English Dub Review: Nier Automata Ver.1.1a: “city e[S]scape”

Overview: Commander White (Colleen O’ Shaughnessey) sends 2B (Kira Buckland) and 9S (Kyle McCarley) out on a reconnaissance mission as the alien machines show the potential to grow past their programming. 

Our Take: How certain robot lifeforms have evolved past the systemic, lethal ones is an intriguing concept. It plays into the idea of consciousness during their lives. The story centers on a touching bot and its desire for plant life, namely flowers, to prosper. By doing so, it also shows the full breadth of how aliens evolve in its care for human life as a whole. The music is equal parts beautiful and mournful with the serene, overgrown cityscapes acting as a gorgeous backdrop. 

The resistance on Earth has a presence in their futility of the fight they have on their hands. There is also general unease established within the faction, especially by their leader, Lily, in how they are treated by the remaining moonbound survivors. 

It would be all too easy to make 2B and 9S’s boss, Commander White, a brutal leader, especially in the world they’re trying to save. Thankfully, she is a refreshing change-up acting as a strong, but caring leader. 

Caring machine, PLAO8, becomes a casualty, because of their differences, in an utterly heartbreaking scene. However, the repercussions of their morality and the ripples it’ll have on other machines plants an engrossing seed for how individuality extends throughout the species. 

9S and 2B acting as the Resistance’s savior against machines creates an interesting opportunity. The interplay between the Resistance and YorHa will be fascinating in both android groups’ viewpoint on the righteousness of their cause.