Nier: Automata was one of the most popular Japanese "RPGs" of the previous console generation, and its ports to Xbox consoles and the Nintendo Switch have only heightened gamers' awareness of the modern classic. Not surprisingly, the game is finally getting an anime adaptation from A-1 Pictures, and it looks to be incredibly accurate to the source material.
Taking the game's story and turning it into a more cohesive narrative, Nier: Automata Ver1.1a will be a great middle ground between creative and straight-up inaccurate video game adaptations. Considering the popularity of the game in question, there's a lot riding on the show to actually be good. With 2023 primed to be the Year of the YoRHa, here's what viewers and gamers should know about the upcoming Nier anime.
The Plot of Nier: Automata Ver1.1a
Nier: Automata Ver1.1a aims to adapt the games' storyline as closely as possible, even if that might be a tall order. The video game had numerous endings, making its storyline quite different depending on which paths and actions players took. Of course, there will definitely be some streamlining when it comes to the anime's plot, but it will mostly follow the PlatinumGames masterpiece. Said story involves 2B and 9S, two incredibly humanoid androids who are sent to a long-abandoned Earth in order to defeat the machines that have overrun it.
This all happens in the far-flung future of 5012, with the war between humans (and their android soldiers) and the machines reaching a new level. To combat the machines, the YoRHa androids are sent out with extreme prejudice, though their humanoid nature has many of them questioning their own existence. This is certainly the case with the jovial 9s, who is quite different from the more taciturn 2B.
Trailer for the Nier: Automat Anime
The first teaser trailer for Nier: Automata Ver1.1a provides only a glimpse at the series, though it does involve characters that fans of the game should recognize. Instead of showcasing 2B or 9s, the footage features Adam and Eve, two antagonists from later in the game's narrative. It might seem strange to show these two just mulling about for the teaser, but it actually makes some thematic sense. The brothers represent the pinnacle of the machines' attempts to be human, and it's part of what makes them such dangerous enemies. Another small teaser shows off the game's iconic machine drones, as well as focusing (however briefly) on the character A2.
Production News for Nier: Automata Ver1.1a
The Nier: Automata anime was officially announced during a livestream that celebrated the fifth anniversary of the game's release. Thankfully, the talent behind the series should put to rest any fears that it's simply a cheap cash-in on a successful property, with one of the minds behind the game being involved with the anime. Yoko Taro -- director of Nier, Nier: Automata and the broader Drakengard franchise -- is also writing the new Nier anime alongside Ryouji Masuyama, the show's director.
The production studio is A-1 Pictures, which is quite prolific in the anime world. After all, this is the same studio that produced such hits as Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, Darling in the Franxx, The Seven Deadly Sins and the Sword Art Online anime. Jun Nakai serves as character designer and animation director, while MONACA is composing the music. 2B, 9S, Adam and Eve are voiced by Yui Ishikawa, Natsuki Hanae, Daisuke Namikawa and Tatsuhisa Suzuki respectively. Other confirmed characters include Pascal, A2 and the Commander of YoRHa.
Release Date for Nier: Automata Ver1.1a
For those who've played through all the endings of Nier: Automata and are ready to see the story adapted to another medium, the wait shouldn't be much longer. The anime is scheduled to begin airing in January 2023, though the exact number of planned episodes is still unknown. Western fans of the series don't need to worry about missing out, as the Crunchyroll streaming service will be simulcasting the show when it releases in Japan. Thus, anime viewers and avid JRPG gamers have only a few weeks until they can "become as gods" and finally watch Nier: Automata Ver1.1.a when it begins next year.