In a post-apocalyptic world overrun by alien-crafted "Machine Lifeforms," humanity is preparing for its last stand. Forced to retreat to the Moon for safety, humans are pinning their hopes on a group of man-made androids known as YoRHa soldiers. Led by the all-purpose battle android YoRHa 2-gou B-gata "2B," the group will fight to take control of the Earth back from its invaders.
As war against the machines rages on, the YoRHa slowly begin to see the first shards of truth underlying the brutal conflict. Facing the harsh reality before her, the unwavering warrior 2B starts to question her very existence and just how much she must sacrifice for the sake of humanity.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Nenhum episódio encontrado.
Comentários
Acausal
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 ofplot 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.
ZNoteTaku
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 theruins 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].
osricen
"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 animationare 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.
regaldemocrat
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 iscompletely 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.
gigamale1
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 thatthey 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.
Speytex
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 sinceit 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
DarkCy
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 theNier 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.
cloggy_emil
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. Wherethe 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.
ChiefFox
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 quicklythey 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.
XOArama
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 astandalone 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.
gabu_rieru
A visibly very beautiful anime. Its audiovisual aspects are undeniably very well done. Very cool and attractive kind of post-apocalyptic setting but unfortunately it is stopped by a very confusing and unexciting script. First of all, I'm not someone who had access to the original material, I never played the adapted game, so this anime was my first contact with the universe of Nier Automata and right away I saw a huge potential for entertainment, but throughout this season the script was making the anime extremely tiring. It was hard to stay motivated, even more so with all the Staff problems that this anime ended uphaving.
In the final stretch, there were few things that I even remembered clearly. It is a fact that this anime did not manage to hold my attention after its second episode, leaving everything much more boring and dragged, which was a shame because, as I said, in terms of audiovisual this anime is very well done.
Maybe it's worth watching, if you have greater dedication and engagement than mine, and I believe that now that it's finished, the attention problem I had won't happen to you.
whyamihere101
I didn't play the NieR games so I cannot comment on how accurate it is to the original game or something like that. I just came across the anime without prior knowledge, and it was just, amazing. Loved 2B and 9S's relation and how they were together in the end, along with the show's concept of consciousness in robots. The show also explains stuff nicely when needed so I never really got confused with the story. Give it a shot! Maybe a slight spoiler: (Adam got what he deserved in the end, I don't wanna see anyone feeling bad for him he did it to himself)
Chawwn_
A lot of the time, video game adaptations are hit or miss. You will undoubtedly enjoy this show whether or not you are familiar with the Nier videogame series, but it will certainly be helpful if you are to understand how things came to be because many technical terms were just thrown around without much of an introduction or explanation. Since there are little discrepancies between the animation and the game, it cannot be said that the animation is an exact replica of the game. Except for some poorly executed CGI, the animation's visual design and acting were excellent. With the original voice cast fromthe game also voicing in the anime, they were also able to depict 2B's brooding nature and 9S' questioning personality very well.
If you've played Nier Automata, you know that it boasts one of the best soundtracks in the last decade or so. The anime used songs from the game itself for its soundtrack.
bergars
Avid fan of “NieR:Automata” here. It's good enough. I'll talk about it on both sides of the spectrum, whether you've played the game, or watched with fresh eyes. The story depicts the apocalyptic world of NieR. A mysterious landscape, with AI running things from good side and bad side. Both in a never-ending spiral of constant fights, constant horrors, and sacrifices. While the good side is inevitably the most human, there's something about the bad one that peeks into something greater. Some sort of humanity, brewing deep inside. We follow two androids, the cool-headed power girl, and the bashful and curious dude. Perfect duo, which discovers thereality of this world while making their own choices, something not done in a long time by the group they work with.
I enjoyed the setup, the character interactions, and the many scenes giving us a little peer into the stories these people have suffered, as well as developing in the mystery on why the machines started becoming more. However, from the basic setup, and the “First Season Syndrome”, the series really couldn't do much.
Even the original game had that problem, where the beginning portion of the story was a bit dull, maybe a bit by the numbers. It was done with intent, with purpose, since the director Yoko Taro has a beautiful desire to make his audience suffer. Not only with storytelling, but with game mechanics, difficulty, and elements which only work for the medium it uses. The anime can't do that, and as such, it needed to compensate a lot, and create new elements and mechanics just to try to achieve a similar feel.
The game technically was three stories. The first one told with no context, just baseline knowledge. The second one was a retelling, with much more information, changing EVERYTHING. The third one awaits, lying in the second season of the anime. That part of the story being one of, if not the most AMAZING piece of storytelling a game's ever offered to me.
In turn, that itself makes the first anime season practically just the prologue, and it makes the entire sense that it wasn't as well put together as what goes ahead. Hell, I can argue, I wasn't enjoying everything the game was throwing at me, until, the end of what this season adapted, and I'll give this series credit, I care for these people.
