Terminator Zero is among the better animated series on Netflix. The series a science-fiction anime created by Mattson Tomlin, an underrated filmmaker who made his screenwriting debut with Project Power (2020), an equally overlooked superhero film.
Soon thereafter, Tomlin even tackled script revisions for Matt Reeves and Peter Craig for their world-class film The Batman (2022).
While his previous efforts in the franchise went ultimately uncredited, Mattson Tomlin is now set to replace Peter Craig as co-screenwriter on The Batman – Part II (2026). He's a veteran of superhero movies who's also written some comics, but Terminator: Zero marked his first ever project with regard to the realm of television.
This wasn't the first time the Terminator franchise was brought to the small screens of television, as The Sarah Connor Files aired on Fox between 2008 and 2010. Great show, and easily just as good would be the anime series on Netflix.
Timelines in the Terminator franchise have been historically confusing, but rest assured: Even casual fans of this famous sci-fi property would be able to follow the plot of this wonderful Netflix exclusive, one that was generally revered by pundits of the industry. It tells the tale of Malcolm Lee, a scientist who's developing the "Kokoro" artificial intelligence system to challenge the "Skynet" antagonist.
There's also a character known as Eiko, a resistance soldier from 2022 who was sent to the present timeline and assigned to safeguard Malcolm, the aforementioned protagonist who undergoes a valiant effort in his battle against Skynet. Great plot, and one that's seen into fruition with the help of a star-studded cast.
A Must-Watch Netflix Anime
The most prominent names in the English-language version of Terminator Zero are Andre Holland, Rosario Dawson, Ann Dowd, and Timothy Olyphant, while some Japanese performers include Yuya Uchida, Toa Yukinari, Saori Hayami, and Hiro Shimono.
In tandem with the efforts of some seriously skillful actors, Terminator Zero also excelled by virtue of its technical prowess. Sound design could be prominently mentioned, but what makes Terminator Zero so particularly special would be its gorgeous visuals.
Lack of viewership resulted in the show's cancellation after a mere single season, one comprised of eight finely crafted episodes that released on Netflix on August 29, 2024—same date as "Judgment Day" within the franchise's canon. Fun fact there, with Terminator Zero consistently appealing to hardcore fans of the franchise.
Two more seasons were planned, but ultimately, Terminator Zero fell short of reaching a satisfying conclusion. It may never get the ending that the show truly deserves, but that said, there's of course still time for the animated show to accrue a following on Netflix.
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