The distant future, 5012.
The sudden aerial invasion of Earth by ＜Aliens＞ and
their creations ＜Machine Lifeforms＞led mankind to the brink of extinction.
The surviving number of humans who took refuge on the moon to organize a counterattack using
＜android＞ soldiers to recapture Earth.
However, the war reaches a stalemate as the ＜Machine Lifeforms＞ continue to multiply infinitely.
In turn, humanity deploys anew unit of android soldiers as an ultimate weapon: ＜YoRHa＞
Newly dispatched to Earth ＜2B＞ joins＜9S＞, the analyst currently stationed there, where amid their
mission, they encounter a myriad of mysterious phenomena...
This is the story of these lifeless ＜androids＞ and their endless fight for the sake of mankind.
(Source: NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Official USA Website)
Note: Episodes 9, 10, 11, 12 aired back-to-back on July 23, 2023.
~~~webm(https://v.animethemes.moe/NieRAutomata-OP1.webm)~~~ #####~~~(Video includes audio. Be sure to unmute)~~~ 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-laden 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. ~~~img550(https://i.imgur.com/5DeBOxn.png)~~~ ~~~img550(https://i.imgur.com/tCG9scp.png)~~~ ~~~img550(https://i.imgur.com/kBz1HqC.png)~~~ #####~~~(The first episode commits the cardinal sin of video game adaptation, which is a near complete copy-paste of the source in uncreative ways. So much of the premiere is lifted straight from the game tutorial, hampered further by the inability to interact with the environment that is native to games but not television)~~~ 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]( https://nier.fandom.com/wiki/YoRHa_(Stage_Play) 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.” ~~~img550(https://i.imgur.com/ibOVyHS.png)~~~ ~~~img550(https://i.imgur.com/EbHFfHu.png)~~~ #####~~~(The series is at its best when it uses the spirit of the original source rather than simply copying it, creating pockets of new content that complement either the world, its themes, or its inhabitants, if not all three at once)~~~ 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. ~~~webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/0e1e48f3e0d3be56cf75a5a0e11c0352.mp4)~~~ ~~~webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/da8fc56c5325e94573a1afe848da49c2.mp4)~~~ #####~~~(While not perfect, the action sequences within the finished product do indeed have kinetic movement and slickness. The mixture of 2D—that’s not an android name—and CGI are at their most harmonious in moments like these, though some jank does remain)~~~ 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].
# SPOILERS FOR _NIER:AUTOMATA VER1.1A_ AHEAD!!! ___ #__better [ ˈbe-tər ]__ __Definition of better:__ _adjective_ More advantageous or effective. _[NieR:Automata Ver1.1a](https://anilist.co/anime/145665/NieRAutomata-Ver11a/) is far better than its video game counterpart._
I have seen many complaints about the use of CGI for the YoRHa flight units in the anime, but they are
meant to look like that because they are ripped straight from the game. Even then, the use of CGI for
many other things in the anime has been great such as the pods and machines. Not quite on the level of
CGI as _[Demon Slayer: Swordsmith Village
Arc](https://anilist.co/anime/145139/Demon-Slayer-Kimetsu-no-Yaiba-Swordsmith-Village-Arc/)_, but it
is still good CGI. The 2D animated parts of the anime are also done really well and have a very nice
art style that translates the games 3D models to 2D. All in all, NieR:Automata Ver1.1a does not quite
have _Demon Slayer_ levels of animation, but is still respectable in its own regard.
~~~img500(https://i.postimg.cc/wjCFkB89/eyes.gif)~~~
___
#__OST: 9/10 | __ 
The game already had a good OST and the anime stays faithful to the game by using its OST throughout
the anime.
