NieR:Automata Ver1.1a ( ニーア オートマタ Ver1.1a, Nīa Ōtomata Ver1.1a) is an action-adventure anime series co-written by Ryoji Masuyama and Yoko Taro. It is an alternate universe adaptation of the video game NieR:Automata, differentiated by various plot changes and original scenes added to the story.
The anime was produced by A-1 Pictures under the supervision of PlatinumGames and Square Enix.
Introduction[]
The sudden aerial invasion of Earth by ＜Aliens＞ and
their creations ＜Machine Lifeforms＞ led mankind to the brink of extinction.
The surviving number of humans who took refuge on the moon to organize a counterattack using
＜android＞ soldiers to recapture Earth
However, the war reaches a stalemate as the ＜Machine Lifeforms＞ continue to multiply infinitely.
In turn, humanity deploys anew unit of android soldiers as an ultimate weapon: ＜YoRHa＞.
Newly dispatched to Earth ＜2B＞ joins ＜9S＞, the analyst currently stationed there,
where amid their mission, they encounter a myriad of mysterious phenomena...
This is the story of these lifeless ＜androids＞ and their endless fight for the sake of mankind.[1]
Staff[]
- Original Work: NieR:Automata (Square Enix)[2]
- Director: Ryoji Masuyama[2]
- Series Composition: YOKO TARO/Ryoji Masuyama[2]
- Character Design/Chief Animation Director: Jun Nakai[2]
- Action Director/Prop Design: Shun Tachibana[2]
- CG Action Director/Blender Supervisor: Masaki Inada[2]
- Blender Supervisor: Takahiro Kawakoshi[2]
- 2D Works: Mie Hiraga[2]
- Military Advisor: Kenichi Kaneko[2]
- Art Supervisor: Hiroshi Kato (totonyan)[2]
- Art Director: Hirofumi Sakagami (totonyan)[2]
- Art: totonyan[2]
- Art Setting: Takeshi Takahashi[2]
- Color Setting: Takahiro Mogi[2]
- CG Director: Yuusuke Noma[2]
- Sub CG Director: Takeshi Ookawa[2]
- Director of Photography: Toshiaki Aoshima[2]
- Editor: Akinori Mishima (Mishima Editing Room)[2]
- Music: MONACA[2]
- Sound Director: Yukio Nagasaki[2]
- Production Committee: Council of Humanity[2]
- Production: A-1 Pictures[2]
Cast[]
Characters[]
| Character | Description | Data |
|---|---|---|
 2B |
Official Name "YoRHa No.2 Type B" An all-purpose battle android deployed as a member of the YoRHa Soldiers and dispatched to the surface for the 243rd Descent Operation. She specializes in close-quarters combat. She tries to follow YoRHa's regulations that emotions are prohibited, and even amongst androids of the same type, 2B is comparatively cool, calm, and collected.[5] |
Type: YoRHa B-Type (Battle model) Affiliation: YoRHa Soldiers Sex: Female Type Height: 168cm (heels incl.) Weight: 148.8kg |
 9S |
Official Name "YoRHa No.9 Type S" Of the YoRHa Aircraft Soldiers, he specializes in exploration and research. His main role is collecting information, but by making full use of his hacking, he also supports combat models like 2B. Due to his role and characteristics, he is full of curiosity. Amongst androids of the same type, 9S is comparatively varied in his emotional expressions.[6] |
Type: YoRHa S-Type (Scanner model) Affiliation: YoRHa Soldiers Sex: Male Type Height: 160cm (boots incl.) Weight: 129.9kg |
 A2 |
Official Name "YoRHa Type A No.2" A prototype model that came before the current YoRHa Soldier units were officially instated, she is an Attacker model type that is currently no longer in use.[7] |
Type: YoRHa A-Type (Attacker model) Affiliation: YoRHa Soldiers? Sex: Female Type Height: 168cm (heels incl.) Weight: 139.2kg |
 Adam |
A mysterious and unique entity. Despite being a Machine Lifeform, his appearance closely resembles an android.[8] | Type: Machine Lifeform Sex: Male Type Height: 188cm Weight: 228.6kg |
 Eve |
A mysterious and unique entity. Despite being a Machine Lifeform, his appearance closely resembles an android.[8] | Type: Machine Lifeform Sex: Male Type Height: 188cm Weight: 228.6kg |
 Pascal |
A Machine Lifeform with a soft demeanor and gentle personality who is disconnected from the Machine Network that binds all Machine Lifeforms. Extensively knowledgeable, he created his own community where he lives with other like-minded Machine Lifeforms.[9] | Type: Machine Lifeform Sex: Unknown Height: 250cm Weight: 360.1kg |
