NieR:Automata - Dengeki Playstation vol.638 Interview [Ending E spoilers]

WARNING! This interview contains spoilers up to Ending E.

Published on May 11th 2017.

Inquiring the key development staff of the abyss of “Project YoRHa”



NieR:Automata breaks past 1 million copies in sales and continues to be a hot selling hit. A direct interview with the 4 main staff immediately after the concert event! We enquire about the mysteries unraveled in the concert’s Recital Play and the world guide book. We’ll also ask about future grave visitings.

The people we’ll be interviewing

Director, Yoko Taro

From Bukkoro (ブッコロ). Responsible for directing NieR:Automata. Who is finally released from the deadlines for submitting the concert’s Recital Drama script and the world guide book.

Game Designer, Taura Takahisa

From Platinum Games. Responsible for the game design of NieR:Automata. Lately Yoko has been teasing him for his growing accustomization to the media.

Producer, Yosuke Saito

From Square Enix. Responsible for producing NieR:Automata. Kindly watches attentively over Yoko’s recklessness, when he’s gotta do it, he’ll do it.

Composer, Keiichi Okabe

From MONACA. Responsible for the sound production of NieR:Automata. In order to make the Osaka and Tokyo concerts a success, he goes all out with the MONACA staff.

The concert’s existence is thanks to the fans and as the best reward for the developers

Now that a bit of time has passed since the release of the game, I’d like to take this chance to ask you of various spoilers… Since time is restricted today, I’ll have Yoko give his comments on the next day to supplement your impressions of today’s very first NieR:Automata concert, as well as future plans for the game.

Yoko: I see, acknowledged.



With that said, I’d like to truly congratulate you on the realization of today’s concert. What are your impressions now that the first performance, the Osaka performance has ended?

Okabe: Speechless. The progress for the concert this time was really cutting it close, we were doing various adjustments right up to before the concert started. To get it all over with, we had to do our first rehearsal on the day before, let alone the day of the concert. I hope the fans will be satisfied with what we have to offer.

The concert was amazing! I was watching from the audience seat and I could hear a lot of people crying within the seats around me, I was crying too of course.

Saito: I was crying the entire time. To the point that my tear glands are possibly destroyed. Yoko did cry too, right?

Yoko: Yes. I cried without realizing it.

Taura: I was wailing as well. To the point that I ran out of tissue. It was tough from the very beginning, the part I really cried at was the part with Beauvoir. I personally like fast pace music but, the memories of mid-production revived and I couldn’t bear it.

Yoko: You sure those tears were only meant for those hard times? (weakly laughs)



Taura: Not at all… It was definitely a hard time, but in turn it meant that it was memorable. Other than that, the “Song of the Ancients” coupled with the NieR:Automata and NieR Replicant/Gestalt footage of Devola and Popola went really well together.



I’m sure this goes the same for the fans as well, that this concert is the greatest reward for the developers.

Okabe: There’s the Tokyo performance after this and we’d like to show the audience an enhanced performance.

By the way, who coordinated the footage played at the back of the stage?

Okabe: We’ve gotten a vendor this time to coordinate the footage and we’ve made the one in charge have a proper understanding of NieR. The finished product was immensely satisfactory. But of course, Yoko was supervising it all.



Yoko: I only supervised it. I felt that this time, the significance of the Recital Drama was very, very severe. I don’t ever want to put myself in such mayhem ever again.

Saito: Since the limited tickets came with the Recital Drama script, we did intend on sending it out to the customers, “We have till the day itself for the script, so whatever”, is what we’d like to say. Our very own publication department had the color drained from their faces.



Yoko: Saito made the rash decision of making different scripts for each performance….

Saito: What! It was Yoko who said he wanted to do a Recital Drama. (laughs)

Yoko: Well, that’s true but, I didn’t say I’d write a new script for each and every 5 performances you know.



Saito: Well that can’t be helped. It’s tough getting all 5 of the voice actors to come in on the same day, it’s something that needed to be arranged pretty early on. They’re all such busy people you know?



I see, that’s a valid reason.

