Chapter 13 - Pod 042 - Report:

5012 AD

Lifeforms from outer space. Otherwise known as Aliens suddenly begin their invasion of Earth. Mankind escapes to the moon, and the ground battle between the Androids and the Machine Lifeforms has continued for a long time

11945 AD.

The 243rd Descent Operation has commenced. YoHRa Soldiers 2B and 9S now engage in the plan to recapture Earth.

While on a mission near the City Ruins, they receive a request from the Resistance to find a missing android. Both 2B and 9S consider that the missing android may be related to their current investigation ordered by command, Proposal: Begin the search for relevant android.

Chapter 14 - Pod 153 - Report:

YoHRa Soldiers 2B and 9S both succeed in destroying machine lifeform core units Adam and Eve. Machine lifeforms are currently confirmed to be in temporary confusion and chaos. Seeing this as an opportunity to annihilate the enemy, the Army of Humanity issues an order for all YoRHa units to commence an all-out attack on the machine lifeforms.

This unit, in collaboration with 9S, the designated partner of this tactical support unit, will begin its mission to oversee the Type S models in a coordinated mission.

Chapter 15 - Pod 042 - Report:

The YoRHa soldiers and the Resistance unite to launch a large-scale operation on Earth to exterminate the machine lifeforms.

However, a larger-than-expected number of machine units has been confirmed. Each area has requested assistance. This unit, in collaboration with 2B, the designated partner of this tactical support unit. Will provide backup and support to the androids on the ground.

- Warning EMP attack and logic virus attack from the enemy confirmed-

- Communication error-

Chapter 16 - Pod 153 - Report:

The machine lifeforms not only infected the YoRHa soldier units on the ground, they also infected the Bunker with a viral attack, activating a self-destruct sequence.

With this, the 13th Orbital Satellite Base Bunker was destroyed.

2B and 9S avoided infection from the virus and escaped the Bunker before it was destroyed.
Proposal: Find the remaining surviving YoRHa Soldiers and start another descent-to-ground operation on Earth to fulfill the mission.

Chapter 17 - Pod 042 - Report:

A damaged sector of the memory area found in subject of this unit's support. Commence restoration of remaining data.

December 8th, 11941.

It was decided that a combat mission would be carried out by Soldiers which is comprised of newer models.
As we descent down onto Earth, machine lifeforms suddenly attacked us, but we were saved by older models of android.

■■■■
■■■■■■■■
■■■■
■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

...I will never forget this The comrades I fought alongside, my ■■.

Chapter 18 - Pod 042 - Report:

- Confirmed that the YoRHa unit 2B, the subject this unit is supporting, has ceased to function

- Going forward, support function will be transferred to YoRHa unIt A2.

Confirmed A2 has suffered damage to her unit due to the impact of the cave-in caused by the appearance of a massive structure.
Prompt maintenance is recommended, however, A2 indicates a rejection of the idea.
Proposal: This unit will ensure safety of A2 and will continue to request maintenance be carried out.

Chapter 19 - Pod 153 - Report:

9S, subject of this unit's support, was injured when he was caught in the upheaval: caused by the appearance of the giant structure identified as the Tower.
Currently, he still needs maintenance and rest, but unit 9S refuses.
He has left the Resistance Camp and is approaching the Tower.

It has been discovered that access to the Tower Main Unit requires a structure known as the Sub-unit to be unlocked.
This unit, in collaboration with 9S, will begin searching the Sub-unit for the passcode.

Chapter 20 - Pod 042 - Report:

While accompanying unit A2 in visiting the Machine Lifeform Village at the request of Lily to procure materials, a large number of hostile machine lifeforms is observed advancing toward the area.
Unable to detect command units from this enemy group. Reason for enemy advance is currently unknown.

Until Pascal returns to the front lines after completing strengthening modifications, this unit will commence a defensive operation in cooperation with A2 and the machine lifeforms in this village.

Chapter 21 - Pod 042 - Report:

As a result of the battle, the Machine Lifeform Village was destroyed.
The machine lifeforms confirmed alive have evacuated to the Resistance Camp.
However, a new reaction from a Goliath-class machine lifeform is detected advancing toward the area

-SOS Message Received from resistance Comp-

It appears that a serious virus contamination has occurred within the Resistance Camp.
A2 and Pascal are working together to understand the situation and respond accordingly.

Chapter 22 - Pod 153 - Report:

Unit 9S has successfully obtained the three passcodes necessary to access the main unit of the Tower.
The following data was confirmed during attempted access to the Tower.
Record added to items requiring further analysis.

I'm not ■■■. I'm ■■■■■.
You're still ■■■■■.

■■, ■■ is ■ inside ■■.
And—

Chapter 23

Fun! Fun!                    Join at the Tower, let's play more
Fun! Fun!                    Join at the Tower, let's play more


... ... let's play

Chapter 24

Everything that lives is designed to end.
They are perpetually trapped in a never-ending spiral of life and death.

Creator Talk

Director/Series Composition | Ryoji Masuyama X Series Composition | YOKO TARO

Q: Mr. YOKO, not only were you the director of the original game, you also served as lead of series composition for the anime NieR:Automata Ver1.1a with Director Masuyama.
What was your first impression of Director Masuyama?

YOKO: I felt he was a very serious person. At first. He had this vibe like, "I don't know too much about the title just yet ... " But after that, not only did he play the actual game, but he also read up on affiliated titles, articles analyzing the game, and content about settings that even I had forgotten about. He picked up on all sorts of elements dispersed throughout the title and would comment. "So this is how the NieR universe is structured!" and such, even I was taken aback. (laughs) I guess his disposition is that of an otaku.

Masuyama: I picked up as much as I could pick up. (laughs)

YOKO: But I felt. "Oh, this is something that the fans will be delighted about." from various aspects. The names that Rose gave to Number 2 and others in Chapter 17 were the names that were published on social media by Ms. Ui Hinagata, the actress for Rose in "Musical Theater YoRHa Ver1.2" back when it was running. His antenna for information is incredible because he can even find information like that.

Masuyama: Mr. YOKO can nonchalantly drop information that pertains to the true nature of this worldview in the most benign of places. So, I can never drop my guard. (laughs)

Q: Director Masuyama, how did you feel when you first began working on this series?

Masuyama: I started by watching gameplay videos for NieR, which were tremendously interesting. I felt that it was a title that would fit extremely well as a piece of visual media, like a film or TV series. Action games can often give the impression that defeating enemies and bosses is the main objective But this title had a solid storyline separate from all of that. I really felt its entertaining nature from that aspect, so it seemed like it would be fun to make.

Q: We hear both of you had been very active in exchanging opinions, even from the very first series composition meeting.

YOKO: I didn't want to have a situation where we were both holding back and not tossing out ideas, like when you meet someone for an arranged marriage. I. Of course, offered my ideas, and Director Masuyama also provided ideas that were perfect as well.

Masuyama: I initially sent a very bare-bones series composition indicating what elements would be incorporated in which episodes, partially so that I could grasp the overall flow for myself. Seeing that, Mr. Yoko said, "This is way too much like the original game. so let's change it up a lot more. So, I believe, ultimately. We continually pitched opinions that we fine-tuned during the workflow.

YOKO: I felt that I wanted to prepare something more fun for the fans than simply watching the same thing they saw in the game. As a creator, I also felt it wouldn't be interesting to present the game as-is And in the process of tossing out all sorts of ideas they ended up saying, "You know, YOKO, you can be a part of series composition, too."" and that's how I was given this title.

Q: So, even for titles with a very solid storyline like NieR:Automata, you can't just have something "as-is."

YOKO: Right. Games and anime have differing rhythms when it comes to storytelling. Games aren't written like TV anime which airs every week and has things like hooks. Punchlines, and hyping up the audience which are in mind at the time of writing. In that sense, the difficulty level is set high. I had previously told Producer (Miho) Matsumoto. "I believe the 'Musical Theater YoRHa' or theatrical 'YoRHa Boys' play would be easier to adapt to a visual medium.' But I was immediately denied, with the reply. 'No. We are going to do the main Automata story.* (laughs)

Q: In the anime adaptation, the Resistance leader switching to Lily is cited as a bold change that was made. Did this idea originate from Mr. YOKO?

YOKO: It seems that I came up with it, but I can't remember why I did it.

Masuyama: In the game. The Resistance leader Anemone and Operator 210 were both voiced by Ms. Mary Hatsumi, so it was an idea that popped out when we were debating what to do in the anime, Mr. YOKO suggested, "Why don't we just swap out the character altogether?"

YOKO: I wanted to make as many changes as possible in places that allowed it. And in all of that, the fact that we had an overlap in cast provided a good hint about where to add some changes. However, when it came to the Pearl Harbor Descent Operation. I wanted to convey the fact that it was not completely created from the anime side on its own, but it is a part of the buildup of the NieR franchise up until now. Thus, I asked for the actors from the stage productions to be cast as much as possible.

Masuyama: The flow of the stage production was that Lily and Daisy were the survivors. So. I thought that in this anime. It would be more interesting if the weakest character survived and became the leader. and that's why we changed it from Anemone to Lily.

YOKO: Each time. I seek a balance where both first-time viewers and returning patrons can enjoy the title. I feel like I've been walking on a tightrope this whole time. One example is wondering whether the returning patrons would show interest, like. "What do you mean Lily is now the leader!?"

Masuyama: Flipping the order of defeating Adam and Eve was on a similar vein.

YOKO: For those two. I wanted to fortify their relationship that I had drawn out in the game a little bit more in the anime. By changing their positions from the game. I felt that the human nature of each of them would come to the surface a lot more. That's why I made that proposal.

Masuyama: These can all be done thanks to the convenience of the word "branches." YOKO: Right. (laughs) I originally created branches because back during Drakengard, Square Enix told me to "fill up more volume of the game," and I created branches for multiple playthroughs. So, it's all SquEni's fault!