 Commander |
The commander of the YoRHa Soldiers and Operators. She takes command of the YoRHa Soldiers based on the instructions from the Council of Humanity located on the moon.[10] | Type: Commander Affiliation: YoRHa Soldiers Sex: Female Type Height: 175cm (hair ornaments incl.) Weight: 166.8kg |
 Operator 6O |
A messenger who delivers orders and instructions from headquarters to the active YoRHa Soldiers on the ground. 6O is in charge of supporting 2B. She has a gentler and brighter personality compared to 21O.[10] | Type: YoRHa O-Type (Operator model) Affiliation: YoRHa Soldiers Sex: Female Type Height: 167cm (heels incl.) Weight: 145.5kg |
 Operator 21O |
A messenger who delivers orders and instructions from headquarters to the active YoRHa Soldiers on the ground. 21O is in charge of supporting 9S. She has a calmer and stricter personality compared to 6O.[10] | Type: YoRHa O-Type (Operator model) Affiliation: YoRHa Soldiers Sex: Female Type Height: 167cm (heels incl.) Weight: 145.5kg |
 Lily |
An android ground fighter affiliated with the Resistance. She displays behavior that may indicate she has something on her mind about 2B and the YoRHa Soldiers.[11] | Type: Android Affiliation: Resistance Sex: Female Type Height: 156cm Weight: 110kg |
 Pod 042 |
A tactical support unit accompanying 2B. In addition to adding support during battles, pods have a wide range of roles, including transport, enemy scouting, and communicating with the Bunker.[12] | Type: Tactical Support Unit Sex: Male Type Height: 74.8483cm (upper protrusion incl.) Weight: 228.6kg |
 Pod 153 |
A tactical support unit accompanying 9S. In addition to adding support during battles, pods have a wide range of roles, including transport, enemy scouting, and communicating with the Bunker.[12] | Type: Tactical Support Unit Sex: Female Type Height: 74.8483cm (upper protrusion incl.) Weight: 228.6kg |
 Jackass |
An android ground fighter affiliated with the Resistance. Since being dispatched to Earth for a past operation, she has engaged in combat and search missions on the surface. Curious to a fault, Jackass takes bold actions with the things that interest her. She is particularly good at handling explosives.[3] | Type: Android Affiliation: Resistance Sex: Female Type Height: 172cm Weight: 169.4kg |
 Devola |
Older model twin androids affiliated with the Resistance. They seem to be treated rather coldly within the unit. Although they are maintenance androids, they also engage in dangerous operations, even serving in the vanguard. Devola has wavy hair.[13] | Type: Android Affiliation: Resistance Sex: Female Type Height: 172cm (boots incl.) Weight: 159.6kg |
 Popola |
Older model twin androids affiliated with the Resistance. They seem to be treated rather coldly within the unit. Although they are maintenance androids, they also engage in dangerous operations, even serving in the vanguard. Popola has straight hair.[13] | Type: Android Affiliation: Resistance Sex: Female Type Height: 172cm (boots incl.) Weight: 163.2kg |
| Weapons created by aliens. They see androids as enemies and attack them. They come in a wide variety of sizes, types, and attack methods, such as bipedal walking and flying types.[14] | ||
| (Machine Lifeform Village Individuals) Special types of individuals among machine lifeforms that dislike conflict and have left the machine network to which the machine lifeforms belong. Most are calm and friendly. They have built a good relationship with the android Resistance and trade using each other's resources and areas of expertise.[15] |
||
| Type: ――― Affiliation: ――― Sex: ――― Height: ――― Weight: ――― |
Episodes[]
NieR:Automata Ver1.1a has 24 total episodes divided into two cours. The first cour aired from January 7 to July 23, 2023, while the second cour aired from July 5 to September 27, 2024.
