‘Less Guns & More Sword Fights’: Terminator Anime Is Less Americanized, Featuring New Characters & Setting

In a candid interview with Entertainment Weekly, showrunner Mattson Tomlin sheds light on the creative process behind the highly anticipated Terminator Zero anime, revealing how the production team navigated the challenges of adapting the iconic franchise for a Japanese audience.

One of the most distinctive aspects of Terminator Zero is the series breaking away from its American roots and incorporating Japanese elements, a decision influenced by studio Production I.G.

Tomlin revealed that he took this idea a step further and decided to set the eight-episode anime entirely in Japan. This, however, led to an unexpected cultural clash. Notably the absence of firearms in Japanese society.

He recounts his realization of this difference when his initial scripts included scenes of violence in Tokyo, only to be informed by Production I.G that guns are not prevalent in Japan. This revelation prompted Tomlin to rethink his approach and adapt the storyline accordingly.

“My partners at Production I.G came back and said, ‘Hey, so…there are no guns [in Japan]. If we needed a gun, we don’t know where we would get it.’ It was just such a stunning moment for me, like, ‘Oh, wow, I am an American’,” he explained.

This moment served as a catalyst for reimagining action sequences, leading to a departure from conventional Western tropes and embracing more culturally appropriate action sequences, such as sword fights against Terminators with blade arms.

But the most significant departure from the franchise formula is the absence of Sarah and John Connor, the franchise’s central figures for decades.

“I think that it’s time to go into new characters and not burden myself with another John and Sarah Connor saga. There’s been a run at that a couple of different times,” he revealed.

While Tomlin promises easter eggs for fans of the original films, he revealed that it will not rely on direct appearances or retellings of past events.

Terminator Zero will release on Netflix on Nov 18, 2024.

The anime is directed by Masashi Kudo, with Mattson Tomlin serving as the showrunner, executive producer, and writer.

Production IG is the animation studio of the anime.

The plot of Terminator anime is described as:

“In August 1997, a computer scientist named Malcom Lee is working furiously from his lab in Tokyo to launch an AI program he believes will save the world. As the course of the future changes from the past, an unrelenting assassin is send back in time to murder Malcom and his three children in order to ensure its future dominance over humanity.

The assassin is followed through time by a lone soldier who will do anything to keep Malcom and his family alive in order to prove once and for all there is no fate.“

Source: Entertainment Weekly