Both: (laughs)

Masuyama: But because we have that. The fans readily accept strange settings like this, and new viewers watch it thinking that's just how things are. I think we ended up with a very natural form. If it were a world with no branches, the anime side may have been beaten to a pulp ... (laughs)

YOKO: And the concept of the multiverse. among other things, has been trendy lately thanks to Marvel, (laughs) Even then, each media platform has different characteristics in structure, so I don't think simply porting it all to anime as-is would fully make use of the allure. If that were the case, I personally feel that things should be changed. Especially for NieR. I think I am the only person who can actually say that it'd be better if there were changes, so I kept my voice loud as I gave my opinions.

Masuyama: In this series, there were often cases where it was easy to express something in a game but difficult in an anime. So, I think it was a good thing for the general anime staff to be able to change things without hesitation to be more fitting for an anime expression.

Q: We heard that there were many detailed interactions and exchanges during the scenario meetings.

YOKO: Normally, when I write game scenarios, I'm either working by myself or hand over the plot to a writer who writes the scenario, which I then check. It's a very minimalist approach in terms of creation. For this anime, the screenwriter differs in each episode, the director makes corrections, and I supervise. I had the impression that there were a lot of opportunities and times for the ball to go back and forth.

Masuyama: Mr. (Yusuke) Watanabe, who Joined us for this series as a screenwriter. usually works in the live-action sector. In live action, the interactions are primarily between very few people, such as the scenario writer and the producer. He mentioned he was inspired by the large group discussions that happen in anime.

Q: Which episode was particularly difficult?

Masuyama: Of course, the final episode.

YOKO: Initially, I think it was much closer to the game. Director Masuyama also included all sorts of directions. And as a result. We had quite a lot of back and forth.

Masuyama: When I write a scenario, I try to get an image of the visual footage as I write. But I might be using a different brain, or something, because when I adapt the scenario into video, it always ends up being too confusing. I came up with the idea of a "white box" to fill that gap. By releasing this, I felt like I could end the story as the final episode. I also think that being able to play Ms. LiSA's song "Black Box" there really fit in well.

YOKO: I had never imagined using Ms. LISA'S singing voice in the main episodic portion, so when "Black Box" started playing, I honestly thought, "So unfair! This is so unfair, Masuyama" (laughs)

Both: (laughs)

YOKO: It's one of the production tricks used In anime, but I never thought I'd see it in NieR, especially in that scene.

Masuyama: Like the changes in the scenario phase, once we got the storyboards and I was in discussions with Mr. YOKO, it transformed even further. Because we could show Accord followed by A2 on screen in the last scene before it all ends, we could give it a proper ending. Normally, a production process that uses its time all the way up until the last minute like this never happens, so I feel apologetic for having him tag along with me

YOKO: Oh no, I couldn't be more thankful. I believe that, of all the anime adaptations titles I've been involved in, we were able to work like this for this show all because of the innate virtues of Director Masuyama.

Q: Director Masuyama, between finishing up the scenarios and drawing the storyboards, you actually have some work to do as the director. Did you find that the characters became more defined during that time?

Masuyama: I did. This show had, how they say, characters that started to take on a life of their own. Because the behavioral patterns possible for each character were set so well, they would stray from the scenario and cause deviations. Actually. I consider it a success to be able to reach that level.

Q: Are there any experiences like that for game scenarios as well?

YOKO: Yes. Games include character movement during actual gameplay, so sometimes you can't hold conversations with the tempo that was initially imagined in the scenario. Even if there is a conversation topic that you need to touch upon during transit from one village to another, if there's something the characters see for the first time along the way, it would be natural to touch upon that thing first instead which creates a necessity for creativity in that respect. Otherwise, you're forcing the characters to recite the scenario for the convenience of the game narrative. Sometimes, you figure things out after you make it, and I think that feeling is the same as that of anime directors

Masuyama: Right. Anime scenarios often only write about incidents that happen. So when you adapt it into footage as-is, it's usually the case that things only happen in a matter-of-fact way, and there is very little in terms of ups and downs. The process of padding that. Such as showing what kind of emotions the characters have or what expressions they show on their faces, is often the work of the one in charge of storyboards. That is also a reason why we get some deviations at that stage.

Q: That was especially true for the final episode.

Masuyama: Yes. It was partially because of the buildup from all sorts of things.

YOKO: Director Masuyama's wishes to make the show better and my wish is to deliver something with a proper landing at the very end created more back-and-forth conversations.

Masuyama: It really ran down to the wire ... It was at a point where I had to finish the storyboard and get into the production work immediately, and I didn't think that I could come up with any better ideas. But that was when Mr. YOKO, with an objective viewpoint, had a proposal with an exquisite nuance.

YOKO: In the storyboard for the final episode, 9S was portrayed as a terrible villain, but I changed his portrayal to show that he deserves a little bit of pity as well.

Masuyama: It didn't change the visual images too much but simply changed the dialogue delivery. But it greatly altered the story's contents, so I was very grateful for that.

Q: As with Accord in the final episode, this series incorporated elements from various works created by Mr. YOKO outside of NieR:Automata. Was this your intention from the beginning?

Masuyama: No, that came as a result. In the process of gaining information through playing NieR:Automata, reading interviews of Mr. YOKO and various key personnel, watching videos of past live events, and gaining information about NieR Replicant, I thought about the connections and branches within the worlds of Mr. YOKO's titles and felt that I would end up with a better series if I incorporated them. You could say that adding information you don't understand simply by watching adds depth to the series. That "something you don't understand" can be verified through playing the game, among other things, and if you were already in the know, you'd get a small chuckle out of it. I approve of "things that have an answer that you can't derive instantaneously" and the like, and I love to surprise people through visual footage. So that's why I incorporated them

YOKO: Having Accord appear, as mentioned earlier, and asking Pod 567 to be voiced by Mr. Koji Yusa (who voiced the main character in NieR Replicant) were suggestions from Director Masuyama I feel they were more like fan service for the series' fans in general, so I always kept in mind how to strike a balance with how they would be perceived by viewers whose first contact with NieR:Automata was through the anime. You often see cases where the original story side does fan service of that nature, and the anime side adds an original element to fit in. But I find it interesting that the frame of transmission was reversed In this case. But that is exactly why I believe it was one of the elements that made the series come together well overall. How to create a title that has an original story is a topic of discussion and debate for a different day, but I feel that we created a new form during production for this series.

YOKO: I felt like Director Masuyama's kindness shined through. For example, in the final episode, in the shot where 9S wakes up, I had been saying. "It's better not to let him wake up." It was because if he woke up, it would not connect with the story written in the live reading during a concert of a story where *2B digs for a key item to reboot 9S.' But when I saw the actual scene in the anime, it was good because it came to a conclusion of its own, and I was satisfied with it. Properly serving things that the viewers want to see like that is where I feel Director Masuyama's kindness shines Back when A2 became friendly with the machine lifeforms, there were quite a few comical scenes that facilitated the building of their relationship. In games, you need to have the player imagine to a certain extent so that the character can become unique to that player. So. We often have scenes that don't emphasize anything and just let it flow. But anime will take those bits and showcase them with facial expressions and acting so it is transmitted to the viewer vividly. It matches the characteristics of the media, so I think it is a good thing. In the Flooded City scene in Chapter.8, where 2B takes her visor off and shows her eyes, she was drawn to be very cute I thought. "This is so unfair. Everyone will fall in love with her!" (laughs)

Masuyama: I had previously asked Mr. YOKO what he felt envious about anime, and what left a lasting impression on me was "the ability to add a closeup of facial expressions production" and 'characters with small parts are allowed to have only a couple of lines (laughs) For a stage production, because you're asking an actor to perform, you must allot that character an appropriate number of roles to play.

YOKO: In reverse, stage productions can use the audience's imagination so that even without scenery, the audience can turn the stage into an ocean. The total volume of cutscenes within a game is set in advance, so i you allot too much time for the dynamic action scenes, you won't have enough time for subtle facial expressions in certain scenes. The difference in direction really reflects on the media used.

Q: Regarding the scenery, the increasing number of depictions of flowers in the anime left quite the impression. Masuyama: Flowers left a strong impression in the game as well. The story for Chapter.2 was originally an amplification of the novel. But it really came to life as well in the second half.

YOKO: In terms of imagery, we created the game by intentionally cutting down the number of colors used to create it pretty simplistically. But when I saw the key visuals for the anime. they were colorful and brilliant, even twinkling. I thought this was going to be interesting in its own way. Director Masuyama's first request was to add coloring to the images, so I told him we should go with this. They gave me several different candidates for the character design patterns to begin with, and the one I chose was Mr. (Jun) Nakai's, which was actually the furthest from the original game's character designs. But I thought that was great. For the anime production staff. It was the easiest to draw, and their opinion was that it was suitable for the expressions they were aiming to present in this series. Even thinking back now. that was a good decision.

Masuyama: Afterwards, I asked Mr. Nakai to kick up the eye makeup a notch Because I wanted to create a slightly different impression from existing anime art. I wanted to emphasize the impact of the eyes. As a result, we ended up with expressions that were beautiful and attractive on the screen.

Q: We heard Mr. Nakai did an amazing job.

Masuyama: Yes Without a doubt. Mr. Nakai was the ultimate guardian of what was on screen. There is a process in production called "rush check" where we look at the animated sequence after color is added to the line art Each time Mr. Nakai noticed something, he said. "I will fix this shot." He kept picking out one shot after another. The role of chief animation director is hectic, so people willing to go that far are quite rare.

Q: The splendor of animation was also demonstrated in the battle scenes.

