NieR:Automata Ver1.1a

Anime adaptations that attempt to capture the essence and depth of the story and characters of a video game nearly always end up failing in doing the source material justice, unfortunately. This is because adapting such an intricate and interactive medium like video games–which typically have multiple branching paths and endings based on player choices and actions as well–into a linear narrative and with the need to condense a lengthy gaming experience into a handful of episodes, may as well be likened to the adversity of defying causality itself. It inevitably leads to a rushed storyline, lack of characterization and cast development, the omission of ... plot points, and a less immersive experience in general. And so, NieR:Automata Ver1.1a–which sought to adapt one of the most acclaimed video games of all time and one that fully utilizes the mechanisms of the complex medium in which it resides–seemed almost predestined to disappoint as yet another disappointing VG-to-anime adaptation. Of course, no one in their right mind was expecting this to parallel the game itself, but it’s regrettable that at its best it wasn’t something more than merely satisfactory; Ver 1.1a is still remarkably superior to most others like it and as a standalone anime, it isn’t even bad.

The anime’s biggest flaw is its inability to create atmosphere, which is conversely one of the game’s biggest strengths complemented by a patient story. This is especially problematic when atmosphere is fundamental to Nier Automata’s compelling, thematically rich and very visual storytelling and how Yoko Taro would funnel a lot of his creative direction through; sometimes powerfully enough to even recontextualize the world he’s concocted. Nier Automata is set in a beautiful post-apocalyptic world where futurism is overrun with greenery, yet the anime never leans into this hauntingly desolate, atmospheric world except for once in episode 2 with the anime-original opening sequence involving the Machines. The pensive sadness of Nier Automata is lost to mere opaqueness because it fails to use silence to tap into the potential of its world for the narrative it wants to tell, which consequently jeopardises the plot and characters as they are not yet interesting enough to stand on their own. This whilst relying on still frames and sometimes exposition dumps leads to the anime underselling otherwise emotional key story beats, and it makes the story feel like it’s preoccupied with moving from plot point A to B despite its commendable efforts to avoid that so it can manage with the handful of episodes it was dealt with in order to condense such expansive content into. In retrospect, the hasty execution of the anime; obviously owing to an atrocious production schedule that was overbearing the staff; was indicative from the quality of the premiere in all its low frame-rate, zero-compositing CGI glory; which was also just a 1:1 adaptation of the prologue devoid of any artistry intent on specializing the content for a 20-minute-length TV format. Let alone the third delay five episodes later which resulted in a four-month hiatus.

However, the art direction and series composition cannot be ignored for their merits. And the score is of course palatial, using OSTs directly from the game. Regardless of the immersion-busting CGI and very average animation, the art direction expressly displays an appreciation for aesthetics with its gorgeous character models and beautiful background art, accompanied by a refined color palette harmonious with the overarching mood of the series. This isn’t all too surprising considering the works of art that were the key visuals for this title. Regarding series composition, Ryouji Masuyama the director intended to leave everything from the source material unchanged before Yoko Taro insisted otherwise, and I believe that change was for the better. It justifies the existence of this adaptation, and the mixing of the game’s story with its scattered supplemental content alongside the subtle–occasionally witty–fanservice is very much appreciated. The anime-original content is nothing to write home about, but it is respectful of the pre-established story’s sensibilities. All of this shows the meritorious effort of this adaptation and it confutes the bystanding impression that this is just another soulless cash-grab. I just wish it had properly put these strengths to use. There are amazing background shots which the anime doesn’t allow to linger and enrich its atmospheric narrative with, the elegant music from the game is only used for 10 seconds between scenes, and the pacing is plagued with inconsistencies where less important plot points drag on with uncomfortable lethargy whilst others are quickly transitioned through or skipped altogether with negligence towards thematic exploration. The direction is chiefly monotonous and this makes the story’s presentation lacklustre.

There are glimpses of excellence in NieR:Automata Ver1.1a, but its faults ultimately make this a somewhat mediocre and forgettable anime as a standalone title. The 2D visuals and the music must be praised, and the efforts in which it takes to be an inoffensive swerving from becoming a pointless 1:1 adaptation as an inferior product is also worthy of that same praise. But aside from needing to have played the game to sincerely appreciate most of the aforementioned merits; even if you have, the direction remains predominantly monotonous for a source material with such artistry and this results in a debilitated presentation of oftentimes dull executions of the powerful themes and world wielded by Nier Automata. Unfortunately, the haemorrhaging production schedule did no favors for the patient narrative either and this anime deserved so much better than having its reputation tarnished by a huge hiatus.

