When anime great Shinichiro Watanabe announced his return to sci-fi, fan expectations immediately went through the roof. Watanabe has run the animation gamut with hits like Cowboy Bebop and Carole and Tuesday; any work of his would be hypeworthy. Yet, few anticipated the groundbreaking collaboration that would elevate anticipation for Lazarus to a feverish high.

Seeking to modernize animated combat for a new generation, Watanabe sought out fresh collaborators. His hunt brought about a killer collaboration—the direct involvement of John Wick director Chad Stahelski in crafting Lazarus‘ action. The unprecedented creative partnership marks a watershed moment for the anime world, fusing Eastern storytelling with Western sensibilities and design.

John Wick Creator Cites Cowboy Bebop As Inspiration

Anime Legend And Action Director Found Common Ground Through Years Of Indirect Influence

Watanabe and Stahelski may have only just started their collaboration with Lazarus, but their influence traces back decades, before either knew the other personally. Many fans of The Matrix have long known about the franchise’s anime influences (beyond The Animatrix spinoff). Stahelski, who first worked as a stunt coordinator on The Matrix, cited Watanabe’s work as foundational to his Wachowski-directed deliverables. His praise was so effusive that the directors would later recruit the animator for The Animatrix anthology.

This circular pattern of inspiration created a natural collaborative launching pad when producer Joseph Cho connected them on Lazarus. The partnership would build and grow through regular communication, with both creators speaking twice a week throughout production. For Stahelski, hands-on involvement was a prerequisite for involvement. With his star on the rise thanks to John Wick, he wanted to ensure he wasn’t attached in name alone, establishing a genuine creative exchange rather than a marketing arrangement. For Watanabe, Stahelski represented an opportunity to ensure his return to action-oriented storytelling maintained contemporary relevance without repeating his past accomplishments. Talking to Men’s Health, Watanabe clarified the need for new collaborators — specifically Stahelski. “We didn’t want to redo what we’ve done in the past. We wanted to do a new type of action anime this time. The first thing that came to mind was John Wick.”

The Animation Process Combined Live Action Principles With Hand-Drawn Techniques

An Intensive But Worth It Back-And-Forth Development Cycle

Traditional anime production typically tackles storyboarding and animation separately. Usually, action sequences are designed directly by animation directors, but Lazarus broke this mold entirely. It’s a testament to Watanabe’s creative vision and skills as a collaborator. He’s one of anime’s most prolific and beloved auteurs, but willing to share the load with a fellow creative.

The process was simple, but it necessitated meticulousness. After receiving story beats from Watanabe, Stahelski’s 87eleven Entertainment team would develop combat concepts at their Manhattan Beach facility. From there, the group would film preliminary versions to send to MAPPA’s animation department. Once received, the animators didn’t simply trace over filmed reference or apply motion capture. Instead, they studied the movement principles and spatial awareness of Stahelski’s choreography, then applied those concepts through animation techniques.

When asked about this methodology, Watanabe emphasized that mere replication would defeat their purpose.

“We didn’t just rely on rotoscoping or motion capture,” Watanabe clarified. “If we had done that, we didn’t think we would be able to beat live-action.” Stahelski described it as “the ever-decreasing circle of perfection,” an iterative process where each side pushed the other beyond established comfort zones. The live-action team would film possible approaches, Watanabe’s team would respond with animated interpretations, and further adjustments would follow until achieving something neither would have conceived independently.

The Physical Language Of Combat In Lazarus Breaks From Animation Traditions

Establishing New Visual Vocabulary For The Medium

Viewers immediately notice distinctive differences in how Lazarus approaches combat compared to typical anime action. While protagonist Axel maintains the acrobatic fluidity expected in a Watanabe production, he directly reflects Stahelski’s parkour-influenced choreography style, too. Unlike typical anime fights that prioritize isolated moments of visual spectacle, Lazarus combat is always continuous action where each movement flows naturally in succession.

“You start with a bunch of smart people—usually the director’s idea. We’ll block out those scenes, we’ll choreograph, and we’ll try to give you the shoe leather in between points A, B, and C.” – Chad Stahelski

Axel’s parkour seamlessly interacts with urban architecture, blending grounded action with a hyper-realized sense of movement. The physicality, continuity, and impact are all central to the John Wick franchise. Stahelski’s prowess allows Lazarus to have more complex choreography, kinetically unfolding, amplifying the entire experience in turn.

Both Creators Share An Obsession With Crafting Moments That Endure Beyond Their Initial Impact

Watanabe and Stahelski Have a History of Long-Standing Works

At the heart of Lazarus’s technical wizardry lies a philosophical kinship between Watanabe and Stahelski. These creators aren’t just throwing sequences together; they’re crafting unforgettable moments that stick with viewers long after the credits roll.

“You can’t tell me five moves out of the original Matrix, but you can tell me Bullet Time,” Stahelski quipped. “26 years later, you and I are sitting here talking about The Matrix. 30 years later, we’re sitting here talking about Cowboy Bebop.“

With Lazarus, they’re not just showing off flashy skills; they’re breaking ground in how animation like this gets rendered in the first place. Axel’s gravity-defying leaps through urban landscapes and the balletic charm of close-quarters combat, every flick of the wrist tells a story. As Stahelski put it:

For anyone glued to Lazarus, that difference is as clear as day. The collaboration, carefully cobbled together over decades, establishes a new visual vocabulary for the anime world from here on out.

Source: Men’s Health

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  Lazarus

  Release Date

  April 5, 2025
  

  Network

  Adult Swim

  Directors

  Shinichirô Watanabe

  Writers

  Shinichirô Watanabe

  
  

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  John Wick
  

  Dive into the world of a retired hitman pulled back into the brutal underworld he left behind, igniting a relentless crusade for revenge.