A replica of Pod 042 from the NieR: Automata Ver1.1a anime will act as a weapon shop manager in Japan. The collaboration will happen at Takumi Armory‘s pop-up store in Laforet Harajuku on October 21-22, 2023. The Japanese press release provided more details on how the studio made the replica of 2B and A2’s companion pod. [Thanks, Famitsu!]
Takumi Armory created a 1/1 replica of Pod 042 after NieR: Automata Ver1.1a‘s director Ryouji Masuyama requested to see a life-sized model as a reference. The studio created the replica from scratch at its own workshop in Takasago City in Japan’s Hyogo prefecture. This replica cannot float in the air, so staff members will put it on a tripod during the showcase.
Other than Pod 042, Takumi Armory will display life-sized weapon replicas of the Virtuous Contract and Virtuous Treaty. It will also place seven posters of the NieR: Automata Ver1.1a anime around the shop.
Although there will be no NieR: Automata-related goods available for sale, people who make any purchase at the shop will be allowed to take a photo with Pod 042 and the NieR: Automata weapon replicas. However, they will still not be allowed to directly touch the items.
There have also been other merchandise modeled after NieR: Automata‘s Pods. In late September 2023, Movic opened pre-orders for new plush keychains based on both Pod 042 and Pod 153.
The NieR: Automata Ver1.1a anime will serve as the primary source for this collaboration. Aniplex announced in July 2023 that the anime’s second cour is in the works. The title originated as a video game that is immediately available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