Masuyama: It is possible to draw weapon and conflict scenes using game scenes as a reference, but there is a limit to how far we can go, no matter what we do. That was when I consulted Ms. Kaori Kawabuchi, who was 2B's motion capture actor in the game, and we filmed her doing combat sequences. We used that as reference in drawing the anime. For the final episode, we took a more elaborate approach in production, having Mr. Masaki Inada (CG Action Director/Blender Supervisor) look over the footage we shot. After that, we converted our rough key animation into CG. Then we further used that to look for the optimal camera angles before returning to work on the key animation .... By doing so, we added even more cinematic impact to the final action scene

YOKO: Motion capture actually doesn't translate to the imagery you see on the screen. Even for battle-packed action games, you need to react quickly to button presses, so the time from the start of the sword swing to the end needs to be very short. In anime, you sometimes tell 'lies" where you skip a few frames and use effects to express that there is a sword slash, but Ms. Kawabuchi's swordsmanship is close to those "lies."

Masuyama: In contrast to such showiness. Chapter.13 featured more realistic movements. Here, we intentionally have swordplay that feels sluggish. In terms of animation, it caused a lot of trouble and was an immense task, yet the final result was rather plain. But I wanted to save the battle where all limitations are removed for the very, very end. So, at that point in time, I couldn't inflate the movements. I remember asking the creative directors to keep movement relatively toned down as well.

Q: What impressions did you have of the voice acting?

YOKO: I think they were wonderful. Back when we were recording for the game, we needed to record the movie parts first. Afterwards, we recorded the branches all out of order. So, all of the cast members were acting their roles without a good understanding of what the story entailed. At that stage, even I reached a point where I didn't know how the story would build up or what kind of story it was. But somehow, we were able to connect it, and I could adapt it into a form where there wasn't a sense of unnaturalness. With that experience under their belt, everyone went into the recording sessions with a full understanding of the story, and they were recording in order from the beginning, so they were even more passionate this time around.

Masuyama: From our end, if there were any huge changes, we would tell the actors before session and answer any questions they had, but we left it up mostly to them. Mr. (Natsuki) Hanae mentioned in the audio commentary how he "added acting that he couldn't do back in the game," so I'd like people to enjoy it by comparing it to the game, including these vocal aspects.

Q: Mr. Hanae gave us a completely different, cheerful performance in the "Puppet Plays."

YOKO: The "Puppet Play" is part of Masuyama World, so I'd like to hear myself on the nuances recorded during the recording sessions.

Masuyama: For the "Puppet Plays," I would create a visual storyboard with a tentative voiceover to hand over as reference material. It was fascinating how Mr. Hanae would amplify it even further.

YOKO: I got to look at mid-production ideas, screen creation, and puppet designs. But it was only when I saw the completed video that I realized the excitement. (laughs) in the main portion of the show. We pretty much toned down the dialogue and intonations during battles. So, it was impressive that in the 'Puppet Play," that restraint went away, and he acted freely in that flamboyant style. It was a great opportunity for us to convey the nuances of 9S, Devola, and Popola to their fans.

Q: Director Masuyama, for the "Puppet Plays.' we heard that you used the multiple endings for NieR:Automata as motifs to put scenarios together in a very short amount of time. Was there anything that troubled you in creating those scenarios?

Masuyama: I don't recall having any difficulties there. It feels like the content I input into myself when I was working on a series suddenly came together, like, "For this to work, it has to go this way."

YOKO: Actually. In the initial stages, I suggested we incorporate a puppet show into the main portion of the series. That didn't come to fruition, but I feel like it somehow ties into these endings as a result. The game uses dolls as a motif, so I feel that "Puppet Plays" works well as a metaphor. I was watching it. Thinking Director Masuyama would make an anime like this if he could create an original title freely (laughs)

Masuyama: I think it worked as a system for loving the characters even more. That was further amplified by the dolls that moge created. If the style vector was slightly different. I think the audience reaction would have also differed.

YOKO: It felt slightly like a fairy tale, so I liked how it didn't exaggerate the beauty or handsomeness of the characters. I didn't want the art style to be pandering to the viewers, so to speak. Outside of the main characters, the dolls were flat. That really provided such great charm. It didn't seem out of place even when mixing the two types together. It was basically a space for goofing off, so I thought it was interesting that anything could happen in that atmosphere. (laughs)

Q: Mr. YOKO. You also wrote the lyrics for the ending theme song. The evokes the worlds from your past titles, such as Drakengard.

YOKO: Yeah. First off, it was a difficult task to moke sure it fit well with the sound ... I wrote it hoping that incorporating some elements of other works in the details during the final adjustments would send fans a message that 'the NieR series that you have supported has finally been adapted into an anime .*

Masuyama: Did you start writing these lyrics from the top of the song?

YOKO: I wrote it from where I could. You can outline the song into three basic threads. and by listening to each thread, you kind of understand the meaning. But I wrote it so that you can still understand the meaning when those threads mix together. It would be easy to write if it were sung ABC, ABC. But I made it so that A and B are singing about the same thing while C mixes into both ... So I wrote a chart to confirm that the meaning does get across. It took a tremendous amount of time.

Q: After hearing so much, it feels a bit surprising that this is the first time one of Mr. YOKO's original games has been adapted.

YOKO: Unlike games, a significant portion of anime relies on cooperation between companies as well as freelance creators. So. I feel that it was more difficult to get started. and it took a long time from when I first heard the project proposal to when the project actually sprung into motion. But in return, the joy I felt when it went on air was all the more. I. myself. Am part of it. But I feel like the fans who have been following since the game were able to enjoy it and experience the surprise of how it turned out as well. I am not trying to flatter Mr. Masuyama, but I really appreciate the tact

Masuyama: in working together with Mr. YOKO for this series. I also was put in charge at the scenario tor several episodes. I have a solid sense that I grew quite a bit through this experience, including all of the brainstorming everyone, including Mr. YOKO, did. I feel that being able to work with Mr. YOKO on this project was a turning point in my life.

YOKO: I'm glad. My wish is that in the future. when Mr. Masuyama works on an anime adaptation of a different game, he thinks. "It was so much more fun when I was creating with YOKO." (laughs) Wait. It might be the reverse; he might think it was easier than working with me. In that case, I hope he doesn't say anything at all ... (laughs).

Masuyama: I might receive proposals like that in the future, but I just can't accept anime projects if I don't have a genuine desire to create that title from the bottom of my heart. Because it truly will be visible on the screen. I believe that the fans were all delighted with the series because I, myself. was able to enjoy it, and because NieR is fundamentally interesting.

YOKO: I don't tell any lies, so I never give compliments when I don't feel like it. For instance, in the Pearl Harbor Descent Operation and the final episode, I thought. "Wow! This is wonderful!" as a viewer. For titles that I am directing, it's not that often that things go beyond my expectations. But Director Masuyama creating this series with ultimate discretion allowed me to feel that way, so I strongly feel that it was a good thing I left things up to him.

Masuyama: Because every anime series I have directed thus far were titles where cute girls were in the forefront. I had thought Aniplex who approached me with NieR was "making such a huge gamble!" (laughs) Everything fit really well. So I'm relieved that it was great to have created this series. I have said this before, but there was so much that I gained from this experience. And I was able to once again experience just how painstaking the process of creating anime was. Whether or not the viewers can enjoy the show is an essential aspect of creating a title. And I can say with confidence that I achieved that right up to the final episode.

YOKO: Thank you for your hard work!

Masuyama: Thank you for your hard work!

Producer Talk

Supervisor | Yosuke Saito X Animation Producer | Shota Fujii X Producer | Miho Matsumoto

Q: After hearing so much, it feels a bit surprising that this is the first time one of Mr. YOKO's original games has been adapted.

Q: We had the three producers gather here, but we believe each of you has your own separate role. So, to start, please tell us in what capacity you were involved in this series.

Matsumoto: I planned the anime adaptation as the producer for Aniplex. My role is to coordinate various areas between companies and to ask for everyone's cooperation in order to make it a reality.

Fujii: As the animation producer for A-1 Pictures, my job concerns the production facility and the actual process of creating the anime footage.

Saito: I am the producer of the game NieR:Automata (hereafter cited as NieR) that this anime is based on. I was given the title of Supervisor for the anime, but compared to both of you, I didn't really do much of anything. (laughs) I oversee a part of the related titles, among other things.

Q: When you develop anime projects, do you think about whether the original story is suitable for a visual medium?

Matsumoto: I do. In terms of NieR, I felt it was a story that would flourish as a visual title like a film or a series when I played the original game as an ordinary player. More than anything, the game was simply interesting, and a feeling of wanting people who usually don't play games to know about this story kept welling up inside me. So many things are left unknown after reaching the first ending. Things you figure out after several playthroughs, information that is only in the art and reference books, and the series franchise has a wide breadth such as novels and theatrical productions. It would be interesting if all of that could be consolidated into one title in a visual medium.

Saito: Games are generally categorized into 'story-driven." which is mainly centered around the story, and "system-driven" where you encourage the players to have fun with the game system mechanics. At Square Enix, many RPGs fall under the 'story-driven" category, so in that aspect I had always felt that they had high synergy with anime and other visual titles. Though NieR is a title that went on sale in 2017. An immense number of fans are still enamored with it. I thought of why that was the case. and I realized it was because of the continuous expansion of the franchise. It is not easy to release multiple sequel titles to a game. but the official side disrupts this like a wedge all the time by publishing musical works, theatrical productions, and novels focusing on "other stories." the consumers can feel that "it's not all over for this world yet' In that aspect. I feel that the anime adaptation is a huge wedge, so I wanted it to become reality no matter the cost. I Personally had the chance to talk with various people but couldn't find a good landing right when I received the project proposal from Ms. Matsumoto. My company and Aniplex have had relationships through multiple titles, such as Black Butler (serialized in "Monthly G Fantasy"), so it truly was a blessing.

Q: So, the anime adaptation became a reality because of the passionate determination felt in Ms. Matsumoto's project proposal?.

Saito: There is that, but it was how I felt from speaking with her. When you talk to someone, you can immediately tell if they really love the title or are just proposing the project nonchalantly. I felt a shiver down my spine, realizing Ms. Matsumoto perhaps is more versed with the franchise than I am. (laughs) She is the real thing. Then again, you can say that for all fans who really love a particular title.

