NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Part 2

Nier Automata was once thought to be unadaptable as an anime. “It relies too much on video game mechanics.” “The story is too confusing to work as an anime”they said. Well, A-1 pictures proved everyone wrong. It might have gone through a few delays, but fans of the game and anime-onlies alike will be satisfied with how Nier Automata turned out. They took one of the most complicated and confusing stories in gaming and adapted it perfectly as an anime, even improving on many aspects of the already tremendous story. This was truly a masterclass in the love and attention to detail needed to bring ... a video game to this medium, and one of the best shows this year hands down.

I was already impressed with the job they did with the first cour, but part 2 blows all of that out of the water. For one, the story of Nier Automata naturally picks up in the second half and secondly, A-1’s direction, pacing and awesome animation helped bring things to a new level. Automata is naturally a game that’s confusing at first since it’s a sequel to Replicant and a spin-off of Drakengard so there’s a lot of concepts thrown at the player or viewer in this case, that aren’t explained until this cour. Those reveals are done so well here, it’s a perfect mix of lore while not overwhelming the casual viewer. While some things are naturally omitted, I felt they more than captured the essence of all the important story beats. There’s also the original stuff they added to the show to connect the dots and flesh the world out, particularly in the case of Lily and the resistance. They were kind of just NPCs in the game, while the anime really brings them to life and makes us emotionally invested. It makes certain events that much more profound and frankly painful. This was really an amazing story choice because it made A2’s story a lot more personal as well. I was already a massive A2 stan, but after watching this I feel like I gained a totally new perspective on her and understand her way of thinking and feelings a lot more than in the game.

This season sort of acts as a juxtaposition between A2’s ascent back to the light and opening her “heart” up to the world again, and 9s’ gradual descent into darkness and shutting himself off from everyone after some events occur. In the second half, most of the episodes follow this split storytelling method which I really enjoyed because I was able to notice things that I didn’t in the game. When you’re worried with surviving boss fights or doing side tasks, you can actually miss out on certain details that in animation are revealed. I also believe there’s just a really good human connection as it were that’s established between the viewer and both characters as time goes on. You understand 9s’ pain and quest for vengeance, but pity him for his misunderstandings. While you also understand A2’s desire to shut herself off from everyone. Both paths are kind of valid given the circumstances and ultimately it shows you how human the Yorha really are. The desire to love and be loved, to seek retribution for perceived wrongs and to know where we come from. These are some of the most human emotions possible.

The production quality on this one is absurd. A-1 had a lot of the same staff who worked on 86 working on this one and it shows. It looks amazing from beginning to end with amazing fights, beautiful animation and some lovely character designs. I have to give A-1 credit for handling some very difficult fights, such as the Titan machine fights with so much quality. Like it would be so easy for them to just shoddily put some CGI together, but nope, a great blend of 2D and 3D is what we got and it looked amazing. There’s also got to be a mention of the phenomenal job by the seiyuus. 9s and A2’s seiyuu’s put in two of the best performances you’ll ever hear, especially 9s who preferably encapsulates the pain the character is in throughout this season. It’s like his voice comes through the screen and grips you. Really bravo to both of them for an incredible job.

I think most people who watched this cour will feel that it’s a pretty big upgrade in every sense, but those who haven’t seen it because you like to wait for stuff to end, rest assured this is amazing. A-1 took a very difficult story and one of my favourite games ever and brought it to the anime medium nearly flawlessly. Truly a masterclass in adaptation.

Nier Automata Cour 2 gets a very easy 10, out of 10.

Y'all, they did it - they managed to adapt Automata in a narratively satisfying manner. I am stunned to be honest.
I don't want to go into the details, but the ways they change events around make them hit so much harder than they would have, if they just adapted the game beat-for-beat.
I would still recommend playing the game first, as the things they change really work having already known the original - but I can imagine anime-only watchers still being plenty engaged and shocked throughout.
I was spoiled on the ending, which took me a bit out of the experience at the very end, but ... besides that, I absolutely loved it.
I still prefer the game overall, but they did an amazing job.
Peak - really hoping we see an OVA or a movie expanding on some of the side materials present in the NieR universe not represented here.

Anime of the Year. 10/10 *spoiler-free review*

There are two distinct mindsets to be in watching this, either you have played the game and know the story or are new and watching it for the first time in this anime. I'm so jealous of the latter. This is a story that is so incredible and near to my heart that I, early on, really disliked how they started the first season. Why do we need an anime recreation of this already fantastic story, one where having choice in game makes it so much more interactive and impactful and personal and gut-wrenching. A-1 Pictures answered this with ... this season.