Watch this after you’ve already played the game. The anime being your first exposure to Nier Automata isn’t ideal. But at the same time, this certainly isn’t an offensive disaster of an adaptation enough to leave a bitter aftertaste either. As I said, Ver 1.1a isn’t a bad anime by itself; the story and the art direction are still much better than average. It isn’t a second-rate product to the video game struggling to justify its existence like many VG-to-anime adaptations fall victim to the fate of, and there is evidently charm to it. So you can’t go wrong with picking it up as supplemental content. And seriously, play the video game already if you haven’t… Nier Automata marked a landmark step in video game storytelling because arguably for the first time ever, video games went toe-to-toe with the likes of film and literature in the philosophical arena. It’s a metafictive, nihilistic yet hopeful postmodern masterpiece. Its themes of existentialism, identity, free will and determinism, consciousness and emotion, transcendence and evolution etc are timeless, and they’re explored with sophisticated intricacy. Even if Ver 1.1a was a stellar anime adaptation with industry-setting cinematography, it still wouldn’t completely capture the ethereal beauty of this title because of how extensively it utilizes the complex medium in which it resides.

Some shows are virtually inseparable from the narratives surrounding their creation, and for 2023’s *NieR: Automata Ver1.1a*, it had two narratives that it needed to reconcile. The most-obvious of the two was its troubled production life, subjected to delays that finally led to a months-long hiatus before at last returning to remind the anime community that it was, indeed, still a thing. Wondering whether it was actually Covid, or if that was just a convenient excuse to make up for the lack of time, is ultimately not the point. What does matter is that it was plagued with much woe, leaving all involved in the ... ruins of a production to salvage; the long separation equated to something akin to a Game Over, needing to restart from the last save point and do some level grinding before it finally could set itself back on the course to the end.

The other was pertaining to its original source material. Leaving the thematic content aside, *NieR: Automata* is an oddity among hack-and-slash, as its elements are more than simply in the service of telling a story. They have a habit of encroaching themselves on the relation between the player and the game; the game’s menu itself becomes susceptible to manipulation and corruption and the UI tinkers with both space and gameplay, leaving things to unfold in ways that defy common video game convention. Since the whole was envisioned as a game first with this form of presentation inherent to the experience, any adaptation would need to wrestle with trying to transfer these qualities into television format, or revoke them altogether and buckle down purely on television presentation principles instead. Honestly, it’s an undertaking as vast as the environment’s scope and as thick as the plot. It has to find its own mettle and forge a justification to argue why it’s a worthwhile addition to the dystopic science-fiction universe.

As an entity, *NieR: Automata Ver1.1a* could best be thought of as a story that underwent its own character arc over the span of its twelve episodes, and in juxtaposing where it was to where it finished, I cannot help but be pleasantly surprised at the change that resulted. Watching the first episode felt like an insult, a carbon copy of the game both in image and dialogue. Whether it was directly lifting the iconography of the tutorial or using the original game’s soundtrack, it had no blood. Flying down an empty corridor is far more thrilling as a gamer trying to dodge pipes than as a passive observer watching. At the most cynical, it felt as though *NieR: Automata Ver1.1a* was doomed to be an adaptational zombie, simply executing the pre-programmed motions of the whole via autopilot and not having anything to call its own. This was to say nothing of the end of the episode, which took 2B’s famously existential soliloquy and had to transform it into something romance-adjacent to make it more relatable. Perhaps the series was inadvertently utilizing one of the central concepts of the story – the supposition of human culture to fill the lack of culture for machines. All you’d need to do is replace a couple of words in that last sentence and you’d be all set.

Yet little by little, the show found a new foundation to lay itself upon. It seemed that, in the interim between episodes one and two, writer-director Masuyama Ryouji remembered that the world of *NieR: Automata* has too many riches and should not take the shorter approach by casually retelling the story that fans already knew. A new adaptation meant new opportunities, and the anime found them. It comes in the form of both entire plot threads within episodes, or in tiny peppering throughout that add a splash of spice or color to the story the adaptation is naturally obligated to tell. It does not need to be a slave to following 2B and 9S every minute, at times drawing influence from other sources of the *NieR*-verse within the dramaturgy; it affords itself the opportunity to digress away and focus on something else within the narrative that the game simply wasn’t able to do because of the inherent restrictions of its mechanics or otherwise. To perhaps phrase it another way, when *NieR: Automata Ver1.1a* moves past the specter of its “original self,” it manages to cultivate a NEW “original self” synthesized out of its inspirations and into a distinct entity. Even as the adaptation combines the source’s stories [A] and [B] and cannot diverge too far out of necessity, it proves to be as malleable as Pascal’s body, adopting a new form or function. And oftentimes, it is within the quiet, almost-surreal placidness of the world that the series is at its most comfortable, allowing its world to be lived in with its Machines rather than blown up in fiery goodness. Rather than use the word “grower” to refer to it, the series could best be called a “learner.”

To be sure, it can only go so far in this respect. In true spirit of its hack-and-slash origin, *NieR: Automata Ver1.1a* has to bring the action at various points, and the staff’s production woes do make their presence known. The movements come across as smooth, though not with the same sense of freedom and poise that tends to define the best of anime action. 2B and 9S can indeed move through space with fluidity, but the storyboarding or choreography cannot quite give them the full release of spectacle that is being sought. It is far from ideal, but it is not garish or ugly, except when the red-purple orbs appear and call all the more attention to its video game origins (they’re easy to dodge with a controller, but not to watch with the eyes). It ultimately makes for a bit of a mixed blessing. Though maybe it doesn’t matter nearly so much this time around the factory; one could argue that we have been spoiled by sakugafests and that this anime’s general sense of action could never quite hit the full stride, but there is an indelible quality to the sequences that does ring as sincere. The fact that the action sequences are as good as they are is a godsend given the circumstances involved.