Fujii: Once in the past, I was chatting with Ms. Matsumoto at an after-party for a different title when we started talking about NieR. Back then, I myself liked NieR and had played it, but in front of Ms. Matsumoto, I couldn't possibly say that I was a fan ... (laughs) Actually, shortly before all this, I had written a project proposal at A-1 Pictures and handed it to my bass back then. I don't know if that project proposal directly affected anything, but things bounced around here and there. And the talk of anime adaptation arrived at A-1

Q: How did you go about the pre-production process?

Fujii: It differs for each title, but for this series, it might be easier to start the story from the point where we had a competition where we decided Mr. Jun Nakai would be working as our character designer. Matsumoto: Right.

Fujii: Mr. YOKO (TARO) had mentioned this in another interview. But Mr. YOKO had wanted an image that was separate from the original game and that was why he was pushing for Mr. Nakai's art which left a stylish impression that was different from the art of Mr. (Akihiko) Yoshida. We also wanted to go with Mr. Nakai's beautiful art. so our vectors aligned there, deciding on Mr. Nakai.

Matsumoto: Not only were Mr. Nakai's designs wonderful, but Mr. Nakai was a fan of the original game to begin with, so his understanding of the game was extremely high, which was reassuring.

Saito: The game mainly kept colors in a monotone, so the key visuals with that unique art style of Mr. Nakai and so much vibrant color was a worldview we had never seen before. It was refreshing.

Q: Who nominated Mr. Masuyama as director?

Fujii: It was our company. Our company was the production company for Mr. Masuyama's previous directorial title, Blend S. I participated as a production support for that series, the story was set in a theme café with cute girls, so the direction is completely different from that of this series. (laughs) But I had known through the production process that Director Masuyama sincerely faces titles head-on. Our only fear back then was that he wasn't the type to play games much. However, when joining the staff for this title, he looked not only at the main game but also the materials collection, related titles, and observation videos before going into the project. Of course, Mr. YOKO is the most well-versed in the original game, but for the anime composition and plot settings, including all the sub-quests. I believe that Director Masuyama is the person with the most knowledge. I can only have respect for someone that goes head-on into that amount of materials and knowledge. On top of that, he added various easter eggs into the main animation, among other things ... His spirit of providing fanservice is just immense. In that respect. This title is one that has many aspects that are meme-worthy, so I felt he was very suitable for the role. It was more like we had to warn him not to go too far. (laughs)

Q: As in, he might wish for an expression going beyond the production's circumstonces.

Fujii: Rather, more things would spring up during the production process because the NieR characters were so well-established under Director Masuyama. Things like "this character should move this way' or 'this character would go this far at the least' were getting solidified. Outside of that there would be about the easter eggs I mentioned earlier. I had to make sure they wouldn't entertain just the fans who knew or just the people who didn't know, nor should things end up being an inside joke. Of course, we would receive consultation and have multiple discussions about the best course so things wouldn't go too far. The director himself was very flexible so that he would make decisions based on the situation for each case.

Saito: We were really grateful that he could produce things with that kind of attitude Director Masuyama was really well-versed in things about NieR, to the point where I wondered where he looked up all the information. On top of that, he can always see exactly what the viewers are wishing for. That's the foundation for the suggestions he makes.

Q: Director Masuyama was in charge of series composition together with Mr. YOKO.

Matsumoto: At first, we had ideas for proceeding with a different framework, but as we proceeded with the scenario meetings it ultimately was best fitting for the situation at hand if both Director Masuyama and Mr YOKO. Who wasn't just a supervisor or someone to just give us ideas, stood at the forefront. That's why we had them both take

Q: That must be how the concept Mr. YOKO had been wishing for, the addition of anime-original elements instead of making it exactly like the original game, got consolidated into the project.

Saito: Mr. YOKO wanted to break everything down!

All: (laughs)

Saito: But as long as we have passionate fans of the original game, we can't be negligent of the original game. So basically, we turned down Mr. YOKO's ideas of that nature. mentioned that the worldview should be as faithful to the original game as possible. Thus, we decided to incorporate surprises that felt suitable for NieR that fit in a framework faithful to the original game. However, at that time, we needed to make sure that this series wouldn't feel strange with this one scene in the continuous flow of history comprising the NieR franchise. And the person who knows best when it comes to that is Mr. YOKO. In the overall process where history is repeatedly spun over and over, the elements of the "Ver1.1a" world. such as if Adam and Eve die in reverse order, would not affect the overall flow of things. This would be acceptable within a certain range. Or, like Rose was the captain in a different world, so let's make Lily the captain in this world. By changing parts like that from the original game, we created content that properly respected the original game but made it enjoyable even for people who have already finished it. At the same time, if people were to touch upon the game after watching the anime, they would be able to enjoy another different story. Watching from the side, I think it ultimately ended up having just the right balance.

Matsumoto: Normally, it's not easy to propose changing the order in which characters die or setting up a different Individual as the main character. I believe we could present these ideas with so much leeway because Mr. YOKO and Mr. Saito participated in the scenario meetings to provide an environment in which to make

Fujii: The other thing I am thankful for in this series was that we had assistance with the game assets. The CG data was especially a lifesaver during production, and it allowed us to improve the quality of the final product.

Q: Ms. Matsumoto, we heard you criticized the plot for the first episode that Mr. YOKO initially presented.

Matsumoto: (decisively says) It was useless. Saito: (decisively says) Right. Useless. I wanted to know where he was trying ta go with it.

Matsumoto: I said. 'This is not the anime adaptation I wanted to do. I'm sorry." (laughs)

Saito: He replied, "So it's useless ... " (laughs) I told him that this anime adaptation is on the premise that the original game is cherished as much as possible, yet I guess Mr. YOKO's brain thought. "That's not how things should be." But that was when the anime production side dismissed it with a "Nope, this is completely different."

All: (laughs)

Q: Did the offering of materials and data mentioned earlier happen because Mr. Saito, as the supervisor, laid the foundations for Square Enix to cooperate?

Saito: Regarding supervision, I did not give this anime series any special treatment. Things might have been dealt with differently if this was Dragon Quest, but NieR. In a way, is a title where it's fitting to be a bit "rough-cut." It's a project with quite a few gaps in game settings and business matters, which links to what is so good about this title. I believe it wouldn't have been as popular as it is now if we had set everything to be rock solid. NieR is a title that puts emphasis on the story so you might think that spoilers are not welcome, but for this title. Gameplay streaming was okay from when it first came out. I believe that if a viewer sees a stream and thinks it's interesting. That viewer will become a user and play the game. In that aspect, I guess the "looseness" turned out to be good as well. because the creator of the original story took the spearhead and said, "Change the story's content." (laughs)

Fujii: My first contact was through streaming as well. After which. I started playing myself. I am one of those people who got drawn into the game exactly how Mr. Saito had imagined. And I made it all the way to the anime adaptation. (laughs) I'm really happy to hear what you've just said and to be here.

Q: What were your thoughts about what makes NieR unique and what is at the core of it all?

Matsumoto: In that aspect, we have the absolute textbook called the original game. so we started off with that as the main objective.

Fujii: Visually, our base was to get it close to the game, so we would use the 3DCG models we borrowed to create the layouts and have the background staff draw them for us. What was unique about this project was location hunting within the game. By that. I mean playing the game and taking screenshots. (laughs) I heard from the creative producers and production assistant that they thought no job could be as fun as this ... But it turned out to be a pretty gruesome process. That's basically how we were aspiring to look like the game screen during production.

Matsumoto: For other aspects, I gave my opinions as the producer in key points, but if it was about creating animation, the director and Mr. Fujii would propose things keeping the intentions of each section in mind. So I had faith in the production staff and left it up to them.

Saito: In the scenario meetings, we would all give our opinions regardless of our titles, and Director Masuyama and Mr. YOKO compiled all the resulting ideas. Even for dialogue. For instance, we adjusted the line deliveries to the smallest details, such as whether 9S would say 2B's name here or just deliver the line without saying her name.

Matsumoto: Those were adjusted based on the plot developments. When debating which sentence ender sounded more like 9S. I proposed the one closer to common perception from a fan's perspective.

Fujii: it really was a process that raised everyone's degree of understanding.

Matsumoto: Director Masuyama mentioned in the beginning, "Doesn't 9S have a terrible personality?" but I replied that it wasn't so! There are stories of that nature, too. (laughs)

Fujii: The director also said. "Taking into account Mr. (Natsuki) Hanae's acting, he suits the villain role." Also, if he was set up as the villain, it was easier to set A2 up as the righteous one. But we kept in mind Mr. YOKO's rebuttal to "not make him look like a villain." so we all, including myself, worked down to the wire to adjust the balance for that aspect.

Saito: In the game, A2 usually ends up in the villain spot, no matter what you do. She didn't get much of a deep dive before, so having her drawn out so carefully in the anime must have been a salvation for all A2 fans.

Fujii: When I was listening to 'POD'S Podcast." I noticed there were a lot of people who became A2 fans through the anime. Including Chapter.6 and Chapter.17, where we drew the episodes of her past as Number 2. The understanding of A2's character increased, resulting in the A2 you saw.

Saito: Initially. I was worried that using two whole episodes to recall the past would make the overall story structure seem rushed at the end. In the end, we were able to give a lot more depth to A2 and we didn't end up rushing at the end.

Fujii: For games, there is a process of creation where you have a swell during combat of the final battle, but if you try the same thing in an anime, you simply end up drawing battle scenes over and over. Doing so is a lot of labor but doesn't advance the drama at all ... So. The type of entertainment is different. So, in this case, omitting the process of climbing the tower in Chapter 23 and Chapter.24 was a must for anime, and believe adjustment for that portion went well.

Q: Mr. Fujii, was it you who asked Mr Toshiomi Ishii to do creative direction for Chapter.6 and Chapter.17?

