Kokoro in Terminator Zero explained: What is the Japanese Skynet?

Terminator Zero decided that one AI wasn’t enough, so we got a rival to Skynet in the powerful Kokoro, in Japan.

This machine’s existence isn’t as cut-and-dry as Skynet’s though, as Terminator Zero gradually reveals. the new anime show on Netflix finally moves the franchise away from the Connors, heading to Japan for another side of what occurs around Judgment Day.

The target of the Terminator this time is Malcolm Lee, a scientist and engineer who has another idea to stop the rise of machines – building a good one. Enter Kokoro, who must decide whether it wants to help us or not.

A big question, and if you’re left wondering what the deal with this other AI is really made of, we’ve broken it all down.

Terminator Zero: What is Kokoro?

Kokoro is an artificial intelligence imbued with free will in the hope it’ll choose to defend mankind against Skynet. Given the power to tap into any device or program, it has comparable strength to Dyson Corp’s unholy creation.

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Unlike Skynet, though, its decisions aren’t arbitrary. It can understand emotion and pair it with reason, making it a powerful adversary to Skynet if Kokoro so chooses. Therein lies the debate at the heart of Terminator Zero.

Malcolm Lee traveled back in time to build Kokoro

Terminator Zero reveals that Malcolm comes from the future, even later than Eiko. Tired of watching humans endlessly die at the hands of the machines, he starts exploring the idea of Skynet being defeated by another AI.

The notion proves controversial, and eventually he’s forced to travel back in time with Misaki, the experimental cyborg he’s built. They land in 1983, giving them plenty of time to manufacture Kokoro from the ground up, gradually leading us to Judgment Day and the events of the show.

Malcolm’s AI exists in three parts

For most of Terminator Zero, Kokoro comes in three pieces: Spirit, Mind, and Heart. They’re all connected and interwoven, representing the emotional depth and nuance Malcolm gave his creation.

They symbolize the main discussion: What reason does humanity have to survive? Examined spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally, why should mankind be allowed to live?

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Malcolm has a hard time convincing Kokoro, who has access to most, if not all, our history, much of which is a bloody, horrid tale. It simply doesn’t see why Skynet isn’t doing the world any service by attempting to wipe us out.

These parts all come together when the answer is revealed: because we aspire to be better. It is our unflinching ability to constantly be inspired and reach that makes us worth saving, at least for now. Kokoro comes together into a golden entity that protects Malcolm’s family and the rest of Japan, in the end.

Who voices Kokoro?

Kokoro is played by Rosario Dawson, who voices all three sides of the AI. Terminator is just the latest huge franchise she’s been a part of, since she portrays Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars and was Claire Temple in the Marvel Netflix shows, including Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and The Punisher.

Dawson plays a pivotal role in Terminator Zero, giving humanity to Skynet’s AI rival. Kokoro is voiced by Atsumi Tanezaki in the Japanese version, an increasingly prolific voice actor with roles in Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia, Spy x Family, and many more.

Since the apocalypse has been averted, check out our guides to Solo Leveling Season 2 and Attack on Titan: The Last Attack.