That, perhaps, summarizes *NieR: Automata Ver1.1a* better than anything else. At first flush, the anime seemed poised to be pale a shadow of the original, dwarfed in concept, aesthetic, and story underpinning. Somehow, it managed to patch itself and learn in several capacities and touched upon the inherent wonder that lay within. It’s a rarity that an anime (adaptation or otherwise) manages to pick itself up and dust itself off in the same way that this did, though it could only achieve so much given the restrictions involved both in exploration and in manpower. In that vein, it has created in its wake something that is almost *NieR*, but not quite.

You have unlocked ending [A].

_______________

…though, perhaps I’m looking at this the wrong way, so let’s try another angle instead: this is a production that, in more ways than one, should not be what it is. Every sign at the start seemed to hint at an impending implosion, yet through small miracles, it patched itself and learned in an effort to achieve self-actualization. Because it could never understand or explore the totality of it all, it chose instead to be the most “thing” that it could in the time that it had, however imperfectly. In that vein, it might actually be the most-*NieR* thing of all.

You have unlocked ending [B].

I do feel like it's a bit hard to really rate NieR as an anime product, when as per normal, Game adaptations are normally hit or miss. But in the case of NieR, instead of being a title that either not many know, or it isn't as widely regarded. In NieR's case, they're not only well established in the gaming world, but they're well loved too. For it's deep story, characters, and many plot points that really hit you deep in the feels. It's as if NieR breaks that mold of 'OK' or 'not good' game stories, as it's a story that is well received, ... and long as it's translated well into an anime setting, will help drive it forward in the long run.

Despite that however, I would say to still play and experience the games first hand. While the anime stands on it's own feet in it's own right, the game will for sure stand more so. Which isn't a negative, more that the anime itself, will sell itself to new viewers of the series,to sell the game and it's world to them, to be enjoyed and experienced for all.

Story and characters: 8
What NieR has, as the drive to see more, to wonder more, when it comes to the characters, world building, and it's story. They could introduce you, to the most random of character, but the writing is so good and strong, by the end of it, you would've cared for the character, and wanted them to succeed. That's how good the quality of writing is.

We're set in the far future, where humanity has fled to the moon, or most of what was left of it. Leaving most androids among other machine like beings to roam it, and settle their own differences, mostly through battles of combat, and much more. I don't wanna go into touch detail, as honestly the main selling point of NieR and it's story, is to experience it first hand. Rather than reading through a review for it. As NieR will make you sad, it'll make you feel happy, a game that can do that, is a game worth playing, and if it translates well into anime form, then it'll do te same here.

Art and sound: 8
I don't see the big issue here honestly. No matter how certain things look, when it's put in certain lightning, it really fits in so well with the overall product, that it looks fine in general. The style itself on the other hand, really fits the themes of the show. With it being set in a very devastating future, that to the point, it's a wonder how there is even life around these parts. You really feel the sense of dread, and lack of life. With a good quality of sound in order to match that up and more so. Smoothly animated, and good looking for it's themes. Great stuff.

NieR is a good adaptation of it's source material, of which that you should not only be watching, but also playing. If you enjoy this, I would go and download NieR and play it. Much like I would recommend this.

NieR: Automata, is one of the best games that has been released. If you have played through it, you know 100% what I am talking about and how deep the story of the game goes. It is no surprise to us that A-1 Pictures picking up this masterpiece, would be this good.
I cannot express enough on how much the game had an impact in my life when I finished it. And after 6 years, here I am writing a review on an anime adaptation that I never dreamt would be possible.

Story: 10 (Masterpiece)
As I said before, there is no surprise that the story that the ... infamous Yoko Taro built is very close to perfection. The world building mixed in with the creativity of the mistery of what is happening in it, makes you uneasy to the point where some times you stop just to ask yourself "What is being alive?". Without spoiling much, I can only tell you that from episode 3 forward, things will get really interesting to the point where I'm sure you just want to know what will happen next episode.

Adaptation: 9.5 (Masterpiece)
I'm a big fan of the whole Nier universe, and to be honest, I think the adaptation is very close to perfection. The references, the music, the voice acting, the characters emotions... I feel like it's way too good to be true sometimes. If you see people that are "fans" of the game, start arguing on how the adaptation is bad because "They skipped 2 hours of gameplay" ignore them. First of all, it is a lie since the adaptation of a game that has 21 hours of main objectives and 40 more hours to complete the rest of the game, you wouldn't expect them to drag the anime for 180 episodes(roughly 60 hours) just to show you details of the game, so they mostly show you small references on what happens on various routes the game and the main plot (which again, to me just makes sense).
They even animated 2B's ladder climb, what a legendary studio.

Sound: 10 (Masterpiece)
The opening is a banger, Aimer was a great choice on this one. The theme "Escalate" is really touching. I've been listening to this music nonstop since ep 1 was released, and to be honest, if you end the anime or played the game, the song's lyrics reflect perfectly what Nier: Automata is all about.
Voice acting, soundracks from the game, Ufotable level sound desing. I cannot explain further. You willcry on some of the soundtracks.

