Who Made This?: Yoko Taro // Codex Entry

A look at the life and work of Nier and Drakengard director, Yoko Taro. Glory to mankind.
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Kainé/Salvation Instrumental remix by RO☆D :
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Live action footage sources:
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[@zarbis]

17:17 "None of his games are perfect, but a lack of perfection is the price we pay when we attempt something new." "Is this the price I'm paying for my past mistakes?" goes in a background. Were you syncing it up on a purpose? :)

[@CodexEntry]

i can neither confirm nor deny

[@yetanotherkeyblader7473]

-Pod 153 ( I know it weren't the exact words but still)

[@turksinnovations]

"raised by his strict yet loving grandmother"...... Kainé? 😭

[@asnodt42]

Holy shit that makes complete sense now... Damn

[@SONICKING700]

Neir Automata is a masterpiece

[@reflexlevel0744]

Witty Joke I completely agree with you. The best game I have ever played.

[@captainbodyshot2839]

And you've still managed to misspell the game's title

[@peenyweeny3834]

neir automata

[@hendix2200]

I thought NeiR Replicant was better

[@SONICKING700]

@@hendix2200 Masterpiece vs. The cooler Masterpiece

[@icyjiub2228]

Automata ain't perfect, but fuck man, it made me a believer in this dude.

[@MegaAndyGG]

Perfect game doesn't exist. NieR: Automata is nearly perfect tho

[@DrathVader]

Sorry, I didn't catch anything you said because I was too focused on the music.

[@hassangx5272]

elektroencefalografista well I would love to give you a like but I don’t really want to spoil the number

[@DrathVader]

@@hassangx5272 understandable

[@arenkai]

I don't know why, but when the "DO YOU THINK GAMES ARE SILLY LITTLE THINGS" message came up, I started crying.

[@steeve6171]

I had the same reaction... I couldnt believe I still had so much strong emotion hidden deep inside me. I had to paused the video and take a walk ... its such a good game ;)

[@Skullssy]

so glad to see this for my favorite game director Yoko Taro :3

[@lindthechaoticheretic8708]

I hear a lot of praise given to directors and companies for how good they're games are, and yet Yoko Taro is the only one who can make a game that should be perfectly average at best or a broken mess at worst, and have those games mean more and achieve more than games such as FF7, the Half-life series, the Zelda series, the Persona series, the Metal Gear Solid series, the SoulsBorne series, etc. Games like these are praised for being the best of the best and I often see them getting perfect scores automatically due to their names alone, yet all they really do is polish what already exists with little to no variation. Yoko Taro is someone who strives to not only do this, but also challenge and exceed the standards and tired tropes of himself and games in general. He's the perfect example of what should be commended and admired as a creator of games that exceed expectations, instead of the sad trend I see today of games to be congratulated and scored with an 8 even though they are just average, sometimes not even complete, fodder that should be considered a 5 average at best. NieR Automata is the only game I have ever played that I give a perfect score to. It not only achieves a 10/10, but also makes every other game I've played go down a grade.

[@damazywlodarczyk]

it's almost perfect, there is a big dose of melodrama in it and some obvious philosophical banality in the message, but it aims high

[@c.c.c3843]

Lind the Chaotic Heretic a

[@ZexX0505]

Nier Automata is the only game that made me cry multiple times in repeated game plays. I played the entire game 3 times, watched at least 4 other people's play through, and I still found my heart just breaking everytime. I don't think any other media has touched me ever like this, at least not in one product, and not to this level. As much as I still love other games... Automata will always be the best game for me. There is just no game like it. Shame that a lot of people can't get past ending A, or sit through route B. Hell, I almost didn't, it almost felt like Yoko Taro didn't want you to feel like you are pushed to play through the game, but you should do it because there are so many things that are left unanswered. And when you do, the pay off is just so, so, SO satisfying. If this was any other triple A games, the game would be pushing all the answers in your face like it's afraid that you will miss things. But Automata..sometimes I wonder if things are left in the world without any clue to their existence, just so you would feel awful for not finding it; or, finding it on complete accident, knowing this crucial piece of story could have passed you by without you ever noticing, just like in real life. I know I felt that when I stumbled upon 2B's flight unit. You know the one I'm talking about. God my heart still hurts knowing I could have just walked past it without ever knowing it was there, and the ramification of that is..is.. *tries not to cry* *cries a lot*

