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After the premiere of the NieR: Automata Ver1.1A anime series on January 8, 2023, fans are incredibly excited to see the next episode. Fans of the video game and newcomers to the franchise raved about the first episode, making it an early frontrunner for one of the season’s best.
However, while pre-release interest was focused primarily on 2B, fans have turned their attention to 9S following NieR: Automata Ver1.1A’s premiere on the small screen. While it remains to be seen what the anime does with the character, fans looking to learn more about him can turn to the video game’s canon.
Follow along as this article fully breaks down who 9S is in the video games and presumably in the NieR: Automata Ver1.1A anime.
WARNING: Potential NieR: Automata Ver1.1A spoiler ahead. Read at your own risk.
Beginning of 9S and 2B’s partnership in the first episode of NieR: Automata Ver1.1A has fans curious about who he is
NieR: Automata Ver1.1A’s 9S is, as far as fans are currently aware, based on the 9S seen in the corresponding video game franchise. While it’s possible that the anime will take the character in a new direction in one or many ways, fans can still get a general sense of who he is from the video game’s events.
9S’ full name in the video game is YoRHa No.9 Type S (Scanner), shortened to 9S. Like 2B, he is YoRHa android created to battle the machine lifeforms on behalf of humanity’s last survivors. He and 2B both serve in the 14th Machine War, which is the setting of the video game and presumably the anime.
As a Scanner model, 9S is shown to be naturally curious about the world around him, especially concerning the machine lifeforms he fights. It’s implied that he’s the newest model of Scanner and thus is more likely to dig deeper into YoRHa’s secrets than his peers. Similarly, he’ll often ask questions that those around him say he shouldn’t ask.
Unbeknownst to him, this is why 2B is assigned as his partner, with the start of the video game marking the 48th time they’ve “met” each other for the first time. This 48th meeting is, presumably, what's seen in NieR: Automata Ver1.1A's first episode.
The prior 47 instances of their meeting all ended with 2B being his executioner, always to the end of preventing him from learning about the true nature of Project YoRHa.
Each time he dies, however, his memory is wiped, and he is redeployed to the battlefield, where he is destined to “meet” 2B for the “first time” again and again. Interestingly enough, 9S seems to always grow close to 2B, no matter how many times his memory is wiped. The two seem to grow close to one another to the point of it being implied that he has romantic feelings for her.
This is further supported by his actions following one of the video game’s many endings. This includes one where he sees 2B die in finality. He becomes almost rageful following her death, ruthlessly murdering the machine lifeforms that he once tried to understand and reason with.
Be sure to keep up with all anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2023 progresses.