Characters: 9.5 (Great piece)
Their emotions, theit lines, the way they interact with each other, it is so unique that you 100% won't ever see anything like this again. The love that you build for the characters the more the time passes by, it's perfect. The introduction of new characters in the anime feel very refreshing compared to the game where at the start you are bombarded with information. This might be me since I know the story already, but I think it is at least more understandable now since there are not too many text boxes to read and a lot of characters to know the name from the get go.

Animation: 9 (Great)
Don't let others fool you by saying the CG is bad in this anime, surely they didn't watch overlord or Berserk remake. To make the CG perfect, they would have needed to make a colab with studio Orange. People need to start thinking that there are some studios that are way too 2D focused to have a team make the 2 second CG for episode. This is no Violet Evergarden, but going through the trouble of animating the sequences perfectly aligned with the game "map", I just gotta clap and say "thank you". To me this is the best animation A-1 Pictures has put out yet.

Enjoyment: 10 (Masterpiece)
I'm enjoying this anime very much, 100% my favourite anime of the season and probably will be of the year as well if everything continues on like this. If you are a fan of the game and you are not enjoying this as much as I am, it's fine. Everyone enjoys anime in a different way. I ask you don't go out of your way to write false claims about the game "that you played", just to ruin the experience for viewers that didn't play the game.

Final Score: 9.66
As my final words, this is a very enjoyable show with lots of things too look into. Theories of mysteries yet to be solved, characters that are much more puzzling that meets the eye, feelings for robots that wou would never thought you would have, and much more.
As a hint for the people that are new to this, I highly recommend you to play the game before watching the anime, but either way it is very enjoyable nonetheless.

"NieR:Automata Ver1.1a" is not bad, just DISAPPOINTING. I'm a huge fan of the "NieR" universe and this show made me feel LOST too many times (and not in the good way...) There were some episodes that did GREAT things with the lore (spoiler alert: A2's "origin" and those promising glimpses of Replicant) and THAT IS what this show should've been: a COMPLEMENT to its source material, NOT an intent to tell its story in a WAY shorter and less complex form of media. "Is this for newcomers or veterans?" I wonder, because I can't see myself feeling satisfied as any of them. Art and animation ... are average at best, with a couple moments of brilliancy, but too many of mediocrity (also, those gratuitous butt-shots of 2B are cringy to say the least). The OP song by Aimer is horrendous (and I love Aimer), but at least Amazarashi's ED one doesn't feel that off. Not a negative word for the rest of the OST, though (and voice acting), as it's taken straight from the video game... but sadly misused more than once. In short: this show could've been REALLY "something" if CHANGES were for the sake of a new experience and not for an "easy way out" (and if its overall quality was WAY better). As it is, I can't honestly recommend "Ver1.1a". Want "NieR"? Play the games. That, you won't ever regret.

As someone who's played the Nier Automata game and Nier replicant remake (All time favorite game), I really like this anime. At first when I watched it I thought it was just going to be a literal copy paste of the games, but after watching for some time I realize that there is really a lot of added content that I wish was in the games as well, mostly in the character relationships between 2B and 9S, as well and even more so Adam and eve, I absolutely love their interactions. In the beginning it may seem like a carbon copy of the game but ... it really isn't. I would recommend playing at least Nier replicant before watching this though, as there's some connections that you won't be able to make unless you do, but personally I feel like this will end up being a really cool way of telling the game's story and it's surpassing my expectations at the moment.

NieR: Automata tackles the philosophical theme of meaning and existential despair, it revolves around topics such as finding your cause, finding a reason to live, a reason to fight, and the profound feeling of despair over that struggle. It has an incredible story and some of the best action combat systems ever developed, and while it's not the best-looking title out there, it's still a beautiful one. It's one of the best games of all time, I hope this anime will live up to expectations.

And I also recommend you to play the game and/or read the Light Novel to fully experience Yoko Taro's Obra ... Maestra.

If you live on this planet, you have probably heard of Nier Automata, the legendary video game created by Yoko Taro and released in 2017.

I am a big fan of the video game and I really waited for the premiere of this anime with great excitement and expectations. Nier Automata has an extraordinary story, incredible characters, and truly impressive plot twists that made me fantasize to the fullest of what could be achieved by turning this game into an anime series.

However, there is an absolute reality that clearly escaped Yoko Taro and that I did not count on: the narrative of a video game is ... completely different from the narrative of an anime.

In a video game, you are the protagonist. The player delves into the adventure and discovers, thanks to their own effort, every corner of it. The player forms "bonds" with other characters, and, thanks to the decisions they make, despite being a linear story, there are never two video game adventures alike. Nier Automata is an impressive video game that in a few minutes manages to transport the player to an impressive futuristic world, and little by little you become one with the adventure.

The big mistake of the Nier Automata anime is that it seeks to reproduce the same narrative. Especially the first chapters, it really feels like the game. Unfortunately, that is a fatal mistake. In a video game, there are players. In an anime, there are spectators.

