Terminator Zero is an upcoming Netflix anime based on the Terminator franchise, and while this is a first for the saga that began in 1984, there is a sci-fi anime based on a different American franchise that proves it will work. Terminator Zero is more exciting than Terminator 7 for many reasons, starting from the fact that the Terminator franchise has only had one TV show since its inception, The Sarah Connor Chronicles. The anime series will be set in 1997, which is the year Judgment Day happened in Terminator 2’s original timeline.

Timothy Olyphant has been cast in Terminator Zero, another promising sign for the upcoming series. Netflix has released some great animated series recently from a variety of studios, including Japanese ones in the form of original anime shows. Although famous IPs like Tomb Raider and Terminator getting animated shows on streaming is a relatively new trend, a major Hollywood franchise once got the anime treatment 21 years ago, and it worked greatly.

The Animatrix Is Incredible (& It Shows Terminator Zero Will Work)

The Animatrix was a great anime addition to the Matrix franchise

The Animatrix (2003), a collection of short films released by different anime studios and creators, is one of the best things to come out of the Matrix franchise. Whereas The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions were both divisive sequels that arguably overly complicated what was already a perfect story, The Animatrix was a fantastic extension of the original movie’s lore. Released as part of the “Year of the Matrix,” The Animatrix allowed audiences to see the world established in the first film through the eyes of seven different directors.

The anime medium suited Matrix perfectly, and it’s safe to say it will work for Terminator as well. Whereas multiple studios worked on The Animatrix’s short films, Terminator Zero was helmed by Production I.G, known for series like Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Haikyuu!! The Animatrix includes nine short films, all of which are considered canon. Whereas some of them referenced established characters such as Neo and Trinity, others had little to no connection to the movies. The Animatrix beautifully showed the potential of the Matrix franchise and the universe created by the Wachowskis.

Why The Animation Medium Is Perfect For The Matrix & Terminator

Science fiction and animation were made for each other

Some of the best sci-fi movies of all time are animated, including classics like Akira and Ghost in the Shell. The animation medium, particularly how it is used in Japanese productions, allows storytellers to go beyond the physical limitations of a live-action project. It is difficult to believe a movie like Akira would work in live-action, just like 2017’s Ghost in the Shell was incredibly disappointing. Science fiction is a genre about defying limitations, which is why anime films like The Animatrix work so well. Hopefully, the same will be said about Terminator Zero once it comes out.

While The Animatrix was canon to the movies and vice versa, it’s unclear how Terminator Zero’s timeline will fit into the rest of the saga. That said, after multiple sequels, prequels, and reboots, there is hardly a definitive Terminator canon left. This means Terminator Zero can tell a self-contained story even if references the movies, just like The Animatrix did. More than 20 years later, The Animatrix is perhaps the best example of a combination between an American movie franchise and Japanese anime studios. Fortunately, Terminator Zero looks like it could be another great example of it.