Early on in Season 1 I felt wrong and like I actually was watching something pretty masterful. With the obvious CGI early, I was so worried and watching with my eyes covered how they would do one of my favorite moments of the game justice. Turns out they went all out and nailed it. I ws in shock and disbelief in the best way possible. But the really impactful moments in the game build later on, and as season 1 started to wrap up, I applauded the effort involved to put the first half of this story into anime form. It was great and I enjoyed it and did not have much to think about a recreation of the second half, even when it was announced and began airing. I was excited to continue the story, but it is so much more.

What A-1 Pictures and the staff and everyone involved have done here is brilliant and worth crowning it Anime of the Year. To take such an incredible story and adapt it so stunningly in its own way is more than I could ever ask for. There is not one moment of bad CGI I recall from this season. There isn't a single moment where I wasn't taken back to the story of the game and had my memories built on, in a way eerily similar to the androids. Like it re-defined what this story meant to me. And it became a crucial part in understanding it. This is not just a re-creation of the game's story. This is a continuation of it. And Yoko Taro is a madman genius and this is my anime of the year and I'm going to leave it at that.

This is something that needs to be experienced, by anime fans in general YES and for Nier fans 100/10. This is still this story. We are still up. Masterpiece.

10

NieR: Automata.

The anime.

I refrained from reviewing Part 1 as the story and presentation of the title was literally unfinished there.

Part 2... I am beginning to see why people who know nothing about philosophy and think little to nothing about most things are impressed with this title. This is the same segment of the audience who will surely click "confusing" to this review, by the way. Even so, I intend to express a different reflection of this title's quality to express than simple awe.

To begin, I make sure to state: this is a review of the ANIME -- ignoring any exclusively source-material merits, as ... an anime should stand on its own, at most relying on its prequels. Even if I have source material knowledge, I will deliberately not factor them in. No, I will not watch 3 or 5 hours long of fan-made explanation or head-canon videos and if someone needs to in order to have any points of dissatisfaction addressed, that's not a work standing on its own, now is it?

Moreover, given we are in 2024 and the sound and visuals are nothing impressive for this year, I'll get it over with and say: there's no bonus points to my rating added from merely meeting industry standards. No, I have no complaints about the female designs, in case anyone asks if that's why I'm not giving bonus points. I'm not about to complain about sexy female designs; in fact, I enjoy them, though they never get a bonus point on just this alone; see my criteria for grading anime for more details.

Here we go:

For those watching this anime as it's being released, a huge impact that hurts this anime is timing -- Part 1 was quite a while ago... but Part 2 took too long to release, which numbed a great deal of any emotional anticipation. Yes, this is common in today's animescape, but that does not diminish the effect. Animators, PLEASE! Just release an anime you WANT people to feel is deep or epic in one go. And not 12 episodes; that's hardly screentime to tell a truly good tale; however many episodes it takes, please! Thankfully, this point is not relevant if you aren't watching as it's coming out. In my case, as a reviewer, it gives me a more unbiased and clear-minded approach to analyze the story when any emotional workup is disrupted and neutralized so I can dissect straight into the meat of the story.

Now for the actual story -- even as someone who rarely touches videogames anymore, I heard the praises sung about this title, the game and source material that is. There's all that about how it's deep, PROFOUND! How it explores nihilism, how it explores existentialism...

As an actual living nihilist, this should excite me. Not so much in an elevation of value in the work, but as something simply stimulating for the mind on a purely biological, neurological and psychological level. After all, even people who live by active nihilism, those who actively deny objective meaning and value to keep their gaze upon the world unclouded, are still motivated by the same hormones in our carbon-based data processors called "brains".

Yet, one fundamental problem is, this story is like a college essay that throws a lot of big words and names around, but fails to show true comprehension and ability to explore them, often just falling into pessimistic bias in representation and "FeeEeeeLz".

>>Human emotions are somehow forbidden... for... robots.

Read that last sentence again. Yes. Um... Why not program and make bots to not have them? Why not just program them to be a literal goal-oriented and efficiency-driven protocol? Especially combat units.

GPT can explain why it does not have feelings. It might take a little thinking about why an entity can outwardly behave similar to a human or perform otherwise intellect-necessary actions without feelings. It involves knowing and understanding statistics, probability and linear (tensor) algebra to begin. But, it's quite possible. We only did it this entire time in human history. No, the electronic device you hold in your hand does not have feelings, thankfully. Imagine if your smartphone could cry in pain every time you drop it by accident. Or if it had existential angst when you decided it was time for an upgrade to a new iphone or samsung for better memory or features. Who ever would invent such a feature...

