The NieR Automata Anime Deserved Better

Article at a glance:

• The adaptation explores 9S and 2B’s relationship in ways the game couldn’t, adding depth to their interactions and offering fresh takes on certain locations.
• The game’s replay-based storytelling and meta-ending (Ending E) are essential to its message, which the anime cannot replicate in a linear format.
• The game is a one-of-a-kind experience that delivers an unforgettable emotional journey, making it impossible for any adaptation to fully capture its essence.

No, I don’t think that the NieR Automata anime was complete garbage. I don’t do binary takes like that, I like a more nuanced approach, thank you. Seriously though, NieR Automata is one of the best games ever made. There is nothing like it. The game will drag you through the mud, and plunge your mind into the depths of depression only to leave you with a message of hope that you will never forget. The anime though… is just okay. I and many other fans begged for an anime adaptation for years but I don’t think we realized how hard it would be to adapt.

In the same vein though, there are certain things this anime adaptation does do well. And why am I talking about NieR Automata anime again after all this time? Simple, because I had been replaying the game recently. So yeah, let’s get started.

Oh, and spoilers for the game and anime ahead.

Why was the NieR Automata anime disappointing?

Let’s first start with the positives. The anime handled 9S and 2B’s relationship very well, It showed aspects of their relationship and character we don’t get to see in the game. In the game, 2B is a lot quieter and more focused on the mission. For a good reason too, she had been killing so many 9S units over and over again that at this point, she just didn’t want to have an emotional connection with him. The anime also offers fresh takes on certain locations in the game some of which are also very well done.

Now… for the bad part. One of the biggest strengths of the game is that it requires you to replay it to get the full story. In a medium where only a linear story is possible, the impact of those replays is lost. The true ending of the game, Ending E is only possible to experience in a video game. Ending E literally has you fighting the names of the developers in a mini-game as the credits scroll by. You and the other players are literally fighting the devs for a better, less depressing ending to the game.

This is why the quote “A future is not given to you. It is something you must take for yourself” hits so hard, Because that’s the point of the game. Get up and fight for a better future, even if it seems pointless, even if it is hard, DO IT. Because that is what it means to live. While in the anime, you only get the “story” of the game without the overlying meta-message of the game. And you can’t convey this message in an anime or movie, no matter how you try.

Yes, the anime had other issues like pacing or certain sections being skipped but that’s to be expected because of the time constraints. But to me, the biggest flaw of the anime is that it just cannot convey the overlying theme of the game. Because it not possible for that theme to resonate so well outside of a video game.

That is all for now

Those were my thoughts on the NieR Automata anime as a whole. But if you haven’t played the game, I highly recommend it. There is absolutely nothing else like it and there never will be. Just like life, playing through this game will be hard, you will suffer but at the end, it will all be worth it. NieR Automata might just be the most profound game of all time and everyone deserves to experience it at least once. With that said, I will take my leave here. See ya,

And, check out my thoughts on Sakamoto Days here!