When Lazarus was announced, expectations were sky-high and understandably so. With Shinichirō Watanabe attached, the shadow of Cowboy Bebop loomed large. For longtime anime fans, Cowboy Bebop is not just a classic, it is the gold standard for sci-fi storytelling, blending noir, jazz, and space opera into an emotional and stylistic masterpiece. So it is no surprise that viewers came into Lazarus anticipating a spiritual successor. But the truth is that Lazarus is not trying to be Cowboy Bebop, and frankly, it does not have to be.
Lazarus thrives when taken on its own as a stylish, slightly chaotic, visually rich experience that is more about vibes than substance. This is not a story that aims to redefine anime or leave fans emotionally devastated. It is more like a 22-minute cool-down session that is quick, vibrant, and immersive. Once fans let go of comparisons and stop expecting Bebop-level nuance, Lazarus reveals its own strengths as a flashy sci-fi playground, memorable aesthetic choices, and just enough narrative tension to keep viewers intrigued. It is not perfect, but it is having fun, and if fans let it, they will too.
A Futuristic Playground That Does Not Sweat the Details
The World of Lazarus is Slick, Shiny, and Surprisingly Chill
One of the strongest aspects of Lazarus is its setting, which is a hyper-advanced future that still clings to the remnants of the current digital age. It is a fascinating juxtaposition of neon skyscrapers and high-speed trains side-by-side with nostalgic artifacts like SoundCloud. The world feels lived-in, slightly grimy, and on the edge of dystopia, which makes it feel believable even when it is flashy. There is enough detail in the cityscapes and tech to anchor the sci-fi elements without bogging down the story in heavy exposition.
Only One Series Made John Wick's Director Say It Was "one of the funnest jobs I’ve ever done", And It Has 90% On Rotten Tomatoes
Lazarus has emerged as one of the spring anime season's top new shows, and the director of John Wick revealed he really enjoyed working on it.
What Lazarus does best is immerse viewers in its universe through aesthetics. The show does not pause to explain every piece of future tech or digital culture, it just moves, trusting fans to keep up. That choice works well for a weekly watch that is more about sensation than depth. It allows the viewer to soak in the colorful chaos without getting caught in technobabble. Even the drug-centered plot about mass exposure to a death-inducing chemical feels more like a loose framework than a tightly plotted narrative engine.
The simplicity of the story about a global health crisis, a search for the cure, and a ragtag team of agents is not a weakness. In fact, it gives Lazarus freedom to explore settings and encounters without overcomplicating things. It leaves room for theory-crafting and speculation without overwhelming the viewer. The stakes are high, but the pacing does not insist that fans stress about them. That tonal balance is a gamble, but for viewers looking for chill weekly sci-fi, it pays off.
Characters Who Stand Out, Even When They Do Not Stick
Fans Might Forget Lazarus' Character's Names, But They Will Not Forget Their Faces
Lazarus does not reinvent the wheel when it comes to character archetypes. It has got the cool, stoic fighter. The mysterious hacker girl. The femme fatale. These are familiar roles, and sometimes Lazarus leans too hard into the cliché. Axel, for instance, is a textbook action hero who is brash, brawny, and cocky. Eleina, the hacker, feels like a remix of a dozen characters before her, and Christine does not do much to subvert her trope either. These characters work in function, but they do not necessarily stand out emotionally.
But then there are the less expected personalities like Leland, Doug, and Hersh, who add some surprising texture to the mix. Leland is refreshing in that he is not a typical action figure; he is more of an everyman, a relatable presence in a world of hypercompetence. Doug is cool in a quiet, restrained way as an intellectual who can also throw down when needed. And Hersh is just plain intriguing because her knowledge is unsettlingly vast, and the show has not quite tipped its hand about her true role.
Ironically, while fans may forget their names (and yes, many viewers probably do), the cast still manages to be visually and tonally distinct. That is a testament to Lazarus’s strong character design and voice direction. Even if fans cannot recall who is who without a quick search, the moment they see them on screen, they know exactly what role they play. That level of immediate clarity, especially in a show that prioritizes style, is an underappreciated strength.
Vibes, Style, and Why That Is Enough
22-Minute Escapism is What Lazarus Gets Right
Honesly, is not succeeding because of deep writing. What hooks viewers is the audio-visual vibe. The animation is slick, the color palette is dynamic, and the action choreography, especially when it leans into martial arts, is electric. But what really elevates the experience is the music. The soundtrack hits that perfect sweet spot of comforting and familiar, yet futuristic and cool. It is a sonic landscape that blends seamlessly with the visuals, creating a rhythm that feels made for quick, engaging viewing.
Lazarus feels like it was built for binging. The episodes are short, punchy, and often light on significant plot development and, overall, better suited to flowing one into the next than standing alone week by week.
That is part of why the weekly release schedule feels like a mismatch. Lazarus feels like it was built for binging. The episodes are short, punchy, and often light on significant plot development and, overall, better suited to flowing one into the next than standing alone week by week. The momentum suffers when fans are made to pause and reflect on just how little story progression actually occurred. This structure works better when the show is consumed in bursts, where style and spectacle matter more than continuity.
Still, that does not take away from the enjoyment. Not every show needs to deliver slow-burn character arcs or shocking revelations to be worthwhile. Sometimes, a show just needs to give viewers 22 minutes of slick visuals, cool characters doing cool things, and a soundscape that wraps around you like a warm synth blanket. In that respect, Lazarus absolutely delivers. It is a mood, not a masterpiece, and that is totally okay.
Lazarus Is Not Cowboy Bebop, and That is the Point
Lazarus Was Never Trying to be the Next Cowboy Bebop, So Fans Should Stop Comparing the Two
Lazarus will never be Cowboy Bebop, and that is not a failing. Bebop was a singular lightning strike that was poetic, melancholy, and richly thematic. It is unfair to expect any Watanabe project to replicate that magic, and to his credit, Lazarus does not try to. Instead, it carves out its own space that is rooted in pop-culture futurism, aesthetic experimentation, and quick-hit storytelling. It is breezy and sometimes forgettable, but it is also fresh, enjoyable, and full of potential.
If You Think '90s Anime Is Superior, a New Anime Just Dropped That Perfectly Captures the Era
One of the season's most exciting new anime series has finally premiered, and it offers everything fans love great about 1990s anime.
What matters more than legacy is whether a show knows what it wants to be, and Lazarus does. It is a snack, not a feast. A visual mixtape rather than a grand opera. And for viewers burned out on overly complex or self-serious anime, that is a welcome change. Sure, some episodes feel anticlimactic. Some characters feel undercooked. But none of that overshadows the core appeal that it is fun to watch. And in a landscape that is increasingly crowded with try-hard prestige anime, sometimes fun is exactly what fans need.
Lazarus
- Release Date
- April 6, 2025
- Network
- TV Tokyo, Adult Swim, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC
- Directors
- Shinichiro Watanabe, Tsuyoshi Tobita, Kazuo Miyake
Cast
Mamoru MiyanoAxel (voice)-
Makoto FurukawaDoug (voice)
-
Shinya TakahashiTalkshow Host (voice)
-
Maaya UchidaChristine (voice)
WHERE TO WATCH
Lazarus: Set in 2052, Lazarus follows a Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist who creates a drug named Hapuna, initially celebrated as a cure-all. However, it inadvertently causes death three years after consumption, prompting the formation of an elite team, Lazarus, to counter the menace posed by the antagonist, Skinner.
- Writers
- Tsukasa Kondo
- Producers
- Jason DeMarco
- Seasons
- 1