~~~img500(https://64.media.tumblr.com/5b90c9b84cdfb6ec0a45f181e04aac8a/fbcc7c8baed34b50-a7/s540x810/e9daf93f9716e2db83c671b00f6fcfd7bf758efd.gif)~~~
___
#__Op/Ed: 8/10 | __ 
[Aimer](https://open.spotify.com/artist/0bAsR2unSRpn6BQPEnNlZm?si=zANqZmtCQeSVE8bYAH5UpA) and
[amazarashi](https://open.spotify.com/artist/6T4K8YuFc0JPDrYgABbxao?si=mgIGAvYLS-CiPluMemLn0g) both do
a good job for the opening and ending. Aimer's
"[escalate](https://open.spotify.com/track/5GYltgYEZu2dKnBjSTrCA3?si=ca2ca1bc85a149cb)" is not quite
as good as her work on _[Demon
Slayer](https://anilist.co/anime/142329/Demon-Slayer-Kimetsu-no-Yaiba-Entertainment-District-Arc/)_ 's
opening, "[Zankyou Sanka](https://open.spotify.com/track/7v8wKvNQQIxkugCFFjrkaO?si=5618f4e6daef4f98),"
but it is still pretty enjoyable. amazarashi's
"[Antinomy](https://open.spotify.com/track/4q9x6Ze2ifhBElxbSDtx1D?si=a7c17646a54146e7)" is also pretty
enjoyable, but is not enough to be considered an all time great ending.
~~~img500(https://i.postimg.cc/J4fR9tHr/ending.gif)~~~
___
#__Overall: 8.9/10 | __ 
What was originally a 6.5/10 video game has been adapted and elevated to new heights for many anime
viewers around the world.
~~~img500(https://i.postimg.cc/9QMB27Vm/2booty.gif)~~~
___
~~~To all the Peak Slayer and NieR:Automata Ver1.1a enjoyers, I love you :)
Thanks for reading my review to the end!
_[Click here to read my other reviews](https://anilist.co/user/NerfMiner/reviews)_
~!
__the [E]nd of yorha__!~ ~~~
~~~img220(https://64.media.tumblr.com/fdf56e861af87d05e23bbf7d509b18d6/b976486da74efc98-df/s500x750/385fdcb9e7ef7b4316cc17808facab604e827d5c.gif)~~~ # ~~~___"Glory to mankind."___~~~ As a fan of the greater Drakenier series, I was going to give this anime a shot no matter what, and I'm truly glad that I did. I was anticipating a full 1:1 adaptation of the game, and while it does directly take moments from the game, there's plenty of original content and adaptation of Automata's side stories that keep the anime fresh. This is a spoiler-free review, as I do encourage those who choose to read this to watch it yourself. Now, admittedly, as much as I enjoyed Nier Automata ver 1.1a, there were some flaws that I feel like I have to point out in order to be an honest reviewer. The early episodes had some truly rough animation, particularly when it came to the CGI of the mech suits and having the characters in said mech suits. The models look directly ripped from the game which, on paper, doesn't sound half-bad. If it were handled well, I'd say that it was a fun way to tie the game to the anime... Keywords "if it were handled well". In execution, it's very jarring - especially when the 2D animation doesn't match up with the very muted and desaturated look of those models. It's a bit sloppy. There's also quite a number of issues in the last few episodes (9-12) that stuck out to me. Jarring cuts, mismatched shots where actions don't line up with the next in a way that reads as unintentional rather than adding to the cinematic language... Even with the incredibly long delay between episode 8 and the rest of the series, there's a few things holding the animation back. There's also some pacing issues with those last few episodes where things feel a little rushed, and for those who haven't played the game, some things might come off as a bit jarring or like they come out of nowhere just for the sake of having a twist... As someone who has played the game and watched others play it, I can forgive this as it is incredibly true to the game's storytelling, but I can definitely see where someone who hasn't might find this contrived. But even so, if you can stomach the flaws, the anime provides so much more for the viewer to enjoy. The story is fantastic; it holds true to the game while putting its own twist on it, all thanks to Yoko Taro's (slightly dialed down) direction. There are shots that genuinely look amazing and add to the visual storytelling, and the anime does a lot of unique things in its adaptation of certain gameplay features, such as 9S' hacking abilities. There's also those cute little after-credits puppet segments, which hold a lot of charm to them and I could tell that the creators and voice actors had a lot of fun with. When the anime hits its stride after the early episodes, the CGI genuinely looks fantastic and blends really well with the 2D animation, which in and of itself also looks phenomenal. Nier Automata ver. 1.1a is a genuinely beautiful work, and it handles its characters with immense care. It's not a perfect work, but it's definitely a fun time.
