Spoiler Warning: NieR: Automata ver1.1aThe third episode of NieR: Automata ver1.1a premiered on Crunchyroll last on January 21. Fans of the video game and now the anime adaptation have quickly pointed out how different the relationship between 2B and 9S is. Specifically, the romantic chemistry between the two characters is easier to detect on 2B’s side. The affiliation between the two dives further into the multiple short stories and even the NieR Theatrical Orchestra 12020 DVD back in October 2020. Yoko Taro, the director of the NieR and Drakengard game series and writer for the anime, has a unique way of storytelling. Yet even current fans of his games confuse 2B’s love for 9S as platonic or sisterly because she cannot openly express her emotions.
Even so, in the game, 2B is not as good at hiding her emotions as she believes she does. Her characterization in the anime adaptation so far lives up to that claim. In just three episodes, we have a proper understanding of her connection to 9S just a bit better than the video game implies. And 9S continues to be a dork and tries to impress his seemingly emotionless partner.
Are Emotions Truly Prohibited?
The answer to this question is complicated. In YoRHa, the androids are not allowed to feel emotions. Feeling certain emotions too strongly could make a mission go wrong, which 2B takes seriously. She appears to be the stoic soldier who performs her tasks without a second thought or question. She is not the only one who behaves in this way, as Operator 21O in the game acts the same way. Nonetheless, throughout the first episode, 2B expresses great concern for 9S when he is injured in battle. This is a part taken straight from the video game right down to her running down the hall of the Bunker to meet up with him. However, we get an internal dialogue that was not in the game: her wish for 9S’s happiness. She continues to swallow down that wish to protect him.
That wish was made more distinct during the ending theme of episodes two and three (and assuming onwards). In a field of wheat, 9S turns to 2B with a big grin on his face. The wind blows 2B’s goggles off her face and, after a glowing bird flies away, she abandons her sword and dashes toward the one she loves. When she reaches him, however, he disappears from her grasp. She is left there with her fist balled tight against her chest, clinging to a wish she will never receive. She longs for 9S to be happy and have him by her. Yet there is a gap between them that only 2B knows about. She endures the constant grief and regret of having to end his life over and over again.
The Desire to Protect One Another
For watchers who have not played the game, 2B’s and 9S’s protectiveness of one another may seem off-putting since they met recently. The (at first) obvious answer would be simply because they are soldiers fighting for the cause they were programmed for. This is not entirely the case for 2B and, if the anime continues to follow as close to the game story as possible, that will not be the case for 9S either. We are already witnessing that desire to protect each other early on in the anime. As stated previously, the entirety of episode one was straight from the video game almost frame by frame. Notably when 9S gets hurt fighting the Goliath class machine and 2B would rather try her best to heal him than leave him for dead. On top of that, she was perfectly content with her death via black box reaction because she died with him.
Now in episode three when the two meet Adam and Eve for the first time, it is 9S that protects his companion. Unlike in the game, he launches himself at 2B and pushes her out of the way of Eve’s powerful attack from above her. As a Scanner-type model, he is not built for combat despite having a weapon and being programmed with the ability to fight. 2B is the one that is a combination of two types of androids made for battle, as the puppet versions of them explained in the joke ending of the first episode. He is programmed solely to gather intel on the enemy. Despite this, he risks his life to save his partner. There’s a high probability to see more similar events similar throughout the show.
The chemistry between the two androids is still in the game. Because of 2B’s distant and cold nature, it is easy to overlook the moments she breaks that facade. It takes playing through the game more than once to understand her feelings for 9S, and vice versa. The anime makes her affection for him clearer. Soon enough we will see him become more comfortable and familiar with 2B. Their current relationship in the show seems to be stronger than in the game, which means the tender moments will only hurt more knowing their outcome.
It is a breath of fresh air that Yoko Taro is working with A-1 Pictures to direct the anime in a slightly different direction from his game. New characters never seen in the video game series (like Lily) could alter the course of the story and main characters. Returning characters, like the twin androids Devola and Popola, may have a bigger impact throughout the series. Maybe 9S will be able to break through 2B's shell more. And though unlikely, 2B could finally have her wish for 9S's happiness granted in this version of the story.