9S in NieR:Automata Ver1.1a is voiced by Natsuki Hanae in Japanese and Kyle McCarley in the English dub. As the emotional heart of the NieR:Automata story, 9S became one of the franchise’s most beloved and tragic characters thanks to his curiosity, emotional vulnerability, and dramatic character evolution. Both actors received widespread acclaim for portraying 9S’s gradual descent from cheerful innocence into emotional devastation across the game and anime adaptation. (behindthevoiceactors.com)
Japanese Voice Actor: Natsuki Hanae
Date of Birth
June 26, 1991. (en.wikipedia.org)
About Natsuki
Natsuki Hanae is one of the most prominent voice actors in modern anime, known for balancing energetic performances with emotionally intense dramatic roles. His portrayal of 9S in NieR:Automata and NieR:Automata Ver1.1a became one of the defining performances of his career. Hanae masterfully captured 9S’s playful curiosity, emotional attachment to 2B, and eventual psychological collapse throughout the story. (en.wikipedia.org)
Hometown
Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. (en.wikipedia.org)
Career Highlights
Natsuki Hanae rose to international fame through major roles in Demon Slayer, Tokyo Ghoul, Your Lie in April, and Haikyuu!!. His performance as 9S showcased his exceptional emotional range, particularly during the darker later arcs of the story. Fans and critics frequently cited his work as one of the emotional pillars of the NieR franchise.
Full Current Filmography
The following list reflects publicly documented credits from available sources and may not be exhaustive.
Television Anime
- NieR:Automata Ver1.1a — 9S
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — Tanjiro Kamado
- Tokyo Ghoul — Ken Kaneki
- Your Lie in April — Kōsei Arima
- Haikyuu!! — Kōrai Hoshiumi
- The Quintessential Quintuplets — Fuutarou Uesugi
- Blue Period — Yatora Yaguchi
- Digimon Adventure tri. — Taichi Yagami
- Parasyte -the maxim- — Takeshi Hirokawa
Video Games
- NieR:Automata — 9S
- Genshin Impact — Additional Voices
- Honkai: Star Rail — Additional Voices
- Fire Emblem Heroes — Various Roles
- Granblue Fantasy — Character Voices
- Disney Twisted-Wonderland — Riddle Rosehearts
- Arknights — Voice Roles
Critical Reception
Natsuki Hanae’s portrayal of 9S received overwhelming praise for its emotional intensity and psychological realism. Fans especially highlighted his later performances during 9S’s emotional breakdown scenes, where Hanae shifted from cheerful innocence to raw rage and grief with remarkable effectiveness. Many viewers consider his performance one of the strongest in the NieR franchise.
Our Sources
- Behind The Voice Actors – 9S (https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/NieR-Automata-Ver11a/YoRHa-No-9-Type-S-9S/)
- Natsuki Hanae Profile (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natsuki_Hanae)
- IMDb Full Cast & Crew (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18311644/fullcredits/)
- NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Official Website (https://nierautomata-anime.com/)
Social Media
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hanae0626
English Voice Actor: Kyle McCarley
Date of Birth
June 15, 1993.
About Kyle
Kyle McCarley is an American voice actor known for emotionally expressive performances in anime and video games. His portrayal of 9S in NieR:Automata and NieR:Automata Ver1.1a became one of the most acclaimed English dub performances in modern gaming. McCarley perfectly captured 9S’s playful curiosity, emotional dependence on 2B, and devastating psychological collapse throughout the story, helping make the character deeply memorable for English-speaking audiences. (behindthevoiceactors.com)
Hometown
Illinois, United States.
Career Highlights
Kyle McCarley gained major recognition through anime and gaming roles in Mob Psycho 100, Fire Emblem, Attack on Titan, and NieR:Automata. His performance as 9S is widely considered one of the defining roles of his career due to the sheer emotional range required across the story. Beyond acting, McCarley is also known for audiobook narration and voice direction work.
Full Current Filmography
The following list reflects publicly documented credits from available sources and may not be exhaustive.
Television Anime
- NieR:Automata Ver1.1a — 9S
- Mob Psycho 100 — Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama
- Attack on Titan — Additional Voices
- JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure — Narrator (select media)
- Blue Exorcist — Additional Voices
- Durarara!!x2 — Mikado Ryūgamine
- Sword Art Online — Additional Voices
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — Additional Voices
Video Games
- NieR:Automata — 9S
- Fire Emblem: Three Houses — Gatekeeper
- Fire Emblem Heroes — Alm / Gatekeeper
- Persona 5 Royal — Additional Voices
- Genshin Impact — Additional Voices
- AI: The Somnium Files — Additional Voices
- Dislyte — Character Voices
- Marvel’s Avengers — Additional Voices
Critical Reception
Kyle McCarley’s portrayal of 9S received widespread acclaim for its emotional realism and dramatic intensity. Fans especially praised his transition from cheerful optimism to emotional rage and despair during the later parts of the story. Many viewers considered his performances during 9S’s breakdown scenes among the strongest moments in the English version of NieR:Automata, and his work remains highly regarded within both gaming and anime communities.
Our Sources
- Behind The Voice Actors – 9S (https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/NieR-Automata-Ver11a/YoRHa-No-9-Type-S-9S/)
- Kyle McCarley Profile (https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Kyle-McCarley/)
- IMDb Full Cast & Crew (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18311644/fullcredits/)
- NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Official Website (https://nierautomata-anime.com/)
- Anime News Network Encyclopedia (https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=107006)
Social Media
- X/Twitter: https://x.com/kylemccarley
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KyleMcCarley
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kylemccarley/