[@brightsuperstition]

You know one thing I like about Kamiya, Miyazaki and Taro (the three people you've done video profiles on)? They actually make videogames. They don't make movies with gameplay slapped on. The experiences that Kamiya, Miyazaki and Taro provide cannot be experienced through any other medium. Contrast this with something like The Last of Us, Uncharted 4 or David Cage games. You can easily turn these into movies and not get much of a different experience as a result. People like Kamiya, Miyazaki and Taro are proud to be makers of videogames. The others I mention seem embarrassed, so they make "games" that ape Hollywood as much as possible to gain respectability.

[@rosameltrozo5889]

Spot on

[@WeskersPlayhouse]

I love Yoko Taro. He really knows how to spin an epic yarn. Wish they would re-release the first Nier so all the people that missed out can try it, I think its story is better than Automata. Great video!

[@fightylightyy]

Have you read up on the extra material for Automata? At first I preferred the first NieR too, but after reading the novellas and stage-plays, I'd say Automata is just as deep. A lot of it is subtly hinted at rather than outright told as it was in the original. I think I still prefer the original, if only for its particular brand of humour, but Automata is certainly nothing to sneeze at either.

[@WeskersPlayhouse]

Yeah I'm caught up with all the supplementary material for the series, and I still stand by the first one having the better story overall; however saying one has a better story than the other doesn't mean much I guess because they are both fantastic!

[@fightylightyy]

Haha, that is true :)

[@vetreas366]

The story of Automata has been told time and again, it's not unique. The plot beats are mostly the same and the questions it brings up have been asked for decades and even centuries. What makes Automata good is the way in which the story is told, the interplay and the growth that the characters experience and the way the game interacts with the player where most games are designed to simply have the player interact with them. Funny story: following a certain point in the game where stuff gets real and one of the characters goes off the deep end, I had a bug where the map wasn't displaying indoor locations properly. I was unsure if this was an actual bug or just interface screw. It fixed itself after a restart (this is the PS4 version) but I honestly felt that that would have been a great way to further exemplify the corruption the character was undergoing (i.e. having the interface going subtly bonkers). I have never felt confused about a bug being a designed part of the game beforehand. While it wasn't the case, It's interesting that doing something like that felt natural, even invited in this situation. I really want to play Nier as well, since its story is absolutely great as well, but more than that I hope that the success Automata has received is not going to hurt of Taro's future games. I do like Taro's style and stories. I wouldn't have gotten Automata had I not played Drakengard 3 and loved the hell out of its characters (because there's little to love about the world or gameplay). Maybe this is enough to get a remaster or re-release of Nier or DG3 for the new generation or maybe even PC.

[@thelneffableus3236]

Me too

[@cosmozone271]

Yoko Taro definitely deserves commendation for going against the grain and presenting new ideas and making games that are memorable even to this day. I did not know of this director at first, and didn't care for Automata beyond the memes of 2B's rear end. Then a discovery of Fire Emblem VAs shared in Automata, watched 9S' VA stream the game, and there I found Yoko Taro. Fittingly enough, in a dark point in my life, that strangely offered me hope. But at the same time, the commendation for Yoko Taro's innovation makes me sad. As passionate as I am about my stories, I don't feel like they innovate enough or at all to be something new, and something memorable to others. Something that will create a legacy.

[@maurycy_gnc]

Nier Automata is one of the best, if not THE best game I've played to date. Next game Yoko Taro makes I'm preordering without even blinking. Same day as its available.

[@devinflynn9784]

Replicant is available for preorder, your prayers have been answered 🙏🏻

[@kennethbenicio4722]

Replicant it's already available =)

[@AnthonySenpaikun]

Yoko Taro deserves to be known as the Da Vinci, vincent von gogh, or the picasso of the gaming industry. He deserves more credit that he is given and deserves to be known across the future of gaming industry, and have his legacy be set as an example on how creators should put more meaning into games that they make.