The way the Nier Automata anime carries its narrative is like inviting the viewer to ask questions, or to delve deeper into what is happening. While this works in a video game, it is a fatal mistake in an anime. The reason is that the viewer simply does not have enough reasons to continue with the narrative. Nier Automata is an anime that does not manage to tell a solid story because it always wants to keep "a mystery of exploration," which is not compatible with an anime.

Personally, as the chapters progressed, I wanted to see how they told a story, because I already know how it ends. However, if someone does not have the same motivation, they will find Nier Automata a boring, gray, depressing anime that gives no incentive to continue watching it.

If you are a fan of the video game, it is a recommended anime. If you are not, the truth is, I bet you will get bored by the third chapter for having a plot that tries to "make itself interesting" and never succeeds.

Everyone has already said it: its weird that NieR: Automata got an anime adaptation; because the game has a complete story that is already loved by fans for how it is and theres no material for sequels, so, what exactly would the anime producers do? Would they make a simple copy of the story in the game? But which parts would be adapted and which wouldnt? The game has multiple endings and simultaneous events. Isnt it just better to do something new instead?
Anyway, by the time this review is posted, I have seen all the episodes of the first part and I can say that ... they followed the general structure of the in-game story but they made some changes here and there and also added new stuff. I'll be trying to discuss the anime in a way that interests both groups: the ones that have played the game and the ones who havent.

Beforehand, its important to mention the very brief pauses in the release of the episodes. This goes unnoticed by those who watch the anime a year from the release or so but Part 1 had some complications, supposedly caused by COVID-19, which resulted in episode 8 being released in March 19th and episode 9 (along with the rest of Part 1) released in July 23th, more than 4 months apart. That must have caused a rising disinterest in the anime along the way but, we can all agree, it was better than the release of hasty episodes.

[S]tory
As I already said, the story remains basically the same: it starts with 2B and 9S, the main characters, meeting each other in a abandoned factory, where they are supposed to carry out a mission assigned to them by YoRHa (the group they take part in), which consists of the tutorial of the game. Since then, 2B and 9S become a duo and start doing missions together, as decided by YoRHa, in which they battle against the machines for the glory of mankind. This is the initial structure of the story and the anime goes all the way to ending A of the game, the first main ending.
What I believe most NieR: Automata fans adore about the game is the visual storytelling, combined with the beautiful scenery and some philosofical themes, that are gradually presented to the player during their playthrough. Following that thought, I can say that the biggest difference between the anime's story and the game's story is the pace, which may be considered a major flaw. From the p.o.v of someone who played the game, the anime's story may seem a bit fast because the game has a considerably slow exposition to the world, the characters and the plot. But, for a newcomer, I believe there will be no issues; the important pieces of the plot are there and the story isnt rushed at all.
Most of the scenes from the game and their contexts suffered minor changes to fit the anime format. There were also new scenes that enhanced the lore a bit and sometimes acted as a little fanservice, like the short references to NieR Replicant in episode 5, which I thought were nice.
In particular, the battle between 2B and Adam had a very different conclusion in comparison to the game's. This was interesting to me because it resulted in a pretty clever ending for Part 1.

[A]nimation/[A]rt
The anime is produced by studio A-1 Pictures, which is known for the overall good quality of their works; they adapted Kaguya-sama, Anohana, Erased, and they even have a past with games, such as the many anime adaptations of the Persona franchise. The art style is very nice, it has an elegant and serious look, which blends with the atmosphere of the anime. The 2D animation is good, I wish I had more to comment about it. And then, the 3D animation/CGI, they usually use it to portray the machines and I believe the models are taken directly from the game. That is to say the CGI isnt bad at all but I do understand the criticism towards it because of the visible contrast between the 2D animation and the 3D animation.

[M]usic
Honestly, the music couldnt be done by none other than Keiichi Okabe and his team (studio MONACA); hes known for his works in games (like Final Fantasy, NieR and Tekken) and in animes too, such as many arcs from the Monogatari series, which is often praised for its soundtrack.
I think its to be expected that the soundtrack for the anime is taken from the game and reused. So, having that in mind, the music ranges from calm and soothing BGMs to intense operas; every piece of the soundtrack is awesome and I personally recommend you, the reader, to listen to it if you are interested.
Apart from that, the opening is sung by Aimer; you may know her by other songs like the first Vinland Saga ending, the third Demon Slayer opening and the ninth Chainsaw Man ending. Im completely biased, because Im a huge fan of Aimer, but she has made a beautiful song that matches greatly with the atmosphere of the anime and the themes of the story. Also, the visuals are nice and they get along with the music.
The ending is sung by Amazarashi; he also made the first Dororo ending, the Tokyo Ghoul Root A ending and the third Boku no Hero opening.
You may notice that the lyrics of both the opening and the ending can be associated with 2B and her perspective in the story. In that regard, they are perfect for NieR: Automata Ver1.1a.

