Terminator Zero

Absolutely insane timing to release this on Judgement Day itself. I'll admit, I initially scoffed at the thought of a Terminator anime but then remember what franchise this is and very quickly changed my tune. This is basically a franchise with 2.5 good films, 1 solid TV show that got canned too soon and 1 pretty awesome video game, now we can add a brilliant anime series to its legacy. Gorgeously brutal animation, terrific voice work and sets a solid framework for an ongoing story that is, like the best parts of the franchise, as much about very human choices as it is about spectacle.There's propulsive action scenes, thoughtful writing and brilliant emotional dynamics between its cast of characters. The feature films may have become a lost cause, but Terminator Zero is just getting started. From action packed moments of pure adrenaline, to softer moments that will give viewers chills, this show delivers and does a great job of bringing something new and unique to this series by fully embracing the horror elements. Humanity’s battle against AI super-soldiers hasn’t been this fun in years.

Terminator Zero is typical "Netflix content," seemingly created for a single purpose: to fill a hole in the streaming platform's line-up, labeled "sci-fi," "anime" and "violent." Underneath its Terminator-brand skin and a nice coat of paint, there is a "product" that is simply going through the motions with unexciting action, incoherent and unsatisfying story, flat characters and only vaguely interesting ideas. The story is, like every Terminator movie, a straightforward action thriller with some philosophical musings sprinkled in. This time around, we follow a scientist, locked in a room ruminating and agonizing for most of the runtime, and some kids and their guardians, on adreary trek through abandoned buildings and empty streets. The story here just stumbles from event to event with no real sense of flow or build-up, with things happening seemingly because they are supposed to happen in a Terminator story. Of course there has to be a sequence at a police station. There is some shocking development around the half-way point, but it has surprisingly little impact on the characters and the overall story, which ends with a whimper and a tease for a sequel that will likely never come. On a more positive note, Terminator Zero toys with some interesting concepts (which is more than I can say about the last two movies). Can you debate and negotiate with AI? What will you sacrifice to prevent a future that may not even come to pass? Frustratingly, the show does not really follow up on any of them. The third-act "moment of truth" has no weight because the drawn-out debate goes out the window and the scene heavily relies on a character that has no good reason to be there and has little meaningful to say about the issue at hand. The show also tries to expand the world of Terminator, setting it in Tokyo and introducing rudimentary humanoid robots, but these quickly become irrelevant or reduced to simple plot devices. Basically every introduced idea is either discarded or poorly integrated with the characters and the story. The action part of the overall package fares somewhat better. The action sequences are decently choreographed and thankfully do not lack for brutality. Some things do not make much sense (a human tackling a 400-pound hunk of metal cannot end well), but the bigger problem is that many of them feel strangely low-intensity. Good Terminator fights feel visceral, crunchy and unstoppable, but most fights in this show simply do not hit as hard; they feel awkward and floaty. There is one fight that feels a little different than usual, but it still feels derivative as it evokes Ghost in the Shell instead. It does not help that the action is bogged down by the constant questions of why this has to happen and why I should care about these people. The characters we follow have no depth or personality. Scientist. Human from the future. Machine. Child. Everyone is at all times either stone-faced or distressed. Yes, Terminator has always been grim, but most of the movies remembered to crack a joke and add some character. The Terminator himself has no charisma, intimidating aura or an interesting gimmick here. Say what you will about Arnold (growing ever older), but there was a reason they kept wheeling him out in every movie; he has a distinct and likable presence. The human characters have unclear or uninteresting motivations, making odd and seemingly-random choices to move the plot forward. The children are the worst examples of this, as they constantly run off on a whim, make plot-critical discoveries by chance and act without understanding anything. It is difficult to care about them when I am not even sure if these people are human, in a way that I do not think was intentional. The production quality is solid overall; this is Production I.G., after all. The visuals and sound are kept grounded to match the serious tone. The characters sometimes have stylistic, almost-neon colored outlines, which I like but some may find distracting. There is not much else notable that elevates the mediocre material, unfortunately. Speaking of the technical aspects, the subtitles are a small point of irritation. The English subs often do not match the Japanese audio, to the point where subtitles appear when no one can be heard speaking. I assume the subs are matching the English dubs instead (which is probably how the original script was written by the American screenwriter), but the issue indicates a lack of care on Netflix’s part. Also, the English subs use far stronger language than is typical of an anime, so a timid Japanese babysitter dropping f-bombs frequently took me out of the show. It is true that I am reviewing this as someone who has watched the Terminator movies and the TV series. I do love Terminator 2: Judgment Day (like a lot of people), but I would definitely not call myself a fan of the series. I still check them out because I believe that the core concept of Terminator still has some legs; fighting off and running away from a highly-advanced killing machine satisfies my action brain, while artificial intelligence and time travel tickle the sci-fi brain. The franchise is long overdue for expansion and re-interpretation, especially now as we are entering the age of AI. Even if the anime did none of these things, I would have at least appreciated an exciting, high-quality retread. The show tries to do a bit of both and manages neither of them particularly well. At the end of the day, I just cannot imagine that the creatives involved with this project, especially the writer, particularly cared. The most charitable way to describe this would be an unremarkable sci-fi action anime that passes the time. However, there is very little excitement, cleverness or heart to be found here. As a Terminator show, it adds nothing to the franchise. If you want a sci-fi anime with robots, thought-provoking ideas, likable characters, an intriguing story and good production values, I would recommend Pluto instead (also on Netflix, incidentally). Terminator Zero is a plain waste of time and is destined to be forgotten in the vast Netflix trash heap.

