When it comes to anime, manga adaptations and safe franchise bets dominate streaming platforms. It seems like truly original projects are an endangered species. However, Lazarus — the latest sci-fi brainchild of Cowboy Bebop mastermind Shinichiro Watanabe — has anime fans buzzing with excitement.

As Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Max recognize the value of bolstering anime catalogs, battle for exclusive content, and animation studios subsequently juggle creative ambitions against commercial pressures, Lazarus stands out as both a bold industry gamble and a creative milestone from one of anime’s most visionary directors. For both hardcore anime enthusiasts and curious newcomers wondering what all the hype is about, a Lazarus guide is essential to understand the new sci-fi thriller everyone’s talking about.

Lazarus Plot, Explained: What Is the New Anime From Cowboy Bebop’s Creator About?

Lazarus Is Set in a Near-Future Pharmaceutical Nightmare

Lazarus drops viewers into 2052, the latest near-future-set series from Watanabe. Like Cowboy Bebop and Carole and Tuesday before it, Lazarus is set in a time wherein humanity’s technological and political advancements cloak a seedier underbelly. Despite enjoying unprecedented peace, it’s all thanks to a wonder drug called Hapna that wipes away pain and suffering.

Key plot elements fans should know about Lazarus:

• The story unfolds in a seemingly utopian 2052 where pain has been eliminated
• Hapna, the miracle drug everyone depends on, secretly kills its users after three years
• The five-member “Lazarus” task force has just 30 days to save humanity
• Dr. Skinner, the drug’s creator-turned-villain, holds the key to humanity’s survival
• The global chase spans multiple countries and has spectacular set pieces

Dr. Skinner, the Nobel Prize-winning genius who created Hapna, vanishes mysteriously only to return with earth-shattering news: everyone who’s taken his drug will die within three years — a clock runs out in just 30 days. With humanity facing extinction, a special task force called “Lazarus” races against time to track down Skinner and develop a vaccine before it’s too late.

Lazarus Marks Cowboy Bebop Director’s Return to Speculative Sci-Fi Anime

Modern Audiences Always Crave Futuristic Stories

Shinichiro Watanabe has always kept his shows’ heartbeat in rhythm with reality despite their fantastical premises. Cowboy Bebop sent bounty hunters across space, yet explored themes of existential isolation that resonated deeply with ’90s audiences. Similarly, Lazarus might be set decades in the future, but its pharmaceutical nightmare hits uncomfortably close to home. Watanabe himself confirmed in interviews that America’s devastating opioid crisis directly inspired the series, giving this sci-fi thriller a sharp edge of real-world relevance that elevates it beyond typical genre fare.

When people think about the end of the world in fiction, usually the cause is some kind of war or maybe an alien invasion. But with this story, the collapse of everything begins with the creation of this new painkiller, Hapna. The general real-world opioid crisis was one of my bigger inspirations for this series, but also the fact that many of the musicians I love listening to ultimately died from drug overdoses.

~ Watanabe, interview with The Verge

For anime fans, Watanabe needs no introduction. The visionary director behind Cowboy Bebop — arguably the most influential anime series ever to reach Western audiences — has spent decades redefining what anime storytelling can achieve. Now with Lazarus, Watanabe returns to hard sci-fi action for the first time since the series that made him a legend.

Watanabe’s unprecedented level of involvement adds more fuel to the fandom fire — he’s personally directing all 13 episodes himself, a rarity in today’s anime production landscape. But his oversight comes amid a sense of ownership and hints that this may be his swan song. In his own words, Watanabe describes Lazarus as “the culmination of everything I’ve learned throughout my career,” suggesting this series represents something deeply personal within his already legendary body of work. Interestingly, in recent interviews, Watanabe has practically begged viewers to experience Lazarus on its own terms rather than constantly measuring it against Cowboy Bebop — a clear sign that while he acknowledges his legacy, he’s created something he believes stands entirely on its own merits.

Lazarus Is John Wick Meets Anime

The East Meets West in Action-Packed Fashion

If you’ve watched the trailer and thought, “those fight scenes look different from typical anime action,” your instincts are spot-on. One of Lazarus‘ most groundbreaking aspects is the involvement of Chad Stahelski — the visionary director behind the John Wick franchise — who designed the action sequences. Stahelski isn’t attached in name alone like some cash grab. Rather, he was deliberately sought out by Watanabe who was keen on forging a genuine creative partnership which blends their two distinct styles.

Stahelski and his legendary 87eleven Action Design team (the stunt powerhouse behind films like The Matrix and Atomic Blonde) actually choreographed and filmed real-world fight sequences that the Lazarus animation team then adapted into the series. It’s an unprecedented, hybrid approach never before seen in anime. For Stahelski, joining Watanabe’s latest endeavor was an absolute no-brainer. “People ask, ‘Where do you get the ideas? Where do you get your influences?’” he said in conversation with Men’s Health. “One of them was always Shinichirō Watanabe-san, with Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo. [When Watanabe asked] I was like, I’ll do it…I’m not giving that one up.”

