant violinist Kaori Miyazono bend the score to her will. Watching her energetic playing brings color back to Kousei’s world and might be the key to breaking his musical block.

In Violet Evergarden, Violet is trying to understand the emotions of others, and in doing so, forms emotions about her own past. However, while she is stunted and needs to learn, for the rest of us, our adolescent years are about sorting out our own emotions. That is the tale that Your Lie in April tells – a story about being honest with your emotions.

Ancient Magus’ Bride

After being abandoned by her family, Chise Hatori is a 16-year-old teenager without hope. In order to not have to worry about herself, she sells herself to slavers, only to be purchased by Magus Elias Ainsworth. There she is told she will become his apprentice and, in the future, his bride. Together they work together to build a relationship and work to control her own magus powers that will eventually result in her early death.

The obvious similarity here is that they both feature female leads that are emotionally stunted in various ways. Throughout each story, they find things that make them understand what it is like to feel. However, what is most interesting about both these series are the unique worlds that they craft. They aren’t generic, and they are occasionally more interesting than the characters.

Anohana

After the death of childhood friend Meiko “Menma” Honma, Jinta Yadomi and his group of friends grew apart, each trying to deal with grief and guilt in their own way. However, when Jinta starts seeing what he believes to be Menma’s ghost, the group of friends are drawn together to help grant her long-desired wish.

There is nothing like a trauma to stop you from emotionally maturing. While that is the case in Anohana and not quite in Violet Evergarden, if you enjoyed watching Violet discover her own emotions, then this is a follow up for you.

For Fans of Human Tools

Plastic Memories

Tsukasa Mizugaki has failed his college entrance exams, but he manages to land a job at the Sion Artificial Intelligence Corporation. This corporation is responsible for the creation of Giftias, or highly advanced androids which are almost indiscernible from normal humans. However, unlike humans, Giftias have a maximum lifespan of around nine years and four months. Terminal Service One, the station Tsukasa was assigned to, is responsible for collecting Giftias that have met their expiration date, before they lose their memories and become hostile.

Violet, with her replacement arms and lack of emotion, seems pretty much like some sort of robot, but she was just raised to be a tool. As with any story about human tools, both of these shows are about the growing emotions of these women and all the feelings that come with that.

Gunslinger Girl

In Italy, the Social Welfare Agency rescues girls dying in hospitals and gives them a second shot at life using cybernetics. However, these girls are then brainwashed and turned into assassins that carry out missions for the government. Despite this, they are still children and crave recognition for those they love, even if that love is manufactured.

If you like emotionless little girls, then man, is Gunslinger Girl right for you. Furthermore, in Gunslinger Girl, you get some decent action, though not as beautiful as in Violet Evergarden. If there is one thing I wanted to see more in Violet Evergarden, it was more of that fighting.

Alice and Zoroku

Sana is a special girl who holds the power of Alice’s Dream, the ability to materialize anything she can imagine. After she escapes from a lab where she was a test subject, she ends up in Shinjuku where she meets an old man named Zouroku, but will he help her escape her pursuers?

Think of Alice and Zoroku like Violet Evergarden if it was set in another world and the story went another way. Violet was meant to be raised as a tool, but things went otherwise. Alice was raised as a tool and in escaping she found humanity and kindness in an old man.

For Fans of People Stories

Mushishi

In this world, there exist Mushi, spirits that often exist with no purpose. However, these Mushi can affect the physical world in countless forms from diseases to more pleasant phenomenon. Why do these Mushi exist? That is the question that Ginko the Mushi-shi, a researcher on the phenomenon, asks himself as he travels the land investigating Mushi-related incidents.

Like Violet Evergarden, Mushishi paints a unique (and beautiful) world in which it is shown off through the tale of one person. Throughout their story, they interact with a number of people in order to learn things. However, Violet Evergarden is more emotional while Mushishi can be more ponderous.

Kino’s Journey

Accompanied by her talking motorcycle, Hermes, Kino travels through her mysterious world, spending only three days and two nights in each town. The idea is that three days is enough to learn almost everything about a place. This is the story of her journey.

There is a certain point in Violet Evergarden where Violet goes on a journey and meets a bunch of interesting people, learning their stories. The whole of Kino’s Journey is basically that. She travels, she talks, she learns. However, Kino’s Journey is highly philosophical.

Spice and Wolf

For generations, Holo was a revered wolf deity that helped the local wheat harvest in exchange for tribute. However, as the villagers become more self-sufficient, they no longer need or even believe in her anymore. During her annual festival, she sneaks into the cart of Kraft, a visiting merchant, hoping he will let her hitch a ride home.

Like Violet Evergarden, Spice and Wolf is an anime about stories. Often times, it give little focus to the main story and you find your self wrapped up in all the side business that is going on. However, while Spice and Wolf has a pretty interesting world full of lore, it isn’t quite as amazing as Violet Evergarden.

If you have more anime recommendations like Violet Evergarden, then let fans know in the comments section below.