Lazarus Anime Review: Does Watanabe’s New Series Deliver?

A world that finally cured pain just got handed a three year countdown to extinction. That is the hook behind Lazarus anime, and it is one of the boldest premises any sci fi show has opened with in years.

This Lazarus anime review covers the story, the cast, the soundtrack, the action, and whether the show actually lives up to the name behind it. Spoilers are kept light so you can read this before or after watching.

What Is Lazarus Anime About?

Lazarus is an original sci fi series directed by Shinichiro Watanabe, the creator behind Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo. It aired in 2025 as a joint production between Mappa and Adult Swim, also airing on Toonami.

The story is set in 2052, in a world that appears to have reached genuine peace. A miracle painkiller called Hapna, created by neuroscientist Dr Skinner, has wiped out physical pain everywhere on the planet.

Then Skinner drops the bomb. Everyone who has taken Hapna will die within three years, and there is no known cure. A covert task force called Lazarus is assembled to track Skinner down and find an antidote before billions of people die.

Lazarus Anime Review: First Impressions

The premiere episode of Lazarus anime makes a strong first impression. The animation is sharp, the world feels lived in, and the introduction of lead character Axel Gilberto sets the tone for the kind of fast, stylish energy Watanabe is known for.

Early episodes lean heavily into action, introducing the rest of the Lazarus team one mission at a time. If you came in expecting something close to Cowboy Bebop in tone, the opening stretch delivers a similar mix of cool characters and high stakes chaos.

That said, the first few episodes also drew some mixed reactions from fans, mainly around pacing and dialogue. The show takes a little time to settle into its rhythm before the bigger ideas start to land.

Lazarus Characters: Meet the Team

Axel Gilberto

Axel is the closest thing Lazarus has to a traditional protagonist. He is quick, confident, and a little reckless, with the kind of charisma that immediately makes him fun to follow across the season.

Dr Skinner

Dr Skinner is the figure the entire plot revolves around. A brilliant scientist turned global threat, his motivations stay mysterious for most of the season, which keeps the central mystery of Lazarus anime explained slowly rather than all at once.

The Rest of the Lazarus Squad

The supporting cast brings a mix of skill sets and personalities to the team. Each member gets at least one episode where their backstory and motivations take center stage, which helps the group feel like more than just a generic strike team by the midpoint of the season.

Lazarus Anime Action and Animation

One of the standout elements of Lazarus is its action choreography. John Wick director Chad Stahelski was brought on board to help design the fight sequences, and it shows. The hand to hand combat feels weighty and grounded in a way that stands out from typical anime fight scenes.

The animation overall is consistently strong, with Mappa handling the production. Cyberpunk anime fans will recognize a lot of familiar visual language here, but Watanabe’s direction gives the world its own identity rather than leaning on genre cliches.

Where the show occasionally stumbles is in its English dub localization. Some of the dialogue in early episodes does not land as hard as it should, though this improves noticeably as the season progresses.

Lazarus Soundtrack and Opening Theme

If there is one area where Lazarus anime is an easy recommendation on its own merits, it is the music. The soundtrack was composed by an all star lineup including Kamasi Washington, Floating Points, and Bonobo.

The opening theme, Vortex, is one of the best anime openings of 2025. The combination of saxophone, electronic production, and the show’s visual style makes it genuinely worth not skipping.

Even viewers who feel mixed on the story tend to agree that the music elevates every episode it appears in.

Lazarus Anime Plot Review: Where the Story Goes

The first half of the season focuses on introducing the world, the team, and the scope of the Hapna crisis. The second half shifts gears, with the pace picking up significantly as the team gets closer to the truth behind Skinner’s plan.

By the back half of the season, Lazarus anime episodes deliver some of the most ambitious sequences in the show, balancing personal character moments with larger questions about science, power, and responsibility.

Lazarus ending explained without spoiling the details, the final episodes bring the central mystery to a head and give most of the main cast a clear sense of closure, while leaving enough open for the story to continue if a second season happens.

Lazarus vs Cowboy Bebop: Fair Comparison?

It is almost impossible to talk about a new Shinichiro Watanabe series without bringing up Cowboy Bebop, and Lazarus does share some DNA with it. The found family dynamic, the genre blending music, and the cool factor are all present.

But Lazarus is its own show with its own ideas. It is more focused on a single overarching mission than Cowboy Bebop’s episodic structure, and its themes lean more directly into modern anxieties around pharmaceutical power and global crisis.

Fans expecting a direct spiritual sequel may need to adjust expectations, but those willing to meet Lazarus on its own terms will find plenty to enjoy.

Is Lazarus Anime Worth Watching?

Yes, with a small caveat. The first few episodes ask for a bit of patience, especially around pacing and dialogue delivery. Once the story finds its footing, Lazarus anime becomes a genuinely compelling watch.

For fans of sci fi anime, cyberpunk anime, or anyone curious about Watanabe’s first major TV series since Carole and Tuesday, this is a strong pick for your watchlist.

You can watch anime online free at 9anime-tv.pro and stream Lazarus season 1 right now, subbed and dubbed.

Final Verdict on Lazarus Anime Review

Lazarus is ambitious, stylish, and backed by one of the best soundtracks of the year. It does not always move at the pace fans expected going in, but the back half of the season delivers on the promise of its premise.

It is not a flawless return for Watanabe, but it is a confident one, and the action choreography alone makes it stand out among 2025’s new anime.

Score: 7.9 out of 10. A solid recommendation for sci fi and action anime fans willing to stick with it past the opening episodes.

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