<h1>Nothing</h1>
<p>I have only played the game (NieR: Automata) and the anime is, from memory, nearly identical to the MSQ of the game. Whilst additional lore exists; the content of the Automata story can be understood stand alone.</p>
<p>For instance, the previous game <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nier" rel="nofollow noreferrer">NieR</a> (Re-released as NieR Replicant) happened in the year 3645 where Automata happens in 11945. Here is the complete DoD/NieR timeline:</p>
<blockquote class="spoiler">
<p> <a href="https://drakengard.fandom.com/wiki/Timelines?file=DOD-NIER-timeline-20190728.png#" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/DdGOyJS4.png" alt="Image showing the timelines between the DoD/NieR games." /></a></p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Should you play the game first?</h2>
<p>I have found the anime to better explain a few parts of the story. For instance; I found the pacing of S1E10 to better explain the factory events, S1E5 contains more information about Pascal, and S1E6 and S2E5 turn the tiny <a href="https://nier.fandom.com/wiki/Pearl_Harbor_Descent_Summary" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Pearl Harbor Descent Summary</a> into a complete short story.</p>
<p>During S1 the characters slowly change. In the game when you get to roughly the end of S1 as 2B, you have to replay S1 as 9S. The forced replaying of the story can help with seeing the changes in the characters. Which coincides with one criticism I've seen of the anime around 9S's seemingly irrational actions in S2.</p>
<h1>Everything (twice)</h1>
<p>Automata largely follows a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Show%2C_don%27t_tell" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>show, don't tell</em></a> approach to the story telling. And with the exploration into different timelines can lead into the '... you need to watch twice to understand' category of entertainment.</p>
<p>We can see <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoko_Taro" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Taro</a> has embraced the idea of consuming the content multiple times; forcing players in the game to play S1 twice, encouraging a second play through <a href="https://gaming.stackexchange.com/a/304643">to get the final title screen</a>, and by expanding on the pearl harbor descent story in the anime. If you've 100%ed the game you're encouraged to consume the same story three times.</p>
<p>We can see a similar encouragement by the retelling of the pearl harbor descent story. <a href="https://nier.fandom.com/wiki/Pearl_Harbor_Descent_Summary" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Having a recap in the game</a>, being in the anime, <a href="https://nier.fandom.com/wiki/YoRHa:_Pearl_Harbor_Descent_Record" rel="nofollow noreferrer">having a manga</a> and having <a href="https://nier.fandom.com/wiki/YoRHa_(Stage_Play)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">5 versions of the stage play</a>.</p>
<p>Automata rarely makes direct references to previous events, such as in S2E10. But has indirect references, following Taro's unique <em>show, don't tell</em> style. For example in S1E5, which is also a notable change away from the game's story for a minor character.</p>
<p>So to truly understand the story everything... but the anime should be accessible for people new to the universe.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-16T12:26:20.550Z
This answer makes me want to go play the game for the ... 5th time?
Wondercricket
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-16T06:20:22.273Z
2024-09-16T14:48:28.747Z
2024-09-16T14:48:28.747Z
Peilonrayz
<p>I'm watching the <em>NieR:Automata</em> anime. The <em>NieR: Automata</em> Wikia makes references to elements of the story which aren't present in the anime, and it also makes references to 3 videogames, <em>NieR:Automata</em>, <em>Nier</em>, and <em>Drakengard</em> (and maybe more).</p>
<p>Do I need to know these video games to understand the story of <em>NieR:Automata</em>? Is there any sort of novel or manga for the anime? What do I need to read or play to understand the story of the <em>NieR:Automata</em> anime?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-15T08:06:33.993Z
I don't know about the anime, but having played the game, you don't need to have played *Nier* or any of the *Drakengard* games to understand the plot, though you may pick up references to them that would otherwise go over your head.
F1Krazy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-15T22:50:10.183Z
[Wikipedia](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%8B%E3%83%BC%E3%82%A2_%E3%82%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88%E3%83%9E%E3%82%BF#%E3%83%86%E3%83%AC%E3%83%93%E3%82%A2%E3%83%8B%E3%83%A1) says the anime is more or less independent of the game plot though it is based on A/B route of the game.
sundowner
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-16T13:48:00.887Z
Ah, I think I just copped on. You must have watched S2E10 and gone 'what?' Devola and Popola are not explained in the NieR: Automata game any more than the anime AFAIK. I was hoping we'd get a S1E6 style flashback, but given only 2 episodes are left of the season I highly doubt we'll get any more than was given. I believe the direct reference is designed to make you go 'what?' and then seek out the other stories to find the answers.
Peilonrayz
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-16T14:04:02.867Z
@Peilonrayz they are explained somehow in the wikia, but I dont know where that info comes from
Pablo
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-16T14:52:41.063Z
@Pablo Ah, Devola and Popola are both major characters in NieR/Replicant. As such you'll probably have to play the game to understand the backstory for the characters.
Peilonrayz
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-16T15:23:11.100Z
@Peilonrayz you should edit your answer then
Pablo
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-16T15:23:35.317Z
@Pablo Why should I?
Peilonrayz
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-16T15:24:16.057Z
@Peilonrayz because you said you need nothing to understand the anime in the answer, and now you are saying you need to play the videogame to understand it in the comments
Pablo
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-16T15:25:24.363Z
@Pablo Have you read the answer? I have said you need to consume nothing else _and_ everything else (twice). You won't get the overarching story from just one of the stories alone.
Peilonrayz
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-16T15:30:07.020Z
You said the anime should be accessible for people new to the universe, but if you want to know the full story you should play everything. But this topic of the story doesnt seem secondary at all, so I dont feel the answer is the right one anymore
Pablo
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-16T15:40:19.177Z
@Pablo I've literally answered the two extreme definitions of understand... If Devola and Popola didn't say a couple sentences you wouldn't have asked the question as you'd have felt you'd understood the entire anime. The entire second half explains such a feeling would be a false feeling. If you think the answer should be edited then explain what you think I should add to the second half of the answer to be more clear understanding the entire lore of the universe is obviously not possible in a slither of the story.
Peilonrayz
<nier-automata>
(What) do I need to read or play to understand the story of the NieR:Automata anime?
# (What) do I need to read or play to understand the story of the NieR:Automata anime?
Posted by: username_0 on 2024-09-15
I'm watching the *NieR:Automata* anime. The *NieR: Automata* Wikia makes references to elements of the story which aren't present in the anime, and it also makes references to 3 videogames, *NieR:Automata*, *Nier*, and *Drakengard* (and maybe more).

