Iris steers the gang back onto the anime track with 2018's Violet Evergarden, a story about a girl who makes the ridiculous character journey from overpowered shōnen-esque child soldier to emotionally stunted post-war ghostwriter, all while tugging on our heartstrings through each individual episode. While Marcus and Iris drop the ball on watching the complementary film, we all get to delve deeply into the anime's vignette-style structure, the importance of written language and how its meaning translates, and the interesting post-war setting of a fictional faux-Germany that has palpable influence on the story's progression. Plus, what the hell does "Iron Giant-pilled" mean?! Content warning: SPOILERS, strong language.