The background characters get much needed development, and a character, much relevant to the next one, gets some proper background, and backstory. I love that. It adds to the story, and piles layers onto what is to come, but the MAIN cast is put aside.
I'm a firm believer, this series required at least three more episodes to tell the story in its entirety. The character development, the scenarios, how each builds their opinion on one another. 2B takes decisions instantly after contradicting herself, the feelings 9S, and her develop feel entirely rushed, and the villains didn't have as many more scenes together of their activities. The game managed to give a special pacing to all of this as a drip fed plot that worked perfectly. The anime's pacing doesn't suck, but it's not as remarkable as the game.
TLDR; all my problems stem from adaptation problems. Pacing issues, rushed developments, but at the same time, great background information, world-building, designs, interactions, and dialogue. The robot scenes are great, and the reveal at the end makes me so excited about a good adaptation of what lies ahead, since that's the BEST OF THE BEST NieR has to offer.
7/10. Many problems, but solid enough.
colelouch
As someone new to the Nier franchise and unfamiliar with its games, I found "Nier: Automata Ver1.1a" a really good show. Despite some production delays, the animation was crisp and beautiful, except for some awkward CGI in the first episode and a few inconsistent frames. Given the quality of the anime, I'm debating whether I should start playing the game. Compared to other anime adaptations of video games, which often turn out mediocre, the Nier adaptation stands out as one of the best. Regarding the narrative and storytelling, I particularly enjoyed the standalone episode where 9S and 2B explore the emotional side of the machine lifeforms.Seeing machines mimic human emotions was both intriguing and terrifying. The machine designs are impressive, giving off an innocent yet menacing vibe, capable of shifting from pacifist to genocidal instantly. The day-to-day interactions among characters felt solid, reminiscent of a more interpersonal version of "Ghost in the Shell."
As for character development, 2B and 9S often exhibit recurring personality traits throughout the episodes. While not necessarily bad, I hoped for deeper exploration of their inner thoughts, which might come in the second court. Characters like Lily, Jackass, Adam, and Eve felt somewhat standard, giving the impression that playing the game is necessary to grasp their narrative depth fully. The final episodes were satisfactory but left many questions unanswered, adding to the viewer's confusion.
EvoTzen
First of all you may be hype cause you may heard about Nier game and the respect of it from players but this is " Nier anime not Nier game" do not raise your expectations too high everybody may seen the score of anime and it will Doubt the viewers , dont worry about it , thats happened cause they stopped the show airing in EP3 and it made a gap and decrease the hype the story is same with game its enough good to attract you. the art of characters is Eye-catching and also there is no prob in movements & display viewing angle &storytelling & the quality of the voice actors and stuff.
The strength of this anime is its musics, all of them are really great (actually the anime alone is 7 for me but i give it 8 cause of great used musics)
The main weakness of this show is the CGs which mostly used in first EPs ,its a little annoying but its better to dont focus on it if you wanna enjoy the show it will fix after EP3 dont worry( i should mention that the used CG is same with game style and art , so they did it same with source(game) and the prob is from source(game) not from the show)
Dont forget that: "future of shows like Nier shouldnt be judge with only one season(same with most of other long shows)"
Weeb_Phoenix
Hi everyone i hope i can be helpful with my review . as a gamer who has finished Nier this anime had my hype but story wise it even done it a little better than a game till now ( like the order things happened till this part of story) at first the graphic would look like its bullshit but after episode 1 it got better so graphic is good and about VA the anime has great and amazing VA for their characters and about story the story is really deep in some parts that you can overthink about it on the aspects of reallife we humans have like religions lust and seek of beauty and money. so this anime is mix of action and deep plots but they are not on surface for you it took long time for them to release 1 season so specially when airing went to halt for me personally i was going to give it 6-7 score because how it ended in edge of story but these last episode were so good to watch and plot twist of season 2 is on the line for you to be ready and see the real story of Nier and why it has such amazing story ( if they keep it up ) . personally i recommend this anime to you guys to watch but remember its just 1 season and the story is still not finished and its just beginning somehow too so give it a chance or wait for season 2 and watch it all together . thanks for reading <3
doughnutsfan
As someone who has almost no familiarity with nier aside from the final fantasy 14 raid, I enjoyed this anime. It does drag for the first 2 episodes and its exploration of humanity is surface-level deep. But what I did thoroughly enjoy is its inspired, unconventional world building, wacko characters, at times really beautiful scenes and solid and measured action, and while the story never quite reaches its lofty aspirations it does have some very emotional and heartfelt moments, overall I’m hooked and will watch season 2, but this one’s definitely an acquired taste P.S. the opening song is hype and has been a mainstay onmy Spotify for weeks now
