English Dub Season Review: Terminator Zero Season One

Overview (Spoilers Below):

In 1990s Japan, Malcolm Lee (André Holland) has been developing another AI system intended to compete with Skynet.  As Judgment Day approaches in 1997, Lee finds himself and his three children pursued by an unknown robot assassin (Timothy Olyphant), and a mysterious soldier (Sonoya Mizuno) from the year 2022 has been sent to protect them.

Our Take:      

James Cameron has been known for delivering cinematic epics that made massive cultural impacts in the film industry, including “Titanic”, “Aliens”, and “Avatar”.  However, in today’s society, none have come close to matching the impact of the sci-fi action classic “The Terminator”.  Through its thrilling storytelling and groundbreaking visuals, the film introduced audiences to bodybuilder/action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger. More importantly, it also showcased the terror of artificial intelligence ruling over humanity, which might gradually become a reality sooner than we think.  But, of course, it’s not without some action-packed merits that made “The Terminator” a cinematic masterpiece.

While its equally-praised sequel, “Judgment Day”, further solidifies the IP through its technical achievements, the other sequels and reboots struggled to recapture lightning in the bottle more than twice.  They certainly had some intriguing ideas in refreshing its futuristic concept, but they wind up pissing the fans off more than pleasing them.  Its recent installment, “Dark Fate”, was no different, as the death of John Connor was seen as another nail in the coffin for the IP.  I didn’t mind “Dark Fate” when it first came out, but that was because I didn’t have a lot of fans screaming in my ears about how it further tarnished the iconic brand.  It’s unclear when the franchise will be back with another movie, but we do have something to tide us over until then.

Terminator Zero is another addition to Netflix’s lineup of anime-influenced content seeking to revive an IP for long-time fans and newcomers.  It is also the second animated series based on the “Terminator” franchise, following Machinima’s adaptation of McG’s “Terminator Salvation” in 2009.  It was developed and written by Mattson Tomlin, known for writing scripts for “Project Power”, “Little Fish”, and “Mother/Android”.  The series was also directed by Masashi Kudō, who you might remember as the character designer for the Bleach franchise, so Bleach fans should be ecstatic with what he’s got cooking.  But the true test is whether it’ll win back fans who have given up on the franchise’s future.

The eight-episode series consists of a formula we’ve seen in the original films, with the Terminator arriving at the past to eradicate those seeking to end Skynet’s future.  Its target in Zero is Malcolm Lee, a scientist in Japan developing an AI named Kokoro (Rosario Dawson) to compete with Skynet.  It also introduces other elements from the film and its sequels, including a resistance soldier protecting the target from the Terminator.  The soldier in Zero is Eiko, a member of the Resistance who’s also tasked with preventing Lee’s AI from becoming the new Skynet.  

For fans of the sci-fi time-traveling franchise, Terminator Zero offered the same thrills and violence that made the movies what they were.  However, like its follow-ups, the series forged a different path in its narrative to avoid being an anime carbon copy of the original, mainly having it set in Japan before and during Judgment Day and its new characters.  So, don’t expect to see Arnold Schwarzenegger make a cameo in the show.  But, on the bright side, it’s got Timothy Olyphant filling in those robotic shoes, which I didn’t mind considering his solid filmography.  He’s no Schwarzenegger, but he’s serviceable in what he was giving.  “Genisys” and “Dark Fate” provided this similar strategy but wound up biting more than they could chew, mainly due to how they handled everyone’s favorite characters like John Connor.  Fortunately, because of its new set of characters to focus on, Zero doesn’t have to worry about pissing off its fans even more.

What really mattered was providing enough merits in this new timeline to reinvigorate our interest in the brand.  Based on what I saw, I thought it accomplishes that objective very well.  Terminator Zero is a satisfying and violent return to form that honors most of the franchise’s benefits and expands its world-building without relying heavily on nostalgia baiting.  More importantly, it offered a surprisingly thought-provoking story worthy of its programming, adding to the tension, horror, and stakes of artificial intelligence ruling over humanity.  The “Terminator“ films were usually known for their themes of fate amid the terror of AI, which remains relevant today.  Zero is unsurprisingly no exception, but it also explores its examination of humanity’s complexities and moralities, mostly from Malcolm’s conversations with Kokoro.

While it shows that action and substance can coexist in an IP-based product like “Terminator”, it can also lead to a few pacing issues that might not suit well for those seeking fast-paced robot action.  I also saw a few surprises coming a mile away, including the truth behind Misaki (Sumalee Montano), the caretaker of Malcolm’s three kids.  As for the English voice cast, most of them, besides Olyphant, were hit-and-miss regarding their performances.  Andre Holland and Rosario Dawson were decent as Malcolm and Kokoro, respectively.  Sonoya Mizuno from House of the Dragon and Crazy Rich Asians steps into the role of Eiko, and I found her to be the weakest part of the cast.  She was fine in delivering Eiko’s frustration toward the machines, but I found her performance forced in some cases of emotional depth.  I was also impressed with Sumalee Montano’s engaging portrayal of Misaki, which is enough to make her arc with Malcolm’s kids heartwarming amid its darker tone.

Fortunately, the flaws didn’t bother me as much, considering how likable and complex the new characters are.  Plus, the final two episodes helped elevate the show’s stakes through its intriguing reveals, including one involving Malcolm’s origin.  It also benefited enormously from its animation style by Production I.G.  The traditional animation breathed new life into the franchise and its dark tone through its presentation and visuals, and it’s combined effectively with some CGI effects to provide depth to its style.  It’s another example of how 2D and 3D animation can blend together in an anime without looking too uncanny.  It’s enough to get me excited for Production I.G’s next project, an anime adaptation of Keanu Reeves’s BRZRKR, which Tomlin will also adapt.

Overall, Terminator Zero terminates the doubters to deliver a refreshingly thought-provoking and violently engrossing timeline in the sci-fi franchise.  With the film installments struggling to breathe new life into the everlasting war between humans and machines, the Netflix anime series offered a new direction worth revisiting.  Considering that the season finale hints at a possible second season as part of Netflix’s strategy, this doesn’t surprise me.  While the pacing and hit-and-miss English voice cast may turn off specific viewers, the series benefitted from its characters, animation, and themes to stand alongside the first two “Terminator” films.  I guess you can say it’s enough for me to say, “I’ll be back”, that is if they announce a season two.