NieR:Automata Ver1.1a [Season 1 Episodes 1-24]

NieR: Automata Ver1.1a – A Love Letter to the Game That’s Both a Hit and a Miss

Let’s cut to the chase: NieR: Automata Ver1.1a is not just an anime—it’s a nostalgia bomb wrapped in a 2D-CGI package, and fans are here for it… mostly. The adaptation of PlatinumGames’ 2017 masterpiece landed on January 7, 2023, with A-1 Pictures at the helm, and it’s been splitting audiences like a machine’s laser sword ever since. If you’re a die-hard gamer who spent hours hacking through post-apocalyptic ruins as 2B, you’ll either cheer at the faithful re-creations or side-eye the CGI that looks like it was pulled straight from a PS2 cutscene. If you’re new? You might just be hooked by the action, the mystery, and that chef’s kiss soundtrack.

First off, the good stuff. The anime nails the game’s soul. The opening sequence? Aimer’s haunting vocals paired with 2B’s fluid swordplay had fans screaming “Glory to mankind!” within the first five minutes. “The OP by Aimer is an amazing song,” gushed one viewer, and honestly, who can argue? The soundtrack, lifted directly from the game, is a character in itself—those melancholic piano melodies and heart-pounding battle tracks hit just as hard on screen as they did through a controller. The 2D animation? Stunning. 2B’s no-nonsense stare, 9S’s wide-eyed curiosity, the desolate beauty of the abandoned factory—all of it feels like the game’s art book came to life. “It felt like a little bit of a nostalgia trip,” said a fan who’d just finished the game, and that’s the vibe: this is for the players, through and through.

But here’s the catch: the CGI. Oh, the CGI. Some fans called it “laughably poorly animated,” comparing it to a “no commentary YouTube gameplay.” The flight units? Stiff. The machine enemies? Sometimes clunky. “The 3DCG could have been rendered on a PS2,” one critic joked. Even die-hard supporters admitted, “The CGI was weird a couple times,” but quickly added, “if you don’t notice it or try to not think about it, it was an amazing first episode.” It’s a classic case of “adaptation blues”—when you’re so used to the game’s fluidity, anything less feels off. But let’s be real: for every hater, there’s a fan defending it. “They’re using the IN-GAME MODELS + IN GAME OST,” one user fired back, as if to say, “This is authenticity, not laziness.”

The story? It’s sticking close to the source. The first episode dives right into the prologue: 2B and 9S team up to take down a machine threat, 9S gets wounded, and the pair detonates their black boxes (yep, that part still hits). The anime even throws in the game’s iconic “puppet show” lore dumps—those quirky, fourth-wall-breaking segments that explain the world without bogging you down. “The puppet play is good to explain lore things,” a new viewer noted, and honestly, it’s a smart move. The anime is merging Routes A and B, which some fans love (“It’s combining the routes of A and B together, which I think should work”) and others side-eye (“If their relationship feels odd—didn’t they just meet and 2B is already so attached?—don’t worry, it is explained eventually”). But for the most part, it’s a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach.

Now, let’s talk about the fanbase. This anime is a love letter, and the fans are writing back. “I saw scenes and stuff I remember from playing the game,” said one, while another admitted, “I just finished this game a couple weeks back, so the setting here is still fresh in my memory.” The nostalgia is real—six years after the game’s release, seeing 2B slice through machines again is like reuniting with an old friend. Even non-gamers are getting in on the action: “I have never played this game, and yet I loved this episode,” a newbie confessed. “The opening was amazing, and that puppet play kinda thing was so hilarious.”

But not everyone’s drinking the Kool-Aid. “It adds nothing and is very poorly animated,” a detractor grumbled, while another dismissed it as a “low budget cash grab.” There’s a divide between those who want innovation and those who just want to relive the game. “The game made you feel like you’re playing an anime; this show feels like watching these no commentary YouTube gameplays,” one critic argued. Fair? Maybe. But let’s be honest: NieR: Automata’s magic isn’t just in the gameplay—it’s in the story, the characters, and the feels. The anime might not reinvent the wheel, but it’s keeping the wheel spinning.

So, is NieR: Automata Ver1.1a worth watching? If you’re a fan? Abso-freaking-lutely. The nostalgia, the soundtrack, the chance to see 2B kick ass again—what’s not to love? If you’re new? Give it a shot. The action is solid, the mystery is intriguing, and hey, you might just end up buying the game afterward (no shame). Just don’t go in expecting a flawless masterpiece. The CGI is a flaw, the pacing is a bit rushed, and some parts feel like a retread. But here’s the thing: NieR has always been about imperfection. It’s about finding beauty in a broken world, and that’s exactly what this anime does.

As one fan put it: “After all this waiting, we have finally gotten the first episode, and I loved it. Of course some stuff wasn’t that good, but if you don’t notice it… it was an amazing first episode.” At the end of the day, NieR: Automata Ver1.1a is a love letter—flawed, heartfelt, and unapologetically for the fans. And honestly? That’s more than enough.

Glory to mankind, indeed.