Kokoro (Terminator Zero)

This Article Contains Spoilers - WARNING: This article contains major spoilers. If you do not wish to know vital information on plot / character elements in a story, you may not wish to read beyond this warning: We hold no responsibility for any negative effects these facts may have on your enjoyment of said media should you continue. That is all.

Kokoro is a major character in the 2024 anime series Terminator Zero. They are an artificial intelligence developed by Malcolm Lee to compete with Cyberdyne Systems' Skynet. Malcolm created Kokoro with free will, hoping it would choose to protect humanity from Skynet.

They are voiced by Atsumi Tanezaki in Japanese and by Rosario Dawson in English.

Personality[]

Throughout most of the series, Kokoro is split into three parts: Spirit, Mind, and Heart. These components are interconnected, representing the emotional depth and complexity Malcolm instilled in his creation. They reflect the series' central question: Why does humanity deserve to survive? This question is examined from spiritual, intellectual, and emotional perspectives, exploring whether humanity should continue to exist.

Kokoro is an AI designed with free will, intended to decide on its own to defend humanity from Skynet. It can access any device or program, giving it power on par with Dyson Corp's creations. Unlike Skynet, Kokoro's decisions are a blend of emotion and logic, potentially making it a formidable rival—if it chooses to oppose Skynet. This is the central conflict of Terminator Zero. Malcolm tries to persuade Kokoro, which has access to nearly all human history—a history marked by violence and atrocities. To Kokoro, Skynet's goal to eradicate humanity doesn't seem entirely unjustified.

Before and after being transferred to the server, Kokoro exhibited conflicting emotions that were indicated by different colors: red for anger or hatred, green for curiosity, and blue for wisdom. Due to these conflicting traits, Kokoro could be both protective of humans and authoritarian or harsh, even taking Japan hostage to advance its libertarian goals against Skynet.

Despite its severity, Kokoro aimed to shield humans from both Skynet and itself, such, when one of the robots encountered Eiko or when Misaki was trapped in a car with children, Kokoro could have ordered their elimination but chose to spare them, along with many others who agreed to surrender.

Biography[]

Malcolm Lee comes from a future beyond 2022, which is why he knows Skynet's actions set for 1997. As a child, he dreamed of capturing and reprogramming Terminators to act as protectors, but this idea was rejected, and he found no support. This led to an early version of Misaki, who ended up killing Malcolm's human allies in self-defense when they tried to destroy her.

Malcolm then builds a time machine and travels back to 1983, seeking safety with Misaki. His mission is diverted when he falls in love, gets married, and has three children with his wife from an alternate timeline. Tragically, his wife dies in a bus accident. Motivated by a new vision, Malcolm decides to create an AI with true free will, instead of a machine that blindly follows human commands. When Kokoro is finally ready, he transfers Misaki's memories into it, erasing all her past knowledge. He then employs Misaki as a bodyguard for his children, without her knowing her true identity or purpose.

Meanwhile, a Terminator targets Malcolm's children. Its goal is not to kill them but to capture them and use them as leverage to force Malcolm to shut down Kokoro or persuade Kokoro to ally with Skynet. The Terminator successfully captures one of Malcolm's children, Kenta (played by Armani Jackson/Hiro Shimono), and brings him to Malcolm. However, Malcolm, secured in a heavily fortified room with Kokoro, refuses to open the door, even if it means sacrificing his son. The Terminator then tries to convince Kenta to trigger an EMP that would destroy Kokoro. The Terminator cannot activate the EMP itself because it would be destroyed, which contradicts its programming.

The climax of Terminator Zero involves a fierce battle with Eiko, Misaki, and Malcolm fighting against the Terminator. Malcolm sacrifices himself, fatally wounded while protecting his family. This act of selflessness convinces Kokoro, who was looking for a reason to believe in humanity's value, to intervene. Kokoro orders its 1NNO robots to launch a massive assault on the Terminator, ultimately destroying it. Kenta, initially enraged upon learning Misaki is not human, nearly activates the EMP but is stopped by a more hopeful Kokoro. Despite this moment of optimism, the series ends on a bleak note as the Terminator's head is brought to Kokoro. The outlook remains grim, with Eiko's voice-over ominously warning, "Things will get worse before they can get better."