Summary
There are plenty of reasons to be excited about Netflix’s upcomingTerminatorshow, but one 22-year-old sci-fi anime series might be the biggest one. Despite theuncertainty regardingTerminator7, the franchise will continue soon with a Netflix original animated series. After a series of disappointingTerminatormovies, a return to the small screen 15 years afterThe Sarah Connor Chronicles’ cancelation may be exactly what the franchise needs.
Timothy Olyphant will voice the Terminator inTerminator Zero, which will take place in 1997.Terminator Zero’s timelinematches the original Judgment Day date fromTerminator2, a promising connection between the show and the saga’s best movie.Netflix’sTerminatorseries announcement got me interested from the start, especially because of all the talent involved in the project. This includes the anime studio behindTerminator Zero.
Terminator Zero Is From The Same Studio Of Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Production I.G is working on Terminator Zero
Netflix’sTerminator Zeroanimeis produced by Skydance and Production I.G, the latter of which is a Japanese anime studio behind a lot of famous shows. In addition to hits such asHaikyu!!,Kuroko’s Basketball, andPsycho-Pass,Production I.G. also worked onGhost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.One of the best entries in theGhost in the Shellfranchise,Stand Alone Complextakes place in its own continuity and reinvents the characters and storylines from the original manga. Although it sort of works as a sequel toGhost in the Shell(1995), it’s better perceived as its own thing.
Ghost in the Shell’sStand Alone Complexuniverse includes the first two seasons of the original show, two OVAs, a movie, and a Netflix original sequel series.
Stand Alone Complextook an existing franchise and did something excitingly different with it, which is exactly whatTerminator Zerois expected to do. Naturally, the fact thatTerminator Zerocomes from the same studio that worked onGhost in the Shell:SACdoes not mean that the shows will be similar. Still, considering thatGhost in the ShellandTerminatorare such influential sci-fi properties, I find it difficult not to think ofStand Alone Complexwhen looking atTerminator Zero. If the Netflix anime is as good asSAC, it will be incredible.
Terminator Zero Can Be To Terminator What SAC Was To Ghost in the Shell
Ghost In The Shell and Terminator are sci-fi classics
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complexis one of my favorite things to come out of theGhost in the Shellfranchise. Unlike the 1995 movie, which told an impactful story in under two hours,SAChad 52 episodes to explore the characters. As much as I love the originalGhost in the Shellmovie, the universe from the manga was rich enough to receive a serialized adaptation.Stand Alone Complexmay not have been as massive as the 1995 film, but it is still one of the best sci-fi anime series of all time.
Netflix’s Terminator Animated Show Can Fix A 33-Year-Old Problem All Of The Judgment Day Sequels Struggled With
Netflix’s upcoming Terminator anime series can be unlike anything the live-action movies ever did and fix a problem the saga has faced since T2.
The bar is high forTerminator Zero, not just because theTerminatorfranchise is so popular but also because Production I.G has released some amazing shows over the years. Fortunately, everything Netflix has revealed aboutTerminator: Zero so far makes me hopeful that it will be a great addition to the saga. In fact,Terminator Zerosounds more exciting than anotherTerminatormovie considering how disappointing previous installments have been. UnlikeGhost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, however,Terminator Zerowill only have eight episodes.
Terminator Zeroreleases on Netflix on July 09, 2025.
Terminator
The Terminator franchise, launched by James Cameron in 1984, explores a dystopian future where intelligent machines wage war against humanity. The relentless pursuit of key human figures by time-traveling cyborg assassins known as Terminators is central to the narrative. John Connor, the future leader of the human resistance, is the core target of the malicious machines.
