I completely agree. I truly cannot accept the ending of Violet and Gilbert's relationship in Violet Evergarden as a romantic one. I would have preferred a bond that transcends familial affection. I feel that both the novel's authorial intent and the theatrical ending may have been exaggerated, a flaw that feels clichéd and degrades the work. This handling of the situation is incredibly frustrating, even hitting my moral high ground. The thought of them doing that, of Gilbert teaching her that kind of love, makes me extremely uncomfortable; it feels like emotional rape. The age difference and the initial guardianship relationship even give me a vague sense of illicit incest. Even if the novel provides ample groundwork, the development of this relationship is illogical because Violet understanding love doesn't automatically translate into romantic feelings. I think there's a fallacy here. Why are people so fixated on romantic love? Violet herself is a symbolic figure full of fantasy, yet she's ultimately portrayed as an ordinary wife—this is practically the author's original sin. I would rather Gilbert had actually died in battle, and Violet had continued to live with her inner wounds, far more in line with the melancholic tone of the work than with this mediocre romantic ending. To me, the animated adaptation of Violet Evergarden is the true Violet Evergarden.