Do I need to know these video games to understand the story of *NieR:Automata*? Is there any sort of novel or manga for the anime? What do I need to read or play to understand the story of the *NieR:Automata* anime?
**Tags:** nier-automata
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I don't know about the anime, but having played the game, you don't need to have played *Nier* or any of the *Drakengard* games to understand the plot, though you may pick up references to them that would otherwise go over your head.  
> **username_2**: [Wikipedia](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%8B%E3%83%BC%E3%82%A2_%E3%82%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88%E3%83%9E%E3%82%BF#%E3%83%86%E3%83%AC%E3%83%93%E3%82%A2%E3%83%8B%E3%83%A1) says the anime is more or less independent of the game plot though it is based on A/B route of the game.  
> **username_3**: Ah, I think I just copped on. You must have watched S2E10 and gone 'what?' Devola and Popola are not explained in the NieR: Automata game any more than the anime AFAIK. I was hoping we'd get a S1E6 style flashback, but given only 2 episodes are left of the season I highly doubt we'll get any more than was given. I believe the direct reference is designed to make you go 'what?' and then seek out the other stories to find the answers.  
> **username_0**: @Peilonrayz they are explained somehow in the wikia, but I dont know where that info comes from  
> **username_3**: @Pablo Ah, Devola and Popola are both major characters in NieR/Replicant. As such you'll probably have to play the game to understand the backstory for the characters.  
> **username_0**: @Peilonrayz you should edit your answer then  
> **username_3**: @Pablo Why should I?  
> **username_0**: @Peilonrayz because you said you need nothing to understand the anime in the answer, and now you are saying you need to play the videogame to understand it in the comments  
> **username_3**: @Pablo Have you read the answer? I have said you need to consume nothing else _and_ everything else (twice). You won't get the overarching story from just one of the stories alone.  
> **username_0**: You said the anime should be accessible for people new to the universe, but if you want to know the full story you should play everything. But this topic of the story doesnt seem secondary at all, so I dont feel the answer is the right one anymore  
> **username_3**: @Pablo I've literally answered the two extreme definitions of understand... If Devola and Popola didn't say a couple sentences you wouldn't have asked the question as you'd have felt you'd understood the entire anime. The entire second half explains such a feeling would be a false feeling. If you think the answer should be edited then explain what you think I should add to the second half of the answer to be more clear understanding the entire lore of the universe is obviously not possible in a slither of the story.  
---
## 1 answers
### Answer by username_3 on 2024-09-16. Score: 8
# Nothing