Fujii: Yes. He is my senior at the company, and we created Mr. Ishii's directorial title. 86——Eighty-Six——together. He is on extremely skilled creator, but his individuality is a bit too strong to weave into the main portion of the anime, so I was afraid that he would stick out like a sore thumb or stray from what Director Masuyama was aspiring for. However. I figured that it wouldn't be a problem if it were a past flashback episode, so I got the okay from Director Masuyama and had him participate. Director Masuyama mentions this often, but for those two episodes, he only did some supervising, and Mr. Ishii simplified and recreated the elements on his own. That was why I was a bit worried when the time came to submit the storyboard supervision notes ...

Saito: Oh no. If anything. I should thank you. That episode in the game could only be seen through a terminal at the Resistance Camp, and those who don't know about "Stage Production YoRHa" or the manga adaptation would find the story difficult to understand, so it being so cleanly packaged like that was a good thing. I remember talking with Mr. YOKO about that.

Fujii: After the first cour was over. I received words of praise from Mr. YOKO and that made me really happy. Actually, when we offered the job to Mr. Ishii, he didn't know anything about NieR. He took his reading comprehension and directorial skills and built everything carefully——even down to the delivery of every last line. And as a result. He polished up a tremendously wonderful episode.

Q: Mr. Saito, you've worked together with Mr. YOKO for quite a long time. How did Mr. YOKO collaborating with the anime staff appear in your eyes?

Saito: It was like. "Oh, he works more properly than I had thought." (laughs)

All: (laughs)

Matsumoto: His responses were quick, too. It was of tremendous help. Saito: When he said. 'I'll write this before next time." he really did write it. It's unthinkable in a game dev setting, (laughs) I guess it really was fun for him ... Games always end up with a very long production time, so you often end up getting nowhere. I think using half of his brain for the anime ended up being a good change of pace. That's why he probably wanted to do something completely different from the original game. Also, since Chapter.6 and Chapter.17 were episodes that were not drawn in detail in the game. I think he was happy about it in that respect.

Q: There were very obscure easter eggs embedded into the anime for hardcore fans to enjoy, such as the hexadecimal codes hidden in the eyecatches. It really captured the feel of NieR. Did these ideas originate from Director Masuyama?

Matsumoto: When I was talking with Director Masuyama about the eyecatches and saying "I want to add some kind of surprise,' one of the creative directors, Ms. Satsuki Takahashi suggested, "Why not put in text of Accord's notes as codes?" We consulted Mr. YOKO about that, and he created the text for us ... As for the other obscure easter eggs, each of us gave our opinions, so it basically ended up being a collective knowledge of everyone

Fujii: Takahashi is one of the creative directors at our company who has truly loved NieR to begin with. She doesn't have the title of Assistant Director this time around, but she has done work of that nature for us and did amazing work as an advisor.

Saito: Even game players would think, *Who is Accord?" if they only played NieR:Automata. For people who have played the entire series, I'm sure places like Chapter 24 were a surprise. Like, "To think we'd see THIS at the very, very end!" On top of that, we even got to see 10H and Pod 006 who made appearances in NieR Relinjcarnation so I'm sure the fans were pleased to see that. We also had the world of NieR Replicant/Gestalt visualized within the flashbacks. So I wrote on social media that I wanted every fan of the series to watch this series. They really crammed so much into the show, so the only thing I can say now is "Thank you."

Q: Please tell us how the ending theme for the second cour was created.

Saito: When the anime adaptation was confirmed, I had the idea that Mr. (Keiichi) Okabe would be the composer, and Mr. YOKO would be the lyricist. After all, this is the tag team that created songs loved worldwide, such as "Ashes of Dreams" (ending theme for NieR Replicant/Gestalt) and "Weight of the World" (ending theme for NieR:Automata).

Q: How did you request lyrics from Mr. YOKO?

Saito: It is very rare for me to bow down to Mr YOKO, but for this, I was like, "This is the first and last time I'll make a request, so please ... " Well, I did make another request afterward, though. (laughs) He has previous experience as a lyricist. So I don't think there was that much difficulty in terms of work. However, "Hai to Inori" is a tremendously elaborate song, so in that aspect it must have been difficult. And when we were thinking about who would be singing, we had different choices, such as Ms. Emi Evans and Ms. J'Nique Nicole, who sang in the game, the members of GEMS COMPANY who sang the musical pieces in the "YoRHa" musical stage production, or someone completely different. We knew this may have both pros and cons, but we asked GEMS COMPANY for a curve ball. As a result. I think we ended up with a very NieR-like ending theme. 2B was dancing wonderfully along the beach in the footage created for the anime. In the artist music video. We had them intentionally wear unique costumes that hide their faces. Something idols would never wear as stage costumes, while having a setup that devout fans can figure out just who is who based on the details of their accessories.

Matsumoto: When the demo was finished. we discussed what kind of ending footage we should have.

Fujii: Visual production was handled by Takahashi, who we mentioned earlier In a way, we can basically do anything with this song, so that made it challenging to create footage for it. But they worked so hard to create it, and it is filled with peculiarities that we wouldn't understand. In terms of actual work, the veil 2B is wearing was tremendously difficult. We were given a relatively lenient schedule this time for the production of the opening and ending sequences so we could take our time to create beautiful footage.

Matsumoto: The moon in the background was not whole in the world of the main portion of the anime, but in the ending footage it was (=not the actual world), they packed many things in with full attention to the details.

Q: What do you think of the viewers' impressions after the broadcast?

Matsumoto: I was fully aware that there were very passionate fans. So. My heart was racing a bit in terms of delivering an anime adaptation, but everyone was warm and welcoming in terms of watching the series. Even in the feedback received on the podcast. It was obvious that the passion and love for the series given by the director and the staff was conveyed to all of the viewers through the anime. I often speak with my colleagues about this, but the passion they put into a title was conveyed instantly.

Fujii: I really think so. The director and I, through watching the workspace, understand how much passion and labor goes into each and every shot, and I am happy that it is being conveyed. I thought Ms. Matsumoto's passion for the back of 9S's knees was something: 'Do people actually feel empathy for that?' But looking at the reaction, there definitely are people out there. (laughs)

Matsumoto: It's not just me...! (laughs) Until the footage was complete, all the staff members of each section really were particular about even the most minor details until the very last minute.

Salto: It's all thanks to them drawing everything so carefully, including things like that. I personally think that each character was able to find a happy ending in the anime compared to the game. But, some people thought the anime was even more gruesome than the game. The anime had a more human way of expressing emotions, so information that was drawn ambiguously in the game was conveyed very clearly. Hence, it was easier to feel that empathy and emotion. Perhaps that's why people felt that way.

Q: What scene were you most impressed with after watching the animation?

Matsumoto: I would say Chapter.16 for me. It might seem a bit late, but during the film editing session, that was the episode that I gradually felt. "This was the visual adaptation that I had been aspiring for." The other one was Chapter.2. In the game, the player destroys machine lifeforms without knowing their circumstances at first. However, in the anime, it is shown at a much earlier stage than in the game that the machine lifeforms have their own thoughts and communities. Because of this, the way we see 2B and 9S in the early stages also changes. Even with the various changes in order or adjustments in composition. Those two episodes left a lasting impression.

Saito: I wouldn't quite say impressed, but the Culmination of respect for the original game that was felt throughout this series was being able to watch the reversed staff crawl in the anime I can't think of a happier moment than that, and it made me smile. The fact that they intentionally did things to the end made me wonder why they went this far, and it made me very happy.

Fujii: For this series, I was a part of the production down to the details, to the point where it's unheard of as a producer. I am aware of the hardships that went into even single shot I worked on. And I have a deep attachment to it. Even then. If I were to cite an example, it would have to be Chapter I. When the final footage came up, I was so moved, thinking, "We were able to visualize the game!" To begin with, the original game nad ample footage, and with the director's video storyboards. I could imagine what the finished product would look like. But I felt. "We were able to create it just the way we wanted it." On the other hand, for Chapter 6 and Chapter 17. I didn't know what kind of footage we would end up with, so I still remember how we all said. "So this is how it ends up." when the work was complete. I was impressed with each episode when they were completed, but ultimately. there is only one feeling "I'm glad we were able to properly create all 24 episodes of this series with an image that we had in mind."

Art Director

Hirofumi Sakagami (totonyan)

Q: Please tell us your impression of the original game NieR:Automata. What caught your eye?

A: I was impressed by how wonderful the artistic sense was, so I felt that this would be a great learning experience. As Art Director. I worked on cherishing the beauty of the atmosphere and the realism.

Q: What instructions did Director Masuyama give you?

A: I was requested to respect the game's worldview as I transferred the backgrounds into the anime. He spoke of how I should especially cherish the atmosphere and the beauty of the colors.

Q: What kind of scenes did you draw for the art boards?

A: I drew many groups of ruined buildings for the art boards. For the anime backgrounds, I was careful not to draw too many details but to make sure always to create an important point to focus on. From there, I cherished the atmosphere and was particular about the impressions and atmosphere that the viewers would feel.

Q: This series has a vast array of scenes, including a post-apocalyptic collapse of civilization, cold scenes with a sci-fi feel, abundant nature with a pale hue, and fantastical buildings. What did you find interesting as the Art Director in drawing all of these?

A: I was attracted to the allure of the original worldview and atmosphere of the game. It was a title I had admired to begin with, so I was genuinely happy about it.

Q: The backgrounds for the original game have various nuances for light sources and atmosphere. What did you keep in mind for expressing them as 2D art? Please tell us if there were any difficulties unique to this series.

A: In expressing the original game's lighting and atmosphere through art. I believe silhouettes and changes in color gradation are important. It wasn't easy to make the most out of the game's atmosphere while striking a balance with what each staff member wanted to do.

Q: Some scenes were not in the actual game, such as Hawaii in Chapter.6 and Chapter.17. Please tell us what you kept in mind when standardizing the tone for the entire anime series.

A: To standardize the overall tone, it was important for me to use the game shots and lighting as references to understand the structure of the art. I talked it out with the staff and adapted art for the anime while keeping the game's atmosphere and color characteristics in common.

