Famitsu Livestream for Nier and Yoko Taro’s Birthday, June 6!

There will be an official livestream by Famitsu to celebrate the birthday of NieR Replicant/Gestalt’s titular character, Nier… as well as Yoko Taro himself.

Yoko has stated in past interviews that Nier sharing his own birthday was actually a mistake. He originally used his birthday as a place holder but forgot to change it later, and by then it was too late.

The livestream will be on Wednesday, June 6 from 8:00-10:00pm (Japan Standard Time). You can watch live via the following sites:

Scheduled guests include:

After the broadcast, they will switch over to the Famitsu Channel on NicoNico Douga for a 30 minute bonus segment for subscribed members. Here’s the direct link to the bonus segment.

Source: Famitsu


As a side note, there was an old issue of Famitsu magazine (No.1120 6/3 2010) in which the interviewer asked Yoko why he used two different birthday dates for Nier in Replicant and Gestalt. I was working on translating this entire article before the hard drive on my laptop died  and I lost everything… But here’s a brief excerpt regarding this point:

One of the differences between “Replicant” and “Gestalt” is Nier’s birthday on 6/6 in Replicant and 9/11 in Gestalt. What were you intending with this difference?

Yoko: The 9/11 date comes from the release date of the first Drakengard. Regarding the 6/6 date, however… That was entirely a goof in the character setting. (haha) I forgot to change the temporary place holder, and before I knew it it had become reality. I saw some people online were speculating that it was meant to be a reference to the holiday “Brother’s Day” in Japan, so when I searched about it, I discovered there really was such a holiday on that day. So, please write that this was how the date became an official part of the setting. (haha)

Just for a little additional clarity on this, he used 6/6 as a place holder because that’s actually HIS birthday. He meant to change the date later, but obviously forgot and kept it that way in spite of it all. One of many Yokoisms. (haha)


  • Notable Happenings on June 6 (Japanese)
    Big Brother’s Day: Established by Kunio Hatada, a sister/brother researcher. Comparatively, March 6th is “Little Brother’s Day”, September 6th is “Little Sister’s Day”, and December 6th is “Big Sister’s Day”.

Tsuki Oke Performs NieR:Automata in 2019!

It was just announced on Twitter that there will be a second Tsuki Oke fan concert event in 2019! The official title of the orchestral group is Mon Tränen PhilharmoNikeR, which is basically the Lunar Tear Orchestra. In Japanese, it is even further shortened to just 月オケ or Tsuki Oke.

Here’s the nitty-gritty details on the scheduled concert date and time:

  • Tsuki Oke / Lunar Tear Orchestra
  • Date: April 28, 2019
  • Venue: Suginami Public Hall
  • Music: From the game “NieR:Automata”
  • Conductor: Miura Osuke

The official website can be found here. mondtraenenphil.com

The site has been redesigned and is currently sporting a really nice illustration that conjures memories of NieR:Automata. The recruiting process will be opened at some undisclosed later date, so stay tuned for that!

Also, if you haven’t heard of Tsuki Oke before, check out the article I wrote about the previous concert from 2017 here.

NieR:Automata Piano Collections Album Release and In-Store Signing Event

Today saw the release of the NieR:Automata Piano Collections album of 12 new piano arranged tracks by a handful of talented pianists including Hoashi Keigo himself.

All music is produced by Okabe Keiichi (MONACA) and includes arranged performances by the following:

  1. Weight of the World, Arranged & Performed by Sakakibara Dai
  2. Amusement Park, Arranged & Performed by marasy
  3. A Beautiful Song, Arranged & Performed by Hoashi Keigo
  4. City Ruins, Arranged & Performed by suzuki yo (akisai)
  5. Dependent Weakling, Arranged & Performed by Taguchi Mariko
  6. Peaceful Sleep, Arranged & Performed by Kumagai Yasumasa
  7. Copied City, Arranged & Performed by Yabuki Taku
  8. Voice of no Return, Arranged & Performed by suzuki yo (akisai)
  9. Bipolar Nightmare, Arranged & Performed by Kikuchi Ryota
  10. The Tower, Arranged & Performed by Kumagai Yasumasa
  11. The Sound of the End, Arranged & Performed by Duke of Pianeet
  12. Vague Hope, Arranged & Performed by Hoashi Keigo


▶︎ New illustration on the back coverby Koda Kazuma depicting 9S.


▶︎ Another great shot of 9S by Koda Kazuma.