Saito: At first Yoko wanted to get a boys’ choir in but that was obviously impossible. Even then, we made a move to somehow get a hold of the venue for the concert, as well as sending out offers to the voice actors….. It was a lot of work. Especially for today’s Osaka performance, we were fortunate enough to have 9S’ voice actor, Hanae Natsuki, present. Hanae had “Oha Suta” to attend to early in the morning on the following day, so I thought he’d turn down the offer. But, Hanae himself said he would definitely attend and with that, we got 2B’s voice actor, Ishikawa Yui, and Pod 153’s voice actor, Akiyama Kaoru, together and brought their collaboration to life.

[1] Oha Suta (おはスタ Oha Suta) is a children’s TV show which airs in Japan in the morning on Monday to Friday, and it is produced by TV Tokyo.



All that trouble was worth it, the Recital Drama was amazing. 9S kept dying as usual, Hanae seemed a bit pitiful. (weakly laughs)

Saito: I was able to watch the rehearsals on the day of the concert, my first at that. When it comes down to the real thing, they perform amazingly.



I took a look at the scripts for all 5 performances and it was shocking.



Yoko: Was it?



It was full of content that could’ve been put into the game itself. It wasn’t something that you could classify as side story content.



Taura: I know what you mean. Without much thought, I wanted to make a certain scene like this(within the game)….. It came spontaneously to mind.



Right. I wish you guys included it in the game.

Taura: Included in the game, huh.



Yoko: No way, that’s out of the question! (weakly laughs)

Saito: Well, you could say that it’s a concert-only special content. We have a super big surprise prepared for the last day as well. I’m looking forward to seeing the fan’s reactions.



I’m sure the fans are rather delighted with the Recital Drama itself, as well as the supplementary footage.

Saito: Actually, we have made plans to record the audio of the Recital Drama, we might want to release it in some sort of medium.

[2] All the performances’ play audio have been recorded and added to the Blu-ray release of “The Memories of the Puppets”.



It would’ve been ideal to have new in-game footage for the concert…. I think.

Yoko: I see. If Square Enix funds us then, Platinum Games would, well, right?

Taura: Right. If something is given, I can do as much.



Yoko, Taura, you two are making a totally sleazy look. (laughs)

10th anniversary, the next project? Juicy details about the next project’s plans

At any rate, a million copies sold across the world is quite amazing.

Saito: 1 million copies. It’d be nice if it happened but to think that it actually did happen. As for me, I had a secret goal of “pushing Yoko Taro up to the next level”, and I think I’ve managed to accomplish it. With that, the “World of Yoko Taro” is widely spread.



Yoko: But to be rather honest, I think that the hit (NieR:Automata) is a fluke. Even all the staff involved thinks so too.



Saito: A fluke eh… Well, even if we do make another game, it might not sell as well as Automata did.

Have you managed to investigate as to why Automata achieved a million copies?

Yoko: I have already said this several times, it’s all because of Platinum Games’ strength.

Taura: Oh no, no, no, there are a lot of portions that I thought were good though. Character design by Yoshida Akihiko, music done by MONACA that was newly established by Okabe, Yoko’s leadership power and Saito who produced everything with his power, it’s all filled with great things.

Yoko: What’s wrong, Taura? Ever since I pulled you out into the media, since when were you able to make such a counterattack?



Taura: It’s all thanks to Yoko’s direction. You have my gratitude. (grins)

Yoko: That reply, what are you, a monster?! Your training was a total blunder~ (laughs)

But, making such a high quality game with such little resources is truly amazing to be rather honest.

Taura: It’s because the staff all love “NieR” and due to that, we had an unbelieveable amount of horsepower going on. It was truly the fruit of our labour, I don’t think we’ll ever be able to make such a thing ever again. (weakly laughs)

Saito: Probably not. (laughs) To be able to make something that’s so chock full of content is not easy. I was truly grateful for that.



But, with all the new details revealed in the Recital Play and the World Guide Book, having all that plot assembled together, wouldn’t it be possible to make a sequel or a spin-off? For example, the “The Country of Dawn” or “The Dragoon”, you can expand so much on.

Saito: Hold on a minute there. A spinoff? Who’s gonna be the protagonist? Pascal maybe?



Yoko: Well, I can probably make a 2 hour long story for Pascal. I don’t know if there even is demand for it though.



