'Nier: Automata' Is Officially Getting an Anime Adaptation — When Doe It Come Out?

Having made a splash in the world of video games, Nier: Automata was recently announced to be getting its own anime adaptation. The announcement came during a livestream celebrating the 5th anniversary of the game's initial launch. As of now, we know that the series will be worked on by production company Aniplex, who has previously helped to distribute popular anime series like Demon Slayer and The Seven Deadly Sins. What do we know about a release date for the new anime?

Nier: Automata was released in 2017 for the PlayStation 4 and PC before being released on the Xbox One in 2018. The game was directed by Yoko Taro, an eccentric game designer known for hiding his face behind the mask of a mascot from the Nier franchise. The hack-and-slash open world game was developed by PlatinumGames of Bayonetta fame and published by Kingdom Hearts' Square Enix. The game received critical acclaim upon its release. Now, Automata will translate that success into an anime.

The very first teaser released for the new anime seems very "proof of concept" from the start. Namely, it doesn't reveal much about who is directing the adaptation, who will provide the voices for the characters, or even what the character designs will look like as an anime. The teaser simply shows walls of Japanese text pertaining to elements about Automata's initial story with an ominous sketch of main protagonist 2B wielding her signature katana and standing alongside her robot comrade, Pod.

Aside from a confirmation that an anime is being worked on, there's little to report on as of yet. Right now, the Nier: Automata anime doesn't have a set release date or release window. We can surmise that the series could go the way of other anime adaptations like Ace Attorney in retelling the original story while taking some creative liberties with visual presentation. When we find out who's running the project, we'll have a better idea of what the new anime will look like upon its release.

The new anime has some pretty big shoes to fill in order to emulate even a fraction of the reputation of the original action RPG. Nier: Automata follows android soldiers 2B and 9S, who explore a post-apocalyptic Earth to make sure the land is habitable for humans who were supposedly forced to relocate to the Moon. As they discover the truth about their mission and begin developing a sense of humanity, the androids struggle to find a new place for them in the world.

The original game was widely praised for its fluid combat, explorability, and ambitious themes and storytelling interwoven with its gameplay mechanics. The game was nominated for and won several awards in 2017 for achievements in game design and music. Hopefully, the new anime will be able to live up to the hype set by the source material.