[C]haracters
As main characters, we have the androids 2B and 9S. Their personalities are simple but end up being very relevant for the plot. 2B is mostly serious and has a soldier-like attitude, while also being considerate to 9S and the others. Whereas 9S is almost like a rebellious teenager, he jokes around and makes spontaneous commentary during the episodes; he is considerably smart too, which is required by his role: a scanner (9S, S = Scanner).
Meanwhile, the main antagonists of Part 1 are Adam and Eve, aka the naked men from NieR: Automata. They have a siblings-like relationship, despite not being actual brothers. Adam acts as the older brother; he is smarter and more polite than his brother and has a keen interest in books. On the other hand, Eve is very childish, acts on impulse and looks up to Adam. They may not seen interesting at first for some people but they have a key role in the story, which may be clearer in the second season.
Furthermore, some characters from the resistance (a group of androids allied with YoRHa), such as Lily and Jackass, had new interactions and received more attention than in the game; they even got a whole original episode about them, with a special ending.

The anime definitely has strong points and I hope I have succeeded in showing them in this review; I think it serves as a good standalone thus far and I'll be sure to watch the second season. But, as an adaptation, I guess it only serves as propaganda for the game; I recommend you to play the game after watching the first season if you get interested and if you havent played it already. So, as a standalone, I give it a 8, and, as an adaptation, I give it a 6. Taking the average, we have a 7, thats my score!

And, for the record, I really liked the puppet shows at the end of the episodes, I actually looked forward for them; but I didnt know where to add that comment, so, there you have it.

The Nier anime is Schrodinger's anime. It's both at the same time really good and then really freaking bad. I really want to love the anime of this but I just can't because of various issues which I will get into in a bit. I'm not trying to dunk on this because it's popular and I hate popular things. I've bought this game 3 times at this point. Digital JP because it came out early in Japan but still had all the language support, physical English release and then the Steam version which required a fan patch for years to ... be able to play because SE couldn't be assed into putting out a fix patch for it.

Story: I won't go into detail but it's mixing the games story and the supplemental content together which I really welcome. Yoko Taro has a ton of ideas but a lot either gets cut out because of time/budget from SE or just comes up with it later on. It's always made getting the full story rather cumbersome because you'll have to play the game, read a manga, read like 5 short stories, watch 2 or more stage plays and you better hope you find the fan tl/fansub's of them because none of its officially released in the west. So them at least implementing parts of those into it really helps flesh out the anime.

Music: Typical Studio Monaca stuff literally nothing to complain about.

Animation: I will not budge from this in the least bit. The CGI is crap as a whole and there's nothing you can do to change my mind. Yes the machine lifeform grunts do look pretty decent as CGI but the backgrounds look literally like they took the assets from the game and overlaid a filter on them then called it good. Them slapping 2D animation over the environments feels off in a similar sense when in other anime you would see low res CGI models over 2D backgrounds but at least then it wasn't a majority of the time. Then there's a number of shots where the CGI just looks unfinished and it's not even hidden. They'll draw out things like weapons in 1 shot then do a close up on said weapon in another shot but its 3D CGI and it doesn't look like the person got time to finish the work on said CGI. Then other things like their Flight Units aren't finished either and it looks plain ugly.

Ideally I would say for those who are experiencing this for the first time, stop now and play the games then go search for all that side content but to be real I don't people should be forced to do that. This show to me is just failed potential as of Ep 3. Hopefully the indefinite break this has as of 22 Jan 2023 will allow them to fix at least a majority of the issues with this anime and even redo the first 3 ep at a later season.

Feb Update: CGI Still really bad. They don't even bother trying to make it look like the 2D portion still.

Automata is absolute peak, but just like the game, the anime is plagued by technical limitations. The animation is kept minimal, and the use of CGI is criminal. It also differs from the game at times for meaningless reasons. The quest-giver android from the resistance camp didn't need a full-on episode dedicated to her past. The fights are also so damn short to the point where it feels like someone has cut all the cutscenes together from the game and skipped all gameplay. I know NIER was more of a narrative-driven game, but some action would have been nice too. Nier is really interesting since ... it discusses the meaning(les) of life, and the anime does a decent job of conveying this message, but even if you aren't into videogames, you should still just play the game instead. Pacing is really important, and I feel like this is a bit rushed for what it is trying to convey. I highly recommend that you also play all the sidequests since they often touch on the topic and give you more food for thought, and these sidequests aren't brought up in the anime in the slightest, which is a shame. TDLR: needed more of 2Bs ass/10

This is shaping up to be one of the most faithful and well adapted stories out there, and the story it is adapting is incredible on its own already.
(well adapted as in making meaningful additions that support the medium it's in, instead of just copying the original in a second format)
I cannot tell you enough to watch this and settle in for the ride, no matter if you played the game or not.
The first episode cgi is a bit iffy, but just bear with it for the first few minutes, the art style itself is gorgeous and the added dialogue between characters has ... good chemistry

. The anime adaptation of Nier is a highly anticipated and hotly debated topic among fans of the game series. In my opinion, the three episodes that have been released so far have succeeded in showcasing the unique features and aspects of the Nier world that make it stand out from other games and worlds.

