Is the NieR: Automata Anime Canon?

NieR: Automata Ver1.1a is based on the popular action role-playing game, Nier: Automata. But is the NieR: Automata Ver1.1a anime adaptation canon, or is it completely different to give more depth to the popular characters? Continue reading to find out!

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Is the NieR: Automata Anime Canon?

NieR: Automata Ver1.1a is not a canon anime. During the Aniplex Online Fest in September 2022, game director Yoko Taro explained:

The anime title has the affix “Ver1.1a” because the title Nier: Automata was a story we created to be a game, so copying it as is wouldn’t make an interesting story for an anime. So I brought up the idea of changing things around.

Below is a special interview with Yoko Taro, Ryoji Masuyama, the series’ director, Yui Ishikawa, the VA who plays 2B, and Natsuki Hanae, who voices 9S.

Aside from Yoko Taro’s explanation about the anime not being canon, the interview also explains how the anime version started, from the proposal to the visuals of the characters.

Differences Between the Nier Automata Anime and Game

After Yoko Taro’s announcement, fans are expecting more changes in the anime.

Whether these changes will be good or bad is up to the viewers to decide as the anime releases more episodes.

Nier Automata Game vs. Anime: Names

The most obvious difference between the two is their names. As Yoko Taro mentioned, the anime adaptation contains “Ver1.1a” in its title, which could mean that there will be other versions in the future if the first anime succeeds.

Another difference is the narration. The RPG’s narrative style is suited for games to accommodate the players' choices, while the anime narration fits best for TV anime viewing.

The main reason for this is that both have different target markets, and choosing the most appropriate narrative style will lead to the success of both the game and the anime.

Action Styles

Another difference is the action styles. Of course, games and anime do not have the same animation style.

In this case, the anime’s action styles are more exciting and immersive than the game.

The game offers interactive features, giving players a chance to control the movements and decisions of the characters.

On the other hand, the anime plays each scene without interventions, giving it more freedom to add scenes.

Making an action scene more thrilling is essential to an anime to encourage viewers to keep watching.

Another element that fans might notice is the outro of 9S and 2B puppets. The objective of this is to explain the game's inner mechanics, which is why it contains various endings.

Lily in the Nier Automata Anime

Lily, an essential character in the YoRHA stage, gets a spotlight in the anime.

She was introduced in the game but got less exposure than her role in NieR: Automata Ver1.1a.

Her addition to the main cast could mean that there will be significant changes in the story’s progression.

While there are differences between the anime and the game, there are still some similarities.

For instance, there are essential moments and dialogues in both the game and the anime.

Discover more anime news and info by following us on Twitter @epicstreamanime.

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