The NieR:Orchestra Concert 12018 Blu-ray was released on February 27, 2019. This is the first and only Blu-ray out of the total three official NieR concerts to receive English subtitles.

As outlined in the previous post regarding the Blu-ray release, English subtitles were included for both the Stage and Screen views. The concert features three spoken recitations by Emil (Gestalt/Replicant), 2B (Automata), and one with both. Several short lines of text were displayed on the backdrop screen to accompany most songs.

Below is a direct transcription of the English subtitles, as transcribed by Seviryn | No.13 Type S.

Recitation Drama: Emil

In the distant past, our world was on the brink of destruction. A deadly illness ran rampant, decimating the population. And on the edges of towns, the number of terrifying monsters known as ‘Shades’ continued to rise. This story begins in a small village. A young man’s little sister is infected with the illness, and he desperately struggles to save her.

A young man… with a very kind heart.

As time passes, memories scatter like sand in the wind. I might forget everything someday. But my memories of that journey are my most precious treasures.

We fought together. We laughed together. We cried together.

They were kind, caring friends.

We came to know many truths on our journey. The truth of a society bound by rules. The truth of broken machines and people. And the truth that the Shades we thought were monsters had minds of their own.

Hey Kainé…? Were we right to do what we did?

At long last, we arrived at our final destination: the Shadowlord’s castle. There we learned the human race had already gone extinct– and we witnessed the solitude of those who safeguarded that truth.

At the end of our journey, all we found was a hollow, meaningless future.

Kainé, you’ve been gone for a really long time. My memories of those days are falling apart; I don’t remember much anymore.

But I… I miss everyone.

I miss everyone so much…



Recitation Drama: 2B

We YoRHa were created to annihilate our enemies, the machine lifeforms. Yet what we encountered upon landing on Earth were machines that ignored their own nature as weapons and made no attempt to fight. 9S and I made contact, trying all the while to figure out what was happening…

My mission with 9S was rigorous, but occasionally enjoyable.

The warm sun filtering into the ruins…

The laughter of Pascal and the children…

The whistling of the wind through the forest…

Taking breaks at the Resistance Camp…

Seeing the light of a beautiful ocean…

I wanted to remember those moments forever…

As I stifled the unease deep in my heart.

Amidst that ceaseless killing, I realized something. The aliens met their end at the hands of the machine lifeforms. Our beloved Council of Humanity was a lie. The machine lifeforms suffered… as they search for a reason to exist.

We were at a loss… as we pondered who we ought to fight for.

It was as if… we were praying to gods.

After everything was destroyed, I realized something.

YoRHa was… No, not just YoRHa. All things –including ourselves– were born for a reason. Even if our world is cursed and drowning in despair.

Even then… I have a mission I must complete. That is why I met you. Be it in the solitude after my birth, or in the darkness before my death, you were always by my side… Weren’t you?

Thank you, Nines.



Recitation Drama: Emil & 2B

Emil: Maybe our wish didn’t come true.

2B: Maybe our prayers went unheard.

Emil: But I think I’d do the same thing all over again.

2B: Even if I have to fail all over again.

Emil: Across a thousand moments.

2B: Across a thousand places.

Emil: We found each other.

2B: I don’t know what fate is, but…

Emil: I treasure the friends I made more than anything.

2B: The memories I made are like pure light.

Emil: So I will rise to my feet.

2B: I will take my sword in hand.

Emil: We will fight…

2B/Emil: So that all may end, and begin again.



Screen Backdrop Text – NieR Replicant

What I wanted to protect…and what I lost. (Snow in Summer)

Cold show swirling on a summer’s day. The world was ending. In a town with no food to sate you or places to keep you safe. Nary a soul willing to save a pair of orphaned siblings. All I can do for my little sister is hold her small, cold hand.

A predetermined fate, and a miscalculation. (Song of the Ancients)

Long ago, there were two siblings who were the best of friends. The little sister came down with an incurable illness. The illness was called the Black Scrawl. The older brother swore to save his sister at any cost. At any cost.

A landscape from an abandoned future (Hills of Radiant Winds)

[There was no typed story for this, it was a series of snapshots of the various areas in the game]

Irreplaceable friends (Emil)

I had given up on everything. An unjust world that pours everything down on me. A magical weapon. Cursed Eyes. Eternal life. A dark old mansion. My big sister, sealed away. That’s when they arrived. Vulgar, violent, and pushy. But in their own way…also kind. They told me I had a reason to live. They told me I couldn’t just die. They showed me the light. And so, I… I have to live. For the sake of those who fought with me. No matter what.

