The anime adaptation of NieR:Automata has officially received a release window.
On Sept. 24, the Aniplex Online Fest 2022 informed eager fans that they can expect to watch the anime adaptation early next year. Announced in Feb. 2022, the 2017 action-RPG NieR:Automata is joining other video game franchises for a small-screen release early next year. Aniplex, owned by Sony, unveiled the upcoming anime with a teaser trailer centered on the game's protagonist, 2B, in celebration of the game's fifth anniversary. Aniplex's previous credits include Ace Attorney and Persona 5 video game adaptations.
The upcoming anime, whose official title is NieR:Automata Ver1.1a, features protagonists 2B and 9S at the forefront. In addition to its expected release date, Aniplex dropped two character videos for the series. The eight-minute video features interviews with the cast and crew, with English subtitles of course. The cast includes Yui Ishikawa as 2B, Natsuki Hanae as 9S, Hiroki Yasumoto as Pod 042 and Kaoru Akiyama as Pod 153. In terms of the crew, Ryouji Masuyama is in the director's chair at A-1 Pictures, with creator Yokō Tarō. Additionally, Jun Nakai serves as the character designer and chief animation director, and the music production studio Monaca is behind the soundtrack.
Many NieR fans have expressed their excitement over the upcoming adaptation, including what they would like to see included in the original game. One of the anticipated plot elements is the boss fight against a giant opera singer, Simone, found in the Amusement Park area. Despite the mass anticipation for the anime, it's questionable how much NieR:Automata Ver1.1a should adhere to the source material, considering how past video game adaptations tend to stray from the original titles.
The NieR:Automata Game Is a 2017 Spinoff
Developed by PlatinumGames and published by Square Enix, NieR:Automata is a sequel to the 2010 game Nier, a spinoff of the Drakengard series. Originally released on Playstation 4 and Steam, the 2017 title received an Xbox One port the following year and an upcoming Nintendo Switch port on Oct. 6, 2022, subtitled The End of YoRHa Edition. While NieR:Automata initially received mixed reviews for its technical issues, an official patch in 2021 fixed the aforementioned problems, and led to the game's success. As of June 2022, players have purchased 6.5 million copies worldwide. Released in July 2021, NieR Re[in] carnation became the franchise's first free-to-play mobile game in celebration of the franchise's 10th anniversary.
NieR:Automata Ver1.1a premieres on an undetermined date in Jan. 2023.
Source: YouTube