___Empezando por lo bueno___, la adaptación tiene una increíble animación, inclusive estos cuatro últimos episodios que tardaron como dos temporadas para que se transmitan, y con el CGI no me siento insatisfecho, podría ser mejor, pero esas escenas no duran tanto tiempo, en general, el nivel de animación es el típico de A1-Pictures, uno bastante bueno. ___La obra tiene una historia muy buena___ pero que es demasiada extensa como para contarla en 12 episodios, ya sé que tendrá una segunda temporada, pero algunos eventos que son muy importantes o cuanto menos interesantes se dejan muy de lado, como si fueran algo episódico. El limitado tiempo de 12 episodios le jugo en contra, puesto que demasiadas cosas no se resuelven ni se explican en esta temporada, obviamente serán cosas que tal vez se retomarán en la segunda temporada, sin embargo, eso hace que este anime no funcione por sí solo en algunos aspectos. A lo anterior hay que agregarle los problemas de producción que tuvieron para terminar los cuatro últimos episodios, el tiempo entre el episodio 8 y el 9 es suficiente como para que te sientas perdido cuando retomes el anime, sin duda alguna esto es lo que más afecta a toda la adaptación, aunque eso sí, hay que tomar en cuenta que la experiencia será diferente para los nuevos espectadores que se vayan sumando a partir de ahora y los que decidan ver el anime desde el principio otra vez, porque ya viendo todo de corrido sin pausas todo se sentirá que fluye de mejor manera. Otra cosa que le podría señalar es que el nivel de dependencia de la primera temporada hacia la segunda se sale de lo aceptable, a mi parecer; no es como otras obras en donde se abordan partes de la historia hasta concluirlos en la misma temporada, pero que al fin y al cabo forman parte de algo mucho más grande. A pesar de todo lo negativo que he señalado relacionado con el ritmo y desarrollo de la historia, el punto más fuerte es claramente la evolución de los personajes, sin duda alguna es lo mejor de esta obra. Los personajes principales, así como los enemigos, poco a poco se van "humanizando" y cada uno explora de diferentes maneras las nuevas ideas "humanas" que van teniendo. Estos pueden contrastar sus nuevos comportamientos con los humanos que forman la resistencia, así que estos últimos por lo menos sirven de algo para la historia. Aunque no llegamos a conocer mucho sobre los personajes principales antes del inicio de la historia, con lo que te van contando sabes cómo pudo ser sus vidas y por ello todo lo que implican sus cambios de mentalidad. Resumiendo todo podría decir que este anime es muy bueno, te entretiene y cumple su cometido, pero que aun así te quedas un poco insatisfecho cuando empiezas a analizarlo un poco. __English:__ ___Starting with the good___, the adaptation has amazing animation, including these last four episodes that took like two seasons to air, and with the CGI I'm not dissatisfied, it could be better, but those scenes don't last that long, overall, the animation level is typical of A1-Pictures, a pretty good one. ___The play has a very good story___ but it is too long to tell it in 12 episodes, I know it will have a second season, but some events that are very important or at least interesting are left very aside, as if they were something episodic. The limited time of 12 episodes works against it, since too many things are not resolved or explained in this season, obviously they will be things that maybe will be picked up in the second season, however, that makes this anime not work on its own in some aspects. To this we must add the production problems that the last four episodes had to finish, the time between episode 8 and 9 is enough for you to feel lost when you resume the anime, without a doubt this is what most affects the entire adaptation, although yes, we must take into account that the experience will be different for new viewers who join from now on and those who decide to watch the anime from the beginning again, because seeing everything without pauses everything will feel like it flows in a better way . Another thing that I could point out to you is that the level of dependence of the first season on the second is out of the acceptable range, in my opinion; It is not like other works where parts of the story are addressed until they are concluded in the same season, but which, after all, are part of something much bigger. Despite all the negatives that I have pointed out related to the rhythm and development of the story, the strongest point is clearly the evolution of the characters, without a doubt it is the best of this work. The main characters, as well as the enemies, little by little become "humanized" and each one explores in different ways the new "human" ideas they have. These can contrast their new behaviors with the humans who form the resistance, so the latter at least serve something for the story. Although we didn't get to know much about the main characters before the story began, with what they tell you, you know what their lives could have been like and therefore everything that their mentality changes imply. Summarizing everything, I could say that this anime is very good, it entertains you and fulfills its purpose, but even so, you are left a little dissatisfied when you start to analyze it a bit.
