NieR: Automata Officially Returns With Trailer And Release Date For Season 1's Second Cour (2024)

A new trailer showed off what to expect in A-1 Pictures' Nier: Automata Ver1.1a second part. The anime, which broadcast its first 12 episodes last year, will continue its story this July. Like how it adapted the early part of the original game, the next cour will likely providea retelling of the events leading to the game's endings C and D.

The trailer was recently uploaded to both X and Aniplex's YouTube channel. It confirms at the least that the YoRHA androids 2B, 9S, and A2 will return, and showcases a new opening credits song by LiSA, titled "Black Box".

While the first cour was marred by production issues, leading to delays, fans of both the anime and the original game can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that the adaptation will properly cover Automata's unpredictable and memorable plot.

Nier: Automata Is Set to Continue Its Plot Past the First Cour

Anime Will Likely Adapt Its Own Rendition of Endings C and D

The anime adaptation wisely chooses to depict a distilled version of the story that leads to Endings A and B, which are usually associated with the first half of the game, and then adds an ominous cliffhanger promising more story elements that the game's fans are familiar with. The trailer, which depicts rows of YoRHA androids in full armor, echoes a major scene preceding the sequence leading to Endings C and D. This is a strong indication that the next cour will focus on adapting the back half of the game, giving viewers all the major beats of the plot.

One outstanding question is how A-1 Pictures will structure the plot. While the first cour had an easy time with a relatively straightforward plot (albeit one that required significant trimming to form a linear plot across 12 episodes), Automata's story becomes far more complex afterward, with the android A2 becoming a major character with her own plot separate to the others. It remains to be seen how the anime will juggle these threads in a way that feels natural, though it also has plenty of leeway to alter things as necessary, so long as the major sequences from Nier: Automata are retained.

The impending release of the anime should be cause for celebration. Ver1.1a infamously struggled in production and saw multiple delays to its first cour thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving the show with a black mark, its quality aside. This time, the broadcast should be smooth and painless, allowing fans to enjoy it without worrying about next week's episode. While the trailer does not confirm any international broadcast, Crunchyroll's streaming of the series last year means fans can easily expect the service to do the same once the new cour of Nier: Automata Ver1.1a arrives later in July.

Source: Nier: Automata official anime X account, Aniplex (YouTube)

NieR: Automata Ver1.1a

Action

Animation

Drama

Based on the video game developed by PlatinumGames and Square Enix, NieR: Automata 1.1a is an adaptation that centers around members of a special android force created by Humanity in the distant future. In the year 5012, with Humanity at the brink of extinction and Earth all but claimed by Alien invaders with Machine Lifeforms, Humanity launches a counterattack to reclaim the planet. 9S, an elite attack unit, is sent to convene with an analysis unit known as 9S to eradicate the threat. But as the two learn about the world and themselves, they ponder the meaning of existence and whether they're more than just weapons of destruction.

Release Date

January 8, 2023

Seasons

1

Writers

Ryouji Masuyama , Yoko Taro

Directors

Ryouji Masuyama