Despite its recently announcedprice increase, every now and then Netflix hits a home run that reminds audiences why it’s an essential streaming platform. That seems to be the case withTerminator Zero, a new anime series that’s based on the sci-fi franchise that kicked off withThe Terminatorin 1984 withArnold Schwarzenegger(FUBAR) in the lead. The series centers around a man who’s developing a system to compete with Skynet and suddenly discovers he’s a target of one of the company’s robots, much like Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton).
The reactions toTerminator Zerohave been praising the anime series asone of Netflix’s best titles ever. While Collider’sShawn Van Hornonly gave the seriesa 6/10 in his review, he praised the freshness of the series both in animation style and the new characters that don’t rely too heavily on nostalgia. He wrote:
“The use of animation and new characters makes it feel fresh, something that the franchise badly needs. There is no John Connor, no Sarah Connor, and not even a Terminator that looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger. While the killer robots have the same familiar exoskeleton underneath, their appearance on the outside has changed. Terminator Zero also wisely resists the temptation to give way to fan service by not bringing back popular phrases or scenes. Outside of a few small uses of that iconic Terminator theme composed by Brad Fiedel, Terminator Zero is its own creation.”
OnRotten Tomatoes, the series stands tall with a whopping96% approval rate.Grant HermannsfromScreenRantcalledTerminator Zero"the best Terminator installment we’ve gotten in years," and stressed that it respects the franchise’s legacy but veers away from the easy way into fans’ hearts:
“The basic crux of the show still plays true to the familiar structure of prior Terminator movies, showcasing a resistance fighter from the future being sent to the past in the hopes of protecting humanity from the titular cyborg assassin. The anime quickly veers off into original territory from here, though.”
Sayantan GayenfromCBRpraised the fact thatTerminator Zerois willing to dive into the nitty-gritty aspects oftime traveland its complexities, something that previous installments avoided in order not to make the story too convoluted.
“[T]he anime brings up these time-traveling conundrums in conversations more than the films ever did. Eiko (voiced by Toa Yukinari) travels from the year 2022 with the Prophet’s warning echoing in mind about how her actions will forever change her future. Yet, in the flurry of action, not even the audience can fathom the weight of those words until the time loop is in full effect.”
IGN’sHayden Mearsdid signal thatTerminator Zerodoesn’t delve as deep as it could, but the critic joined the chorus celebratinga solid entry into the cyberpunk universethat we love so much:
“Focused and potent, Terminator Zero is a return to form for the iconic sci-fi franchise. It may not be as profound as it thinks it is – stronger characters and deeper moral wrestling would’ve taken it to another level – but the action, score, and cast make this anime inspired by James Cameron’s blockbuster franchise is a worthy addition to the cyberpunk genre.”
Timothy Olyphant “Steals The Show” in ‘Terminator Zero’
Aside from the series' story and its approach to complex themes andits Japanese setting, critics also praised the talent of the voice cast, both in the Japanese and English dub. In English, the voice cast includes industry heavyweights likeTimothy Olyphant(Justified: City Primeval),Rosario Dawson(Ahsoka),André Holland(Castle Rock) andAnn Dowd(The Handmaid’s Tale).Empire’sNicola Austincalled the vocal performances “brilliant,” and singled out Olyphant:
“Rosario Dawson shines as the ethereal Kokoro (voiced in Japanese by Atsumi Tanezaki), while André Holland brings an unmatched drive and determination to scientist Malcolm Lee (Yuuya Uchida in the Japanese audio). However, it’s the unmistakable, menacing drawl of Timothy Olyphant as the relentless, red-eyed T-800 that threatens to steal the show.”
Terminator Zerois a collaboration between Skydance Television and animation studio Production I.G. The series is written and showrunMattson Tomlin(Project Power), and directed byMasashi Kudo(Bleach). You can stream all episodes now.
Terminator Zero (2024)
Terminator Zero is a TV show set in a dystopian future where humanity battles against advanced AI and robotic enemies. As new heroes rise to combat the ever-evolving machines, secrets of the past are unveiled, revealing the origins of the Terminator threat.