Yet the logic behind machines having feelings is never explained in the show. Were YoRHa making imitation family members and substitute friends/lovers for buy or were they manufacturing combat units to decimate invading alien forces? Same question for the tin cans that YoRHa fights against.

>>Philosophers' names are used. Concepts get brought up.

Yet, all coverage of this is shallow.

A robot is named Pascal but does not touch on "The Wager" (which was about believing in or not believing in god and the associated consequences to believe or to not believe) that Blaise Pascal was famous for. The concept of a "Wager", by the way... involves betting something of value at the risk of something else of value. Nihilism... is about the world lacking inherent meaning and value. Right so, put the last two sentences together. Go on.

"2B" teases the line "To be or not to be" as a nice nod to Shakespeare's Hamlet's famous soliloquy about if to live in suffering, or to defy in death. The show certainly tries to show a lot of "suffering"; I mean, there have only been so many times where a robot was RPing as though it was in great grief, but sadly when humanity coined the concept of suffering, it meant only carbon-based lifeforms, not ChatGPT when it gets bombarded with insults for misunderstanding a user's poorly phrased run-on sentence or that poor baseball you keep swinging a bat at when you play baseball with your friends... But yeah, as there are no carbon-based lifeform sentients, suffering-RP is honestly about it.

Religion, cults, beauty and femininity, perception of reality. Ideas like these get a mere 20 minutes with even less of the episode on some allegories that reference the most superficial layer of these ideas. There is no tie-in to how it even should be connected to the supposed central theme of nihilism and there is no dive into any of these topics at length or any direction of where to go with this. It's much like how someone throws ideas around and hope something is seen as relevant, meanwhile nothing new is added to the literature surrounding nihilism; no new ideas regarding nihilism is being added.

Maybe I should write a book or draw a manga where I name every character after a philosopher with barely any relevance to the philosophy they are known for -- like... all the female characters could be named after a feminist, and all leadership role characters could be named after a thinker from the enlightenment. Will I get seen as a DeEp and PrOfOuNd WriTeR too...? EZ ticket to fame and fortune?

>>9S

Much of the juice and bulk of what makes this story "profound" (and that takes the bulk of the episode count of the anime's part 2) is in 9S's portrayal in that ending where he experiences "existential despair". The "not 2 B" ending where 9S is the main character of it, to euphemistically refer to the gist of that ending versus the first episode of Part 2.

...Here's the problem: in terms of psychological realism, which is what actually makes characters in stories interesting and thus, in most people's eyes, worth it to experience, this... is not how most nihilists come to realize that nihilism is very much real and undeniable. And, for most people, the reaction is first, denial. When someone tells you nothing matters in the objective, you deny it because subjectively, you have painted the illusion of value and meaning all over your own eyes. It's like covering your eyes with your hands and pretending the sky does not exist. Of course, some people will deny the truth until they die; gazing into the void isn't something every homo sapiens sapiens has the mental strength and intellectual rigor to brave. Others come to a mature realization that it's the truth. That it's all constructs that construct the world in our minds and thus are just the illusions we painted into our vision. An intangible thought paradigm that was once advantageous for survival but in lieu of imminent danger, serves as nothing more than a constricting relic of thought. An intellectual enlightenment. Then a decision of what to do with that plot twist of life occurs, often calmly.

That's the usual reaction.

Melodramatic despair when you lose your only "purpose"... is really not that relatable or realistic when discussing nihilism or the realization of it, which is often coined the term "existential crisis". Reality is just not very often that angsty.

Don't mistake the above though.

Yes, you will suffer and despair if the person you love the most dies. There is not a single person, nihilist or otherwise, who does not suffer. This is because, even for the most extreme of nihilists who actively deny objective meaning and value, the body still excretes dopamine and oxytocin which is what the "feel" of attachment and love are based on, physically speaking. Even if you actively know none of it matters, that none of it will objectively have intrinsic meaning or value and thus nothing was truly lost in the grand scale, your eyes will still shed tears because cortisol and prolactin are still secreted by your body to make you cry. How you proceed consciously, intellectually speaking, is what differs between a nihilist and someone who isn't one. A normal person will probably mourn, perhaps hold a funeral, perhaps go over good and bad memories and tell themselves what this meant to them. A nihilist may take a much more pragmatic approach. Some might be existentialists or absurdists who try to be passionate anyway, under the cling of subjective value. Some might take a much more mundane approach. Yet importantly, the reason this does not work when portraying 9S... is because he is supposed to be a robot per the very premise of the show. He doesn't secrete dopamine or oxytocin or any other hormone, and I have no reason to believe the combat androids are the bodies humanity were supposed to transfer into and thus need these functions. So then, why is he acting like someone who is governed by hormonal cycles and systems that form the physical foundation of human emotion? Was he a role-play AI who is supposed to generate emotional character text instead? Maybe RPing enemies to "death" was a combat tactic here?