[@lucalopez9604]

Why can't we like videos ore than once?!?!?!?

[@ShacoPL]

I've heard the corpse he saw had an erection and that's what Taro found humorous.

[@John_Doe32]

You did Yoko Taro justice, or as I like to call him "Mr. Why". Even though it may sound innocent of me to never question my killings in video games, because for the sake of "*fun*", I'd pay no mind to it. But as you showed in your video, gloating "100 enemy soldiers killed" *SHOULDN'T* be praise, as that sadist behavior is taboo. That isn't going to stop me from enjoy Bayonetta, or any other murder-centric combat systems, cause I do derived fun from them. But! How Yoko Taro always weave murdering into his narrative, is *so* uniquely interesting to me cause it allow me to reflect on who I am, or who I *want* to be. And since Yoko Taro has Pascal reading a Friedrich Nietzsche book, I can tell that's the point. Anyways! Great video as usual, Ryan! I myself am amazed about how you're able to perfectly convey your feeling and thought to the viewer's, giving that nice 1:1 presentation feel. I'm having a bit of a problem with that for my script I'm writing. It turn out, my writing abilities are mine weakest suit. Hopefully, I can get done with that so I can edit the video already, and you got some editing skills there, sir! Sorry long post! Have a nice day, and keep up the great work! --- Sean ;D

[@setaentertainment4311]

Keep writing my dude.

[@CheesyBlueNips]

Fucking incredible as always, Ryan. After every single video you put out I keep thinking to myself that it cant get any better but you keep proving me wrong.

[@MMfish_]

I super appreciate this video not coming off as you reading a wikipedia page, but as an actual narrative and analysis of one of the most innovative video game directors of our time. Great work…I almost wonder if you wrote the script backwards with how cohesive this is haha

[@etiennelatour3435]

The Hirohiko Araki of video games.

[@michael85rs]

Even after years, im still finding videos about this game and its franchise and it always gets me emotional somehow

[@e.n.9625]

I very, very rarely say this, but this really deserves more views. This is a really good video, with a strong script and super interesting subject matter. Keep it up :D

[@konigstigerr4518]

may someone believe in your talents like yosuke saito believed in yoko taro's. may someone always have your back even if everyone calls you a weirdo.

[@pocketjoe]

Exceptional video. Nier: Automata has a special place in my heart and I haven't stopped thinking about it since I played it

[@BlancoDasMe]

I feel really stupid for not playing any of the Drakengards...I went by the reviews for them. I bought on a whim and played Nier for PS3. That game is so unique and engrossing. From then on; I made sure I played games that interested instead of solely relying on reviewers. Now I’m currently playing Automata and it’s great with all of the success it’s getting.

[@Shaunacarli93]

I absolutely love these video's! It's always interesting to see where these people came from and exactly what inspired them to make the things that they do. Keep 'em coming!

[@obilodotcom]

Great video! Thanks for taking your time and making it carefully and well-researched..

[@k-roniverse]

I've never played a Yoko Taro game, but I loved this. Keep up the good work, your stuff is excellent!

[@justindvinson]

Great video! Thanks!

[@eliamagrinelli517]

So this is why his writing resonates so much with me. It's the same process I do (or actually almost all researchers do) when writing a research article. Most commonly a research article is not written starting from the first part, the introduction, the first things to be written are the results and the introduction is written to allow the reader to to understand the results.

[@SizzlingOne]

This was an amazing tribute to the amazing Yoko Taro. It also helps that this video is my introduction to your channel. Initially, I believed that things couldn't possibly get any better than this approx. 19min treatise, until a certain recommendation popped up. "This is Shoji Meguro..." Excellent work good sir, excellent work.

[@Ellisscg]

Amazing video buddy definitely I must share it!