There was also an in-store event at the Shinjuku Tower Records that had appearances by Hoashi Keigo, Okabe Keiichi, and Yoko Taro. The three discussed various tracks on the album, funny anecdotes about its development, and more! Okabe also mentioned their desire to put on a larger orchestral performance for NieR:Automata. If you are interested in helping this thought become a reality, he suggested that everyone purchase this album and also tell SQEX via their music account on Twitter how much you’d like to see such a thing come to be! He suggested that you could even tell them this without purchasing the album (haha).


▶︎ New illustration of 2B by Koda Kazuma inside the album booklet.


▶︎ Album booklet cover.

◼︎Displays in the Store!

◼︎Participating in the Event

Those who preordered the piano collections album directly from the Tower Records Shinjuku branch store were given first dibs at obtaining a “participation ticket” for the talk / musical performance / signing event. This just allows you the opportunity to draw a random number when you come in to purchase the album on release day. This number becomes your place in line to enter the special event area. Starting at 7:00pm, those with event tickets were to line up in order inside a stairwell. I was pretty well up the stairs given the number I drew, so it was really hot waiting…

Related:NieR:Automata Original Soundtrack In-store Signing Event

◼︎Photo Op Time!

Just like the last album release event at Tower Records, we had a short photo op at the end of the talk segment and just before Hoashi performed a single piece. My phone was running out of juice, so I turned down the brightness of the screen…and couldn’t quite see what I was taking, so there are a ton of bad photos. Also, my phone camera can’t zoom in very well. I’ll go through all of the photos, but here’s a preliminary shot of the trio during this portion of the event!

◼︎ Fun Anecdotes from the Event

Hoashi mentioned that he usually doesn’t get nervous at live events like this or even performing at various concerts, but he said that the moment he steps out of his house, he feels a sense of dread as though he’s forgotten something really important and often ends up going back home to check that he didn’t actually forget something. He said this is probably due to other musicians who have to carry their instruments with them, but as a pianist, he doesn’t need to bring anything special to perform. It’s this sense of “empty handedness” that tends to make him paranoid.

Hoashi talked about a moment when Okabe actually got angry at something, but instead of yelling at moments like these, he merely asks why something wasn’t done or simply asking for a clear explanation. Sometimes it’s this sort of mentality that can be even more scary than those who openly unleash their anger. Maybe…

Yoko mentioned that Fujisaka Kimihiko, the illustrator for the Drakengard games among many others, was present at the event, and said that if anyone noticed some “buff” looking dude, that was probably Fujisaka. Unfortunately, I didn’t not run into him. 🙁

Sugihara-san from Famitsu as well as the same camera man who sat next to me at the YoRHa Musical dress rehearsal were also present at the event. I noticed Sugihara at the front, right side of the event space, but he disappeared by the time I walked by after speaking with Hoashi, Okabe, and Yoko.

◼︎ NieR:Automata Piano Collections Livestream!

The NieR:Automata Piano Collections will also be streamed live in NicoNico Douga on Wednesday, April 25 at 9:00pm (JST). Tune into the broadcast here!

YoRHa Boys Stage Play – Notes and Spoilers

This post is a Work In Progress.
Updated: February 6, 2018 12:55am (JST)


I just got back from the YoRHa Boys Stage Play, so here are some initial notes and spoilers! Click on the button to below to view the spoilers! (You’ve been warned!!)

  • No2 – Defender, but he’s actually an Executioner in disguise. oh no
  • No9 – Healer
  • No3 – Attacker
  • No4 – Gunner, but he used to be an Attacker
  • No6 – Attacker
  • No21 – Scanner, (No21 and No22 are twin models)
  • No22 – Gunner

No3 and No4 were part of the M001 project and are considered the “senpai” of the M002 members who are deployed later.

The instructor’s name is Black, direct opposite to White, aka the Commander.

Cactus had been fighting the machines for years…and used to be confident in commanding his team… but during an ambush, he was the sole survivor…which shattered his resolve…and he became a coward after that (traumatized)

  • Pod also makes an appearance in the form of a new “SS” technology that all of the M Squad are given. (SS = Support System Model Delta Code 153)
  • Akiyama Kaoru, who voiced Pod153, provided the voice for the SS system
  • She appears in the audience for the final scene with No9 and also on stage during the curtain call
  • No2 and No9 bond in the course of the play…and No2 feels severe guilt that he was instructed to exterminate them ALL
  • No21 gets infected when he tries hacking into the cockpit of the aircraft they were all going to escape the area, but No9 worked his Healer magic on him and No21 appeared to be okay.
  • Once they all fight off a horde of machines, the Instructor flies the aircraft into the sky.
  • Two hours later as they continue to fly back to the main resistance camp.
  • There’s a brief scene with No2 and No9 discussing things. No9 gets all excited when he sees the ocean from out the window and mentions how beautiful it is.
  • No2 asks him what he would do if/when the war is over. No9 is confused at first and laughs as though it was a silly question–there’s no way the war will ever be over… but he mentions how nice it would be to someday read a book in a peaceful place like the view out the window.
    ▲ While No9 is distracted, No2 grabs his sword and is about to kill No9, they hear the Instructor screaming from the cockpit.


