The twist toLazarusis — and don’t worry, this is not a spoiler — that the drug thathelped humanity overcome all diseaseswas manufactured by a doctor called Skinner (voiced byKoichi Yamaderain the original Japanese and byDavid Matrangain theEnglish dub), a mad scientist that resurfaces years later and announces that everyone who took Hapna will die if he isn’t located to provide a cure. This is where the story starts: Axel Gilberto (Mamoru Miyano/Jack Stansbury) is recruited to join a team of misfits who need to find Dr. Skinner and retrieve the antidote that the whole planet wants.
Lazaruspremiered a month ago, and episodes from Season 1 are still rolling out.Cowboy Bebopfans will be happy to know that the serieshas several elementsthat are common to bothanime series, including a distinct soundtrack with powerful needle drops, characters who know how to make the best out of a bad situation, and a good dose of comedy. Watanabe himself has spoken out about his projects and revealed thatLazarus,Cowboy Bebop, and evenother titles likeSamurai ChamplooandSpace Dandyall take place within thesame universe.
‘Lazarus’ and ‘John Wick’ Share an Important Element
Another element that makesLazarusa must-watch is a certain someone who is on the production team.John Wickfranchise directorChad Stahelskiis the one who helps coordinate the anime’s action sequences, meaning that the show has someunforgettable fighting momentsthat you may see as early as Episode 1. During a recent interview, Stahelskitalked about his passion for anime projectsand even stated he’d like to fully pivot to animation, but knows that he won’t be able to do it any time soon.
Lazarusstands tall witha 90% scoreon Rotten Tomatoes.In his review, Collider’sJeff Ewingcalled the series “a brilliant anime with high-octane action” and wrote:
“The persistent presence of energetic jazz gives a frantic feel, and the characters themselves are colorful and distinct (though it would be useful to give them greater interior life earlier, so there’s a stronger feeling of their uniqueness and depth). It’s an engaging world that viewers enter into, but it also happens to be right at the moment of universal crisis, creating a high-stakes situation early on.”
Adult Swim rolls out new episodes ofLazaruson Saturdays. you’re able to check out the full first episode above.
