Terminator Zero is the latest example of a major live-action franchise being adapted into an anime series. The show was created by Mattson Tomlin, produced by Skydance, and animated by Production I.G — the renowned studio behind Ghost in the Shell. This initial eight-episode run (hopefully with more to come) is an encouraging example of how an anime adaptation of a classic live-action genre franchise can be done with quality and taste, without sacrificing the strengths of either medium. It represents a rock-solid template for future anime adaptations to come.
Hollywood has often attempted to adapt popular anime franchises into live action with mostly poor results, since Dragonball Evolution in 2009. Big and small screen adaptations, including Ghost in the Shell, One Piece, and Cowboy Bebop have experienced varying levels of success, though none of them managed to fully capture the spirit of their source material. However, audiences should prepare for the streaming space to flood with the inverse trend. Critically acclaimed projects like Blade Runner Blackout 2022, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and exciting upcoming titles like The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim are evidence. Terminator Zero, now being watched by millions on Netflix, is the latest example.
What Is Terminator: Zero About?
Terminator Zero feels like a welcome return to the roots of the franchise. The terminators are chilling, from the T-800 from The Terminator to the T-1000 in T2: Judgment Day. Zero clearly takes inspiration from James Cameron’s legacy of terrifying robotic antagonists. The show is also, in many ways, unlike any other entry in the terminator franchise thus far. This first season alone introduces novel elements such as canon-shifting events that could alter pre-established Terminator lore, a bevy of new tech and world design, and a fascinating, moral dialectic between the characters of Malcolm Lee and his AI creation Kokoro. They explore the notion of Skynet being justified in destroying humanity — not just for its own safety, but for the planet’s.
Bringing an ambitious anime like this to life is a painstaking, time-consuming, and expensive process. Images of conceptual fan art online are often the closest fans come to seeing their favorite live-action franchises rendered in anime form. There is clearly a strong desire among fans for these kinds of projects. However, before creative executives at every streaming service rush to green-light their own Terminator Zero, they should first consider whether an anime adaptation of a given intellectual property will bring something new and exciting to the franchise in question. They should also consider whether their concept for an adaptation is worthy of an animation studio with the pedigree of Production I.G. or MAPPA.
Converting the essence of an iconic live action property into a medium like anime allows creatives the opportunity to explore different parts of these fictional worlds with unprecedented detail. It’s a chance to illuminate pieces of un-examined lore, while expanding the look and feel of an established universe.
The series that perhaps proved the creative potential of live-action to anime adaptations is Star Wars Visions. Both seasons of this show allowed numerous animation studios from around the world to form their own take on the Star Wars universe. This kind of freedom liberates animators from the restraints of lore, continuity, and the traditional look and feel of these franchises. It also encourages them to tell their own story within the franchise’ universe. A worthwhile anime adaptation should include the trappings of its source material, but present them with an entirely new look, rhythm, or perspective.
Possibilities For Live-Action-To-Anime Adaptations
Here are just a handful of possible franchises that are ripe for the anime adaptation treatment.
Mad Max
George Miller has said that he originally conceived of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga as a feature-length anime that would serve as a prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road. This anime could take the franchise in any number of directions. The Mad Max universe is vast, and most of the storytelling is visual already. The inimitable vibe of Mad Max — the saturated orange tones of the desert, the cool blues of the sparkling night sky, the wanton violence, the churning engines and burning fumes of the war rigs — all lends itself naturally to the anime aesthetic. The adaptation could even explore other parts of Miller’s post-apocalyptic world beyond the expanse of the Australian Outback.
Pirates of the Caribbean
Gore Verbinski’s swashbuckling pirate saga grew more and more absurd and wacky in its tone, scale, and sense of humor/drama. The franchise persisted into pointless sequel territory with increasingly diminishing returns. These elements, along with the ravishing tropical beauty and infectious spirit of adventure that the setting of Pirates of the Caribbean provides, make this world perfect for a major anime adaptation. After all, One Piece (a show about pirates) is still the best-selling manga of all time.
Blade
Marvel’s (supposedly) upcoming Blade movie has been struggling through pre-production for years at this point. Kevin Feige and co could go the “What-If…?” route and take a dry run of sorts at adapting Blade in anime form. Both the martial arts and vampire aspects have already proven viable genres for an epic anime narrative. A mixture of Samurai Champloo and Castlevania would have fans lining up.
The Karate Kid
Martial arts anime is a well established tradition in the genre, and The Karate Kid would make a great addition to the tradition. Some fans would argue the exceptional Cobra Kai is on Netflix already. Why is another spin-off necessary? It’s a fair point, but The Karate Kid was and always has been a battle shōnen at heart. It would be incredible to see Daniel-san land that Crane kick in gorgeous 4k cell-shaded animation.
Indiana Jones
This anime could span young Indy’s life in a multi-season prequel arc inspired by the beginning of Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, in which River Phoenix played a young Indy. It could explore every wonder of the world, across different continents, in search of various magical objects. Viewers could enjoy globetrotting, time-skipping, archaeological fun with Sallah, Marian, Brody, and the whole gang. Rather than using digital de-aging technology and making questionable decisions with the faces of aging or deceased performers, Disney would be smart to take the franchise in an animated direction.
It’s In The Way It’s Used
The list above could go on and on, getting wider and stranger. Consider a modern fantasy titan like Harry Potter. There’s already a popular video game, and Fantastic Beasts has no plans for returning. The universe has endless lore and history worth mining. Game of Thrones, with its sprawling world and deep history, seems like an obvious candidate as well. Even a popular drama like The Bear, which at first glance seems to be the furthest thing from anime, could be adapted into anime successfully. If Delicious in Dungeon proves anything, it’s that people love an ongoing soap opera that follows an eclectic group of work-friends who prepare delectable dishes under life-threatening pressure. Letting one’s mind run wild with this concept can lead to a myriad of interesting ideas.
What matters, in the end, is the creative intentions behind each individual case of a live-action property being adapted into anime. Does the adaptation explore the themes of its franchise while remixing and recontextualizing core characteristics of the source material, like Terminator Zero? Are the creators just trying to squeeze every last drop out of a beloved property in the age of IP over everything? Or do they have a burning creative vision for an anime adaptation, a story they are dying to tell that honors the legacy of its predecessors, while adding something fresh ? The good news is that Terminator Zero is a compelling example of the latter, and it’s available to stream right now on Netflix.