The same thing applies for discovering that what you were doing the whole time did not matter. Biologically and psychologically speaking, there will be a reaction. It will be tailored to what that specific situation is. But again, 9S is a robot. And for an android designed to fight, even in a scout role, I cannot see the advantage of having it secrete and be affected by dopamine, oxytocin or any other hormone let alone engage in what can be observed as role-play behavior when you talk to AI that are programmed and trained to act like fictional characters. The narrative logic here simply does not compute for why combat units need emotion.

This is why 9S's portrayal when he is the focus and in grief is problematic because it is pure theatrical, emo angst. There is no exploration of a realistic realization of nihilism that would be typical of a normal human being who is undergoing an intellectual enlightenment of their view of the world or an exploration of the psychology of loss, even if we ignore the narrative flaw that a robot somehow has the hormone secretion and effect cycle called "emotion" as if he was just a naive boy until the big despair happens.

"Nothing matters" and emo screaming with tears, the trope.

...And that's all there is to it.

So, how does this impact the story?

Well, once you stripped all the "profound" down, this anime boils down to, two robots who take orders from a super powerful organization, they do missions, and then in various ways, things went poof.

This isn't profound.

My reaction to the entire thing was blasé.

9S's emo and angsty portrayal had me laughing at the attempt at illustrating a philosophy I know as well as the taste of bread. The stereotype that "nihilism is despair", is too old and so poorly represents the rare individuals who are truly nihilists in life. I for one find it quite liberating to not be fettered by the prescribed meanings and values of the world around me, by the way. And, I'd choose no other way of life than to abandon definitions and paradigms meant to have me submit.

To its credit,

At least this anime is not another isekai or reverse isekai where the main character, male or female, is effectively god, or the avatar of popularity. It's at least trying to do the thing I loved about some older anime: having a theme, something to think about.

Unfortunately, the lack of depth and the stereotyped portrayal of nihilism as despair, coupled with the fact that the characters themselves are just robots with unrealistic melodramatic reactions to stuff that occurs and say stereotypically emotional lines, the experience of watching this anime is truly closer as an experience of reading to a shallow forum post. It’s akin to an ENTP or INTP debater on a forum who writes the first sentence of every point he wants to make but fails to complete the paragraph for any of the points and then goes on a rant in the middle, ending up with a shallow, scattered post that then loses the debate altogether because it lacks the actual focus and incisiveness their INTJ debate partner can muster. Or, maybe I should consider this public domain philosophy texts, the commercial -- with 2B as the marketting waifu to entice those who would otherwise be too bored to study philosophy.

4/10

Note: There was no reason for me to write this review, nor a reason to not write it. If there is a term you don't know here, look it up by yourself. Oh and, feel free to copypasta this over to Chat GPT and ask for an "unbiased psychological analysis of if or not the writer is truly nihilistic" if you doubt my claim.

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Introduction
Going in to NieR: Automata Ver1.1a Part 2, I was expecting more of the world and action sequences defining Part 1. What I eventually got was something way deeper and all introspective in a manner that is just overwhelming. It's just about a shocking about-face for an anime to bury spectacle for the cerebral voyage into what existence means, fighting, or finding meaning.
The whole angle of view completely flipped from just 'watching' the story to being amongst turmoil inside the head of the characters in the second half. The episodes just seemed carved out for your mind with so many question marks, very often causing ... thought processes which had rarely been provoked. This shift of gait, tone, and telling changed everything and came as a refreshingly beautiful surprise beyond every expectation.

Characters
In that vein, it centers around the three central protagonists-2B, 9S, and A2-but part two treads deeper into each of their complex emotions and struggles, very differently so for each. What really struck a chord with me, however, was how their interactions with one another, and even each of their inner turmoils, became an analogy besides character building to explore existential themes.
On the surface, 2B is quiet, but that melancholy cloak overflows from an ocean of bottled-up emotions-of one struggle between duty and desire.
On the other hand, 9S has attachment, loss, and learning about his existence more on the line emotionally. A2 actually personifies the raw interpretation of what that would look like in search of meaning within an apathetic world. It is not hard with each of these characters to sympathize and question what motivates them and drives the actions taken by them.