~~~img500(https://files.catbox.moe/9e3qbd.png)~~~ ~~~__Production__~~~First, lets talk animation. The visual experience provided by NieR: Automata is solid all around besides a few hiccups here and there. Namely, the CGI used for certain things such as the flying YoRHa units is quite rough, this is especially noticeable during the first 2 episodes. aside from episode 1 and 2 the blend of CGI and 2D animation is done well save a few moments where it looks a little janky or underdone. Moving away from CGI though, the 2D animation itself is very good, although not quite on the level of some more popular anime like JJK or Demon Slayer, the action scenes are still fluid and paced well, if not just a little stiff at times. The environments and background art really help sell the post-apocalyptic/war torn city vibe, great use of a more bleak color palette in city areas with a splash of green in areas that nature has already started to reclaim. Character designs are another strong point for the animation here, I never had trouble telling characters apart despite a lot of them wearing a similar outfit, and the designs in general felt fitting for the personalities of the characters attached to them. ~~~img500(https://files.catbox.moe/qye36z.png) ~~~ Moving on to sound, the soundtrack as a whole is truly fantastic. The singing and instrumentation was unique and memorable, really adding to the atmosphere at times and enhancing the emotional aspect of many scenes throughout the show. The sound design team was very tasteful in their implementation of the music as well, letting it get loud and swell during quiet moments and making sure to back off when characters start talking so as to not take away from the dialogue. as a whole, I'd say this is one of the best soundtracks I've heard in an anime recently, and it was refreshing in just how stylized it was. It truly felt like every song was handcrafted for this show specifically, not generic in any way. ~~~img500(https://files.catbox.moe/nya5lj.png)~~~ ~~~__Plot & Characters__~~~As I mentioned briefly in the animation section, the first couple of episodes are rough to get through, I think this is largely due to the video game intro just not translating well to the anime format. However, this becomes a non-issue starting with episode 3, where the anime starts to really pick up in terms of the plot. Speaking of the plot, NieR: Automata is centered around a variety of themes having to do with war and humanity itself. The main groups, all of which consist of non-humans, have differing opinions on humanity and what it means to them, this becomes a major focus for the anime as a whole and kind of guides the characters philosophies at times, showing stark differences between characters by way of their mindsets when it comes to the war and what humanity means to them. The plot itself proves to be hard to follow at times, due to a fair amount of info dumping and also the main themes being very involved and hard to keep track of. This becomes a more prominent problem during the last two episodes, where the pacing feels rushed compared to the rest of the series. The ending itself is great and leaves off on a great plot twist, but I still can't help but feel the lead up was a bit lackluster in terms of setting up the final reveal. That being said, the plot for the most part is entertaining, stringing the viewer along as questions are raised and answered in tandem, the plot provides plenty to think about throughout the show as the different groups involved in the conflict pursue their own goals/interests. ~~~img500(https://files.catbox.moe/i7t2g2.jpg)~~~ The characters of NieR: Automata are, for the most part, well developed and likable. The dialogue between characters feels natural and conversations have a good flow to them. This is especially true for the main duo, 2B and 9S. 2B and 9S have lots of well written banter that goes a long way in helping the viewer become attached to them as a pair, and this is especially important because the majority of the show is spent following this duo on their various missions. Side characters were quite enjoyable as well, characters like Jackass and Lily had their own charm to them that was brought out nicely through their dialogue and actions. I also just really loved Lily's backstory, which is why I was sad that she wasn't a little more involved in the plot overall, but this is a bit nitpicky considering that 2B and 9S are very clearly meant to be the focus. There were also other characters that I wish I got to know more about such as Commander White and A2, but this is something that I'm hoping is rectified in cour 2. ~~~img500(https://files.catbox.moe/wpr6ts.png)~~~ ~~~__Conclusion__~~~PROS: + Fantastic soundtrack + Great main duo and likable side cast + Lots of great themes explored in some capacity CONS: - Plot is a bit dense, hard to follow at times - Animation quality varies, janky looking CGI - Pacing also varied somewhat, especially near beginning and end of series Overall, I'd say while NieR: Automata may be fairly rough around the edges, it is most certainly worth your time if you are looking for a decently entertaining plot spearheaded by a great main duo.