When anyone mentions Shinichirō Watanabe, the GoSeeTalk crew cracks a big smile. It’s that same grimace we get listening to the first few bars of “Tank!“. So when it was announced he had a new show coming, we jumped right out of our chairs. What could the future hold from this legendary storyteller?? Well, if you’re a fan, you can bet on a few certainties: it will be thrilling, funny, emotional, put great music at the forefront, and be cool. Very, very cool.
Then what can we expect with Lazarus? In the year 2052, the painkiller drug “Hapna” brought humanity to the verge of unprecedented peace and stability. But three years after the disappearance of the doctor who created it, the drug is having lethal side effects. “Lazarus” is the emergency task force assembled when that miracle cure is hijacked for purging populations. Can they find Dr. Skinner before it’s too late? That’s some pretty high stakes, and if Bruce Willis can make saving the world look cool from space, then Watanabe can do something very similar on Earth and in the future. Just as epic, just as awesome, with loads of style.
From the get go, Lazarus is out to prove something in the first episode (your jaw will be on the floor from the six-minute chase scene) and this new series borders on extraordinary. But you have to know what you’re getting into: this is not intended to be Cowboy Bebop 2.0 even though there are some superficial elements that hint this might be heading that direction. Even the key art below looks to give that vibe. And it’s true that Axel, Doug, Christine and Eleina/Leland have framework similar to Spike, Jett, Faye and Ed, but the fact some fans might see them as copies comes down to Watanabe doing/drawing what he likes.
This is a rag tag group of specialists flying under the radar to achieve their objectives. To do so, they have snazzy threads, wonderful toys, and swagger. There’s a lot of that style here, and, again, it’s a visual choice. The important thing is that it fits, it works, and it’s fun. And it all starts in the intro (check it out below).
Beyond that, what flavors he carries over are his calling card; that can be seen in close-ups of eyeballs, characters falling in slow-mo, silent scenes that establish mood, oh and doves. Can’t forget that. But for anyone still on the fence, this is more akin to Guy Ritchie – think about the differences/similarities between Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch.
The overarching story is where Watanabe bifurcates from Bebop. You could call Lazarus “bounty hunters” but they are beholden to a superior on a singular and extensive mission (callback to Armageddon above). That’s notably different from the way the Bebop crew ran under their own rules and agenda (even when it was against one another). The team are secret agents on a short leash and boils down to a simple premise: They’re here to save the world. And they are the right ones for the job as the show certainly has plenty of bright spots and outstanding sequences.
On that note, there are many moments where Axel Gilberto is nearly superhuman, further distancing himself from Spike Spiegel and his skills. But if it’s not his own internal centrifuge that keeps him flipping, spinning and nearly flying through the scenery, the music catapults the entire Lazarus squad through the action and brings a lot of uniqueness to this world.
Watanabe has commissioned a trio of musical minds – Kamasi Washington, Bonobo and Floating Points – who contributed a full-length soundtrack to the show. Their sounds succeed in making this ultra cool. It also helps us feel the tangible gravity of the stakes along the way. It’s a trifecta of pulse-pounding synthy tunes, trip hop and low fi grooves. The opening theme “Vortex” by Kasami Washington really sets the stage (video above), and the end credits have a one-two punch of a fun song, “Lazarus” by The Boo Radleys, as well as the animation of which is really cool and innovative.
Thematically, there’s a lot of style evident in just the first episode, and setting it in the near future gives the story plenty of creative freedom. The ultra high-tech elements are juxtaposed against gritty, rough-and-tumble, near poverty level settings and environments. In fact, one thing that makes the anime so lifelike is not just the style of artistry, it’s also the fact that the stunt coordinator is Chad Stahelski (who is famously known to be Keanu Reeves’ stunt double turned director of some of the John Wick films). That’s a sure mark of quality as those films have raised the bar on action and martial arts like few other series have done in recent years. You’ll want to watch Axel’s prison escape again and again.
All in all, it’s so great to see more from Watanabe as his fan base (rabid and fervent as they are) getting what has sorely been missing since the final days of the Bebop crew…and distance us from that poor live-action adaptation. Eek. We’ve seen the first five episodes of Lazarus and can’t wait to dive in to the rest of them right along with you!
Lazarus will premiere Saturday, April 5 at midnight on Adult Swim during the network’s Toonami action/anime block. The series will air on Adult Swim in English, with new episodes available the next day on Max. English-language encore airings will debut every Thursday at midnight beginning Thursday, April 10. Episodes in Japanese with English subtitles will debut in the U.S. on Adult Swim and Max 30 days after their English-language premiere.
The year is 2052.
The world seemed to be on the verge of unprecedented peace and stability, and the painkiller drug “Hapna” developed by a lauded neuroscientist Dr. Skinner has had a lot to do with it. Pervasive throughout the world with no known side effects, Hapna is said to have freed humanity from pain.
But then, Skinner suddenly disappeared off the face of the earth.
Three years later, he re-emerges as a prophet who brings countless deaths and the end of civilization. Hapna is designed with a fatal, retroactive effect, which manifests three years after ingestion, even by those who have only taken it once. Just thirty days remain until humanity is doomed to extinction. The only way to save the world is to get the cure that only Skinner knows. For that we must first find him.
“Lazarus” is a team of five agents gathered from various corners of the world to do just that. Can they save humanity? And what is Skinner’s true purpose?
