The GateCrashers crew is here at Anime NYC this weekend and seeing everything there is to offer in the world of anime! We were lucky to view the WORLD PREMIERE of the first two episodes of Netflix’s New anime series, Terminator Zero; followed by a panel with showrunner, writer and executive producer Mattson Tomlin, director Masashi Kudo, and production and design coordinator Haruka Watanabe, with special guest moderator Khleo Thomas!
Now being a person who has never actually watched an entire Terminator movie through (or seen the original) I was a little nervous of what to expect as this would be a reintroduction to the franchise for me. Those worries quickly faded as the episode began and this unsettling universe was brought to life. This series puts a new spin on the classic Terminator series and is set primarily in 1997 Japan, leading up to Judgment Day. Setting the series in Japan gives the franchise a new cultural perspective and forces questions like what do you do in a series that focuses heavily on gun use in a country where guns are almost nonexistent in the general population? How do robots/terminators have to be designed differently in Japan than how they would be designed in the U.S. in order to blend into the Japanese population? How does post-economic miracle Japan view the rapid rise in technology in the late 1990s differently than the US would in the mid 1980s?
The art direction and design really helped to answer some of these questions. There was a large focus on lighting, with a focus on rim lighting, which emphasizes the horror aspect; which this show does not shy away from. Terminator Zero leans into the horror genre that terrified audiences with Terminator while still keeping a lot of the sci-fi and action aspects that enthralled viewers with Terminator 2: Judgment Day. This series is definitely violent and action packed at times but still has a large focus on the interactions of the humans involved. There is also this nice blend of primarily 2d and some 3d animation. There is a slight difference in styles, however it was smooth and didn’t feel jarring or out of place. There are these new machines we are introduced to and their design fits so perfectly into this universe. They are designed to be cute but not-quite-right, enough to be unsettling to both the characters and the audience.
The design of a new character AI KOKORO is heavily influenced by Japanese mythology and traditional shapes (the clothing, hair, etc). There is also a design focus on “her” being transparent and being able to come in and out as she pleases. There are three aspects to KOKORO — mind, heart, body— is she machine or the next life form? These three aspects look like they will be integral into this character’s development, as well as capturing different personalities and perspectives. One thing we noticed was a large focus on eyes. Whether it be the iconic glowing red eyes of the Terminator or the initial introduction of KOKORO. We are seeing the eye of an AI but could that also be viewed as the eye of God? The themes and art direction was overall fantastic and it genuinely has a very nice look to it. There was a lot of care put into this show from the animation of the mechanics and facial expressions to the coloring and lighting in order to capture the mood.
The score composed by Michelle Birsky and Kevin Henrhorn was eerily beautiful. It blended together the iconic Terminator theme with dynamic music to emphasize action and move the story forward.
Without giving too much away about the plot so many themes and questions were highlighted in just these first two episodes. There is a big focus on man vs. machine. Why is humanity worth saving? Is AI a tool for advancement or a tool of destruction? With AI being such a hot topic – how does AI usage fit into one’s morals? Should it enhance or replace what humans have traditionally done? In what areas is AI acceptable? How much free-reign should it get?
If you are like me and you have never really watched any of the Terminator films then Terminator Zero is a great entry point into the franchise. It takes familiar concepts plus the topic of AI and uses it to tell a story anyone can put themselves into. You don’t need to know much if anything about the original series in order to follow along and fall in love with this captivating story.
We were so entertained by these first two episodes and we are absolutely ready for the rest of the series to come out. Be sure to check out Terminator Zero when it premieres on Netflix on August 29th! We know that we cannot wait!