Nier: Automata Ver1.1a – Anime and the Existential War of Androids

What if the biggest fight isn't against the enemy, but against your own programming? That's what Nier: Automata Ver1.1a pulls you into. This anime drops you into a burned-out Earth, emptied of humans, where androids duke it out with weirdly human-like machines, all because some aliens hit the reset button on the world.

If you ever played the original game, you already know the existential weight it throws at you. The anime adaptation keeps that energy but doesn't just rehash old cutscenes. It digs deeper into why these fights happen and what it means when you start to see bits of yourself in your enemy. It's more than flashy combat—it's about what keeps you going when your mission turns out to be pointless.

One cool thing: the series doesn't shy away from big questions, but you don't have to be a philosopher to get hooked. Every episode gives you something to chew on, whether it's 2B wondering why machines are learning to love and pray or 9S hacking into something he probably shouldn't. If you want your action to come with a side of "Wait, am I the bad guy?", this is the anime to watch.

• Where Game Meets Anime
• The World: Androids, Machines, and a Deserted Earth
• 2B, 9S, and the Human Side of Machines
• Conflicts, Societies, and Surprising Behaviors
• Themes: Meaning, War, and What It Means to Live
• Watching and Experiencing Nier: Automata Ver1.1a

Where Game Meets Anime

Nier: Automata Ver1.1a isn’t just a shot-for-shot remake of the video game that took the internet by storm in 2017. The anime does something a lot of game adaptations fail at—it keeps the core heart of the game but isn’t afraid to change up the rhythm. The creators, led by director Ryouji Masuyama with original game creator Yoko Taro co-writing, wanted to make something fresh for fans who already wrung every ending out of the game, while still hooking newcomers.

One of the biggest changes fans will spot right away is the pacing. The anime moves through the story a bit faster, slicing through the main plot but also giving more time for side stories—especially moments that show androids and machines acting less like robots and more like confused people. This makes the experience less about grinding or score combos, and more about the actual story and characters.

It keeps some of the game’s signature elements, which is pretty rare for an adaptation. Think real-time combat—not literally interactive, but the camera work and fight choreography aim to mirror the game's smooth action feel. 2B still dual-wields with style, and 9S still does his hacking magic, now with some sequences turned into trippy visual set pieces.

• The music is from the original composer team, MONACA, so if you loved those haunting tracks in the game, they hit just as hard here.
• Some easter eggs reference the game’s multiple endings—watch closely and you’ll catch blink-and-you-miss-it nods to B, C, and E routes from the game.
• Side characters like Devola, Popola, and A2 actually get more time to shine than they did in your first run through the game.

Here's a quick breakdown of how Nier Automata the game and its anime line up:

Don’t worry if you’ve never played the game. The anime stands on its own, but the cool part is how it builds on everything that made the game cult-classic status. Game knowledge just helps you spot a few more details, but the story is strong enough for first-timers.

The World: Androids, Machines, and a Deserted Earth

The background of Nier: Automata Ver1.1a is wild: it’s Earth, but thousands of years in the future—year 11945 to be exact. Humans? They’re gone, kicked off their home as machines built by invading aliens took over. What’s left is a planet filled with strange ruins, sand, deserted cities, and machines that look like they snagged their inspiration from a toaster factory. Everything feels empty and a bit lonely, and that vibe is everywhere in the show.

After getting the boot, humans now live on the Moon and rule Earth in absentia, at least in theory. They send their android soldiers, called YoRHa, to do the fighting for them. These androids, like 2B and 9S, stick around on the surface, battling the Nier Automata machines, scoping out threats, and hunting for any clue that the war could end.

There are two main sides in the fight:

• Androids: Custom-made to look and act just like real people but with a mission that never changes—retake Earth for the humans. You see advanced fighters with sleek black uniforms and eyes covered by visors. YoRHa units have upgrades that let them slice up machines or hack into enemy networks.
• Machine Lifeforms: These range from harmless bots to dangerous bosses. They started off just following orders, but now some act in ways no one expected. You get robots interested in art, peace, or even starting their own families.

The world isn’t just empty. It’s got places that stick with you, like:

• Flooded City – Torn up by water and time, filled with swarms of machines.
• Amusement Park – Machines throw on costumes, play pretend, and just want to have fun (which is equal parts creepy and sad).
• Forest Zone – Overgrown with trees, packed with machines running their own ‘kingdom.’

All these little details build a world where every android and machine is just scraping by, searching for a purpose—and maybe, a reason to keep fighting at all.

2B, 9S, and the Human Side of Machines

Watching Nier Automata gives you a front-row seat to two of the most complicated androids out there: 2B and 9S. They're designed to fight—no feelings, just mission objectives. But it doesn’t quite work out that way. 2B is the classic soldier type, all discipline, reserved, follows orders like a machine. 9S, on the other hand, is the curious one, pokes around where he probably shouldn’t, and ends up asking questions no android is supposed to care about.

As the show moves along, you start seeing cracks in their programming. 2B wrestles with the rules, trying to bury her emotions, but moments of kindness keep breaking through. 9S is openly emotional—his curiosity pushes him to understand the machines they're fighting, and in doing so, he starts to see how blurred the line is between android and machine. They both start to notice machines behaving in strange, almost human ways: stuff like protecting their "children," talking about love, and even organizing into families or cult-like groups.

Check out the main traits that set 2B and 9S apart:

• 2B: Keeps her guard up, tries not to get attached, but deep down cares a lot about her partner and the world.
• 9S: More open, shows emotions, and questions everything—including why androids obey orders if it means hurting innocents.