How the John Wick DNA transforms Lazarus:

• Real fighters performed and filmed every combat sequence before animation began
• Genuine martial arts techniques replace impossible anime physics
• Weapons handle with realistic weight, recoil, and ammunition constraints
• Fight sequences maintain consistent geography you can actually follow
• Parkour movements create uniquely fluid chase scenes anime fans haven’t seen before

Lazarus’ early episodes showcase this revolutionary approach most vividly in extended chase sequences when protagonist Axel navigates urban environments with parkour-style dexterity which feels simultaneously realistic and stylized in a Matrix and Wick-like way.

The Anime Studio Behind Attack on Titan & Jujutsu Kaisen Delivers Lazarus

Stellar Soundtracks Continue for Cowboy Bebop Director

When anime fans heard MAPPA would animate Lazarus, expectations skyrocketed. The powerhouse studio behind Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, and Attack on Titan‘s jaw-dropping final season has established itself as today’s premier animation house — known for fluid action sequences, stunning visual effects, and a consistent quality most seasonal anime can only dream of achieving.

MAPPA’s decision to take on Lazarus — an original property without a guaranteed fanbase — while balancing its already packed schedule of adaptation hits shows an appropriate amount of reverence and confidence in Watanabe’s vision. The production also assembled a voice cast equivalent of an anime all-star team in both Japanese and English versions. The talent lineup includes some of the most respected voice actors in the industry, many bringing fascinating connections to their roles:

Watanabe’s most iconic protagonist — Spike from Cowboy Bebop — now voices his newest antagonist. It’s a brilliant casting flip which adds delicious layers for longtime anime fans, as the voice they once associated with cool detachment now delivers chilling villain monologues. In Episode 3’s confrontation scene, Yamadera’s performance sends shivers down viewers’ spines precisely because audiences are able to track traces of Spike’s sardonic delivery twisted into something menacing. The English dub, produced specifically to feed the Adult Swim/Max pipeline, features a stellar cast, too. The simulcast strategy, seeing the distribution of both language versions, speaks to the global ambitions for the project, being more than narrative, but business-minded, too.

The Lazarus Anime Has an Awesome Genre-Defying Soundtrack

The Music Becomes a Character Itself Just Like in Cowboy Bebop & Carole and Tuesday

Veterans anime fans well acquainted with Watanabe know music isn’t just background fodder — it’s essentially a featured character. From Cowboy Bebop‘s legendary jazz to Samurai Champloo‘s revolutionary hip-hop fusion and Carole & Tuesday‘s soaring songwriting approach, Watanabe’s series are as much about what you hear as what you see. Lazarus is the latest iteration of this decades-long tradition, delivering perhaps the most ambitious musical collaborations yet. The soundtrack brings together musical heavyweights from completely different worlds:

• Kamasi Washington – The Grammy-nominated jazz saxophonist whose cosmic compositions redefine modern jazz crafted “Vortex,” the heart-pounding opening theme
• Floating Points – The neuroscientist-turned-electronic producer whose ambient soundscapes create Lazarus’s tense atmosphere
• Bonobo – The legendary DJ and producer whose “Dark Will Fall” (featuring Jacob Lusk) delivers the series’ haunting insert song
• The Boo Radleys – The British alt-rock icons performing the melancholic ending theme “Lazarus”

This cross-genre collaboration creates a sonic landscape unlike anything in current anime. Washington’s saxophone soars through action sequences with improvisational energy which perfectly matches the unpredictable fight choreography. Floating Points’ electronic textures create tension during investigation scenes while subtly incorporating medical sounds which reinforce the pharmaceutical themes. The contrast between these musical approaches — organic jazz versus digital precision — mirrors the series’ central themes about humanity’s relationship with technology.

Watch Can I Watch Lazarus?

Where to Stream Lazarus & What to Expect

Where to watch Lazarus right now:

• Cable TV (U.S.): Adult Swim’s Toonami block, premiered April 5, 2025, airs Saturdays at midnight
• Streaming (U.S.): Max platform, new episodes available Sundays (day after Toonami broadcast)
• Japan: TV Tokyo and affiliates, premiered April 6, 2025, airs Sundays at 11:45 PM JST
• Language Options: English dub debuts first on Adult Swim/Max, with Japanese audio/English subtitles versions arriving 30 days later

In North America, the Lazarus English dub episodes arrive first, followed by subtitled versions, reversing the typical anime release pattern and reflecting Adult Swim’s production role. Although purists may find the 30-day wait challenging, both versions feature outstanding voice acting. Lazarus is a rare anime event: an original story from a legendary creator, supported by top-tier production studios, with groundbreaking action design and musical soundscapes worth adding to listening rotations. Whether a Watanabe fan since Cowboy Bebop, an action lover drawn by the John Wick connection, or someone who values bold storytelling, Lazarus offers a meticulously realized experience that emerges once in a generation.