Original draft and plot written by Yoko Taro and actual script written by Kaoru Asakusa, YoRHa is a stage play which tells of the events before NieR:Automata. Taking place in 11,941, it tells the story of the Pearl Harbor Descent Mission during the 14th Machine War.[1] The events of the stage play have also been adapted into a manga series and episodes six and seventeen of the NieR:Automata Ver1.1a anime series.
Two vocal songs act as the opening and ending songs, Normandy and Guadalcanal.
Summary[]
During the 14th Machine Armament War in the year 11,939AD, humans are near extinction. With the invasion of the “Living Machines”, humanity had no choice but to abandon the planet, taking refuge upon the Moon. Their only hope lies in an armada of specially configured androids called “YoRHa”. Programmed with human emotions and feelings, they descend upon the surface of the planet to combat the ceaseless onslaught of the Machines.
With the destruction of No1 in the descent to the planet, No2 assumes command over all units… however reluctant and unsure of her own abilities. She remains this way throughout the entirety of the play; she keeps her black “visor” on the longest…only taking it off in the final scene when she faces the machines on her own.
After witnessing the destruction of her unit and the last of the Resistance, a failed android expedition hundreds of years before her time, No2 is alone among a cold, unfeeling world ruled by machines.[2]
Versions[]
The stage play was updated over time, leading to several distinct versions.[3]
- YoRHa Ver.1.0
- October 1-5, 2014
- YoRHa Ver.1.1
- May 23-31, 2015
- YoRHa Ver.1.2 Musical
- February 9-13, 2018
- Added Daisy
- Removed Sonia, Erica, Shion (Aster), Kalmia, Clematis, and Seed
- First version after the release of NieR:Automata.
- YoRHa Ver.1.3a
- Tokyo: July 4-7, 2019 / Osaka: July 11-14, 2019
- Added Wakaba, Term Omega, and Accord
- YoRHa Ver.1.3aa
Notable Characters[]
Commander White — YoRHa commander. Deceased.
Futaba — YoRHa operator unit. Deceased.
Yotsuba — YoRHa operator unit. Deceased.- YoRHa Attacker No.2 — YoRHa prototype unit. Unknown.
- YoRHa Scanner No.21 — YoRHa prototype unit from A2's team. Deceased.
- YoRHa Gunner No.16 — YoRHa prototype unit from A2's team. Deceased.
- YoRHa Attacker No.4 — YoRHa prototype unit from A2's team. Deceased.
- Rose — Former Leader of the Resistance. Deceased.
- Lily — Member of the Android's Resistance. Unknown.
- Anemone — Member of the Android's Resistance. Unknown.
- Margaret — Member of the Android's Resistance. Deceased.
- Dahlia — Member of the Android's Resistance. Deceased.
- Daisy — Member of the Android's Resistance. Deceased.
- Gerbera — Member of the Android's Resistance. Deceased.
Trivia[]
- NieR Reincarnation had a crossover event themed around the YoRHa Stage Play on September 7, 2023.