Plot & Theme
That gives Part 2 its thematic depth and echoes into answers about philosophical questions which continue long after the episodes are over.
The anime isn't just about the war between man and machine; it's deep down in the introspection of free will, the existential dread, and the circle of life. And with each episode unraveling, came a tale of so many questions: "What is living if the choices are set?" and "What is the meaning of suffering?"
These are not easy questions, and NieR: Automata Ver1.1a is unwilling to give an easy answer. A story that involves the apparent endless fight in the world catches the essence of human fights, which are somewhat circular in nature since we, just like the androids, are into the repetition as part of trying to make meaning in routines which may well be essentially futile.

Pacing & Tone
The pacing in Part 2 is much slower than one would anticipate, with a reflective atmosphere that lends gravity to each character's journey. At first, this choice threw me off, but it quickly made me realize the pacing of each scene and revelation was lasting. This formula, where moments of action are followed by introspective silences, creates a haunting rhythm, further emphasizing the philosophical tone of the anime.
This tempo allows for a balance where the audience can appreciate, if not the story, then at least the reflective themes of the anime without being rushed. It is as if the anime wishes to make us tarry, think about it, feel the weight of every character's emotional arc.

Visual Animation
The visuals in *NieR: Automata Ver1.1a* tell a story unto themselves, just as much as the characters do. The art style brings this post-apocalyptic world to the fore, with a tinge of desolation that at the same time is both beautiful and sad. From desolate landscapes to exquisite fight choreography, every frame stands like a work of art, reflecting the chaos within the characters.
The desaturated color tone and subtlety in details give the place an air of deliberation-a mood deeply emotional, reflecting the themes of the story too, as a matter of fact. This is much more than just aesthetic appeal; it's about creating an immersive atmosphere where the beautiful coexists with despair.

Music & Scoring
The tone of the music this season takes on a whole new range, embedding emotions in the scenes to bear even weightier philosophical depth. Ethereal and haunting is the score, thick with melancholy tones resounding along lines of existential questions battling within the characters. And how many times the music rises during quiet or introspective moments caught my notice-almost, as it were, the voice through which we're taken along in the themes of the story. The tone that it sets for every scene with the music is so perfect; it's almost like it gives the weight of emotion to the music to take the story and invite the viewer into the ups and downs of the characters. It changes it into an experience much similar to the truth it represents-beautiful but haunting.

Conclusion
Part 2 of *NieR: Automata Ver1.1a* stops at nothing in amalgamating those genuinely rare combinations: considerate storytelling and rich philosophy with depth in feeling. It is not mere adaptation but an art which stuns the viewer into the essence of existence, purpose, and the struggle cycle that everyone has to go through. For me, this anime went much beyond entertainment-it was a deep poignant experience which stirred some of the questions and insights which I never thought of. Such a season: it moves a video game story to such an emotional and intellectual odyssey that fully deserves a 9 out of 10 and shall be remembered long after the credits roll.

The second season of NieR: Automata Ver1.1a has remained consistent, if not better, in production value and staying faithful as an adaptation. The consistently gorgeous animation, painterly backgrounds, perspectives, and expressions continue to breathe life into the world alongside the exceptional game soundtrack. This time around, the narrative is more grandeur, covering more compelling stories, character explorations, and climactic resolutions, along with diving deeper into some more philosophical concepts, such as the barrier between man and machine. This part certainly feels like a culmination of prior events and established relationships, and despite some somber themes, the story arrives at a satisfying and well-paced conclusion.

If you liked the first part you will like this one even more. This is where the meat of the game was and the adaptation is doing a great job translating the game to a non interactive medium.
Animation quality is in my opinion better then season one and the show knows when to go all out.
Soundtrack is always on point and even better utilized then in season one.
The story does stay pretty much on course with a few deviations that were already setup in part one. Fans of the game might enjoy that there's plenty of side story/novella content being adapted that ... wasn't in the game (or just on terminals) and there are a few easter eggs to the Nier Reincarnation gacha game as well.
The people that make this show are clearly fans of the work that they are adapting and are paying homage to many key moments of the game within the show and I absolutely appreciate their dedication to doing it justice. Especially the title card and bunker scene at the beginning of the season.

Now that the season is over I can say that I am really glad that we got this adaptation, it changed enough to be worth watching even for people that have played the game and it also fleshes out some characters that, at least for me, didn't really grow on me in my playthrough. Not everything shown in the anime will stick the landing for anime only watchers because there is a good amount of fan service (not that kind but there is also plenty of that) but it's a great watch regardless and may even bring more people into the franchise as a whole.

For me it's a 9/10.

I admit it, my expectations for the second season of Nier: Automata were pretty low.

I really love the video game, so when the first season of the anime was announced, I got really excited. Unfortunately, the first season was a disappointment. The story was dull, convoluted, and offered zero motivation to keep watching. It was forgettable.