Platinum Games sure has it rough huh.

Taura: Totally… Especially since we’ve canceled a project. Not to mention the DLC we released on May 2nd, the development on the game itself had already wrapped up, so we’ve only had a few staff to help out with the DLC. It was tougher than I expected.



And with the Square Enix’s and Platinum Game’s CEO making an appearance in the game, surely must’ve gathered controversy. (laughs)

Yoko: That was only but a factor. At first the additional costumes were gonna be about 1800 yen, but that was way too expensive for what it was so, adding in a simple side story and a colosseum, with the addition of a lower price of 1500 yen, as well as adding another extra of the CEO fight… Well, I think it’s all satisfactory content.

With the concert ended and the DLC already released, has “NieR:Automata” reached it’s end?

Saito: I wonder. The next thing would probably be, for example, in 3 years time, the “NieR” 10th year anniversary. I daydream about what we should do for it. By then, I have no idea what we’d (the team) all be doing. My liver has been in quite bad shape after all…

Yoko: Me too. We’ll just leave the rest to the next generation. All I’ve been thinking is how I’m gonna die.



Please don’t say that. (weakly laughs) A 10th year anniversary is splendid isn’t it? I have great expectations for it.

Saito: This is all still some far ways off but, as long as the fans love the “NieR” title, we will somehow push something out. And with that, everyone, please continue to forever support the “NieR” series.



Thank you very much for today!

Additional questions for Yoko Taro

On the following day, we asked the Director, Yoko Taro, some questions about his worldview of the story of NieR:Automata (in a super rushed fashion). This Q&A is completely non-edited so please read on. We will also ask questions to Yoko about the currently-on-sale Strategy Guide and the World Guide Book, so for those who are curious about the mysteries that lies within, please do check it out!

Q: In the game, we’ve seen Yorha units clash against each other, so if there ever was a scenario where 2B, 9S and A2 duke it out against each other, which model would be the absolute strongest?

Yoko: The E model is the strongest. Since this reply was written in a hurry, I will skip the details.





Q: Even though A2 and 2B are the same “No. 2” types, are their “Self Data” the same? Also, is it possible to implant A2’s Memory Data into 2B?



Yoko: A2 and 2B both have different Self Data. It is possible to do the implant. Since this reply was written in a hurry, I will skip the details.







Q: Despite being the same “No. 2” Type, when 9S first encountered A2, why did it feel like 9S had such a weak reaction in that encounter?

Yoko: It’s because he didn’t notice. Since this reply was written in a hurry, I will skip the details.





Q: Despite 2B being killed right before 9S’ eyes, why did he harbor such strong hate towards A2?



Yoko: Did it look like he hated her? Since this reply was written in a hurry, I will skip the details.







Q: In the World Guide Book as well as the Recital Drama’s script we saw the inclusion of the unsightly transcription of the “Country of Dawn” and the “Country of Night”. Could you give us some details about this?



Yoko: In the World of “NieR”, in the past, the Earth’s axis had been distorted, because of that, a perpetuity of a world of day and a world of night exists. I wrote this reply in a hurry so from here on out I will skip the details.





Q: From the Recital Drama, we now know that the one who conceived the “YoRHa Project” is Zinnia, as well as No.9 who knew of his plans. Is it safe to assume that No.9 and 9S are the exact same model?

Yoko: The names are different hence the model is different. Since this reply was written in a hurry, I will skip the details.





Q: Of all things, why did No.9 decide to help Zinnia with the “YoRHa Project”, despite being full of spite against the Project?



Yoko: There has been a misunderstanding. No.9 did not resent the YoRHa Project, rather, at the design of YoRHa units (The Black Box). Since this reply was written in a hurry, I will skip the details.







Q: Is there a reason as to why Zinnia and Pod042 share the same voice actor (Yasumoto)?

Yoko: It is because Zinnia is Pod042’s personal data prototype. Since this reply was written in a hurry, I will skip the details.





Q: In the Recital Drama, there was no passage pertaining A2’s awakening, is it safe to assume that she woke up somewhere?

Yoko: If anything, “to assume” is all up to you. Since this reply was written in a hurry, I will skip the details.