[@Sycophantichallenger]

Agree 100% with Taro's assessment of the current games market. So many "well crafted" games, which ultimately say and bring nothing new. As I get older, while I still consider myself a "core" gamer, there is little out there that interests me enough to engage with it. Unless there are genuinely interesting, moving or intellectually challenging aspects to it, I just can't be bothered. I like steak, not junk food. The majority of mass market BS in the industry is wholly uninteresting to me. Super Hero based games, shooters, fighting games, Movie tie ins (ie: star wars, middle earth, etc), none of those hold a candle to the brilliance of experience authored by the likes Taro and Kojima.

[@dragonuitysk3640]

Great video!

[@Brugllione]

Glory to mankind.

[@syntafin]

I just want to say, that I liked the video after few seconds.... but watched the full video! Awesome video

[@NinjaFlip11]

This was amazing

[@GreekDuder]

what a great video!

[@lachlanstill4813]

This was a stellar condensation of the relevant info out there. Even with none of it being new to me it was an enjoyable experience because I love the cutie so much. Great editing as well. Very clean.

[@sanfransiscon]

Came across these videos not long after playing Nier Replicant and then returning to Automata with greater appreciation and understanding. While I disagree with Yoko Taro on quite a few things, I'm definitely grateful for his willingness to be unorthodox and challenging.

[@nimazsheik5152]

If you don't choke up when hearing the 8-bit version of 'Weight of the World" after Nier: Automata you are truly not human.

[@TheMaplestrip]

Great work yet again! I already knew too much about Yoko, so l didn't learn that much from this, but the video is a joy to watch regardless and l sure learned something new ^_^

[@Lenwang211]

Subbed! You totally deserved more subs!

[@QXZ9027MKII]

Top notch Sir, thanks for the effort, much obliged,,, 👌👌

[@sahakit6188]

saw the video, good job

[@dudenarima2528]

He actually just heard a story about acquaintance's death. He wasn't involved.

[@lordblueballs7293]

Japanese Zero and english Zero are very different characters

[@ThePhoneix999]

Facts

[@darthtepes575]

Save daughter passes more drama on my opinion

[@lobstrosity7163]

He was part of the Time Crisis 2 devs!? Man, that game took so many of my coins back in the day!

[@ahhh1336]

this video is really good lol

[@MrInuhanyou123]

excellent

[@creaturefeet3036]

I know this developer isn't widely known or as big as the other game designers you have covered but I would love to see a video on 'Kitty Horrorshow'. I find her work incredibly inspiring.

[@miralysmaederi4779]

The video had to end with Weight Of The World heh ? Every video dedicated to Yoko Taro or NieR ends with that song !

[@zaccwalker3098]

God damn do I love automata. The atmosphere, characters and music in it are definitely a step above the rest of the gaming world. I wish the main combat was a little more diverse. As in needs for different combos with the swords. But other than that, it is definitely a 10/10 from me.

[@rosameltrozo5889]

I want a need a Drakengard 4 (with the composer of the original's OST, Okabe is great but i crave the sheer crazyness of the original)

[@ihtusa2226]

Long live Yoko Taro!

[@smithwillnot]

Your presentation kinda reminds me of youtube series "All Your History Are Belong To Us". Also you deserve more subscribers.

[@Kinda_Venty]

Fuck Square Enix! ---- Yoko Taro

[@mynameachef8614]

lol did he actually say this? and why?

[@zarbis]

In ending E :)

[@Realcoolblue]

MyName AChef a little late, but he says it in the nier automata tshirt video,

[@mynameachef8614]

aaah right

[@cake6851]

Shit square enix

[@palen3388]

I need a new Drakengard in my life

[@XianWangTheo]

yoko really inspire me to write game story, am I dumb?

[@CodexEntry]

Not at all, he'd definitely be happy to hear that.

[@XianWangTheo]

@@CodexEntry I mean, I become really want to write a story for game because of HIM. in the past I only think about making JRPG inspired by psx RPGs. But now, because of HIM I really thinking about writing game stories. He makes me realize that there is something that I want to express to player as the game developer. I'm currently a game programmer for mobile phones, still dreaming about makin my own JRPG

[@setaentertainment4311]

@@XianWangTheo Toss empathy & injustice. BAM! You got yourself a story.