Soundtrack[]
The NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Original Soundtrack is available through the Square Enix Store, as well as Apple Music.
- Cour 1
- Opening Theme: "escalate" by Aimer
- Ending Theme: "Antinomy" (アンチノミー) by amazarashi
- Cour 2
- Opening Theme: "Black Box" by LiSA
- Ending Theme: "Ashes and Prayer" by GEMS COMPANY
Development[]
During the first cour, the series had a production hiatus starting mid-January, 2023 for staff health reasons.[16] This hiatus concluded with the release of the fourth episode on February 18, 2023.[17]
The series then went on another staff health related hiatus that began in mid-March, 2023, ending in late July when the last remaining episodes of the first cour aired simultaneously. A teaser for the second cour of the anime was announced after the first cour's final episode, revealing several scenes from the anime's first cour and, amidst some visual noise, glimpses of 2B and 9S together.[18]
Promotional Files[]
- Cour 1 Promotional Files
- Cour 2 Promotional Files
Trivia[]
- Most episodes of the series, other than Episode 12, end with a post-credits scene featuring live-action puppets of the characters adapting the various endings of the game, as well as several new original endings. These live-action puppet endings were discontinued starting from Episode 20 and replaced by animated ending scenes of Pod 042 and Pod 153 discussing recent events in the story instead. The last two episodes of the anime series do not have any special ending scenes.
- Every eyecatcher of the series has short lines of UTF-8 hexdecimal code appear for a few seconds. These hidden messages also appear very briefly during certain scenes, and when translated to text, reveal various words and phrases in Japanese related to the story.
- Every episode in the series, besides the alternate name of Episode 24, is based on an ending from the original game.
Notable Differences Between Versions[]
There are a multitude of differences between the story in NieR:Automata Ver1.1a compared to the original NieR:Automata.
Cour 1[]
- Lily as the Resistance Leader
In the anime, the leader of the Resistance is an android named Lily. In the game, the Resistance leader is an android named Anemone who has a history with A2. During the Pearl Harbor Descent, before the events of NieR:Automata, Anemone was part of the Resistance led by her higher-ranked Captain, Rose. They met up with A2 (known as No.2 at the time) and three other YoRHa androids to destroy a machine server in Mt. Ka'ala. The mission was successful, but most of the group died in battle. Lily (referred to as Lilly) was among that team and perished. Anemone took on the leadership role for the remaining Resistance and thought herself to be the only survivor, until she heard about A2 in the events of NieR:Automata. The anime adaptation changes this by having Anemone die during the Pearl Harbor Descent, where she then is replaced by Lily as the Resistance leader.
- A More Concerned Commander White
In the game, Commander White often puts the mission before the safety of her own units. She has a cold demeanor and rarely shows care for the YoRHa androids she sends into battle. Any compassion that she shows is spread throughout other NieR media such as the orchestral concerts and novellas.
In the anime, Commander White has a side that she doesn't show anyone when she is talking to the Council of Humanity. Commander White expresses great concern when she has to send her units on suicidal missions and when YoRHa is not allowed to provide support, emphasizing how she is as much a puppet as the other androids.
- Adam's Revenge Instead of Eve's
In the game, 2B battles and defeats Adam in the Copied City he created to save 9S. Eve later learns of Adam's death and proceeds to seek revenge on the androids, seeing the world as meaningless without his brother.