"Terminator 0" is an anime TV series available on Netflix that attempts to bring the iconic franchise into the world of animation. Story/Plot: 6/10 The plot follows the familiar Terminator formula, which is enjoyable at first but becomes predictable about halfway through. The minimal payoff is disappointing, as key questions are left unanswered for a sequel. Character development feels inorganic, and the plot relies too heavily on creating shock value instead of building a cohesive narrative. One of the biggest issues is the inconsistent portrayal of the Terminator. It feels artificially weak to serve the plot, which ruins any stakes the story tries to create. There’sa scene where a human tank blows from the Terminator, even though it had been established as far stronger than humans. This lack of consistency damages the believability of the plot. Animation/Design: 7/10 Production I.G.’s animation is as good as expected, but the unnatural highlights on characters in situations where there shouldn’t be a light source are distracting. The action scenes are visually solid, but the way the Terminator’s skin deflects bullets without damage takes away from the immersion. Characters: 5/10 The characters were not likable, and their development was shallow. Many decisions they made felt like plot devices rather than reflections of genuine personality. The relationship dynamics had potential but were underdeveloped. The father and eldest son were particularly disappointing, with the father speaking in riddles and avoiding crucial answers. The world felt empty, as if the main cast were the only characters with any importance, and the Terminator itself was weakened to the point of losing its menacing presence. Audio/Soundtrack: 6/10 The voice acting in the English dub was good, but the soundtrack didn’t leave an impression. The lack of iconic music or sound from previous Terminator entries was a missed opportunity, which might have helped elevate the experience. Nothing about the audio stood out as memorable or unique. Enjoyment: 5/10 While some elements were enjoyable, the show ultimately fell flat. Poor character development, a predictable plot, and a Terminator that felt inconsistent and weak made the overall experience lackluster. The stakes never felt real, given how poorly the Terminator was handled in terms of power and danger. The weak portrayal of the Terminator, like being pushed back by a regular human and failing to land a finishing blow, undermined the excitement of the action sequences. Overall: 6/10 "Terminator 0" introduces some interesting ideas but falls short due to its weak portrayal of the Terminator and an incoherent plot. The Terminator’s inconsistencies significantly hurt the tension, making the human vs. machine dynamic feel unbelievable. While the sequel may resolve some of these issues, it’s not a series that leaves you eagerly anticipating the next installment. Rewatching it after the sequel might make for a better experience, but at this point, it’s lacking in too many areas to fully enjoy.

In short this feels like a fanfic of someone, who really liked the first two Terminator movies. Additionally he threw a bit of animatrix into the mix and got someone on board, who had lots of experience in doing sci-fi series with lots of robots, androids, etc.: Production I.G. The story starts simple and becomes convoluted later on with its twist and turns, for better and for worse. On top of that one thing, that ticked me off, was the plot armor, it starts literally in the first scene and it continues throughout the series. On a more positive note the animation and visuals work quitewell, even though they mixed in CG for the machines and robots. The soundtrack is overall solid and has also a flair of fanservice, if you listen for it. With a runtime of 8 episodes the anime is shortlived, which is to a degree a positive, because I had at no point the feeling that the show dragged, yet it also results in a lack of character depth for the rather large cast. I found most characters either basic or underdeveloped. Alas, as this is the fifth thing, I watched out of the Terminator franchise (Terminator 1-3 and Salvation were the other.), I would put in place 3 and rank it a little bit higher than Terminator 3, though it has been ages since I saw that one. In the end I would recommend this for more casual Terminator fans, who don't mind some nonsense here and there. For everyone else, if you look for a sci-fi action show to gulp down, here is your poison, otherwise look for something else. 7-