Emil (Nier)

Emil (Japanese: エミール, Hepburn: Emīru) is a fictional character first introduced in the 2010 video game Nier, developed by Cavia and published by Square Enix. Originally a human child, Emil was created as a weapon to petrify his "sister" No.6. Designated as No.7, he sealed away his sister, but he was left with eyes that petrified anyone he looked at. After his origins are discovered and No.6 is defeated by Nier, Emil absorbs his sister's power at the cost of losing his human body. The character returns in the sequel Nier: Automata as the only survivor of the humanity who often interacts with the three androids the player can control.

Emil was created by game designer Yoko Taro as a potential love interest to the protagonist, while D.K. created his design. Critical response to the character was often positive as a result of his dynamic with the rest of the main cast. With the release of the 2021 Nier remaster in Western regions, Emil became popular as the new version explores the character's homosexuality, which the original 2010 Western release did not have, and is often comforted by both the protagonist and fellow character Kaine across the narrative; this has often been analysed as a positive handling of LGBTQ individuals in gaming.