Summary
TheTerminatorfranchise takes an unexpected turn with its latest offering,Terminator ZERO, an 8-episode anime series that rewinds the clock to the fateful Judgment Day of June 26, 2025. This time, however, the apocalyptic events unfold through the lens of Japan, offering a fresh perspective on Skynet’s global rampage.
Taking a break from the Conner family saga,Terminator ZEROzeroes in on Malcolm Lee and his children. As Skynet’s threat looms, Lee unleashes a new AI named Kokoro onto the digital battlefield, hoping to tip the scales in humanity’s favor. This sentient creation, endowed with free will, faces an impossible challenge: decide whether, after all the wars and violence, humanity is still worth saving? The stakes couldn’t be higher as Lee’s children find themselves in the crosshairs of a relentless Terminator, leaving Malcolm with very little time to make his case in favor of humanity.
While the entire cast is well-written, it’s the Lee family nanny, Misaki, that manages to subvert expectations of who she might be. Two episodes in, it’s obvious that Misaki is far from the ordinary caretaker she appears to be. With no traceable past and a sudden unmasking as a robot, all signs point to her being one of Malcolm’s secret projects.
But then… why did Malcolm call her the mother of Kokoro, humanity’s last hope against the machines?
Misaki: A Ghost in the System
Around the second episode ofTerminator ZERO, the seemingly ordinary nanny finds herself at the center of all sorts of revelations.
While trying to report Eiko andthe Terminator to local authorities, she inadvertently exposes a gaping void in her own existence. The police are surprised that there are no past records on Misaki; no employment history, birth records, or valid identification. It’s as if Misaki materialized out of thin air, her life beginning only when she stepped into the Lee family’s home.
Surprisingly enough, this is news to Misaki too. She realizes, perhaps for the first time ever, that she has no idea who was before the Lee family.
The Moment of Truth
The truth violently surfaces whenthe Terminator storms the police station. In a moment of brutal clarity, the robot rips away Misaki’s arm, exposing a tangle of wires where flesh and bone should be. The Lee children, obviously traumatized, react with a spectrum of emotions that cut to the core of the series' themes.
Kenta, the eldest Lee child, immediately erects walls of hostility. His is of fear and mistrust, directed at the unknown, especially in a world where machines have brought humanity to its knees. Hiro, however, seems to notice that Misaki is just as confused as they are, and has no intent to harm them. Kenta can’t agree, and says her feelings aren’t real, but Misaki argues that their feelings are just as real as anyone’s. She loves the kids and will do anything to protect them.
Misaki: The First AI Savior of Humanity
Explain that Malcolm referred to Misaki as Kokoro’s mother because she was the early version of what he hoped Kokoro would be. Malcolm’s epiphany in his original timeline was simple: the key to defeating Skynet lay not in brute force or superior firepower, but in the creation of a rival AI. This AI would stand as a bulwark against Skynet’s onslaught, championing humanity’s cause with the same abilities as the enemy. Maybe he was too optimistic, but he believed that AI and humans could make each other better.
The Birth of Misaki
In his own timeline, Malcolm poured his soul into creating an AI unlike any other — one imbued with free will. This AI became the first version of Misaki, the AI who hoped for a future where artificial intelligence chooses to stand with humanity rather than against it. She named herself Misaki and took on a feminine role, as she wanted to be a nurturer and messenger of life.
But the path of innovation is often met with fear and resistance. The human soldiers in the future still saw Misaki as a threat and sought to destroy her. In a moment of desperation that would define the course of his mission, Malcolm made the unthinkable choice to turn against his own kind, protecting Misaki at all costs.
Rewriting History: Misaki and Malcolm Travel to 1983 Japan
Together, they built a time machine and traveled to Japan in 1983 and strategized to get Malcolm his position at Cortex Industries. The plan was simple enough: get Malcolm a job within Cortex Industries, securing the resources necessary to bring Kokoro — the ultimate AI defender — into existence.
The creation of Kokoro demanded a price that only Misaki could pay. In an act of selfless devotion to Malcolm’s vision, Misaki surrendered her CPU to launch Kokoro. This sacrifice wiped clean the slate of her memories, reducing her to a blank canvas. Malcolm, recognizing the importance of keeping Misaki close, assigned her the role of nanny to his children, ensuring that the prototype of humanity’s savior remained an integral part of his family’s life.