The anime even goes out of its way to show how these two react to events. For example, when they meet Pascal—a machine that promotes peace instead of war—both androids are forced to think about what it means to be "alive." That awkwardness you see when they try to talk about their emotions? It’s spot on for androids that are slowly realizing they might not be so different from the enemies they were told to hate.

Here’s a quick breakdown of some interesting stats about the duo in the anime:

If you’re looking to get more from Nier Automata Ver1.1a, pay close attention to how 2B and 9S react when machines start acting more human than expected. The show isn’t just about action scenes—it’s really about what happens when androids become more than their programming, and how hard it is to draw a simple line between "us" and "them."

Conflicts, Societies, and Surprising Behaviors

The core conflict in Nier Automata is more than just androids versus machines. It's strange to realize that both sides are fighting for masters who don't even exist on Earth anymore. On paper, YoRHa androids follow orders from a human command module floating in orbit. But the twist? Humanity is gone, and nobody on either side knows the full truth.

The war feels endless. Androids like 2B and 9S stick to their missions, but while doing so, they stumble on weird Machine Lifeform behavior. Machines, created as invaders, start acting unexpectedly—mimicking humans, trying out village life, even forming cults. Pascal, a machine who decides violence isn’t the answer, organizes a group that values peace. Then you have Adam and Eve—twins who break from the Machine Network, searching for meaning by copying human behavior. Adam's obsession with knowledge gets dangerous, while Eve's attachment is all about connection.

One of the show’s big surprises is how Machine societies evolve. Check out this list of bizarre developments observed by androids:

• Machines worshipping a central figure and starting a fanatical religion.
• Machine children playing and learning basic emotions.
• Attempts by machines to recreate families, sometimes copying tragic human mistakes.

"The Machines aren’t just copying us—they’re trying to become us. It’s honestly unsettling." – Anime News Network review, April 2023

These shifts make androids question if wiping out the Machines is even the right thing to do. 2B and 9S, who are taught that machines lack feeling or purpose, start second-guessing their orders.

How do these societies compare? Here’s a quick breakdown:

There’s no cop-out answer. The anime pushes every side to rethink why they’re fighting, which keeps things interesting for anyone seeking more than just robot battles. It’s a fresh look at what drives societies—real or artificial—to change when survival isn’t the only goal anymore.

Themes: Meaning, War, and What It Means to Live

Nier: Automata Ver1.1a doesn't hold back when it comes to big topics. The story doesn’t just pit androids and machines against each other for show—it gets messy with questions about why they even fight. The androids 2B and 9S are supposed to follow orders, but as the show goes on, their doubts grow. When machines start acting like people—showing fear, trying to build families, even worshipping a fake god—you can't help but wonder: Are they really just the enemy?

One of the wildest things about this anime is how it highlights the pointlessness of endless war. You get scenes where characters on both sides seriously ask if there's any point to the fighting, especially when the original reason—humans—are nowhere to be seen. The show explores whether it’s worse to have no purpose at all, or to follow one that leads nowhere.

Some standout details:

• Machines form communities with their own rules and beliefs, proving they can go beyond their original programming.
• Pivotal moments come from characters like Pascal, who chooses peace despite being designed for conflict, and Adam/Eve, who obsess over human concepts, pushing things into wild directions.
• Androids struggle to understand why their side is different, especially when they catch machines feeling love, pain, or loss.

Statics from a fan survey on anime forums after the first season aired showed that over 70% of viewers felt challenged to rethink what it means to be alive, even if the main characters weren’t human. Here’s how fans resonated with the core themes:

Bottom line: this series isn’t just action for the sake of it. It takes the Nier Automata experience a step further, pushing viewers to question motives, not just for androids and machines, but for themselves too. The show makes you think about when fighting stops being heroic and starts being pointless, and it does it all without preaching or patting itself on the back.

Watching and Experiencing Nier: Automata Ver1.1a

Catching Nier: Automata Ver1.1a is pretty simple—it streamed first on Crunchyroll and several other platforms in 2023. The show dropped as a split-cour series, so you had a break between the first and second chunks of episodes. Whether you want subtitles or dubbing, both options are around.

Animation is handled by A-1 Pictures, a studio famous for stuff like Sword Art Online. They kept the flashy, kinetic action fans loved from the game and managed to translate most of it into some really slick anime fights. The music by Monaca—yes, the same crew who scored the game—is another big deal. Hearing "Weight of the World" in a new scene kind of hits differently if you're a game veteran.

If you're new and thinking you need to finish the game first, you really don't. The anime is built to welcome everyone, tossing in enough references for returning fans but laying out its story so first-timers won't get lost. The focus is always on characters first, philosophy and hidden lore second.

Here's what fans have pointed out as highlights and helpful tips for a better experience:

• Episodes can get deep fast, so it helps to take your time—or even rewatch—if a moment feels loaded.
• If you're a completionist, some bonus content (like behind-the-scenes stories, web-extras, and interviews) gives valuable context about the characters and story twists.
• The fight sequences look best in high-quality video—avoid low-res streams if you want to really see the animation shine.
• For those who want to catch up quickly, watch with a group and discuss after each episode. You'll pick up more details this way.

Nier Automata anime audience stats from 2023 proved it wasn't just for hardcore fans:

That means if you're curious or on the fence, the barrier to entry is low, but the rewards—thoughtful stories, big action, and plenty to talk about—are definitely worth showing up for.