(Photography by James Chen)
Violet Evergarden Live In Concert’s tour through the United States has been a long time coming for fans in the States. Showcasing the unforgettable music from the anime adaptation of Violet Evergarden, its iconic vocal songs and instrumental score brought the story to life for an unforgettable evening at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on February 15.
(above: TRUE (Miho Karasawa))
Many fans around the world were first introduced to the story of Violet Evergarden through its anime adaptation produced by the legendary Kyoto Animation, which was initially broadcast and streamed in 2018. The story explores the titular character’s transition from the frontlines of war as a child soldier to the delicate art of emotional connection as a civilian.
The anime adaptation of Violet Evergarden was then followed by two feature-length films released in 2019 and 2020. Composer Evan Call created the unforgettable score underpinning all of the animated works, and contributed to the songs featuring vocals by TRUE (Miho Karasawa), Minori Chihara, and Aira Yuuki.
While it was unfortunate that Evan Call could not be present for the show, fans were in for a treat as all three Japanese vocalists who contributed to the original soundtracks would be performing. Violet Evergarden Live In Concert did not waste a single moment, as the show began with the iconic “Sincerely” - the opening theme of Violet Evergarden, performed by TRUE.
The song so perfectly emcompasses the overarching themes of Violet Evergarden: a sense of longing that perhaps cannot be fulfilled, being haunted by the past, the journey toward processing complex trauma and emotions.
Conducting the orchestra was the talented Thanapol Setabrahmana who, along with the incredible vocal prowess of TRUE, had the audience completely enthralled from the first song alone. Following a medley of songs from the score which was accompanied by video of key scenes from the series, the sniffling in the audience from overflowing emotions could already start to be heard.
(above: Minori Chihara)
Minori Chihara (affectionately nicknamed “Minorin”) performed “Amy”, the ending theme of the film “Violet Evergarden Gaiden: Eternity and the Auto Memories Doll”. The song’s themes of separation and longing, letters and communication, and unconditional love only added to the weight of emotions felt by fans - it wasn’t hard to spot fans who simply could not hold back the tears any longer.
Violet Evergarden Live In Concert was gracious enough to provide a short intermission - a much appreciated breather for fans to wipe away tears and reset themselves emotionally.
When the show resumed fans were given a special treat in the form of a duet with TRUE and Minori Chihara performing “Futarigoto”.
While “Futarigoto” was not featured in the Violet Evergarden animation works, it was created with the concept of “a simple song that can only be sung by two” and serves as a meta-commentary on the journey of Violet Evergarden with verses such as:
あらゆる語彙を試してみたけど
《I’ve tried my entire vocabulary》
ふさわしい何かは見つからない
《but still cannot find anything that fits》
(above: Aira Yuuki)
As the finale for the evening, Aira Yuuki once again takes the stage and performs “Violet Snow”, a song featured in the final episode of the Violet Evergarden series.
When all three vocalists reappear on stage to bid farewell to the audience, they are met with thunderous applause that lasts for a very long time. Just as the story of Violet Evergarden has resonated with fans for so many years, so too will the memories of this special evening.
