Nier director Yoko Taro says “everything” he makes is influenced by Neon Genesis Evangelion, and that “I have zero charisma”

by

Yoko Taro has previously acknowledged that his groundbreaking, game-changing 15-year-old action RPG Nier is essentially a reinterpretation of Neon Genesis Evangelion, and he remains content with this apparent lack of originality.

In a recent interview celebrating the Nier series, I chatted with the game’s creator who once more emphasized that Nier: Automata was undeniably influenced by Evangelion. As a dedicated gamer, I can certainly see the parallels between these two masterpieces!

“But then, everything I make is influenced by Evangelion,” Taro continues.

Although he doesn’t explicitly explain it, there appears to be a striking resemblance between his impact on the gloomy, charred Nier games and the dark fantasy ARPG series Drakengard, and the uneasy tension that is prevalent in Hideaki Anno’s popular anime.

Just as Evangelion is set in a world reshaped by the Second Impact catastrophe, Nier was established within a post-apocalyptic landscape where humanity had perished. When reflecting on this creation process, Taro muses that perhaps he might have been too hasty in eradicating humans from the narrative.

Adjusting my glasses with wire rims and getting comfortable in my armchair, if you don’t mind – I believe that Taro’s strong desire to erase humanity may, at least in part, originate from the disheartening revelation that he possesses little charisma. This is something Taro shared with Square Enix, which might explain why many players stopped playing Nier.

During the production period of Nier, Taro admitted that he discovered he was messier than he had previously believed. In a similar vein, as I look at the empty Diet Coke bottle on my floor and the 150 episodes of Sailor Moon waiting to be watched, it seems like we, anime fans, can relate.

Read More

2025-04-29 00:39