English Dub Review: NieR:Automata Ver1.1a: “mave[R]ick”

Overview: 2B (Kira Buckland) and 9S (Kyle McCarley) visit a calm and civil machine lifeform village, led by the robot, Pascal (Alexis Tipton). 

Our Take: The mystery surrounding Adam and Eve is striking in how advanced they are compared to regular machines. Adam’s the brains of their duo and the authoritative, dominating figure to his carefree younger brother, Eve. Although time spent with them is brief, their banter is excellent in establishing their power dynamic. Not to mention, their rapid increase of knowledge only further distinguishes them as a massive, growing threat. 

The prospect of life is a heartwarming change-up from the war and destruction 2B and 9S are conditioned to. Another refreshing development is that of the peaceful machine lifeform village they meet. Each new area they visit offers a new visual side of the apocalyptic earth to explore and the village is no different. The village stands out for its misty, forested area with housing littered throughout large tree trunks. The actual villagers also charm like their sweet leader, Pascal, fathers, mothers, or innocent, curious children. Showcasing the lifestyle of innocents on an opposing side isn’t new, thematically, but it’s an effective tool in garnering empathy for them.

There is also a mysterious tree with an Emil head, connecting back to the prequel entry, NieR: Replicant. It is interesting in how it evoked a conscience in benevolence and self-preservation. The head’s presence is also curious in how it’ll connect to Replicant and the androids’ current story, for those who haven’t played the game. 

9S struggling with the concept of kindhearted machines is an emotional challenge in wrestling with what other robots have done to androidkind. His merciful actions offer hope for growth and perspective, the more he learns about different factions. However, his uncertainty adds a layer of fear and tension to how he’ll handle friendly machines. How he’ll sift through not only his complex feelings, but that of his enemies continues to fascinate.