. One of the standout elements of the anime is its use of music. The Nier games have a renowned soundtrack, and the anime skillfully incorporates the music to transport the viewer into the world of Nier and enhance the overall atmosphere and emotional impact of the story. In my opinion, ... music is a major reason for Nier's fame and success.

. Another aspect that the anime excels at is its ability to blend the game's atmosphere with original and complementary scenes. There is a difference in presenting or adapting between the anime and the game, but the anime manages to strike a balance and present the story in an innovative way. The combination of an interesting story, relatable characters, a mysterious world, and the distinctive characteristics of Nier's world make for a perfect anime.

. Critics have criticized the anime for its use of CG animation, but I believe this is an exaggeration. The use of CG animation does not negatively impact the overall quality of the anime. The storyboard, photography, music, action, and even the machines in episode 2 are fantastic. The anime was wrongfully criticized for its use of CG and was unfortunately stopped after only three episodes.

It is my hope that everyone gives this anime a chance, even if they know nothing about the world or game, and ignores any negative comments. The Nier games are unique and have a special place in the gaming world, and the anime adaptation is doing a great job of bringing that world to life. I can't wait to see more of it and see how the story unfolds.

tl;dr play the game, it's infinitely better, and maybe just maybe, come back to watch it later

There are just two works in all media that have ever made me cry: Nier Automata (game) and Tengen Toppa. Nier Automata is my favorite game of all time; I even have it tattooed on my skin as a tribute. I truly love the Nier series, and I'll be honest, this anime adaptation is a HUGE disappointment.

Aniplex is known for doing amazing work, and A-1 Studio has produced some good shows too, although others not so much. But the point is: WHY did they have to mess up the ... Nier adaptation like this? All the problems during production of my favorite series make me wonder: 'tell me god, are you punishing me? It's the price I'm paying for my past mistakes?'

No, it's simply Aniplex and A-1's incompetence, biting off more than they could chew and offering us pathetic excuses. The delays that lasted for months between episodes ruined the entire experience and killed all the hype that this marvelous work could have generated. If MAPPA had handled it, I'm confident that this anime would easily rank among the top 50 here in MAL.

Now you might ask, "They took months, but at least they did a good job, right?" No, THEY DID NOT! I won't go into too much detail because I'm so sad about it, but I'll give you a summary:

- The animations were mediocre, and you could notice the lack of frames in the fight sequences.
- The CGI they used in the first episode was UGLY; it did get better later on, but it still wasn't good.
- The story felt rushed; they skipped important fights and events, which would have been forgivable if not for the next point.
- The few fights we did get were far from memorable. In fact, they were BAD! All the fights, except the last one, were EXTREMELY rushed with quick resolutions. The choreography wasn't good and didn't do justice to how skilled of a fighter 2B is. Furthermore, the fights not only felt rushed but also made 2B feel nerfed, reducing her to a mediocre fighter barely stronger than a human. They didn't showcase her immense arsenal, skills, speed, or strength in any of those fights, and the lack of frames during the choreography was disappointing.
- The decision to change the final 'boss' and the ending of the fight was not a good one. We didn't get any epic fight scenes to get hyped about as we did in the original material. Additionally, his final form's design looked silly (in my opinion) and didn't match the threat he represented.
- The introduction of new characters wasn't necessary and took away precious screen time from more important elements.

No good story can be saved by mediocre execution. For the love of god, if you've read this far, play the game and erase this disappointing adaptation from your mind. It didn't capture even 10% of the emotional depth that the original source could give you. Give the original material a chance; you won't regret it. If you haven't watched the anime yet, don't bother; play the game and come back later if you still feel like it.

At least it was somewhat entertaining; I can't say it was a terrible work, and for that reason, I give it a 6. The point is that, based on the original material, this should have been MUCH better.
To be honest, it pains me to say this with a heavy heart because I truly love this series, but the truth is that this show did nothing but damage the reputation of the source material. Thanks for nothing, Aniplex and A-1.

At this point, I wish that the part 2 never happen, but unfortunately, it probably will.

I have recently played this game so I thought let's check this out, and when I say this blew my mind, it really did!

I know this might not be everyones cup of tea, considering theres a lot of cgi involved, but I certainly didn't mind that at all, since the game itself is nothing but cgi haha.
I love how they portrayed the characters in the anime, I love the enthusiastic voice acting and I love how they used the original osts from the game. Also it is very refreshing to see some good comedy bits here and there.
The animation is stunning, the atmosphere is ... there. After watching the first 8 episodes I couldnt stop thinking about this show.

Do you have to play the game in order to watch this anime? My answer is no, not at all.. But it does help!

Im going to keep this Short

Nier Automata is one of my Favorite games and seeing it get an Anime Adaption got me hyped. But after watching the first episode I could already tell the Story was going to replicate of the game. I am one of the people hoping this show would have its own story. Though the story is not bad, it was just executed pretty bad in the show. The Art style is amazing but the CGI is horrific, it is just a copy and paste of the in game models with very to little shading. To those reading this I recommend Watching/Playing ... the game yourself.

But this is just how I feel. I wont stop people from Enjoying this show.

