NieR:Automata Ver1.1a (2023– ) User Reviews

It was only created thinking about the video game fans

[liraenriquec · 6/10 · 7 December 2023]

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.

Amazing!

[LuisPunisher · 10/10 · 8 January 2023]

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.

Extremely faithful to its source

[juangapardo-98557 · 10/10 · 10 January 2023]

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.

If you loved the game you will love this adaptation

[schummes · 10/10 · 8 January 2023]

First off I'm a huge anime fan and also love nier replicant, and automata, drakengard. Im a huge fan of Yoko Taros work. The first episode is pretty much like watching the first few minutes of the game and the it does include cg but it's well done and the music is the same from the game. If you haven't played the game and do end up liking the anime, I highly suggest giving the game a try. And if you aren't an anime fan but like the game then this is good entry point for anime. I was a little skeptical about this anime but knowing the studio behind it being a1 pictures that gave me hope and I'm glad to say it hasn't disappointed so far. I hope the season throws some new elements in it in future episodes. I know there is supposed to be a new character that wasn't in the game so I can't wait to see what that's all about.

Obra Maestra

[marcacealegre · 10/10 · 16 March 2023]

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.

I'm trying very hard to like this but...

[Hazu29 · 2/10 · 14 March 2023]

The game is so cool so I had to watch the anime, but so far it has been a very boring experience. Who is doing the writing? It almost feels like this is a Netflix production. I watched 7 episodes so far and 90% of the episodes it's just people/robots talking nonsense... I fell asleep multiple times. I still enjoy the art and the world design, that's why I don't give it a lower rating, but still, this anime could be so much better with badass action. I will keep watching, but I will probably not recommend this to anyone, it's not enjoyable.

I rather recommend watching Samurai 7 or Full Metal Alchemist, within the same vibe.

Cheers.

Mind-blowingly good

[zeinahelhefny · 10/10 · 24 July 2023]

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.

Makes me want to revisit the game!

[ferrari_sj · 9/10 · 26 July 2023]

Amazing animation, it was like playing the game again, same voice actors (japanese voices), same music and now I just want to install the game again for pure nostalgia!

For those who have not played the game, it may ruin 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 other seasons! I wish the episode were longer as I enjoyed them a lot!

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

Waited so long just to be dissapointed

[iiflqks · 3/10 · 9 January 2023]

So much for waiting for a low quality cgi anime. Its just a bunch of cgi clumped together with 1/4 of the anime being drawn. I just feel like there was little to no effort put in this "anime". If they took the time to actually draw and neatly animatte the mech/robot fighting scenes it would actually be perfect but instead they just choose to use the worst low quality cgi I have ever seen in anime history. The effort put in this first episdoe is comparable to how much effort they put in season 3 of seven deadly sins. Hoesntly don't know what they were thinking when they came up with the idea to use cgi for 3/4 of the entire first episdoe.

Pointless anime-adaptation of the video game

[naroiden · 1/10 · 17 March 2023]

Drakengard-NieR has the potential to have decent lore which I wished the lore in the first game had expanded instead of turning the series into a pointless romantical soft-porn. NieR: Automata is only liked by women for a playable feminine robot character and pervert guys/lesbians who like to see the robot's back. The only people who care about its story are romantic fans otherwise nothing interesting in NieR: Automata at all. The video game is one of the rare video games I regret even finishing because I wanted to see if the story could add anything decent to the NieR lore but it never did, it went full-on pointless romantic story by ignoring NieR universe and it almost ignored Drakengard universe which technically NieR universe is inside of Drakengard universe so I would like to watch about Drakengard universe and its relation to NieR universe instead of this pointless anime. If I had no interest in the post-apocalyptic genre I wouldn't play Drakengard 1, NieR 1 and therefore I wouldn't play NieR: Automata as the 2nd game has nothing to even interest any player unless you like 2B (for some reason) and/or you are a die-hard romantic fan.

There are so many wrongs in the story: Why make a robot able to fall in love and what's the point of the story focus so much on robot love? What's the point of robots being so emotional? Why do robots even have gender and what's even the point of robots caring about their appearance and why are their body even different than rest of the robots? What's the point of robots wearing cloth and why do they even have hair? It's clear the design of robots is some Final Fantasy + BSDM stuff then how do they even see while blindfolded and why their eyes are blindfolded? The technology is advanced enough to create powerful robots and power armour then why do robots use swords and whatnot primitive weapons instead of advanced laser guns or something? I can keep writing all the plot holes in NieR: Automata but if people had cared about the story making sense the video game wouldn't sell that much.

The first NieR game has a better plot and lore to make anime of it but they clearly wanted to satisfy perverts with this anime as if watching the video game's Youtube video isn't enough. Why would anyone watch this anime when you can watch its gameplay videos on Youtube and you can play the video game as it's of course the best experience? It would be okay if the story is different or something but it's 100% anime adaptation of the video game so there is nothing different to watch. You better play the video game instead. It would be better to develop a media that takes place in Drakengard and NieR universe as a new standalone story instead of making anime of the video game that has nothing different to watch. Even the video game was boring to play but it's even boring to watch so why turn the video game into anime? I have no idea what they were thinking.