Skip to main content

The Nier: Automata anime debuts January 7th on Crunchyroll

The Nier: Automata anime debuts January 7th on Crunchyroll

/

Nier: Automata Ver1.1a, an anime based on the cult classic RPG, is nearly here.

Share this story

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Nier: Automata, Yoko Taro’s quirky but heartfelt action RPG, is being adapted into an anime that will begin streaming on Crunchyroll on January 7th. The show was first announced in February 2022 and is officially titled Nier: Automata Ver1.1a.

Based on the synopsis from Crunchyroll, it seems like Nier: Automata Ver1.1a’s story sticks relatively close to the game, though Taro said in a recent video that there will be some changes. Part of what’s interesting about the game is its 26 different endings and a narrative that takes place across a few different perspectives, and we’ll have to wait and see if and how the show ends up including those.

If you’re curious, here’s the synopsis. I’ve left the punctuation exactly as it was provided.

The distant future, 5012. The sudden aerial invasion of Earth by <Aliens> and their creations <Machine Lifeforms> led mankind to the brink of extinction. The surviving number of humans who took refuge on the moon to organize a counterattack using <android> soldiers to recapture Earth. However, the war reaches a stalemate as the <Machine Lifeforms> continue to multiply infinitely. In turn, humanity deploys a new unit of android soldiers as an ultimate weapon: YoRHa. Newly dispatched to Earth 2B joins 9S, the analyst currently stationed there, where amid their mission, they encounter a myriad of mysterious phenomena… This is the story of these lifeless <androids> and their endless fight for the sake of mankind.

Crunchyroll shared an official trailer for Ver1.1a in December, though it doesn’t have any footage of the show itself. For that, check out this video from September, which has a few brief glimpses of the series in motion and that interview I mentioned with Taro. There’s also footage of the show in the official announcement of the January 7th release date. If you haven’t played the game, I highly recommend it, especially now that it’s available on Nintendo Switch.

Episodes will stream at 12:30PM ET, with new episodes premiering on Saturdays. Nier: Automata Ver1.1a is just one of many new shows hitting Crunchyroll this winter; to see what else is on tap, check out Crunchyroll’s winter lineup.

Update January 6th, 3:10PM ET: The show will officially premiere on January 7th.

Correction December 15th, 2:07PM ET: Crunchyroll originally told The Verge that the show would begin streaming on January 7th, but after we published this story, said the show will instead premiere sometime in the month of January.