https://anilist.co/anime/135643/TheGrimmVariations/ This is an anthology on folktales and the Grimm in the title is a wordplay referring to two things: 1. The story is going to be grimhttps://www.google.com/search?q=grimoq=grimgslcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCggAEAAYsQMYgAQyCggAEAAYsQMYgAQyCggBEAAYsQMYgAQyCggCEAAYsQMYgAQyBggDEEUYPTINCAQQLhiDARixAxiABDIKCAUQABixAxiABDIQCAYQLhiDARixAxiABBiKBTIKCAcQABixAxiABDINCAgQLhiDARixAxiABDIKCAkQLhixAxiABNIBBzc3NGowajeoAgiwAgEclient=msandroidxiaomirvo2bsourceid=chromemobileie=UTF8 2. The stories picked were collected by Brothers Grimm Jacob and Wilhelm who are also the ones you see at the beginning of every episode. The little girl with them Charlotte is probably the authors selfinsert since shes the one who reimagines what all the tales we see supposedly. Before I go much in detail I want to preface that this anthology was more successful in making me search and know the original folktales than what it offered. Im not familiar with the all the folktales same as some of you but a quick Google search should summarize the content. Your knowledge and connection regarding the folktales will definitely decide your experience with this anthology. Spoiler Alert When the Damsel gives Distress This version of Japanese Cinderella vilanizes the Mary sue and victimizes the ugly bitches step sisters step mom. And I think this is a bit distasteful. It does a good job at keeping the sisters in a conundrum the sisters like wealth but do not like their stepsister because shes manipulative and afraid what she might do but they never try to escape and fight against her they simply accept her manipulation. Even though Kiyoko vilanizes them in front of their own mother as bitches they simply accept it. She corners them into believing they are bad people even though they are not as bad as Kiyoko making them to be. This part is well done even though I disliked it. But it did a pisspoor job at vilanizing Kiyoko. Theres no depth or any reason for the torture she simply thinks they are toys she talks to a toy because the story wants you to believe shes some emo crazy manipulator. This episode was most hard to get through but given the title its definitely a strong start. The agony was set in stone and all thats left is for you to decide. Do you want agonize with victims or laugh with the villain? When the Hunter becomes hunted Little Red Riding Hood is by far the lowest this show ever got. It had a strong opening with introducing the Wolf but whatever scifi shit they wanted to cook feels incomplete to say the least. Yet it spends half an episode explaining its own lore to tell how they reimagined it when all that was never utilized. As with the story its another turning the table situation as you might have guessed with my title that doesnt add anything not even entertainment. Its pretentious Id even say the original folktale was more fucked up than what this show did. Note: Little Red Riding Hood had many interpretations but I believe you know what the most fucked is. 3 ladies and a kid At this point I had this idea that I can jumble between the episodes since theres no rule to follow exactly as the episodes listed. And that really made me enjoy The Town Musicians of Bremen episode. While the setting is yet again unoriginal but the journey was good. So a Dog a Donkey a Cat a Rooster walk into a bar and blows it into smithereens. Thats all. Its straightforward definitely the least grim out of all but arguably the most fun I had. The character designs are appealing the fights were half decent and the conclusion was good. Something better than death we can find anywhere. A Short Neverland Hansel and Gretel is a good mystery and a good story as well. You have a Promised Neverlandish setup with kids dwindling in numbers unsuspectingly two redhead siblings venturing out of their space Isabellashttps://anilist.co/character/121701/Isabella twin sister and a witch. It got a bit of suspense a small adventure/mystery with an outoftheblue but decent bittersweet ending. The whole candy opening the doors is similar to the kids in folktale where the kids use the pebbles to work their way back to their home implying those candy were taking them home. Not a bad way to reference. Art and Order prevails us all Pied Piper of Hamelin is a bit unique episode and works on a core idea of the original folktale that art manipulates the immature. Probably the best and the only episode that has something to offer in terms of story and visuals as well. In a village devoid from the outside where any form of art is considered filthy a teacher finds a photo to lure his student. But the students imagination is far beyond than what they can comprehend. Art makes people follow their free will which disrupts order. This episode mainly speaks how art and order controls humanity even if theyre a result of our ideas We could debate on this. Grand code the towns head grandma whos really just a dictator fears that art makes people unpredictable. She also made it a rule that no one can enter or leave the town. And that the most intelligent are those who can supress their emotions. Maria fits this bill but theres a spark in Maria that everyone fears the spark of adventure and to see whats outside. Theres also something terrifying with how mature she can be for her age which eventually brings despair to the teacher and freedom for Maria. The animation especially when Maria embraces the piper is Ghibliesque. The backgrounds are top notch the character design is a bit generic but distinct enough to fit the characters. Probably the best episode. A Writer dont want to write... Elves and Shoemaker has planted an unease that I didnt had before. I actually wrote a few short stories and think a lot about what to write. But I never write. The most I did was to just write a dialogue or scene that I imaged in my notepad and rot it in my digital memory. I neither had any motivation to sit write or at least try to write for hours. Nor had I took any inspiration from anyone or anything. I write to sing in my little long words and dance with the sounds taps vibrations my phone makes as I print these letters. But this guy is different. Mr. N is born and celebrated for his juvenile talent but his legacy ended before it began. He is seen lightly by his neighbors editors random uncles and even the deity of literature. Yet he basks in his superior understanding and rejects the modern literature just like he was rejected by the world. Until one night when everything changed. His hand has written a story of 20 pages while hes unconscious. He thinks its him who have written and yet its also not him. This short story was like a comeback for him. But he found nothing in that work he understands nothing and he doesnt understand even more about all these people liking his work. But who cares? Editors lineup for his next work his ego is satisfied and more than anything now he gained an audience. But he later realizes that they are not his audience but rather they are the audience of his work. His honest work was never appreciated. And with an amazing short story his editor worried if he had become sick when he compared his honest work with his amazing work. For a man who worked hard well into his 30s and 40s as a writer to be called amateurish was devastating. He agonizes and sleeps once again only for another long novel to appear at his desk again its a work thats his and not his. Which was again celebrated more than his honest and conscious effort. At this point he gave up. Fine Ill be your puppet he thought. Ill lend my hand at night You fill your lines out of my sight On these squares from right to left Until Im nothing left But I enjoy the fruits of your work Sorry... My Work For I like pleasure more than pain For I live with this unending shame Im the celebrated The honored and the revered Mr. N The Man of the day The Ghost of the night. But as with everything his life comes to an end. However he was encountered by a little girl who trashed his honest work once again. Did you finish it? she asked Your story about a teenage murderer?. Who cares? I gave up on it he sighs. But I wanted to see that. Im interested in you because I thought you would change your work work for a better story. Not bask in my blessings she says. The fear of losing pleasure kicks in and Mr. N finally acknowledges that he is nothing. He deceives himself victimizes himself that he only wanted a place to belong that he wanted to fit in. And to all his anguish the girl replies You are not honest and I have no interest with dishonest people. Farewell. Oh how tragic it is. That a writer dont want to write. That all he imagines inspires and wants to be on the paper needs an honest physical and mental effort. How truly tragic it is to have a mind that wants to write but have a hand that wants to sleeps. ... He wants everything to be written Conclusion Best to Worst Pied Piper of Hamelin Episode 6 Hansel Gretel Episode 3 Elves Shoemaker Episode 4 Cinderella Episode 1 The Town Musicians of Bremen Episode 5 Little Red Riding Hood Episode 2 Thank you for reading.