The new anime series Cowboy Bebop, is considered an all-time anime classic, so anything he creates now naturally draws attention. Pushing its profile even higher, Lazarus also features fight choreography by John Wick director Chad Stahelski and a hip musical score by Kamasi Washington, Bonobo, and Floating Points.

So far, reviews in Japan for Lazarus have been positive, with notable figures like game designer Hideo Kojima personally recommending it. However, in the West, the launch of Watanabe’s latest production is struggling to emerge from the shadow of his earlier work, Cowboy Bebop.

Comparisons between the two are widespread across social media and in online articles. Watanabe himself has even done some damage control in English-language interviews, telling Gizmodo, “It’s the same director making both series, there are going to be some similarities, so I’d like people to cut me some slack on that aspect.” But is it fair to constantly judge a creator’s new work against a past classic?

Watanabe’s Rise And The Enduring Legacy Of Bebop

From Champloo To Mars: A Career of Bold Experiments

Shinichiro Watanabe first rose to prominence as the co-director of the hit Macross Plus OVA series (1994–1995). However, it was 1998’s Cowboy Bebop that made him a star. Set in the year 2071, the series follows a group of bounty hunters aboard the spaceship Bebop, blending sci-fi with noir and Western influences. Its bold fusion of jazz, blues, and rock music helped create a one-of-a-kind atmosphere that captivated audiences. Released in the post-Evangelion era, when anime creativity was reaching new heights, Cowboy Bebop quickly earned its place as a genre-defining classic.

Following the original run of Cowboy Bebop, Watanabe continued to explore bold, genre-blending storytelling in a series of new anime projects. These included Samurai Champloo (2004), which fused Edo-period action with hip-hop culture; Kids on the Slope (2012), a jazz-infused coming-of-age drama; Space Dandy (2014), a wild, comedic space opera; and Carole & Tuesday (2019), a heartfelt tale of two musicians chasing dreams on a colonized Mars. While none of these series resonated with audiences quite like Cowboy Bebop, they each reflected Watanabe’s enduring commitment to musical innovation and stylistic experimentation.

A New Threat, A Ticking Clock: The Premise Of Lazarus

A Familiar Voice Behind The Scenes

Watanabe’s latest series, Lazarus, takes place in a world seemingly healed by a miracle drug called Hapuna—until its creator, Dr. Skinner, resurfaces after a mysterious disappearance to reveal it’s actually a delayed death sentence. Humanity has just 30 days before the drug kills everyone, prompting the formation of a five-member elite task force known as Lazarus to track him down. Prior to the series' release, Watanabe described it as “a new kind of challenge for me, different from anything I’ve done before.” And yet, comparisons to Cowboy Bebop have felt inevitable.

Watanabe was willing to it that Lazarus shares some similarities with Cowboy Bebop—but with an unusual twist: those parallels didn’t come from him. Lazarus was developed in collaboration with Keiko Nobumoto, the original screenwriter of Cowboy Bebop. Sadly, Nobumoto ed away in 2021, but not before contributing to the early creative development of the series. As Watanabe explained in the interview with Gizmodo, “(Nobumoto) was a part of the project from the very start when we were developing the story and characters… If Lazarus does remind people of Cowboy Bebop, it’s probably because we worked with Nobumoto together to write the story.”

Visual Echoes, New Faces

Urgency Over Cool: Key Differences From Bebop

That influence is apparent from the very first moments of Lazarus, which opens with a visually arresting sequence reminiscent of Bebop: silhouettes of the main characters falling through impressionistic, dreamlike backdrops. The protagonist, Axel Gilberto, with his lanky build and wild hair, strongly recalls the iconic Spike Spiegel. Further linking the two series, Watanabe has reunited several key collaborators from Bebop: Koichi Yamadera (Spike) now voices Dr. Skinner, Megumi Hayashibara (Faye) plays Hersch, and Akio Otsuka—another familiar voice—takes on the role of Abel.

While Lazarus and Cowboy Bebop share certain stylistic elements—such as jazz-infused soundtracks and a futuristic setting—there are notable distinctions between the two. Cowboy Bebop centers on a group of bounty hunters navigating personal pasts and existential themes, often adopting a more episodic narrative structure. In contrast, Lazarus presents a more urgent, overarching plot: a team of five agents racing against a 30-day deadline to thwart a global threat posed by the antagonist, Dr. Skinner. This time-sensitive mission introduces a heightened sense of immediacy and suspense, setting Lazarus apart from the more laid-back, character-driven storytelling of Cowboy Bebop.

Signature Style Or Strategic Self-Reference?

Lazarus Is An Adventure Still Worth Taking

The first episode of Lazarus has received a mostly positive response from Japanese viewers. Audiences praised the high-quality animation by MAPPA and the dynamic action sequences, particularly a standout parkour chase involving the protagonist, Axel. The music—featuring jazz and blues influences—was also well received for enhancing the show’s stylish atmosphere, drawing comparisons to Cowboy Bebop. Viewers noted the realistic character designs and minimal "moe" elements, making it accessible even to those typically less drawn to anime. Overall, fans in Japan seem intrigued by the futuristic setting and are eager to see how the story and characters develop in future episodes.

But are the similarities between Lazarus and Cowboy Bebop a canny commercial move, or simply the product of a director’s signature style? As Watanabe said in his Gizmodo interview when asked about the comparisons, “…in no way am I doing the same thing on purpose, making a cameo, or paying homage to my previous works. Everything is for a reason, and I want you to watch it with fresh eyes. Don’t look for similarities, just enjoy it for what it is.”

While live-action directors with distinctive styles—like Wes Anderson or Tim Burton—are often expected to revisit familiar territory, anime creators don’t always get that same grace. So far, only one episode of Lazarus has aired, and it’s entirely possible that Watanabe still has surprises in store or plans to take the series in unexpected directions. But even if he doesn’t, a new work from the creator of Cowboy Bebop is still something of a gift for anime fans. All that’s left is to watch and see where he takes us next.

Source: Gizmodo