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Nier: Automata Ver1.1aepisode #18 was much slower than some of the more recent episodes, but it was still a good episode to watch that perfectly set the groundwork forepisode #19and beyond. Even with how little ended up happening in the way of the plot, what it did for the characters was great to see, especially since a lot of it wasn’t featured in the original game.
InNier: Automata Ver1.1aepisode #18, 9S and A2 have awoken in the aftermath of YoRHa’s destruction, but their physical and mental wounds have yet to fully recover. Both characters spent the episode dealing with the ramifications of everything that happened to them, and in the case of 9S,9S fully revealed where his character will go for the rest of the season.
The character moments in episode #18 were consistently great to watch, and they’re bound to all lead into even greater moments later down the line.
What Time Nier: Automata Ver1.1a Episode 19 Releases
As with previous episodes,Nier: Automata Ver1.1astreams exclusively on Crunchyroll, accessed through their app, website, and third-party streaming services like Amazon Prime. Following episode #18’s release, it was announced that theNier: Automataanime would be on break for a week, a recap special airing in its regular timeslot. As such,Nier: Automata Ver1.1aepisode #19 will premiere on Friday, August 23 at 9:00 AM Pacific Standard Time (PST), 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST), and 5:00 PM British Standard Time (BST).
What Happened In Nier: Automata Ver1.1a Episode 18?
Produced By A-1 Pictures; Directed By Kosuke Madoka
InNier: Automata Ver1.1aepisode #18, “chil[D]hood’s end,” A2 awoke in Pascal’s village, and a broken filter left her too weak to leave under her own power. While there, the machine lifeforms all tried to bond with A2 and take care of her, with some even coming to see her as a sister, but A2 refused to get along with them due to her past trauma. That being said,A2 accepted that Pascal’s village were pacifists and chose not to kill them because of it, something Pascal took as a sign of A2 being a good person.
Eventually, salvation came for A2 in the form of Lily, the two meeting for the first time since A2 was still in YoRHa. Lily brought A2 to the Resistance camp to give her a new filter, and the entire time, A2 couldn’t believe that Lily would be working with machine lifeforms after everything they went through. Lily said that while she still hated machine lifeforms, she could accept that Pascal was different and suggested A2 did the same, especially sincePascal was the one who build A2’s new filter, but A2 remained skeptical as her story came to a close.
While that was happening, 9S also awoke in the Resistance camp, doing so well before A2 was brought there, and despite still being injured, 9S left as he remembered A2 killing 2B in what he assumed to be cold blood. 9S’ already fragile mental state was further exacerbated by witnessing all the death and destruction caused by the last battle, and as he continued to break down,9S swore once more to destroy A2 and all machine lifeforms to avenge 2B’s death, the episode ending on that somber note.
Nier: Automata’s Latest Episode Hones In On The Franchise’s Core Theme
Nier: Automata Ver1.1aepisode #18 was far more focused on character writing than previous episodes, and much of that came through its focus on Pascal’s village. Once again, the viewer is reminded that they’re an odd assembly of machine lifeforms who abhor violence and try to imitate humanity to the best of their abilities, and with everything that just happened in the series,Nier: Automata Ver1.1a’s return to Pascal’s village served as a good reminder that the machine lifeforms are far more complicated than they seem.
All of that, of course, is in line with the themes of bothNier: Automataand the overarchingDrakengardfranchise. No matter the game,every story related toDrakengarddraws some attention to the question of what defines someone’s humanity or lack thereof, and A2 constantly struggling with the idea that Pascal’s villagers can be more than heartless machines is a perfect extension of that. Hopefully, the anime will have more of that in future episodes, as moments like those are where the writing always shines.
Nier: Automata Slows Things Down To Great Effect
Nier: Automata Ver1.1aepisode #18 was entirely bereft of action, but it was in no way lacking for it. Not only was there a lot of comedy from Pascal’s village, butthe wayNier: Automata’s animeexpanded on 9S and A2’s scenes from the game did a lot to add more depth to their characters, another example of the anime’s great handling of the source material. A slow episode like episode #18 was the perfect palette cleanser forNier: Automata Ver1.1a’s recent string of heavy episodes, and episode #19 and beyond will be all the better for it.
Be sure to watchNier: Automata Ver1.1aepisode #19 when it releases on Friday, August 23.
NieR:Automata Ver1.1a
Cast
In a distant future where humanity has fled to the Moon, androids 2B and 9S are deployed to Earth to battle the alien-created Machine Lifeforms threatening to eradicate the remnants of civilization. As they fight for survival, the truth about the world and their purpose begins to unravel, revealing deep existential mysteries.