The Story of a King and Queen (Gods Bound by Rules)

[There was no typed story for this, it was a series of snapshots outlining the plot of Façade]

A place for souls (The Wretched Automatons)

[There was no typed story for this, it was a series of snapshots of the Junk Heap, and some photos of P33 and Kalil]

A light with nowhere to go (Grandma)

Estranged from the villages. Terrified of becoming a shade. Still awaiting the time for vengeance.

A lie hidden in a castle for a thousand years (Shadowlord)

There is no luxury of choice. If Yonah can be saved, it doesn’t matter if i have to wander the wastes of time for eternity. Even if… Even if our promise was a lie.

There you were, bathed in light (Ashes of Dreams)

[Here the screen just displayed the english lyrics to Ashes of Dreams]

A scene from the journey’s end (Kainé)

Hey, Emil. Sure it could be that everything we’ve done means squat. But even so… I treasure the time we all spent together more than anything else in the world.You feel the same way, right? So… don’t cry. Keep your chin up. Smile. I’m sure that… he’d tell you to do the same.



Screen Backdrop Text – NieR:Automata

There you were, in a paradise of scrap metal (City Ruins)

In an almost unbelievably far-flung future. Machines fought against weapon-wielding puppets. Even after those who ordered them to war had died out, never once did they forget what they were told. Like an abandoned child. This is the story of souls with life.

A forgotten place, filled with forgotten things (Amusement Park)

[There was no typed story for this, it was a series of snapshots of the Amusement park]

That which I truly desired (A Beautiful Song)

He was far beyond the repulsive thing I am. Yet I couldn’t completely give up on him. If even these thoughts are a crime, then… please. Kill me. I don’t care if I lose everything. I truly love him. So please… Don’t ignore me…

Remnants that are to be eliminated (Alien Manifestation)

[There was no typed story for this, it was a series of snapshots of the industrial scenery and highways]

A stack of ostentation (The Tower)

[There was no typed story for this, it was a series of snapshots featuring The Soul/Meat/God Boxes, The Forest Kingdom, and the outside of The Tower]

The cry of isolation is like a storm (Dependent Weakling)

[There was no typed story for this, The background became a styled version of the YoRHa logo, while a series of snapshots of the various Goliath Class and a few boss battles were shown]

Revenge, meetings, and partings (Bipolar Nightmare)

December 7th, 11,941 The Pearl Harbor Descent was conducted by a squadron of new prototype “YoRHa” Models. Twelve units were destroyed during the descent from the orbital base known as the Bunker. Of the four that made it to the ground, three died honorably to destroy the enemy server. The mission was a success, but it came at a great cost. Only one prototype YoRHa unit survived the mission: Attacker Number 2. You, as a YoRHa Executioner model, have one task: To purge all evidence, destroy the surviving YoRHa unit A2.

Nothingness dedicated unto gods (Mourning)

Brother… Where are you? It’s so dark… and cold… I’m so lonely…

I’m right here, Eve.

Brother! Brother! Brother!

Don’t be so silly, Eve. I told you we’d always be together, didn’t I?

Brother… Thank you…

Our sins and deeds (The Sound of the End)

Pod 042: January 7th, 11,942. 5:13 AM.

Pod 042: YoRHa unit 2B deploys.

Pod 153: January 30th, 11,942. 4:25 AM.

Pod 153: YoRHa unit 9S deploys.

Pod 042: March 10th. 4:02 PM.

Pod 042: 243rd descent operation begins.

Pod 153: 4:35 PM.

Pod 153: 2B and 9S rendezvous.

Pod 153: It is their 48th contact.

Pod 042: June 26th. 2:30 AM.

Pod 042: The Bunker falls.

Pod 042: The same day. 5:46 AM.

Pod 042: Signal lost for YoRHa unit 2B.

Pod 153: August 6th. 8:15 AM.

Pod 153: Collapse confirmed for the Tower and machine lifeform network.

Pod 153: At that moment, Signal lost for YoRHa unit 9S.

Pod 042: Observing the above events, we…

Pod 153: …entered the final phase of Project YoRHa.

Pod 042: This entrails the expungement of records pertaining to the project…

Pod 153: As well as the destruction of all YoRHa units.

Pod 042: And we…

Pod 153: We refused the order.

Pod 042: We Pray.

Pod 153: We Shout.

Pod 042: We are trapped in the past.

Pod 153: Our future is cursed.

And that is why now…Yet even so, now…

Pod 042: We continue to fight.

Pod 153: We continue to resist.

Pod 042: Until the day of our reckoning.

Pod 153: Until the day of our reckoning.

Song of a broken world (Weight of the World)

[Here, while the song was performed in english, the screen just displayed the Japanese Lyrics to Weight of the World]

Special thanks are due to Seviryn | No.13 Type S for taking the time to transcribe the official English subtitles that appear on the Blu-ray. Thanks so much for your help!