Q: Please tell us if you incorporated any feedback into creating the backgrounds for the second cour after watching the final footage for the first cour.

A: It wasn't easy to set a direction for the series in the first cour, but I learned a lot from that process. Once the flow was set, it became easier to exchange opinions with each staff member and make corrections, and I could make good use of that to create art for the next scene.

Q: There were shots here and there with vivid colors that were not present in other scenes, such as the screenful of red flowers In Chapter.21. In drawing scenes like this, what was important for you, and what points were you careful about?

A: By using vibrant colors that aren't in the game that often, I tried to create very impressionable scenes. I made sure to strike a balance so that, even then, I wouldn't break the overall atmosphere of the series.

Q: How did you improve the quality of the scenes that served as guidelines or were difficult?

A: The staff's motivation is very important when creating backgrounds with limited time. Each person has their strengths and weaknesses, so we would talk to each other and sometimes give retakes to heighten their quality.

Q: Please tell fans who watch repeatedly the points that would let them enjoy the series more by paying closer attention to, as well as points where you want them to especially take note of.

A: I'd like people to take note of the omission or exaggeration of detail unique to anime backgrounds. We drew art thinking about how to make the characters look attractive for each shot, so I'd be delighted if you noticed those parts as well.

Q: Looking back on your work for this series, what are your reactions and comments?

A: I was very honored to be a part of a title I had used as a reference in the past while studying art. Through the long production process, I have a solid feeling that not only my technical skills were honed, but I also gained skills in communicating with the staff. I hope to feed off this valuable experience to see further growth in my skills.

Director of Photography

Toshiaki Aoshima

Q: Please tell us your impression of the original game NieR:Automata. What caught your eye as the director of photography?“

A: More than anything, how light was realistically expressed in detail. The scenery in the distance seemed blurred, and places hit by intense light shone with some whiteout. The expressiveness was as if it was filmed with a camera in real life, so it felt like I was diving inside the footage and moving around. Even if you're in the same location, the source of light changes dynamically depending on the camera angle, changing how you see the scenery itself. So, as the one filming, I suspected that "this was going to be quite a strenuous project.

Q: What kind of instructions did you receive from Director Masuyama?

A: First off, there was talk of making sure we incorporate the atmosphere created by the original game but adapting it to an expression that is unique to anime. For concrete filming examples, there were requests to always have grain noise (grains to make it feel like physical film) all over the screen, to emphasize expressions using strong light bleeding out. and to put in fundamental thoughts about para (shadow gradation, originating from "paraffin" which was placed in front of the camera in the old days). The expression of light and shadow is one of the themes used in the creation of the series.

Q: The production side seems to have been conscious about being able to "re-experience the original game," but what were the general directions you were given in terms of the filming process?

A: I had to keep the atmosphere of the original game footage in mind, so I checked and shared images from gameplay videos and cutscenes during the initial meetings with the director and the stage producers. Whenever I was in doubt during my work, I would watch them again. For the 3DCG shots, many of the angles and camerawork made good use of the original game as-is, so I concentrated my efforts on getting it close to the original game, including the visual and screen effects. Even in shots and scenes where it was mainly cels, I often checked the footage from the original game to get a grasp of the scene's atmosphere.

Q: Can you tell us which shot served as a guideline during film testing and the initial production phase? How was it made?

A: It's not a shot, but I remember testing for character effects from the initial phase. Among them, I believe I repeated tests for hair effects the most. 2B and the others have very light hair colors, so when the solid lines are close to black, it gives a heavy impression, causing a visual mismatch. So, the "color tracing hairline effect" to make the solid lines for their hair artificially look like "color tracing" (to use colored lines instead of black) was something I struggled to create, so I remember it vividly. 'Color tracing" is a method we used in the past. but it casts an enormous burden on the animators and production's finishing steps Thus, It all began with a proposal of whether we could create a similar kind of effect through filming. To keep it simple, I created a hair area mask* for filming, but adjusting it was extremely unforgiving, and I kept going through a process of trial and error. All that work paid off, and it really did its job in the actual anime, so I'm glad.

Q: There are many scene transitions, and the filter work in each was diverse. What did you find interesting as the director of photography?

A: Each scene had distinctive light sources, so I kept in mind how I would create the light effects on the screen as I worked. Searching for the perfect amount of light was an enjoyable process. I was mainly focused on the amount of light bleeding and color vibrance in the backlit shots, I hope people notice that when watching. For specific examples, please look at cut 98 in Chapter.12 and the ending for the second cour.

Q: This title goes through various spaces and buildings, scenes in nature where the difference between light and dark is immense, and with many characters. Which scene did you find especially difficult during the filming process?

A: As you mentioned, this series varies greatly between light and dark depending on the scene. The dark scenes are thoroughly dark, and the bright scenes are thoroughly bright. In filming, we'd use para or flares (gradation expressing light) to accustom the characters to the scenery and emphasize the lighting condition. But the problem was the main characters' colors. Their hair and skin are light, while their costumes are dark in contrast. This setting of contrasts makes photographers cry If we shine too much of a strong flare, their hair and face will be overexposed, but if we drop it too low with para, the clothing will fall flat in black. I believe that striking a balance within this limited color range while making as stunning an image as possible was the overall theme for filming.

Q: If you used any special tools or plugins for this series, please tell us which scenes and how they were used.

A: The smudges on A2's body were added during filming, and for that process, I used a plugin called "P Texture." By applying it to a cel and setting the RGB values, I can apply a texture to that area. I would use it appropriately to attach the stain textures. Basically, it tracks automatically by default, but sometimes it felt a bit jerky, so I would adjust it by hand. For A2, outside of these stain effects, she had gradation effects for her hair and thigh and the *color tracing hairline effect" I mentioned earlier. I had to think hard about how to make them all coexist without getting in the way of each other.

Q: We heard the CG team primarily created the background for 9S's hacking scenes. What points were you primarily concentrating on when filming?

A: For the 3DCG backgrounds that look like cyberspace, the CG team had already built in quite a bit of light expression, so I was conscious of using filters that would make that light stand out. As for what was difficult in filming, the virtual reality scenes outside of cyberspace appeared often from the middle to the tail end of the series. I always add a light glow and noise effects to characters in the hacking scenes. Those effects were first created to look attractive inside a dark cyberspace, so the bright virtual reality scenes created a need for subtle fine-tuning. The expression of light in a bright space is always troublesome, so there is lots of trial and error each time.

Q: What were you conscious of in terms of filming effects for scenes to have more impact, such as explosions and lightning effects in mecha action sequences?

A: The battles in the original game had a very quick tempo for actions, bringing out attacks and various effects one after another, so I endeavored to keep that sense of tempo in the anime as well. Specifically, I always kept in mind to "move the screen" with camera shakes or handycam-style shakes and to apply a 'strong motion blur* (the afterimage when filming a moving target) for things that cut across in front of the camera at high speed. When 2B and the others slice machine lifeforms with swords, the lightning effects started as all hand drawn. However, to have consistency in nuance, most shots have been using effects created from scratch in filming from about the middle of the series to control the number of sizes and effects even during the filming stage. Also. I was perpetually thinking about how to make the screen even flashier, like how we would add "slap" materials ** during filming for explosions or splashes of water.

Q: In this story, various essential nuances were emphasized throughout the show through the expression of the "red eyes." What did you focus on during the filming process when creating these effects with these expressions being inserted at various points?

A: The director and color setter were making very detailed adjustments. While filming, I noted whether I could add the effects without ruining the nuance they created. Various effects and filters are added during filming, making it impossible to keep to the source material. I calculated backward and adjusted the filters so that the colors wouldn't change. but if that proved too difficult, I often had to force a solution, such as masking by hand, so that the filters wouldn't affect the target areas.

Q: Tell us what was important for expressing natural light, such as sunlight filtering through the trees.

A: I was conscious of the dispersion of light and sense of temperature for expressing natural light in this series, more so than in other works I've done. I didn't want the incident light to be glaring, which is typical for anime, but instead kept in mind that I should insert it as a softer light. Please see cut 116 in Chapter.12 for an example.

Q: Can you tell us about new challenges or areas you found difficult compared to other titles you have worked on before?f

A: A tricky part was expressing the hazy atmosphere in the open outdoor scenes with cels and 3DCG. I made my adjustments mainly through the filters at first, but about midway. I started using smoke and haze materials in combination, which created an even better atmosphere.

Q: Tell us what points will make watching the series more enjoyable or what parts you worked on that you would like the audience to pay special attention to for fans who have repeatedly watched the series.

A: This story is about androids and machine Iifeforms, which supposedly have no emotions but start gaining them. As a creator, I aspired to create visual expressions of the feelings of each character. There is a reason for all the effects found here, such as how light entered the shot, how shadows dropped, and the camera work like focusing. Taking note of them might make things more interesting for the audience. I hope you can feel the vividness unique to hand-drawn anime for the characters

Q: Please tell us, do you have any sentiments when looking back on this title?

A: There were many types and numbers of images to work on for filming this series. We were working with many materials, so the work was intense. However, I was able to challenge myself with various effects and expressions in return, making it a fulfilling project. I had to sprint quite a bit as the tight schedule allowed me to rely on my intuitions while working on it. The series has widened the breadth of my ability to create various expressions. Thank you very much.

GRAPHINICA

Opening Animation Video Production

Q: Please tell us how GRAPHINICA came to be in charge of the opening animation for this series.

A: Previously, our company created the opening animation for a series called Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku. Back then, the production assistant was Mr. (Shota) Fujii, one of the animation producers for this series. We have since been approached several times, but the timing was bad each time ... This time, the schedule finally worked out so we could participate.

Q: Please tell us your impression of the original game NieR:Automata.

A: The theme throughout the entire series is grand and profound, and the title has passionate fans all over the world. So, we remember bracing ourselves and thinking, "We will be participating in a series that is being produced with great resolve.".

