'Terminator Zero' creators find fresh life in sci-fi franchise through hand-drawn anime

The new Netflix series, Terminator Zero , tells the story of a scientist trying to save the world from a Terminator .

The showrunner/writer Mattson Tomlin and director Masashi Kud shared insights into the design of their Terminator .

Tomlin found anime to be freeing, and Kud found the challenge was less dialogue-heavy than many anime.

Hand-drawn animation in Terminator Zero underscores the central message about the value of human creativity.

The idea of nuclear war resonates differently in Japan , the only country ever to experience the devastation of nuclear weapons.

Many creators believe generative AI apps "devalue human art" by producing a cheap imitation without the craft of human hands.

An emotionally driven narrative along with vivid, hand-drawn animation, enhanced judiciously with digital technology, makes a strong and compelling case for trusting human creators to use their skills and imagination with total freedom. The results can be absolutely stunning, as they are in Terminator Zero , revealing what human imagination and human hands are capable of building. Terminator Zero premieres on Netflix Aug. 29 ..