NieR: Automata Ver 1.1a

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 is completely 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.

NieR: Automata tackles the philosophical theme of meaning and existential despair, it revolves around topics such as finding your cause, finding a reason to live, a reason to fight, and the profound feeling of despair over that struggle. It has an incredible story and some of the best action combat systems ever developed, and while it's not the best-looking title out there, it's still a beautiful one. It's one of the best games of all time, I hope this anime will live up to expectations.

And I also recommend you to play the game and/or read the Light Novel to fully experience Yoko Taro's Obra Maestra.

Amazing animation, it was like playing the game again, same voice actors (japanese voices), same music (They won Best Score and Music in the game awards in 2017). I just installed the game again just of pure nostalgic.

For those who have not played the game, it will spoil it, considering I saw scenes of the 2nd gameplay (In the game, in order to really got the full history you must replay it 4 times at least, it's different every time, trust me) I had really high expectations and I wasn't disspointed at all. I hope it will continue with this level of authenticity.

The "fan services" are for those who played the game A Must see.

At first, I watched this not expecting to like it as much as I did, since the concept of machine lifeforms and post-apocalyptic worlds aren't concepts that usually interest me. The first few episodes were rhythmic and follow the same pattern, so I wasn't hooked but I also (surprisingly) wasn't bored. Then, once the story starts fleshing out from episode 3 and above, I wasn't able to look back!! It's phenomenal. Highly recommend this even if apocalyptic-like scenarios aren't your cup of tea. The characters are so easy to love, the story is complex and intriguing, the plot is hard to predict, the animation is gorgeous, and the opening is amazing! 10/10 from me.

I couldn't believe what I saw in the first episode. This is one of the most faithful video game adaptations I've seen, and one that most manages to capture the essence of the game. It even has the same soundtrack.

Nier: Automata is one of the best games of the last generation and it deserved a quality anime like this. The animation is very well done, and although for someone who played the game the story doesn't feel very new, it brings a lot of nostalgia to see iconic scenes depicted in the anime.

Let's hope that the anime maintains the same quality in each chapter, since its debut has been impressive. Personally, I am very curious to see how they handle the development of the story with the multiple endings that the game had.