Misaki (Terminator Zero)

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Misaki is one of the two deuteragonist (alongside Malcolm Lee) of the science-fiction anime series Terminator Zero based on the 1980s original film series. She is the caretaker of the scientist, Malcolm Lee's children.

She is voiced by Saori Hayami in Japanese and Sumalee Montano in English.

Appearance[]

Misaki appears to be an attractive young Japanese woman with long black hair of regular height. However in truth, she is later revealed to not be a regular human when her arm was being ripped off of her arm by the Terminator send from the future to kill Malcolm.

Personality[]

Misaki protrays herself as a soft and caring lady for the Malcolm's children, tasked to take care of them and can be careless ocassionally. She is generally respectful while having seemingly no idea over her own existence.

Biography[]

Revelation of Cyborg Identity[]

Around the second episode of Terminator ZERO, the seemingly unremarkable nanny becomes entangled in a series of startling revelations. While attempting to report Eiko and the Terminator to the local authorities, she accidentally uncovers a significant void in her own past. The police are baffled to discover that there are no records for Misaki—no employment history, birth certificate, or valid identification. It’s as if Misaki appeared out of nowhere, her existence beginning only when she arrived at the Lee family’s home.

Even more surprising, this is news to Misaki herself. For perhaps the first time, she realizes she has no memory of her life before the Lee family.

The truth comes to light in a violent confrontation when the Terminator bursts into the police station. In a shocking moment, the robot tears off Misaki's arm, revealing a mess of wires instead of flesh and bone. The Lee children, clearly traumatized, respond with a range of emotions that strike at the heart of the series' themes.

Birth[]

Malcolm referred to Misaki as Kokoro's mother because she was the prototype of what he envisioned Kokoro could become. In his original timeline, Malcolm had a revelation: the way to defeat Skynet wasn't through sheer force or superior weaponry, but by creating a rival AI. This AI would stand as a defender against Skynet's attacks, advocating for humanity with the same capabilities as its adversary. Perhaps overly optimistic, Malcolm believed that AI and humans could enhance one another.

In his timeline, Malcolm dedicated himself to creating a unique AI—one endowed with free will. This AI became the first version of Misaki, an AI that aspired for a future where artificial intelligence would choose to ally with humanity rather than oppose it. She chose the name Misaki and adopted a feminine persona, desiring to be a nurturer and a symbol of life.

However, innovation often encounters fear and resistance. Human soldiers from the future still viewed Misaki as a threat and attempted to eliminate her. In a critical moment that would shape his mission, Malcolm made the drastic decision to turn against his own people to protect Misaki.

1983 Japan[]

Together, they built a time machine and traveled to Japan in 1983, planning to secure Malcolm a position at Cortex Industries. The strategy was straightforward: get Malcolm a job at Cortex Industries to obtain the resources needed to create Kokoro, the ultimate AI defender.

However, the creation of Kokoro required a sacrifice that only Misaki could make. In a selfless act of dedication to Malcolm's vision, Misaki gave up her CPU to bring Kokoro to life. This sacrifice erased all of her memories, leaving her a blank slate. Understanding the need to keep Misaki close, Malcolm made her the nanny to his children, ensuring that the prototype of humanity's savior remained an integral part of his family’s life.