7.5/10

Ranking how to feel about an adaptation is always going to be a bit tricky, especially when that adaptation is of one of your favourite pieces of media in general of all time. NieR Automata (and NieR as whole) means a lot to me, so I might be a bit biased when I say this, but I really enjoyed this show! It's definitely at its weakest when it just tries to emulate the game as precisely as possible - the first episode is a great example of this, mimicking everything right down to using the game's cutscenes as overlay and reference material for certain shots.

Where ... the show really gets interesting for me is all of the ways the show is different and is changed from the original game. The hacking scenes are a big stand-out, as they are all visually super cool and lend the show a lot of unique personality. There are some events and scenes that I acutally think are handled better than they in the game - the fight in the Copied City and how Adam is handled as a character are great examples of this. And the show nails the characters, arguably the most important aspect of NieR. The music is also stellar but that is to be expected of a NieR project.

I have a hard time saying if I would enjoy the show as much as I did, if I hadn't played and adored the original game. Or if I would have liked on its own as a seperate entity. However, knowing Yoko Taro and the way he structures his universes, this is absolutely meant to be watched after playing the game. I'm looking forward to watching part 2 and seeing where it all ends up.

For any fans of the game, as you watch this anime you might realize some things are not the same, this is not because the animation studio or writers messed up. The creator of both the game's and anime's story Yoko Taro has stated that the story in the game was made to be that of a game and would not be as entertaining or have the same impact in the anime medium. A lot of people are hating on this adaptation because they were expecting a one-to-one adaptation. I can somewhat understand as I was also one of those people but seeing how quickly ... they announced season 2 I can tell that they really want to make this its own story and they want to see it through to the end. I can't wait for more honestly.

Aside from that, in terms of anime, it is amazing. The world, the music, the animation, all of it is just as wonderful as the game. The only negative thing I have to say about this anime would have to be the fights, they're too fast. They end too quickly. I'm happy they're not drawn out for a whole episode but seriously some big fights in the game end really quickly in this anime. Also near the end something happens that was never seen in the game and I really disliked it, it's a big fight against a very important character and I did not like it whatsoever. The only one I can say I loved just as much as the game is the Songstress (iykyk). Seriously tho, the anime is fantastic and I recommend it to anyone who likes the game's world and setting or to anyone who knows nothing about Nier. Also the dub is good, same cast as the game. That's about it.

While I had some hope for this I knew going in this would not hit the same as the video game as most adaptations rarely do. What we did get wasn't bad, it retained most major plot points and kept most things intact it also rushed a lot of them leading to them feeling empty and lacking the weight that came with them in the game. I really like that they brought in the original voice actors from the game and it made it a delight to watch in the least. The animation is good and the soundtrack borrows nicely from the game. As a ... standalone anime I could recommend this to people but I would highly urge anyone to just play the game instead and come back and watch this if you need more Nier in your life. I will say I hope we get the other playthroughs adapted as well.

The game is a masterpiece that not a single article online gave it justice, but there is a reason why this masterpiece never gotten an anime adaptation, though many have claimed that the story is "typical" anime, it was designed to be a game and NOT an anime. I am not gonna lie, at first I thought, just like most video-game adaptations, that this was gonna be so bad, but then I heard that Yoko Taro will be intimately involved in the making of this adaptation and I sighed a bit, cause no way in hell will Yoko Taro make this
a copy-paste adaptation, and ... god knows how bad this would've gone if they decided to make this a copy-paste adaptation to the game, luckily now we have another great experience that is unfolding right in front of our eyes.

The Art and Animation ?
absolutely incredible and does justice to the game too, since those who've played the game already know how feasting to the eyes most sights and scenery were. although the 3D-animation is a bit weak at the start, they noticeably improve it in later episodes. and also, there won't be much need for the 3d-animation later on the story anyway.

The Music ?
this should win awards, oh wait, it already did! The one thing I was anxious about when I heard Automata was getting an anime adaptation was the music, I prayed to the gods day and night, for Monaca to be the one responsible for the music in the anime as well, and I guess the gods have answered my prayer, or rather it would've been quite asinine to do anything else for the music in the anime adaptation. Long story short, the soundtracks in here, while not original, is the best anime soundtrack I've ever heard!

The Story and Characters ?
The story is quite complex and gets very philosophical at times, while not proud, I actually had to play the game multiple times to actually comprehend some of the stuff that I either missed or couldn't get my head around the first time. Cause it is quite early to comment on anything about the anime story at this point, I will not, but they are so far playing it pretty safe, and it looks like is heading in a good direction, but it only takes one episode to ruin everything, so I am actually on my toes every week expecting it to either gets REALLY good or INCREDIBLY bad, hopefully the former!
The characters on the other hand, are amazing from 2B to A2, well this isn't legend of the galactic heroes, and while it doesn't have that many characters, the ones that are there make up more than enough for the lack of a large cast. And of course, the mental growth and character development in the game (and hopefully the anime) is well-done, so well-done that I can't remember the last time I've seen it done this good in another story!

Overall ?
Incredible, masterpiece, unrivaled... these are some of the words I'd use to describe the game and hopefully the anime once it's done!