In the anime, these events proceed much differently. 2B walks through a space resembling a church, an area that is not present in the game, before breaking through a door. She and Adam then fight in a replica of the Library, which in the game only appears in the Tower. Just before Adam's defeat, Eve intervenes and takes the killing blow. While 2B takes 9S away to repair him, Adam mourns over the loss of his "younger brother" and causes the other machines on the network to attack Resistance members as revenge.
- Other Notable Changes
- In Episode 3, when 9S is asked what is inside his fanny pack, he replies that it's a secret. Later, during Episode 11, it is revealed that what 9S kept inside the pack was actually Type-4O Fists, an event that does not occur in the game.
- In Episode 6, Daisy is shown to be part of Rose's squad. In the in-game documents retelling the story, (Anemone: Encounter), Daisy is not mentioned. She was originally created for version 1.2 of the YoRHa stage play, which came out after the game.
- Emil does not appear as a traveling shop, with his head instead merged into a tree near Pascal's Village. A hacking scan by 9S creates a short flashback sequence referencing the original NieR, with Nier, Yonah, Grimoire Weiss, and Kainé making brief cameos.
- During Episode 7, in the fight between A2 and 2B, A2's sword ends up breaking, an event that does not occur in-game. However, during Episode 12 in a scene where machines are sending data transmissions across the landscape, A2 can be briefly seen holding the Type-4O Blade again, likely a spare or replacement.
- The Lost Girl side quest leads to the Forest Kingdom instead of the Desert Zone, and the Forest Kingdom survivor, Little Sister's Groom, becomes another inhabitant of Pascal's Village.
- The Grün Goliath machine encounter never happens in the anime, with 2B and 9S visiting the coastal ruins instead to find Jackass until 9S is captured by Adam.
- During Episode 9, in the fight between Adam and 2B, Adam makes a copy of 2B's sword during the battle.
- In the same episode, Adam builds multiple body copies of 9S to fight 2B, an event that does not occur in-game.
- The game's original soundtrack piece titled "Become as Gods" was replaced with a variation called "Become as Eve" in the anime.
- During Episode 11, a berserk Adam transforms into a monster that resembles ones that appear in NieR Reincarnation, an event that does not occur in the game. The battle afterwards between the YoRHa androids and Resistance against Adam is also an original scene that is more lengthy and dramatic.
Cour 2[]
- Beginning of Route C
During Episode 13, the anime adaptation begins to somewhat diverge from Route C of the game. 2B and 9S are paired together for a scouting mission, unlike in the game where they operate separately in preparation for YoRHa's assault to reclaim Earth. This causes them to be brought into the events of the Amnesia side quest, which happens much earlier in the game. The two androids then explore a hidden shrine (heavily implied to be a ruin of Facade) in an anime-original scene to arrive at the Shopping Mall area. 2B reveals her secret of being a Type-E android who has killed 9S multiple times in the past before executing him once more. This revelation of her identity to the audience comes at the very end of Route C of the game.
- Emil
Emil's head is somehow released from the tree near Pascal's Village, after which he encounters 2B and 9S in the Shopping Mall. This is similar to in-game events, however in-game this takes place much earlier. Episode 20 reveals Emil's head can still be seen on the tree in the village (heavily implying that one of the heads is an Emil clone as explained in the game's lore). Emil's Shop does not appear in the anime, leaving his head's fate unknown.
- YoRHa's Assault and Destruction
YoRHa's assault against the machines to reclaim Earth and its destruction in Route C is somewhat different from the game. 9S is in command of other Scanner models and operates separately from 2B for a majority of the assault. A lengthier anime-original scene of the battle also has the Resistance participate and fight against a group of Goliath-class machines before 9S realizes YoRHa and 2B are in danger as the Red Girls can be seen infiltrating the Bunker. When 2B and 9S return to the Bunker, a hacked Operator 6O speaks for the Red Girls before being killed by Commander White, while the game has her die off screen. 2B and 9S's escape back to Earth also has 9S crash-land in the desert, where he encounters Hegel rather than arriving in the City Ruins.