[@lain11644]

"we should all strive to become yoko taro" okay i gonna start wearing the mask tmr

[@willowbyron8793]

Great video. Recently discovered NieR Automata, and about to dive into Drakengard 3 and NieR, and..... Just wow. Btw, the ending song was a cheap shot 😭😭😢

[@jessica2575]

Im so thankful for NeiR Automata

[@damienlarson4145]

Virgin David Cage Chad Yoko Taro

[@Me1onPan]

OHH NEVER KNEW BAYONETTA DEVS MADE SUCH CRISP COMBAT FOR NIER AUTOMATA!!!

[@IShallCallHimTaders]

Hey, good job.

[@ultragamer4465]

JINRUI NI AEIKO ARE!!

[@Soundaholic92]

*Opens video* *Hears Kaine Salvation* *Instant like and sub*

[@sa87045]

Yoko Taro is a genius, too bad lots of people think he is a freak. Because there's only a line between genius and freak, and he standing on that line.

[@SHARDK2]

What the hell is that version of Kaine Salvation at the beginning? I can't find that exact version.

[@Soundaholic92]

It's from a piano instrumental album

[@togikeren]

and subscribed. damn i'm easy with this kind of videos

[@lieutenantjoker2957]

Where is the last song from?

[@gr8southernnerd136]

Drakenguard 3 is entertaining af

[@herbertmoon2969]

I love his games, some of the most original and fucked up games

[@noravanguard3993]

17:17 that's why I love the star wars prequel besides binging great on a pure Cinema art form. They helped evolve movie making

[@definitelynotcrazyrei3890]

No, I made this.

[@bikit1316]

pls, do video about Katsura Hashino!

[@CodexEntry]

+Bikit 13 definitely in the pipeline

[@matteste]

Actually, I feel that when it comes to Hashino, it would more than likely be of a fallen creator who no longer care about pushing boundaries and instead just please for the sake of printing numbers. What I mean by this is from an interview which made it clear that he viewed games such as Nocturne and P3 as personal failures since they did not get popular enough, so instead choose to make them popular by following the popular and an over-reliance of the familiar. You could see the results of this line of thinking in P4, and P5 really got hit hard with this.

[@setaentertainment4311]

matteste In my opinion, while P5 is greatest achievement for Atlus, but it's their greatest failure making good story. I can tell Hashino is tired from the franchise. For someone who's been working on it for years.

[@ahhh1336]

2:00 WHAT?

[@secretscarlet8249]

Huh, thought it was reversed; Platinum was the one who asked Yoko to relocate and direct? Anyway, great script and video!

[@CodexEntry]

It's been a while since I made this but iirc, I found contradictory sources on this, but Taro himself said it was his choice so I went with that story. That said, there's a non-zero chance he was saying that for publicity reasons so it is still hard to say. Additionally, I could just be misremembering and it have just been a screw up on my part. Either way though, thank you for the compliment and thank you for watching!

[@paolodelacruz5987]

whats the ending song?

[@CodexEntry]

Weight of the World/The End of YorHa from Nier Automata

[@Twocoolman115]

So if Hideo Kojima, Suda 51, and Yoko Taro worked on a game together, it would probably be the greatest game of all time.

[@malcomalexander9437]

Yoko Taro does story, Suda 51 does gameplay, and Kojima gets the actors.

[@FilmproduktionSilkwormPictures]

I doubt that. To many people noodling on the script will get you a disaster. I'm perfectly fine with all 3 of them making their own masterpieces.

[@malcomalexander9437]

The only person doing teh story would be Yoko Taro, with Suda 51 doing gameplay, and Kojima getting the actors.

