Yoko’s initial plot for Episode 1 was interesting to say the least. This is my rough summary of his script as shown in the recent issue of Newtype magazine.
■ lit. Military Transport Aircraft (Units)
- Darkness. A screen turns on to display the current situation. The Commander relays a message: how the machines are demonic and whether YoRHa are valued by humanity.
- Glory to mankind / Glory to mankind call and response.
- After that, snake-like machine lifeforms break through the walls of the room and begin to devour the YoRHa squadron.
- Descending military transport units (輸送機, not the same term that is used for flight units 飛行ユニット, suggesting that these are different, possibly older, tech)
- We zoom in on 2B (it’s actually not her but another android that resembles her).
- It includes a large-scale descent mission of only female B Type YoRHa androids.
The Descent Operation - They come under attack by Snake-like machine lifeforms that come through the walls of the room (likely meant to be the walls of the cockpit of the transport aircraft) and many units are destroyed.
- Camera zooms out, and we view things from the outside, and realize that the small rooms that the YoRHa were in were actually the cockpits of the transport aircraft and this is how we find out that they’ve been attacked during the descent.
- Other transport aircraft appear, becoming a large-scale descent operation in thunderous storm.
- The YoRHa squadron have a much more rugged uniform than in the game, something like a sailor uniform?
- Down on the ground, there’s a cluster of machine lifeforms.
- The YoRHa squadron mows down the machine lifeforms with overwhelming strength.
- Then a Goliath machine lifeform appears and gives the girls a run for their money.
- That’s when a large-scale group of male YoRHa join the fray. They’re all S Types.
- The boys use Pods to hold back the machines.
- The Goliath cuts through them.
★ The boys (S types) and girls (B types) pair off in large numbers.
★ They’re illustrated to be in girl/boy pairs.
■ Command
The Commander and Operators give complicated orders from Command.
★ The squadron are given strict orders.
Commander: They’re weak, but…
She squints her eyes.
Commander: The essence of their splendor is in their numbers.
- The YoRHa Squadron are increasingly outnumbered
- Machine lifeforms amass in huge numbers.
- The S Types link their Pods together (an ability not in the game) to create a large barrier
- The machine lifeforms fire upon them.
- But after this, machines rush at them exponentially like an avalanche.
- The barrier cannot withstand their combined weight and it breaks.
- The girls flee to a sort of shelter area to take cover.
- Something rolls along the floor toward them. It’s a machine lifeform head.
Girl: SMASH IT!
- It’s struck with a sword, but it’s too late.
- The head was a self-detonating bomb.
- It explodes and sends the YoRHa flying.
■ The Goal
- The YoRHa continue pressing on without glancing back at those who’ve fallen in combat.
- The girls aimed toward something.
- A fight to the death unfolds.
- They press forward even if they should become nothing more than sacrificial pawns. It’s like a typical “last battle.”
- The YoRHa make their way to the entrance to a large shelter.
- The girls fire upon the door even while they’re killed like flies by the machines.
- There’s a large explosion.
- A hole in the ground roughly the size of a subway tunnel opens up from which many YoRHa fall into.
- YoRHa are reduced to a few groups.
- The remaining YoRHa drop their heavy weaponry and switch to equipment that favors speed (this is something new that could be shown in the anime)
- The last two standing are 2B and 9S.
9S: Hacking the Goliath complete!
2nd Half
■ A Silent Space
- A silent space separated from the thundering sounds from the outside.
- The YoRHa squadron proceeds cautiously.
- An area like a cathedral built entirely by machines.
- There are machines dancing in the center.
- A massive mouth that rips off the heads of dead YoRHa.
- It’s a type similar to an anglerfish that devours its prey.
- 2B attempts to attack it, but…… the fish disappears into the darkness.
■ A Trap
- It was a huge trap in this area.
- YoRHa are unjustly eaten by mysterious means.
- Walking further ahead, there are many YoRHa corpses littering the area.
- As though bored, machines toy with the corpses.
When it spots the incoming YoRHa, it laughs, “Nitaaaaa…”
- In order to destroy their objective, the machines form a wall as 2B and 9S advance onward.
■ The Core
- 2B and 9S finally make it to the core.
- Just when they’re within a single step from destroying it, the ground begins to vibrate suddenly.
- Both the ceiling and floor collapse.
■ Super-massive Goliath Class Machine Lifeform
- The mountain cracks and opens wide like a pillbug.
- The fortress where 2B and 9S were in was actually inside a giant machine lifeform.
- 2B is tossed out.
- 9S connects to the core and attempts to destroy it through hacking.
- The super-massive Goliath machine lifeform attacks.
- A ton of small machine lifeforms begin to scatter.
- While 9S is busy hacking the machine, 2B tries to protect him to the best of her ability.
9S: Hacking complete! Its activity has stopped! 2B!!!
- 2B destroys the unprotected core.
- There’s a moment of relief.
- That’s when they feel a new vibration.
■ Black Box
- 2B & 9S are on top of the dead pillbug.
- But another pillbug appears one after another.
- 9S is prepared as he suggests self-detonating their black boxes.
- They both agree and self-destruct.
■ Bunker
- 2B awakens back in the Bunker.
- When she meets 9S in the hallway, she discovers that he’s lost his memory.
- Only 2B’s personal data was able to be uploaded to the Bunker in time.
- 2B clenches her fist.
TBC
(the end of Yoko’s script)