- Story Divergence in A2 and 9S's Route C Paths
The anime adaptation diverges from the game's story in many notable ways, starting from Episode 19. 9S encounters Operator 21O outside the Tower rather than later on inside the God Box. Operator 21O also impales herself on her blade instead of being killed by A2 like in the game. Meanwhile, Pascal's village is not infected by machines going berserk, instead being invaded by an army of enemy machines that he, A2, and the rest of the village defend from. When 9S reaches the Meat Box resource station, he encounters a group of non-combatant machines inside unlike in the game where all the occupants are hostile.
These story changes continue in Episode 20. A2, Pascal, and the village machines successfully repel the enemy machine army in an anime-original scene, but their initial victory is lost when more machines invade afterwards. This causes the destruction of Pascal's Village, unlike in the game where it was destroyed by berserk villagers. Pascal and the surviving children attempt to escape to the Resistance Camp instead of the Abandoned Factory. This causes A2 to confront a Goliath-class machine near the City Ruins where she reveals her "Berserk Mode," which is far more powerful than in the game, instead of earlier on in the story.
The events of Episode 21 continue these story divergences. The Resistance Camp is infected in an anime-original sequence by a zombie-like virus from one of the child machine lifeforms, causing the deaths of Lily, Jackass, and all other Resistance Androids aside from Devola and Popola, unlike in the game where the whole Resistance Camp survives to the end. The machine children also meet their demise like in the game, only the anime adaptation has one of the children devour the others to stop them from feeling fear anymore. Pascal's fate afterwards is to self-destruct, unlike the game where he either has his memories erased, disappears, or is killed by A2 depending on the player's choice. Meanwhile, 9S reaches the last "box" where, unlike in the game, he encounters no hostile machines or A2 aside from a clown machine lifeform. After entering, he discovers 2B's Flight Unit containing her final message to him, which in the game occurs in the Flooded City instead as an optional scene.
- Anime Original Ending
The final episode of the series, Episode 24, has an anime-original ending inspired by a combination of Routes C, D, and E of the game.
A2 faces off against 9S on top of the Tower where she is hacked by him in an anime-original scene as a method of psychological attack. She resists, defeating 9S like in Route C of the game, only to encounter the remnants of the Machine network, which offer her to come with them in their spacefaring ark like 9S is asked in Route D. The Tower collapses, causing A2 to perish as Pods 042 and 153 bring 9S's body to safety. The end credits with "The [E]nd of YoRHa" title begin, but are then interrupted in a similar fashion to the game's Route E as the two Pods reconsider Project YoRHa. All other YoRHa Pods gather to battle Pods 042 and 153 as they rebel to defend 2B and 9S's bodies, and after they are victorious and repair the androids, they perish. The ending then depicts the two androids awakening, with an anime-original cameo by Accord as she repairs A2 elsewhere. The final episode concludes with a rewritten original title, "Alternative [E]den."
- Other Notable Changes
- The anime adaptation focuses more on A2 before her actual role in the game's main story. It is revealed YoRHa had been spying on her activities for some time, including a moment where she can be seen wielding a Type-4O Blade.
- Multiple events from YoRHa: Dark Apocalypse and NieR Reincarnation are referenced in the anime.
- 10H, an android from the novella A Much Too Silent Sea and NieR Reincarnation, appears briefly in Episode 15.
- It is also revealed in Episode 15 that Commander White has a weapon similar to a light dagger, which is activated through the brooch on her dress.
- In Episode 16, 2B does not fall into the Flooded City as in the game, but rather into the City Ruins, getting closer to the Shopping Center.
- In Episode 17, A2 does not wake up at the entrance to the Shopping Center as in the game, but in Pascal's Village under the care of Pascal.