[@FilmproduktionSilkwormPictures]

Oh I get it. Like Stanley Kubrik doing the director thing, Steven Spielberg getting the coffe and Quentin Tarantino fucking the crane operator. Won't work. They are all to different and you will get a mess of a game. Suda51 would like to add something to the story, Kojima would to. And Yoko would say : "fuck you guys, this is my thing. I want this robot to suck the cassette recorders dick in the elevator!" And Kojima: "Why can't they first just have a 30 minute dialogue about the danger of sexual nuclear contamination decease, you know? To get to know each other?" Suda: If you equipt the cassette recorder with a chainsaw, you can call him dickslasher!" Yoko: "Guys, you totaly miss the point, the elevator dicksucking scene is a metaphor for ascending to higher emotional interrational love!" And Kojima goes like: "On the battlefield, there is no such thing as love!" ...actually, I would like to see this game xD

[@TidusplZUO]

I doubt it. Too many cooks spoil the brew and they won't even get the budget to make a proper brew anyway.

[@FlattyMchesterson]

wow, my brother lives where yoko taro was born. that is so cool

[@michaelnguyen6891]

11:52 this is not unique to yoko taro, a lot of writers to this

[@feffermickel]

Wow, listening made me feel enlightened or something like that

[@dudenarima2528]

Games aren't supposed to be anything. Game with a strict structure can have it's own beauty and phrases like "this is what games are supposed to be" is meaningless I think.

[@isorokudono]

Ummmm I don't know where you heard that nonsense about the Kinks but it ruined the video for me. Link Wray invented Fuzz Guitar and the Power Chord. And there was no punk before the Ramones. Even the Dictators who are the Ramones biggest influence were not considered punk.

[@CodexEntry]

I didn't say The Kinks invented fuzz guitar and power chords, I said they invented punk rock which might not be exactly true per se, but it's true enough for the purposes of the video. 'You Really Got Me' alone is basically the first hit example of the genre in action in it's structure, composition, and tone, a tone they got by cutting the cone of their AC30 amps with a Gillette razor. It's usually pretty difficult to definitely say when any art movement definitely started, and I would never lay it completely at the feet of The Kinks any day because it always broad groups that make a genre, but to call the idea that they were foundational and formative to the genre 'nonsense' is just incorrect. But if you want to let a single off-hand mention completely unrelated to the main subject of the video completely ruin the whole thing for you, then yeah, sure. Additionally, while this is pure personal opinion, The Stooges were more punk in 1969 than the Ramones would ever be.

[@isorokudono]

@@CodexEntry And you're still wrong.

[@CodexEntry]

Yeah, fair point, you sure showed me, guess i'll delete the video now

[@EmilePolka]

push to limits how players can finish this game.... yeah.... i know that.... yoko taro is such a masochist.... drakengard 3's horrible end game last boss (a rhythm game) nier automata with it's shooters game (you must be a hell bullet shooter expert to get through that. at least they make a option to finish the game as long as your connected to internet).

[@Lunar_Crescentfall]

I'm not very good at shooters... 🤦‍♀️

[@CynicalGamingBlogTerry309]

Yoko Taro in a nutshell: If it's unorthadox, put it in. Trouble is that a lot of Yoko Taro's ideas don't always blend well together. He just shoves whatever ridiculous ideas he can think of into a game and just blends them together without even thinking about what they could add to the game. This can sometimes be problematic as some of his ideas serve to create problems rather than solve them. The purpose of designing concepts in any game is to solve problems and to fortify rewarding elements. Yoko Taro clearly doesn't get this. He was lucky to have had Platinum involved with Nier Automata as it spared us the misfortune of having to play through one of his horrifying combat systems. I'm glad that Nier Automata got something to work but the gameplay was still hindered in general by a few stupid ideas like the constant camera shifting, that was obviously a Yoko Taro idea and it really disorientates the gameplay experience as the entire control layout changes each time the camera perspective changes. Another issue is the fact that the melee counter launches enemies into the air... some enemies don't stagger so they can't get launched which is annoying, who the hell thought that one up!?

[@_greenrunner_]

Despite this he somehow still managed to create masterpieces

[@axis1247]

Terry 309 Who blames a single person who doesnt do programming for a bad combat system I think your problem is more with Square Enix than Yoko

[@user-qj8dw3lp5n]

Axis1247 SMH

[@AintPopular]

overrated dude