The Terminator franchise is the latest intellectual property to get an anime spinoff, as Terminator Zero has landed on Netflix with its first eight-episode season. Anime as an art form has started to garner a foothold in mainstream Western media, and after watching this new series, its momentum is only going to grow. For viewers looking for a blend of hyper violent, introspective, pragmatic, and deeply entertaining storytelling, Terminator Zero is the ticket.

 

For the uninitiated, Terminator Zero is set in the same universe as the Terminator film franchise. The premise of the original films follows the rise of AI that destroys the world via nuclear holocaust in 1997, which then creates seemingly unstoppable cyborgs called terminators to remain dominant. In movies' past, Skynet, the super neuro AI system in control, has sent terminators back through time to destroy the human resistance leaders to tip the scales of the future in their favor. The humans do the same, which would be a Terminator film's basic plot. 

 

Terminator Zero creator Mattson Tomlin has chosen a unique narrative path, shifting the focus from Skynet to Kokoro, an AI entity based in Japan. Malcolm, Kokoro's creator, is striving to counter the rise of Skynet with Kokoro's assistance. In the Terminator lore, Skynet is destined to come online on August 29th, 1997, immediately perceive the human race as a threat, and initiate annihilation. Malcolm grapples with this daunting task while another Terminator and a human savior are sent back through time to locate Malcolm's three children. Simple, right?

 

Not so fast.

 

Without revealing too much, I can assure you that Terminator Zero is full of delightful surprises amidst its twists and turns. The final two episodes, in particular, unveil revelations that recontextualize the entire narrative. While some surprises may be predictable for seasoned science fiction fans, Terminator Zero consistently respects the intelligence of its audience. 

 

Director Masashi Kudô brilliantly directs all eight episodes with gorgeous action sequences, stunning visuals, and moving emotional beats. Each episode is treated with a delicate touch; this dedication is helpful with such heavy subject matter. So much happens in every episode, and Masashi Kudô does not waste a single animation frame on superfluous or self-indulgent guff. Terminator Zero is a beautiful-looking series that is tastefully strung together by grafting stunning set pieces, reflective pauses, and existential dialogue sequences. Kudô and Tomlin wisely sidestep anime cliches in service and respect for the bigger story. 

 

My only fundamental critique of Terminator Zero was the same notes I had for the recent Alien: Romulus film. Terminator Zero plays the hits of the popular beats from the first four Terminator films; this might feel a little stale to devotees of this franchise. However, these plot choices help identify it as a Terminator story and act as a reverse gateway for viewers to see the original films that inspired this series. Not a bad strategy considering the first four films were solidly made, with the first two James Cameron-helmed films being rightfully hailed as masterpieces. However, for franchise fans, the only new storytelling experience here is the anime medium in which it is rendered. 

 

I will credit Terminator Zero for being more adult in its complex examination of the self, fate, and destiny. There are many scenes between Malcolm and Kokoro volleying rhetoric back and forth about the purpose and need for life and survival. The existential discovery of “the self” juxtaposed with the dangers of weaponizing technology at the hands of man's hubris may be heavier than some viewers expected. Themes of ethical responsibility, the paradoxes of time travel, and the utility of sacrificing to forestall a doomed future are not new tenets of science fiction. I admire Kudô and Tomlin's courage in realizing the Terminator story's violent horrors through the lens of anime. Terminator Zero is proof in concept of cultural translation done right.