I have only played the game (NieR: Automata) and the anime is, from memory, nearly identical to the MSQ of the game. Whilst additional lore exists; the content of the Automata story can be understood stand alone.

For instance, the previous game [NieR](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nier) (Re-released as NieR Replicant) happened in the year 3645 where Automata happens in 11945. Here is the complete DoD/NieR timeline:

> [![Image showing the timelines between the DoD/NieR games.](https://i.sstatic.net/DdGOyJS4.png)](https://drakengard.fandom.com/wiki/Timelines?file=DOD-NIER-timeline-20190728.png#)

## Should you play the game first?

I have found the anime to better explain a few parts of the story. For instance; I found the pacing of S1E10 to better explain the factory events, S1E5 contains more information about Pascal, and S1E6 and S2E5 turn the tiny [Pearl Harbor Descent Summary](https://nier.fandom.com/wiki/Pearl_Harbor_Descent_Summary) into a complete short story.

During S1 the characters slowly change. In the game when you get to roughly the end of S1 as 2B, you have to replay S1 as 9S. The forced replaying of the story can help with seeing the changes in the characters. Which coincides with one criticism I've seen of the anime around 9S's seemingly irrational actions in S2.

# Everything (twice)

Automata largely follows a [*show, don't tell*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Show%2C_don%27t_tell) approach to the story telling. And with the exploration into different timelines can lead into the '... you need to watch twice to understand' category of entertainment.

We can see [Taro](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoko_Taro) has embraced the idea of consuming the content multiple times; forcing players in the game to play S1 twice, encouraging a second play through [to get the final title screen](https://gaming.stackexchange.com/a/304643), and by expanding on the pearl harbor descent story in the anime. If you've 100%ed the game you're encouraged to consume the same story three times.

We can see a similar encouragement by the retelling of the pearl harbor descent story. [Having a recap in the game](https://nier.fandom.com/wiki/Pearl_Harbor_Descent_Summary), being in the anime, [having a manga](https://nier.fandom.com/wiki/YoRHa:_Pearl_Harbor_Descent_Record) and having [5 versions of the stage play](https://nier.fandom.com/wiki/YoRHa_(Stage_Play)).

Automata rarely makes direct references to previous events, such as in S2E10. But has indirect references, following Taro's unique *show, don't tell* style. For example in S1E5, which is also a notable change away from the game's story for a minor character.

So to truly understand the story everything... but the anime should be accessible for people new to the universe.
> **Comments:**
> **username_4** (2024-09-16): This answer makes me want to go play the game for the ... 5th time?  
---