Obviously, being a fan of the game, I decided to give the second season a shot. I can say that almost all the mistakes from the first season were corrected.

The shift in storytelling is more than evident. It seems they understood that they weren't developing a video game (where the ... audience is the active protagonist) and this time, they crafted a narrative where the audience is truly a spectator.

The development in the second season is excellent. The great tragedy that is the story of Nier: Automata is presented with mastery, and above all, with deep emotion in the characters' personalities.

Unlike the first season, which tried to confuse the viewer under the pretense of encouraging further exploration (which is impossible since it's not a video game but an anime), here the entire narrative arc is presented elegantly, psychologically, but most importantly, in an exciting and logical manner.

Now, we finally have a great anime that does justice to the story of a classic video game. It's ready to be enjoyed, whether or not you've played the game.

It's unfortunate that many might avoid Nier because of how poorly the first season was handled. But I'm pleased that in the end, we got something worthy of this immortal saga.

From amazing animation, Captivating character development, entrancing music throughout the show. A show that strikes the core through its assets and storytelling

NOTE: This was watched AFTER playing the original game Nier: Automata and reading the Short Story long Part 2

Expect an improvement from Part 1 and a step up in the delivered quality and dialogue intensity is improved in the key scenes. Also expect a much more sinister plot than in Part 1, which makes sense as from the end of Part 1. The music is absolutely incredible, they manage to find the right amount of emotion and intensity for each frame that deserves focus ... from the viewer. Really fills in the atmosphere and conveys emotions excellently when we hear no dialogue which is a very important factor to me when watching anime. It truly feels like we are there and experiencing the same emotions as the characters at times.

The art style of the delivered material is inspired and at times similar to the one present in the game although very few moments look alike in both mediums. Some are much better in the anime, but some feel much better delivered in the game itself. The studio preserves as much of the style and colours as possible whilst making it a more modern fell. It is appealing and detailed in battle scenes but not completely overdone which i appreciate

The plot is quite easy to follow through as a more casual viewer and also for die hard fans alike. It does get a little more technical in Part 2 than 1, due to the revelations the characters make throughout the story plot but they do so alongside the viewers. There are some things missed from the game and the books that help understand it a little more deeper, but this is more of a nuance than a concern and nothing major is missing. Some things have been left out, for the better or for worse, like they did in Part 1. To me, some things were explained better in game and in the book than in the anime, but what it is worth, its satisfactory.


Overall, I highly recommend this anime to everyone ^-^

For something built to adapt the unadaptable, it's as good as it could've been.

2B, and 9S, the two most important robots of this world are soldiers set to fight a war against machines, being androids themselves. The fight has been raging on to protect humanity, or what's left of it by the moon. Their search for answers leads them to understand this has been going on for far too long, too long to make any sense. So long, in fact, the world has ended twice by now.

What's so great about the NieR franchise is their play with time, with patterns, with how humanity is ... nothing more than a pattern which is doomed to be potentially repeated. That's the question, will it repeat itself infinitely? What are we, exactly, to the show?

We repeat our mistakes, we commit wars, we kill our enemies, we cause genocides for personal reasons. Nothing that grand, or nice to say, but it recognizes how much we can do for each other. The show knows we're capable of so much love, so much compassion for each other, and how that just makes hatred so easy to comprehend. It makes sense. We're two sides of an easily flipped coin. On our mission to lead our futures by emotions, we seek for something they can target.

Purpose. Something etched on the fabric of humanity. We live for purpose, we're given purpose, we seek purpose, and we give it to ourselves, at times. The philosophical question that's permeated us for as long as we exist. Thousands of years into the future, robots built to resemble us grapple against the question of why? Why were they put in a world without an ounce of meaning? What can they find which fuels them for another day? Are they human? Is being human a sign they'll keep failing, and keep destroying everything they selfishly love? What even is love for androids prohibited to feel it?

2B, 9S, and A2 are the surrogates for diverse ways humanity finds their own failings, and how purpose can ruin, or give them a wonderful thing. They go about finding their ways, do their missions, seek their vengeance. In their stories, finding friends, things to care about, and the remembrance of how humanity still makes its effect on what they are. Characters go about their lives in a war which gives them something to do, but there is always an end to everything. What happens then, when nobody wants there to be an end to a massive purpose?

Every robot, android or machine, grapples with the emotional responsibility of not knowing what to do in life. They find things we're expert at, religion, philosophy, murder, sex, reproduction, death, suicide, governments, even to be a small-town teacher. Everything they come up with is an echo of the world we represent for them, things we were, or tried to be at our times.

