Nier Automata Announces TV Anime Series

The beloved 2017 action-RPG Nier Automata is being adapted into an anime series.

Aniplex, an anime production company that is owned by Sony, revealed the new adaptation with a teaser trailer that shows off new art of the game's protagonist, the android warrior 2B.  Additional details about the new show, such as its cast and crew and premiere date, have yet to be announced. The trailer was revealed during a livestream that celebrated the 5th anniversary of the game's original launch.

Nier Automata is set in the distant future, where humanity has been driven from the Earth by a race of machines built by alien invaders. Humanity's last hope comes in the form of "YorHA," a brigade of android warriors who are sent down to Earth in order to kill all of the machines and reclaim the planet. The original game focused on a trio of androids, the sword-wielding 2B, hacker 9S and the rebellious A2, whose journey to Earth and their interactions with the supposedly deadly machines forces them to question the morals of their mission and the reason behind their very existence.

The original Automata was published by Square Enix and was developed by Platinum Games, a team of former Capcom developers who are known for their expertise in creating action games such as Bayonetta, Astral Chain and God Hand. The game was directed by Yoko Taro, who previously helmed the Drakengard series and the original Nier, which was released for the Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 in 2010. While the original Nier wasn't a sales success, it slowly developed a dedicated cult following the years following its release, prompting Square Enix to take a chance on a sequel in 2017. The sequel originally launched for Windows PCs and the PS4, but was later ported to the Xbox One. Automata received a much more positive critical reception than its predecessor, with reviewers praising its emotional story line, haunting soundtrack and more polished gameplay. The sequel also sold substantially better as well, moving over 6 million copies as of 2021.

Automata's success helped transform Nier into one of Square Enix's ongoing franchises. A remaster of the first game, now entitled Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139..., was released in 2021 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PCs. The remaster was substantially better received than the original release and has sold over a million copies. Nier Reincarnation, a mobile spinoff, was also released in 2021. 2B has become an extremely popular character in her own right, and was featured as a guest fighter in Bandai Namco's SoulCalibur VI. The series' popularity has also spawned crossovers with Final Fantasy XIV, Phantasy Star Online 2, and even Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout.

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