Q: What kind of requests did Director Masuyama have for you?

A: For the first cour, we were requested not to stray from the original game's visual image as the lead-in to an adaptation to cel anime Director Masuyama had taken a look at the piece (Takashi) Horiuchi had previously produced using projection mapping, and that was what prompted him to make the request. For the second cour, the order was not to have visuals like the first cour, but instead for hand-drawn art. He suggested that the point of view be from 9S, with three-dimensional camera work, and several scenes from the original game he wanted to feature. Another common request for both sequences was for the "Red Girls" to appear as key characters.

Q: What were your impressions when you first received "escalate", the first cour opening theme song?

A: When we first heard it, there was a part that gave us an impression of an unknown language, though in a good way. The song itself was very fitting for the worldview of the anime, and it was extremely appealing. We also had the impression that the song was naive yet powerful, so we kept it in mind during production to stay close to the song.

Q: How did you decide the sequence's theme, rhythm, and color tone?

A: For the theme, we thought about making something that fans of the original game could enjoy while still following all of the director's requests. When we used projection mapping or actual scenery, we chose locations that you could feel the series in. As for coloring, there was talk about wishing for a monotone based on the impressions of the original game, and we decided to conform to that. We were able to share imagery of the projection mapping. Still we were concerned that the monotone color scheme would narrow the range of colors, so we tried to maintain a sense of anticipation by varying and combining different expressive techniques. We also considered how to best utilize the methods we have cultivated thus far and how to create an immersive production like that of the game.

Q: Tell us about how you actually created the opening sequence for the first cour. Which parts show work done by GRAPHINICA, such as VFX or CG animation?

A: We created the sequence through a combination of live-action and photoreal CG. We actually wanted to try projecting onto an actual city, but it would be too eye-catching for others. So, we passed on it this time around. For the shot of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building at the beginning, we wanted to show a side of the building that people have not seen much of, so we were thinking about using drones. However, due to various circumstances, we weren't able to fly drones over most of the metropolitan area. For some shots, we negotiated with condominium complexes nearby, and with their authorization, we filmed in locations that couldn't be seen from ordinary places. For composition with 3DCG in the first cour, we used the game's development tool. Unreal Engine, which we routinely use at our company. It allows you to control your work in real time as if you're playing a game, so the hand-drawn materials projected via CG shots are actually projected on top of objects in 3D space to be confirmed in real time. In cases like this, where we based things on live-action or the contents are hard to put into words, it was often more efficient to proceed through visual storyboards that are easier to share the imagery, so we moved in that manner for this project as well.

Q: Please tell us how you created the second cour opening sequence.

A: For the second cour, we already had materials for the first cour and reference footage from the original game, among other things. So, we created footage using those materials in the form of video storyboards to check and update them as we moved along. We started off by creating rough layouts and then implemented various opinions as we gradually made them more precise. During this process, we integrated specific pre-visualizations* of CGs. We don't usually do this for regular anime titles, but we often edited the animation together from the director from the rough draft phase. For the hand-drawn shots, we used 3DCG models to adjust the actions, timing, and camerawork to the very end, and ultimately finished everything off with manual drawing.

Q: What impressions did you have when you received "Black Box", the second cour opening theme song?

A: For this song, we could vividly visualize the world of this series when we first heard this song. When we were brainstorming the first draft of the layouts while combining visual ideas from the director, we were able to proceed with extremely few hesitations or questions. It felt as if the song was guiding us through the process.

Q: How did you decide the sequence's theme, rhythm, and color tone?

A: It was going to be from 9S's perspective, so we thought about the structure with that as the main axis. We also connected the footage using the song lyrics as reference. so I believe the visuals and the song are highly synchronized. As for color, the director presented the concept that we start off in monochrome, and then color would be added as the footage progresses through the second half. We looked at the overall picture and debated where to add color. Even in the monochrome parts, we focused mainly on hand-drawn art for the second cour, so we adjusted the details differently than how we showed things in the first cour.

Q: Where did you focus your efforts in terms of CG mech modeling, rigging, animation, and effects?

A: For the 3D shots, we were given actual tower models for shots where they fly alongside the tower, but we used it incorporating 'lies" to fit the direction. In the second cour, we had many shots created with 3D guides for hand-drawing, so we made quite a bit of use of that data. We had a hand-drawing animation staff member in our company who is also well-versed in Blender join us in production. We also did many intricate things in collaboration with other companies, such as using software called Houdini for fluid simulations.

Q: How much of the animation was created in the 9S & A2 pre-visualization shots?

A: For this shot, as it was one that actually appeared in the game, we wanted to make it look different. So, we rotated the camera vertically to make it look more dynamic. For the character motions, A-1 Pictures would further adjust what we came up with so that we ultimately ended up with hand-drawn art. While it was still in 3D, the characters were not given facial expressions, but further adjustments and arrangements in the hand-drawn animation gave us a marvelous final product.

Q: What were your priorities when creating the VFX shots?.

A: We had the visuals from the first cour as a precedent, so we kept in mind maintaining a consistent worldview first and foremost. While doing that, we made sure to make the video feel fresh and special as the opening sequence.

Q: Please tell us about any particularly memorable or difficult parts of the video creation from each cour.

A: There were a variety of very minute and detailed parts for both cours, but in terms of the first cour, I was always concerned about whether our methods of expression would be acceptable for the series creator and what I should do to ensure we achieve that. We also incorporated all sorts of elements, so there are materials we didn't use. You can say the final footage was created through subtraction. It feels like we were always worried about something while we were in production. By the way, there is a story that when we visited a certain abandoned factory for location scouting, we discovered it was the location that many NieR cosplayers use for their photo shoots. (laughs) As for the second cour, it was an abrupt change, and in contrast, we had a series of very dynamic hand-drawings. We felt a different kind of tension in the air to try and connect everything together well. It's only natural, but answering the director's particulars was interesting, though we struggled through some of them. Regarding the composition, we thought it out and debated multiple times with the director as we changed things, so we believe that the ones who were actually in charge of the series production were feeling very anxious. Also, in the prairie scene in the second half, we were careful to make sure nothing felt off or out of place since it was a location that didn't exist anywhere in the original game.

Q: What did you think about the viewer feedback for the opening sequence?

A: They saw a lot of different meanings in various points, and it made us understand the feelings of the viewers and fans as well as just how deep the original game was. If they felt the NieR-ness of it, then I would be relieved. In the end, it was a title that put a lot of pressure on us as creators... (laughs)

Q: For the fans who watch the series repeatedly, please tell us points they should pay attention to in order to enjoy it more and what portions of GRAPHINICA's work you especially want them to see.

A: The opening sequence is very short in terms of length, being only 90 seconds, but many people participated in the production. including work that isn't shown in the final footage such as pre-visualization. It might be interesting to think about the balance with which the shots were created as you watch the credits. There are various methods to use lately, so we often think about how we are creating all of this. Other than that, it might be a bit hard to comprehend because it's not about any specific piece of art, but a characteristic of our production style is to adjust and edit as necessary while we watch each update of the footage. There are many places where tiny differences in those parts can lead to that emotional, heart-racing elation. I think you will be able to see many secrets and tricks of the trade in those parts.

Q: Looking back at working on this title can you tell us something meaningful about the production, or any other sentiments you had?

A: I really would like to say it was a job well done to every person who was involved in the creation of the main portion of the series. We only worked on the opening sequence for this series, but we were allowed to be part of the production for a long time and had a wonderful time even when facing various problems and conflicts. Many of our staff members were inspired by new ideas and gained motivation, and we hope to convey those feelings to everyone through multiple works in the future. Our hearts are filled with feelings of gratitude for this series.

moge

Picture Book & Puppet Play Production

Q: How did you get involved with this series?

A: Director Masuyama had known about my stop-motion animation through a mutual acquaintance and had been saying, 'I hope to someday work together with you." So he approached me about this project, but I had not played NieR:Automata at the time yet. I couldn't create anything without knowing the title, so I watched playthrough videos and read everyone's articles analyzing the game. That was when I learned that this title is connected with NieR Replicant and Drakengard. and that got me immersing myself further and further into the series.

Q: What elements of NieR:Automata attracted you?

A: How the story branches out while the playability is uniform throughout. It's not simply that there are multiple endings, but you can see 'a world that might have been' as you progress through the branches. I also liked the worldview. which had a lot of abandoned buildings.

Q: It feels like destiny that the multiple endings, an element you like, would be expressed in the anime through "Puppet Plays."

A: It just might be destiny. (laughs) I've created stop-motion animation in the past, but I wanted to make a puppet play someday, even as a hobby, so this proved a great opportunity. But the request was for the picture book portion at the beginning. Afterward, I was told to also work on the "extra part for every episode,' and I remember thinking, "Every episode? Extras?' (laughs) Director Masuyama had already prepared two cours' worth of scenarios for the first meeting, and I knew that this was going to be a tremendous project.

Q: Can you now tell us how you went about creating the "Puppet Plays"?

A: As a personal preference, I wanted to make something simple and pastoral rather than doll-like designs that are detailed and beautiful. I was initially worried whether that would be allowed in NieR:Automata, but they readily accepted the idea. Ms. 2B was the first puppet I created. In designing, I watched the main portion of the game over and over so that I could gain my interpretations. I made the tight waist into a triangle and decided to go with boldly rounded shoulders to make it more doll-like. The hands would have been easier to move if I made them out of ropes, but I felt it would be better to make them out of wood to get that "Automata" feel across, so I used wooden joints.

Q: Are there any parts you used the knowhow you gained from past video productions?

A: Yes, there are. People in the stop-motion animation industry tend to be the type of people who can make anything independently. I was able to create everything from the puppets to the background sets all by myself for this project as well. I love toys from overseas and folk handicrafts from Japan, so when making the puppets, I was influenced quite a bit by things like that For example, the legs are ropes that dangle, the shoes are made of wood, and the faces are circular. If I were to engrave her nose, I think it would be going too far for Ms. 2B's image. I used Ms. 2B as the archetype and built 9S to be a companion. I made him without an hourglass figure, so he has a slightly more cylindrical body...

