Terminator 0

As a massive fan of the terminator franchise who’s watched all the movies dozens of times growing up with my dad, I can say this was the best instalment since T2 Judgement Day. It’s thrilling, engaging, thought provoking and a great evolution of the franchise. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come.

Terminator Zero starts off clearly reminiscent of earlier instalments of the series, borrowing concepts from the first two films, the spin off tv series and more, but by the halfway point it establishes itself as something unique. While yes it has cool fights and action scenes, the character drama and philosophical questions ... the series poses are much more important. Rather than focus on Arnold Schwarzenegger beating up another terminator to save humanity, we get asked the question of whether or not humanity is even worth being saved. The other entries have always treated this as a given. As if humans have some divine right to the planet, as if we can take whatever we want with no consequences. If you left that judgement to one of our own, the answer would always be “yes, we deserve to live” but in reality this is a simple self preservation instinct rather than objective truth. Throughout the course of its 8 episode run, Terminator Zero has humanity judged by a non biased third party with the core objective being convincing this third party that it should aid humanity in the struggle against skynet. I loved this so much and found it very refreshing.

This is very much a character driven story. I quickly grew attached to the kids and Misaki especially. I think the one downside I’d have here is that Eiko felt a little flat, I wonder if that’s intentional because they want to flesh her out in future media given some circumstances in the end of the series. Other than that, I was on the edge of my seat every episode hoping everyone would make it out of this alive. I’d encourage you to really pay attention to the characters’ subtle behaviours and idiosyncrasies as well. There’s some cool twists at the end that are foreshadowed throughout and it was so cool when we got there and I was able to look back and be like “ah, that’s why__” for 8 episodes, there’s quite a bit of good stuff in this one.

Production IG are no strangers to sci fi and they brought their A games here. Visuals and soundtrack are incredible, character designs as well. The few big fight scenes we have looked awesome too. Show is well paced and pulls you in from the get go.

Highly recommend this as a must watch for any terminator fan or sci fi fan in general. Honestly for younger people who haven’t seen the OG films(you need to ASAP since they’re legendary), this could serve as a good entry point for the franchise. Very happy with what we got.

Terminator Zero gets 9, out of 10.

Approaching "Terminator 0" with no particular expectations and little memory of the original franchise, I was intrigued by the series' fresh perspective, centering on a Japanese scientist. The initial episodes of the anime were surprisingly engaging, characterized by minimal dialogue, intense gore, and some development of the characters, which provided a solid foundation for the story.

However, the series takes a noticeable turn in the latter half, particularly after a pivotal plot twist. This shift transforms the narrative focus extensively towards theoretical discussions, overshadowing the more action-oriented aspects that one might expect from a Terminator series. The balance tilts heavily towards lengthy dialogues and complex information, ... which may deter viewers hoping for more traditional sci-fi action.

The portrayal of the scientist's children, particularly the eldest, introduces family dynamics that could have added depth but instead felt frustrating. This character, designed as a typical know-it-all, often seems to detract from the plot rather than enrich it.

Visually, the anime fluctuates in quality. There are moments where the animation appears lackluster, betraying signs of inconsistency, while at other times, it delivers brilliantly, capturing the intense and dynamic essence of the series. The integration of time travel and time loops is a highlight, offering a clever narrative technique that keeps the viewer guessing about the story’s conclusion—whether it ends or perpetually loops.

Despite these intriguing elements, the series struggles to maintain a consistent tone. The shift from a relatively straightforward action to a heavily dialogue-driven second half feels jarring. While the exploration of physics and science might appeal to some, it feels somewhat misplaced in a series that bears the Terminator name, as the iconic elements of the franchise take a backseat to these discussions.

In summary, "Terminator 0" offers a mixed experience. The series starts strong but loses momentum as it delves into theoretical realms. It might suit viewers looking for a casual watch with elements of science fiction and action, but those seeking a focused narrative on the Terminator itself might find the series diverges too far from its roots.

This show starts off with a lot of promise but quickly spirals into a mess, becoming almost unwatchable with each episode. The director and writer seem lost, unable to decide if they want to recreate the cat-and-mouse chase and time travel elements from *The Terminator* or put their own spin on it with a new AI concept. In the end, they fail at both, creating a chaotic disaster. The community has already pointed out issues like incorrect subtitles for the Japanese version and how the Terminator moves awkwardly like a drunk zombie, so I won’t dive into that. However, one thing that's not often discussed ... is the ridiculous plot armor.

The resistance hero, Eiko, somehow gets to bring her gun back in time, but for some reason, Skynet sends a lone T-800 model without any equipment, forcing him to make a generic bow from scratch. Even after the massacre at the police station, the Terminator stubbornly sticks to this bow and fistfights, refusing to pick up any weapons. The kid characters also benefit from ridiculous plot armor. Each one is forgettable, bratty, and annoying. Kenta, who is supposed to be interested in robotics, acts xenophobic and racist every time he sees a machine. The twist with him undermines Skynet’s calculations, making no sense at all. Hiro is a chubby kid whose only personality trait is constantly eating. Reika’s actions are baffling; she forms an attachment to a cat robot that’s quickly discarded after a few episodes, then becomes obsessed with going to an amusement park for no logical reason. Misaki is the only somewhat decent character, but her identity reveal is too predictable.

The worst character by far is Malcolm Lee. It feels like the writer tried to copy Grisha Yeager’s personality and made it worse. Malcolm talks big about understanding AI but ends up just wanting to sleep with a robot. He’s so foolish that he even travels back in time, marries a new wife, and the show conveniently kills her off in a traffic accident to avoid dealing with any potential conflict. His rise to power and creation of his company are never explained, showing how little the show cares about addressing its plot holes.

The dialogue between Malcolm and Kokoro is the worst part of the show. Before Skynet’s launch, Kokoro raises valid questions that Skynet would have considered before deciding to destroy humanity, but instead of giving meaningful answers, Malcolm just clings to the AI and ignores the looming threat of the Terminator hunting his children. His big reveal is nonsensical too. If he was waiting for Skynet to awaken before telling his story, why did he waste so much time with Kokoro, hiding in a room like a creep? Kokoro’s decision to side with humans comes after seeing Malcolm’s family protect one another, but then Malcolm completely neglects his own children, despite claiming he wants to show Kokoro he cares about them.

This show is a lazy cash grab, leaving multiple unfinished plotlines to milk another season. The writing is disrespectful to its audience, and I hope it gets canceled because it truly deserves it.