- In Episode 18, A2 spends most of her time in Pascal's Village before encountering Lily, while the game has her travel into the Desert area to defeat Hegel before seeking out the Resistance.
- In Episode 19, Operator 21O is converted into a B unit with the callsign 21B. Unlike the game however, 21O merges the network with the other infected YoRHa units and almost kills 9S before he ventures to the Meat Box. With little consciousness left, 21O impales herself with the standard issue YoRHa blade to shutdown the network, finally praises 9S, and transfers the data about the Tower onto him before drawing her final breath, which only furthers 9S's mental breakdown.
- In Episodes 19, 20, and 21, the "boxes" are located in different locations than in the game:
- The Meat Box is located in the Flooded City instead of the Forest Zone.
- The Soul Box is located in the Desert Zone instead of the Flooded City.
- The God Box is located in the Forest Zone instead of the Amusement Park.
- The God Box in Episode 21 is hollowed, only containing several monitors and 2B's Flight Unit that broadcasts 2B's final messages.
- In Episode 22, there is an anime-original scene of 9S encountering a past-version of himself when he hacks into the Tower to then learn about 2B's true identity as 2E.
- Also in Episode 22, the sequence at the beginning of the episode confirms that Brother Nier is canon to the anime adaptation timeline.
- In Episode 23, Devola and Popola are infected by a virus. Popola succumbs to her injures and Devola is killed by A2, while in the game they both die from their injuries.
- Also in Episode 23, the Red Girls begin to have a conflicted consciousness after observing A2, unlike in the game where A2 was more directly involved in fracturing their minds after hacking into the Tower's network to confront them.
- Also in Episode 23, 9S and A2 face Ro-Shi and Ko-Shi separately in battle on foot before reaching the top of the Tower. The game instead had 9S defeat a small squadron of YoRHa Flight Units before hijacking one to fly to the top while battling Ro-shi, with A2 taking an elevator at the same time while confronting Ko-shi.
- Also in Episode 23, Ro-Shi and Ko-Shi destroy each other due to the Red Girls' conflicted consciousness, unlike in the game where they join together to become a larger machine unit, causing A2 and 9S to form a temporary alliance to destroy them.
Media[]
- Cour 1
- Cour 2
- General Merchandise
- Artwork
Links[]
- Official Website (JP)
- Official Website (EN)
- Official Twitter (JP)
- Official Twitter (EN)
References[]
- ↑ NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Introduction, NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Official Website. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25 2.26 2.27 2.28 2.29 2.30 2.31 2.32 2.33 2.34 2.35 2.36 2.37 2.38 2.39 2.40 2.41 2.42 2.43 2.44 2.45 2.46 2.47 NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Staff/Cast List, NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Official Website. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Character Detail: Jackass, NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Official Website. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Character Detail: Red Girls, NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Official Website. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ↑ NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Character Detail: 2B, NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Official Website. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ↑ NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Character Detail: 9S, NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Official Website. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ↑ NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Character Detail: A2, NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Official Website. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Character Detail: Adam and Eve, NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Official Website. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ↑ NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Character Detail: Pascal, NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Official Website. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Character Detail: Bunker, NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Official Website. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ↑ NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Character Detail: Lily, NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Official Website. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Character Detail: Pods, NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Official Website. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Character Detail: Devola and Popola, NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Official Website. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ↑ NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Character Detail: Machine Lifeforms, NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Official Website. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ↑ NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Character Detail: Village Machine Lifeforms, NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Official Website. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
- ↑ Justin Carter (January 22, 2023). Nier Automata's Anime Adaptation Put On Ice Due to Covid, Gizmodo. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ↑ Nick Valdez (February 11, 2023). Nier: Automata Sets Release Date for Anime's Return From Hiatus, Comicbook.com. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ↑ 隔壁馬內醬 (July 24, 2023). 動畫《尼爾：自動人形 Version 1.1a》第二季製作確定！公開預告 PV, Para Daily. Retrieved November 25, 2024.