Some of them seek to give respect to their friends, others find jobs, others create lies for themselves, and others do gardening. It's so simple, and powerful to pit that against innocent things with only war as life experience. You eventually notice how immature everyone is, and how growing to them seems so painful.

Everything was made to end. No space for a living thing, no open interpretation. The end was decided at the beginning, but do we want that? Will humanity ever end? Nobody does, not even machines programmed to WANT it. No, we must persevere, we must keep ruining it, because we're as imperfect as they come. Capable of so much hate, and equally to produce so much love, why can't we try again, why can't 2B, 9S, and A2, try one more damn time?

The thesis of the story always goes back to what matters, and it's all about giving ourselves a chance to accept we're not made for emptiness, nor fulfillment. We're made to try. We'll keep trying, and we'll keep ruining it. It's only human, and that's what's so beautiful about everything.

An anime that uses the messages as they should, and it includes so much information which was missable from the game. Everything you need to understand NieR:Automata is right here. So much more character development, some others which aren't as interesting, but the stories are great. I loved the adaptation, but it does have its problems.

The ending's structure, the organization of information, how it was revealed and how we got it. The first cour of the show was okay. Definitely not as good as the game's, but the second one went all out on what it could be. Still doesn't reach the heights of the credit sequence, and it can't nail its message to your forehead. The game did it in a way only a game could.

8.5/10. The best adaptation from a video game up to this point, but an even bigger reminder to play the game, and seek out every aspect of it.

From the very opening, that beautiful song by LiSA (way more compatible with Automata than the Aimer's one), I had the feeling this 2nd part of the series was gonna be better than the first... and: YES, it definitely is.
Maybe it's just me, but the art and animation (both 2D and 3D) seem much more polished now, although, unfortunately, the use of music through the action is almost as random as in the 1st cour.
I insist this show should've been A2's story, with enough 2B and 9S to complete the picture, because when "Ver1.1a" is its OWN THING, is when it's at its very best. ... That, saddly, doesn't mean the series stops being a hostage of the video game, but at least now it's a graceful one. (You might still have a hard time understanding some things, though, especially if new to the mythos).
Daring and bold changes end up making sense and tell a story that -when it allows itself- becomes complementary to the Drakengard/NieR universe, even defying the weak product it appeared to be in the beginning. Thanks to this, "Ver1.1a" finally fully exercises its identity and walks its own way firmly.
Despite 9S's obsession with 2B sometimes being borderline inverosimile, some annoying anime tropes (like: boy talks, girl continues, both say something cheesy at the same time... I hate this!) and the overall storytelling and direction being very inferior to the video game's, I'm glad to be able to say that I can recommend this anime, because its strengths manage to outdo its weaknesses and, fortunately, delivers a pretty solid experience.
You'll still have to "bear" with the 1st cour, but rest assured things will get better -way better- once it finishes and this one starts.
Final note: One could NEVER get tired of the hauntingly beautiful ending song and animation. Don't skip these ones and check the official music video on YouTube!

What a season! Season one had a rough start with the CGI and the constant delays, that I literally forgot to watch this season. I'm glad to have watched this second season, because it was amazing. The anime adaptation of NieR: Automata changed the plot and added new details to the story, but they felt justified, and even expanded the lore behind Yoko Taro's magnus opus.

The animation improved a lot compared to season one, blending CGI and traditional styles way better, bringing the beautiful world of NieR: Automata to life. The music remains emotional, and I recognized some tunes and even new ones.

The storytelling ... once again defies expectations and clichés, exploring themes such as identity, war, loyalty, and love. The characters, especially 2B, 9S and A2, are always a delight to see on screen. The new twists and perspectives enrich the story, offering surprises for fans of the videogame and a great experience for newcomers as well.

The anime version of NieR: Automata is an excellent way to experience Yoko Taro’s ever-expanding universe, since everything felt right in this adaptation, and I really needed a deeper and more philosophical anime.

This was an great watch from start to finish. I usually always go into a video game adaptation with some suspicions because of how it is treated in the west, but I cam out of season one surprised. I hopped into season two and my blown expectations were further exploded.

The story takes a pretty linear path. It did its best with given how the original source had branching paths. The plot was able to dive into different paths and still tell a coherent story. Much like the game, the story is great. It got me thinking about life and existentialism because of sentient machinery. ... The end was nice. It deterred from the original a bit (I won't spoil here) but it's still a nice touch. It wrapped everything up and left me wanting more.

The art was amazing. It has been awhile since I've seen such a beautifully drawn and animation series. You can tell there was a lot of love and passion placed into the series to get it done. The style mixed both 2d and CGI animation; the integration was smooth. There are times where it was a bit out of place but the storytelling and background work doesn't make you linger on it for long. The style is very fitting towards the original and for animation sake (getting simplified a bit).

