ProductionFirst, lets talk animation. The visual experience provided by NieR: Automata is solid all around besides a few hiccups here and there. Namely, the CGI used for certain things such as the flying YoRHa units is quite rough, this is especially noticeable during the first 2 episodes. aside from episode 1 and 2 the blend of CGI and 2D animation is done well save a few moments where it looks a little janky or underdone. Moving away from CGI though, the 2D animation itself is very good, although not quite on the level of some more popular anime like JJK or Demon Slayer, the action scenes are still fluid and paced well, if not just a little stiff at times.

The environments and background art really help sell the post-apocalyptic/war torn city vibe, great use of a more bleak color palette in city areas with a splash of green in areas that nature has already started to reclaim. Character designs are another strong point for the animation here, I never had trouble telling characters apart despite a lot of them wearing a similar outfit, and the designs in general felt fitting for the personalities of the characters attached to them.

Moving on to sound, the soundtrack as a whole is truly fantastic. The singing and instrumentation was unique and memorable, really adding to the atmosphere at times and enhancing the emotional aspect of many scenes throughout the show. The sound design team was very tasteful in their implementation of the music as well, letting it get loud and swell during quiet moments and making sure to back off when characters start talking so as to not take away from the dialogue. as a whole, I'd say this is one of the best soundtracks I've heard in an anime recently, and it was refreshing in just how stylized it was. It truly felt like every song was handcrafted for this show specifically, not generic in any way.

Plot & CharactersAs I mentioned briefly in the animation section, the first couple of episodes are rough to get through, I think this is largely due to the video game intro just not translating well to the anime format. However, this becomes a non-issue starting with episode 3, where the anime starts to really pick up in terms of the plot. Speaking of the plot, NieR: Automata is centered around a variety of themes having to do with war and humanity itself. The main groups, all of which consist of non-humans, have differing opinions on humanity and what it means to them, this becomes a major focus for the anime as a whole and kind of guides the characters philosophies at times, showing stark differences between characters by way of their mindsets when it comes to the war and what humanity means to them.

The plot itself proves to be hard to follow at times, due to a fair amount of info dumping and also the main themes being very involved and hard to keep track of. This becomes a more prominent problem during the last two episodes, where the pacing feels rushed compared to the rest of the series. The ending itself is great and leaves off on a great plot twist, but I still can't help but feel the lead up was a bit lackluster in terms of setting up the final reveal. That being said, the plot for the most part is entertaining, stringing the viewer along as questions are raised and answered in tandem, the plot provides plenty to think about throughout the show as the different groups involved in the conflict pursue their own goals/interests.

The characters of NieR: Automata are, for the most part, well developed and likable. The dialogue between characters feels natural and conversations have a good flow to them. This is especially true for the main duo, 2B and 9S. 2B and 9S have lots of well written banter that goes a long way in helping the viewer become attached to them as a pair, and this is especially important because the majority of the show is spent following this duo on their various missions. Side characters were quite enjoyable as well, characters like Jackass and Lily had their own charm to them that was brought out nicely through their dialogue and actions. I also just really loved Lily's backstory, which is why I was sad that she wasn't a little more involved in the plot overall, but this is a bit nitpicky considering that 2B and 9S are very clearly meant to be the focus. There were also other characters that I wish I got to know more about such as Commander White and A2, but this is something that I'm hoping is rectified in cour 2.

ConclusionPROS: + Fantastic soundtrack + Great main duo and likable side cast + Lots of great themes explored in some capacity

CONS:

• Plot is a bit dense, hard to follow at times
• Animation quality varies, janky looking CGI
• Pacing also varied somewhat, especially near beginning and end of series

Overall, I'd say while NieR: Automata may be fairly rough around the edges, it is most certainly worth your time if you are looking for a decently entertaining plot spearheaded by a great main duo.