    ▲ No21 along with No3 and No6 begin their coup d’etat.

  • No21 calls out to No22 to join, No3 does the same to No4, but No4 responds, “And where would we go if I did?” No6 explains that they plan to go to the other side of the planet to the “Kingdom of Night” where Command cannot find them.
  • When No9 and No2 enter the cockpit, No6 grabs No2 as No21 explains that they need No2 to come with them… since he is important for backing up everyone’s data.

    No6: You smell so good…No9. heehee
  • Then No21 outs No2’s secret… that he is a E-model who was about to kill them all.
  • The entire cockpit erupts in battle as Lotus and Phlox try to keep the aircraft in the air.
  • Some damage is done to the aircraft and it quickly starts falling out of the sky. There is nothing they can do to avoid a crash.
  • They crash in a forest somewhere, all of them scattered into 3-4 separate groups.

◼️The End

  • More characters than expected survived through the end… Only No2, No3, No6, and No21 die. xD
  • No6 takes great pleasure out of slashing the Instructor close to death, but the Instructor manages to reprogram the SS system and attaches it to his sword…which he then stabs No6 with. No6 says that he can’t be hurt…and then the Instructor tells the SS to begin the scan, but this time, it somehow rewrites the code on No6’s black box and starts the self-destruct sequence. No6 cries out in denial and says that the Instructor will die, too… to which the Instructor says that he always planned on seeing his students off until the very end.
  • No3 and No4 fight. Eventually No4 reluctantly takes up his sword again to fight him (he reverts back to Attacker mode).


▲ In the end, No3 pleads with No4 to finish it.

  • There’s a part where No21 thoroughly gets killed and reanimated by the virus…and he screams SO insanely, it was amazing. I totally got the chills, it was great!
  • During the fight with the infected No21, No2 asks No9, should he become infected with the virus, that he kill him…
  • But No9 refuses, so No2 ends up killing himself
  • Before that, No2 left a message for No9 and asked him to delete No2’s back up personality data… because he didn’t want to remember having to kill them all should they meet again in the future…
  • But Cactus was shown alive at the end…along with the other two resistance members. No4 is confused when he sees them…and sees Cactus’ arm twitching weird like he’s infected with the virus (like he should have been before!”, but… he says that “cowards have their own way of fighting”. His arm and the other two were merely injured by gunfire, not the virus. Attackers and Gunners were fazed our after this experiment with all male-model YoRHaThe male-models were a bit of a failure, so the Council of Humanity decided on producing only female YoRHa models in the future.
  • The surviving male-models were to be formatted and reprogrammed as Scanner types, which explains why Scanners are all male-models.

At the very end, the whole cast comes on the stage during the YoRHa song “Guadalcanal”. During this part of the song, they merely sing “Ahh” rather than the original lyrics which were as follows:

outo o, yamai o, itami o, umi dasu
ishiki o, kiroku o, kikai o, horobosu

Give birth to vomit, sickness, and pain
Destroy the consciousness, the chronicle, and the machines

◼️ My Thoughts

  • I really liked Phlox. As one of the three Resistance members, he was a pretty minor character, but his personality was really quite noble and he was very loyal to a less-than-adequate leader like Cactus.
  • No6 is a sadist like Dito. Plus, he seems to be enamored with the Instructor. There’s a scene in which the Instructor demonstrates how to use the SS system to scan for viruses and he uses it on No6 who reacts very…uniquely. He squirms with strange pleasure and is disappointed when the scan stops. He even goes up to the Instructor and asks him to scan him again… preferably somewhere alone, just the two of them. The Instructor unfortunately declines. The next moment, No3 says, “So, you’re even hot for men, huh?”.  

YoRHa Boys Stage Play – 20180204

This post is a Work In Progress.


I have a ticket to the afternoon show today, the second to last show before the production wraps. I got to the venue early to buy goodies, but since we had to random draw numbers for placement in line, I was pretty well in the back and photos sold out quickly. Oh, well!

Here’s a couple pics for now: