Nier: Automata ver1.1a is my new favorite anime video game adaptation

My anime days are long gone, but when I heard that Nier: Automata was going to have its own animated adaptation, I was immediately interested. I love this game, considering it a masterpiece in both story and gameplay. And I’m happy that at the moment the anime show has absorbed a lot of what I like so much about the game.

In fact, I’d say Nier: Automata ver1.1a is a properly done video game adaptation. So often we see things like this fail, with a few notable exceptions like The Last of Us, which means you can probably understand my excitement that this anime is actually a faithful adaptation… mostly.

You see, this is not a one-on-one recreation of a game. There are slight differences to flesh things out for TV audiences, as video games are inherently very, very different mediums and don’t often translate well to the big or silver screen.

The art style and acting also impressed me, even in the context of acting (which itself is excellent in both areas). Protagonists 2B and 9S look and sound amazing, with the former retaining his usual wistfulness and 9S retaining his curious innocence.

Everything I loved about the story of Nier: Automata is still present in the anime, but with added flair and flair. For example, when 2B and 9S fight Simone, a machine that has gone mad in its quest to be beautiful, the show adds a lot more detail to the battle, such as when 9S tries to hack the enemy.

Nier: Automata ver1.1a set a new bar for video game adaptation for me.

I’m skeptical about adaptations in general, whether it’s a book to film or whatever you have. A rare good adaptation in my experience, so I’m all the more shocked that Nier: Automata ver1.1a is as good as it gets. However, I think it helps that Nier creator Yoko Taro has a role in the script.

One of the best things about this show is its accessibility for newcomers and fans of the original game. It covers a lot of the game’s themes – for now, of course, since the series is only a few episodes away – and Taro’s involvement certainly helps the series stay true to its source material.

It’s gotten to the point where I’m excited about every episode on Saturdays at 12:30 pm EST on Crunchyroll. I highly recommend Nier: Automata ver1.1a to fans of the game, as well as to those who have never played Nier: Automata. If you’re looking for a thoughtful anime with great action and characters, you should check this one out.

This show is a video game adaptation done right and set a new bar for me. I can’t wait to see how this progresses.