Q: Did you get creative about the materials used for their clothing?

A: I had been making dolls every day, so I compared the various materials I had at home, thought about their compatibility with embroidery thread, added buttons, and created sleeves with leather. The knowledge from stop-motion animation came to good use throughout the entire process, such as embedding wires to straighten up the shape a bit around Ms. 2B's slit in her skirt. When creating stop-motion animation. I always incorporate this element to express the flutters of the skirt. For this project. I adapted that to adjust the shape of the clothing. I also made the metallic parts from wires I had been using for belts of stop-motion dolls.

Q: Everyone but 2B, 9S, and A2 are made from cardboard.

A: I originally was going to make puppets of every character, but that wouldn't have been possible due to time limits for production. I created the other characters out of cardboard as a way to also differentiate them from the main characters.

Q: How long did it take to create each of them?

A: I was simultaneously working on the first two. Ms. 2B and 9S. So, it took about three to four months. As for the cardboard characters, I made several characters per month.

Q: Which character was especially difficult to make?

A: Emil was tough to make. I wanted to accentuate the originality of the design, so I had to redraw him three or four times before I ended up with that facial expression. The sizes of the machine lifeform eyes were also tricky. The *Amusement Park Rabbit" in Chapter.14 was a hassle as well. The neck area is accordion-shaped, so I folded paper to make it, then attached gold paper around it to create it. Besides that. I also took great care to ensure I didn't make any mistakes from the reference materials. One example would be making sure the positions of the scrunchies for Devola and Popola weren't reversed.

Q: There was much talk about the appearance of Square Enix president Kiryu and former president Matsuda in Chapter.14. Was there any difference from other characters in making them, as they are based on people in real life?

A: When I received the video storyboards from Director Masuyama, I was surprised and thought. "They're going to have a skit like this !? " (laughs) The fundamental difference here was creating the characters based on photographs and not straying too far away from that. We placed an effect in the footage that does not show them clearly. However, with Director Masuyama's advice. I made their legs longer to make for more handsome silhouettes. (laughs)

Q: What thoughts went into creating the background designs?

A: I first looked at the game screens to start my thought process. However, even if I tried making the backgrounds photorealistic, there would be a sense of dissonance since the puppet designs are abstract. As such, I simplified the original designs as much as possible and treated them more like *concepts," Buildings are rectangular: rocks are circles and triangles. My thought process was to simplify everything down to basic shapes. From there, the designs, a field in which I excel, started to align with each other without putting much thought into it. I repainted the colors, coat after coat, to get a similar feel to the original game. I had complete control of the material textures and felt uneasy having so much freedom to work. (laughs) The director mentioned how the corrugated cardboard looked like it was peeling off, which felt like an abandoned city. For coloring, I started with a base coat of Gesso (a primer) and then colored it with acrylic.

Q: How did you put together the direction and acting of the puppets?

A: The director first made the video storyboards and gave me the footage with his temporary voice recording. I use that footage as my base for production. The cast will re-record their voices to go along with the footage I create, but when it looks like it won't make it in time. I had the cast members record beforehand based on the director's video storyboards.

Q: Was the timing for the acting stringent?

A: It was. I tried to film them all in real-time. At first. I would watch the video storyboard three times to grasp how I wanted to proceed, and then I would film while playing the video storyboard. Each shot was recorded individually, so the longer cuts were more tedious. Some shots required 10 takes.

Q: Were there any differences between handling paper and three-dimensional objects?

A: I didn't quite realize this until I did it, but paper dolls need to be facing straight at the camera because it's obvious when they're at an angle. For that reason, the number of retakes increased.

Q: There were episodes where you weren't the only one controlling the puppets.

A: Right. When there were many characters. I had a friend come and help me out. But for some reason, I was always in charge of controlling 9S. (laughs) My friends would take control of Ms. 2B and I would ask them to help after explaining her character traits, such as her reticent personality requiring her to be moved slowly. They didn't have specific experience with puppet plays, but they were very adept as they grasped how to act with the puppets. We moved the characters up and down to show them talking. One doll had one person controlling it, but I would often have one in each hand and move them around for the paper dolls. If that wasn't enough. I also used my feet. (laughs) For 9S's movement in Chapter.10. where he has a snot bubble while asleep. I attached a string to my foot to move the manipulation bar and move the machine lifeforms with my now free hands. Meanwhile. my friend controlled Devola and Popola. We went into that episode as a united front.

Q: How did you go about filming?

A: In ordinary puppet plays, the person controlling the puppets hides behind the stand and faces the audience while they do so. But this time. I needed to act like the camera and manipulate while facing the set and confirming the angle of the screen view. It was important for me to be aware of the center point. I would have to do retakes because the angle wasn't good, even if the acting went well.

Q: Did you use an SLR camera?

A: Yes. This is the same as when I film stop-motion animation, allowing me to use my know-how about lighting. I used DaVinci Resolve for my editing software.

Q: Which episode of "Puppet Play" left a lasting impression?

A: The impact of the first episode was huge for me. I was moved when I heard professional voice actors over the completed footage. However, Director Masuyama's temporary acting was good, too. (laughs) It was difficult to film Chapter.10 and Chapter.19 as they had very long cuts. For Chapter.19, I had to quickly create the "Song of the Ancients" In the first half and the set. Although I was happy that I could expand my work into the world of NieR Replicant during this creation process, I also felt I couldn't make any mistakes. My eyes were bloodshot as I watched the screen during the creation process. Then there's the locker episode (Chapter 15). (laughs) At first, I didn't know what it was parodying, so I made it vague when Director Masuyama told me the story behind it. I asked him, 'I can make a parody like this !? ' He told me he had already gotten Mr. YOKO TARO's permission at the time of writing the screenplay. I thought, "This is way too specific of a parody." but when I saw fan reactions after the broadcast, everyone was reacting like it was par for the course and that doubly surprised me. (laughs)

Q: Please tell us how the picture book in Chapter.22 was created.

A: The cover was based on "Grimoire Rubrum" from NieR Replicant, but it's not entirely the same design-wise or setting-wise, as I made small changes. With advice from Director Masuyama, I made the face resemble the "Grimoire Rubrum," so that people who know about that would think, "Oh, that looks familiar .... " The patterned foundation areas were made by shaving Styrofoam (fine-grained styrene foam), coating it with stone clay, and filing it down to finish. The face was created with a thin layer of stone clay on top of cardboard, which was filed down and then colored. The cover itself is made of Yángpi (sheep leather). Adapting my know-how of stop-motion puppets, I softened it, then colored it red.

Q: Are the pages inside lithographs? A: Director Masuyama requested them to look like mimeographs, so it would have been nice to make them look like bronze sheets. However, considering the short time length of production. I digitally created the data for each page and printed them out. Then I filed down the papers and stained them with coffee to give them an ancient look.

Q: So, it's a combination of digital and analog.

A: There was much trial and error before it ended up there, At first, I thought about making the Angelic letters with stamps, but that didn't go well, and I switched to hand-drawing using a digital medium. If you could read it, it would stray a bit from what the direction aimed to do, so I used filming effects to blur them.

Q: How did you develop the designs for the inside pages?

A: Director Masuyama explained which characters to use and gave me texts about the illustration motif, but I planned the overall composition myself. The faces are filled in so the characters don't overstep their boundaries. One of the director's ideas was to have the magical circle slightly further away and melt. There were many reactions from people about the picture of the baby from under being handed over. The director also asked me for a visual that shows multiple Devolas and Popolas.

Q: You mentioned this earlier, but you also meticulously blended in settings from NieR Replicant.

A: Right. On top of that, there also are elements from NieR Re[in]carnation. I used the visuals from someone who was mutated with White Chlorination Syndrome as the motif for the Legion. With that included, it took me a long time to truly understand this title. The opening page of this book was also created after I had watched the Drakengard Shinjuku ending in a frenzied state.

Q: Which page was challenging for you to draw?

A: The final page for Devola and Popola made me sad, and I cried as I drew it. I felt so sorry for them. On this page, I wrote "sorry" and "gomenasai ("I'm sorry*) in Angelic as well. Several people had noticed it. There was some trouble while filming the picture book -the camera broke. The visuals also developed a moire pattern in the shots and wouldn't be recognized properly -perhaps I drew too much in detail, or my camera was old. Despite that, I pulled through because a friend lent me a camera, but the incident sent a chill down my spine. (laughs) For the picture book in Chapter.2 I used analog means to recreate the multilayered structure drawn with CG in the game. I set up lights behind every hole, such as the eyes, built a set from one end of the room to the other, and gradually proceeded with the camerawork as I filmed it all by myself. It was a very painstaking process. On top of that, there were four patterns for it, so I'm not confident in my memory about it either ... (laughs)

Q: What reaction from the viewers made you happy?

A: I kept an eye on the hashtag #人類に栄光あれ (#GloryToMankind) on social media right after the broadcast. I was happy at some of the reactions here and there, but people noticing Devola holding the Beastlord with the smiling face in the second half of Chapter.19 or that the decoration for the Commander in Chapter.4 was ogre horns made me particularly happy because I came up with those ideas.

Q: Lastly, please tell us how you feel about your role in this series.

A: It was wonderful that I had the opportunity to work with such a great title. I had never handled so many things by myself before, either. This series helped me grow. The story was worth reading over and over, and it was fun to immerse myself and create something out of it. Creating the picture book felt like I was drawing everything I found remarkable about the NieR series all into a single package. merchandise was created using the official deformed character designs I made: it was also fun to live up to the reckless requests from Director Masuyama. I'd never be able to come up with an idea like bowling with the YoRHa Soldiers by myself. (laughs) When I first joined the team, I didn't know my left from right and never expected that I would come to love this series so much. Working in production has made NieR dear to my heart.