I wasn’t able to get my computer fixed or purchase a new computer in time for the live broadcast, but I did manage to watch it at a local Internet cafe (also had a slight earthquake while I was there). So, now I’m working on a long list of back-logged items that I wanted to get done. Since this is going to be slow going, I’m going to post whatever I finish, when I finish it.
※ Please refresh this page to see any further updates.
According to a recent Tweet from the Official NieR Twitter account, pre-orders for the NieR:Automata Black Box Edition will end next week! If you haven’t pre-ordered your copy yet, now’s your chance! You can order the Black Box Edition from the Square Enix e-STORE here.
数量限定・e-STORE専売「NieR:Automata Black Box Edition」につきまして、来週くらいには予約を締め切ることになってしまいそうです…。ご予約は下記よりお早めにどうぞ。 #ニーア #NieR https://t.co/Rstlq6yW08 pic.twitter.com/zEM0OF9Ckr
— NieR公式PRアカウント (@NieR_JPN) October 28, 2016
This is my translation the October 26 blog update on the official NieR:Automata site.
The photos and original content is from there.
Here’s a little head’s up regarding the limited DLC bonuses available from various store locations.
First Edition Bonus
Pod Model: Weiss
All members of the YoRHa Squadron come with the support “Pod” units as their standard equipment. As a special bonus for the first edition of the game, the outer design of the Pods, with their long-range attacks and ability to help you move about the field with their glide function, can take on the appearance of Weiss from the previous game.
※ This is an added bonus when you pre-order the game at any of the stores listed below.
Square Enix e-STORE Bonus
Accessory: Bio-machine Head
An accessory for 2B that gives her the head of the enemy Bio-machines will be available from the e-STORE as a limited bonus.
Amazon.co.jp Bonus
Pod Skin: Delivery Box
This is the limited bonus DLC available from Amazon.co.jp that gives Pod the appearance of an Amazon cardboard delivery box.
Geo Bonus
Pod Skin: Retro Black
CPU: 16 bit
This is the limited bonus DLC skin for Pod available at Geo.
※ During the 1st Live Broadcast on October 26th, Yoko Taro stated that there was something about these extra Pod skins that would be very bad if he talked about them in more detail. I have absolutely no idea what this could mean, but it seems like there is something hidden about these guys.
Tsutaya Bonus
Pod Skin: Retro Red
CPU: 8 bit
This is the limited bonus available at Game Tsutaya and Tsutaya Online Shopping.
Lawson Bonus
Pod Skin: Blue Stripes
And lastly, this is the limited bonus available at Lawson convenience stores.
The original Japanese article was written by NieR:Automata PR Director No1.
This is my translation the October 24 blog update on the official NieR:Automata site.
The photos and original content is from there.
Good evening, everyone. This is the PR Manager for NieR:Automata. Delving further into the Black Box Edition, the next thing we’re going to show you is the 2B figure with some cool photos.
NieR:Automata Character Figure – YoRHa No2 Type B
In order to reproduce that hidden coolness within her great battle strength, an extensive amount of attention went into the details of the figure, such as the expression and color of the face, the color of the “beauty marks” and embroidery finishing, the feeling of rust on the enemy’s head just to name a few points. We’d really love for you to see these details up close, in your own hands.
We also wanted the box for the figure to look a certain way. As you can see, it has a special emblem on the front along with the same embroidery from 2B’s skirt along the bottom.
Next, we’ll take a closer look at the artbook! Stay tuned!
The original Japanese article was written by NieR:Automata PR Director No1.
Sometime after SQEX posted the first of five blog posts sharing more information on the NieR:Automata Black Box Edition, Yoko Taro posted something interesting on Twitter regarding the emblem printed on the front of the box.
ニーア限定版の箱は宣伝さんが拘ってくださいました。実はここにプリントされているエンブレムにもデザイナーさんの隠された意図がありますが、それは、またいつか…… https://t.co/dR3adb5FOO
— yokotaro (@yokotaro) October 21, 2016
| “Our PR rep really fussed over the NieR limited edition box. Actually, the designer has a hidden design somewhere in the emblem printed here, and that, we’ll discuss some other time……” ーYoko Taro |
So, that got me thinking some more and imagining what could be “hidden” in this design. When I first saw the emblem or glyph, I thought it resembled an eye that possibly has a tear streaming down from it. I also thought it resembled a lot like a blooming flower, reminiscent of the Flower entity from DOD3, and we all know that damn thing could still be lurking out there somewhere, clinging onto dear life.
Another thing I wondered about was whether or not this particular design was borrowed from or maybe merged some of the glyphs from the previous games. So for that purpose, let’s take another look at the main glyphs.
Here, we can see that Zero’s glyph was clearly made in retrospect to resemble Caim’s own: a blossoming flower with Caim’s dragon-esque glyph emerging from within. As for the other Utautai glyphs from DOD3, they all have a uniform circular structor to the design with varying aspects setting them apart from each other. The one the intrigues me the most in relation to the new NieR:Automata glyph is One’s. It shares almost the same, exact spikes as Nowe’s glyph with a total of 6 protruding “wing” spikes (Nowe’s seems to have an additional 3 on the “tail”).
I also thought that, overall, the emblem resembled the flower “dash” that was used in the DOD3 logo, as seen above. If you rotate the image 90 degrees to the right and imagine an eye sprouting from the center of the flower, I think that depicts the basics of the design.
This particular head-on look of an eye reminded me of the graphics from DOD3 that represented each Utautai:
Stepping a little further from the graphical design, there are 5 prongs at the top of the “eye” to create apparent eye lashes. The number 5… there were 5 additional Utautai born from the flower due to Zero’s offensive action.
Oh, and the YoRHa Bunker also displays a nice emblem, too:
This glyph also shares the same five prongs that appear in the “eye” glyph above, but this one has three swords, standing tall and straight. I don’t have anything much to say on this yet, but… the number three brings to mind the original 3 YoRHa from the beginning days of the YoRHa endeavor in connection with MONACA and DearStage. It was these three vocalists that sang the boss battle themes on the DOD3 soundtrack. You can find more information on this here.
So what do you think? Could this be a clue that actively connects both game series? We know they exist in the same world at different points in the overall timeline, but… could they be more entangled than that? More related in each other’s future–and past–than we were initially lead to believe?
Or is it all yet more smoke and mirrors…?