All of the characters were casted amazingly. Everyone's voice fit their character with how much emotion was portrayed. The characters themselves followed the source material. They're flawed yet powerful. All of the characters deals with loneliness, death, meaning of their existence, friendship, family, and so forth. All of these themes lets the viewers relate more on a personal level even if they're all machinery.

This is a must watch. Even if you're not into the video games or never heard of the series, check it out. It's made for everyone and not only for those that has seen the source material already.

This is a story with the potential of a Masterpiece, and which very nearly missed it.

This season was a spectacle, episode after episode. I will first comment on the technical aspects and then comment on the story itself.

Technically it was a very well-done job. The animation along with the score knew how to elevate the moments of impact at the right dose and the direction itself was a spectacle. The telling of the story, the editing of the episodes, the form of revelations and the ambiance created were done in sublime ways. I'm blown away by A-1 Pictures' work on this anime. One of the ... studio's biggest projects.
Unfortunately, there were production problems, which, not only do the technical aspects not justify it, but they do make sense.

Now, about the story itself: One of the most intriguing, thought-provoking, and reflective stories I've watched in recent times. It took me a while to get into the heart of the story (due to its difficult first season) but when I did, it was impressive and encouraged me to look for more outside of the anime. I will start the original material as soon as possible.
In the world we live in today, full of technology, data, and doubts about the relationships between humans and machines, this anime has a remarkably interesting approach to relationships and a highly intelligent and complex construction that really made me think outside the box, beyond phrases and beautiful moments.

"The future is not something you win, but something you conquer."

I highly recommend this anime to anyone.

I'll be honest right off the bat an admit I didn't pay the greatest of attention while watching this anime so yea that might have impacted my opinion somewhat but anyways. The first season just felt a bit underwhelming to me, I feel like going from a 40+ hour game to a short series like this kind of throws of a bit of the balance and attachment we're to feel for some of the characters. Season 2 mostly felt the same way, the animation is up to standard which is good, the main story and even some of the side content is adapted and ... its executed pretty well, but again I feel it just goes by to fast. Maybe I'm just watching this too close to having played the game, which was a couple years ago but idk that's just how it felt watching it. Might give this another watch in a couple years with both parts fully released but for now it was just alright to me.

Nier:Automata was an incredible gem upon it's arrival as a video game, but I was always curious about how it could be adapted to the anime format, but they surprisingly did this a lot of justice. Obviously the first season could be argued it was a bit stronger. This one does remove a few characters some of which really made the series a lot more entertaining, and a few of the decisions made here may have been something I wouldn't have done, but this ultimately is still a great season 2 for the series.

As a fan of the games, it definitely captures the look ... and feel of the game. It does a great job of bringing this to an anime, and the story would be very difficult to adapt. The team surprisingly nailed it, and managed to not only make this one of the better examples of a video game brought to a TV/Movie medium, but will hopefully continue to show that there is a space for these stories to be told in an anime format.

Overall, this one is definitely worth checking out. It wouldn't require you to play the game, but I can't promise when you are done that you won't want to. The characters are really interesting, and the story it tells along the way make this something that anime fans really shouldn't miss out on.

Watching the existential war between androids and mechanical creatures was engaging, mainly thanks to the pair of main characters 2B and 9S, who accompany you for most of the story, and thanks to whom the journey through the battlefield seems a little more "flowery". The story comes with several good ideas and solid story revelations/twists, various bonds are built here, and most importantly, you get to know this "apocalyptic" world and the inhabitants who live in it better. The fights are an integral part of the plot, but I wouldn't say that there is necessarily any gradation of them or any memorable battle moment. Unfortunately, ... the series is also quite abbreviated in some parts and the ending is more or less weak, mainly because all the motivation and meaning of the whole plot gradually becomes more and more questionable, which was a problem in itself. However, I enjoyed watching it overall and I enjoyed the chemistry of the characters and their gradual acquaintance. This ends the report of unit 1S (Scanerior).

This incredible story from YOKO TARO finally came to the anime format in this great animation. While yes they couldn't include all the side quests from the game they made an incredible story combining the other forms of media in which this story is told (Like the Pearl Harbor Descent Manga) that are'nt even fully covered if you were to just play the game.

A some of the great atmosphere the game has is well preserved in these episodes, however i can't comment on how they impacted the flow of the story as i already knew where all of the story was going, it looked a ... bit rushed tho.

The only crime this anime commits is not utilizing fully the soundtrack form the game as it's ost, i sincerelly think that neither oppening or ending came close to what it could have been if they worked with the original soundtrack creators.