In Terminator: Zero the year is 2022 and Earth is a wasteland. Covered in ash and debris, the world as we know it is over and humanity’s days are numbered.
An artificial intelligence known as Skynet has taken over, and using advanced humanoid robots known as Terminators it attempts to wipe out what remains of all human life. Fighting back is a pocket of resistance fighters, who do their best to evade the machines and gather together any intel that will help them defeat their enemies.
On a recent mission, the resistance discover Skynet’s latest plan: To send a Terminator back through time to 1997. The Terminator’s objective is to target a man named Malcolm Lee who works for Cortex Industries and appears to have detailed knowledge of Skynet.
In an attempt to stop the Terminator, the resistance send a soldier named Eiko back in time to protect Malcolm. She arrives in Tokyo on Friday Aug 29th, aka Judgement Day – the day Skynet goes online.
As the Terminator hunts down Malcolm, Eiko is in pursuit. However, Malcolm is all-too aware of the Terminator’s existence, and is able to keep his distance.
With the Terminator unable to get to Malcolm it seeks out the next best thing: His children. As a result, Eiko finds herself with a new mission to protect the kids.
Developed by Mattson Tomlin, and directed by Masashi Kudô, Terminator: Zero is a sci-fi anime based on the Terminator movie series. The show features the vocal talents of Yûya Uchida and Toa Yukinari (in the Japanese language version), and André Holland and Sonoya Mizuno (in the English language version), and is now streaming on Netflix.
Divided into eight episodes, Terminator: Zero essentially reworks the general premise of the Terminatorfilms, while introducing all-new characters. There’s no Sarah Connor here, nor is there a Terminator that resembles Arnie, so in essence it’s new leads and a new environment.
As such, if you’ve never watched any of the Terminator movies before, you can easily jump into this show without any problems. Terminator: Zero requires no prior knowledge of this particular sci-fi universe, and all of the key Terminator lore is laid out for viewers.
Equally, if you’re a fan of the films, Terminator: Zero has all the familiar bits which you’ll no doubt like. This includes the war-ravaged future, the unstoppable killing machines, and the tough and capable heroine.
But question is, is it any good? Well, yeah, actually it is.
Terminator: Zero isn’t amazing, but it is entertaining. The visuals are good (who doesn’t want to see an anime Terminator?); the action is quite high; and the second half of the season moves into some interesting territory.
The first few episodes feel very much like set-up and include a retread of the standard Terminator lore. This is fine, and perfectly understandable, but it does slow things down a touch to begin with.
However, things soon pick up as the season begins to evolve and by the halfway point the show finds its footing. Episode five opens with an excellent and brutal sequence set in 1997, as the machines begin to turn on the humans, and it’s both disturbing and cool in equal measure.
From here the show essentially moves through the events of Judgement Day, and we get to see how hopelessly underprepared and outmatched humanity is. This is something touched upon in 2003’s Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, but here we get more depth, as well as an alternate take on proceedings.
With Judgement Day playing out in the background, the ongoing story of Malcolm, Eiko, and the children continues to dominate the foreground. Some of this story is action-packed, while some is surprisingly philosophical.
Discussions take place between Malcolm and a piece of software named Kokoro which are interesting and insightful. It’s here it becomes clear Terminator: Zero is more than a rock ‘em sock ‘em battle between man and machine, and there is an intriguing story in play.
As the series progresses, it also becomes clear this show isn’t just interested in attracting fans of the first few Terminator movies. Terminator: Zero is keen to grab the attention of fans of the entire movie series, including those who enjoy Terminator: Salvation – a film which some believe is often unfairly overlooked.
I won’t give away specifics, but Terminator: Salvation provides inspiration for a key character. This character is tied to all of the philosophical discussions and their inclusion in the narrative helps to make for a richer, more compelling story.
All-in-all, while Terminator: Zero is a bit bumpy in places, it all evens out in the end and leads to a strong series. The show manages to weave together key elements from the movies, while implementing a few new ideas, and can appeal to fans and newbies alike.
For my money, this is the best take on the Terminator mythology since The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I know that’s not saying much, considering the rubbish movies we’ve had since, but hey, let’s just celebrate something good.
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