Lazarus and its surprising John Wick connections sure to be anticipated as one of the year's best series, given its associated talents.

Lazarus is a science fiction adventure set in 2052, where the world is in unprecedented calm thanks to the Hapna drug synthesized by Dr. Skinner, voiced by Cowboy Bebop's Spike Spiegel voice actor Koichi Yamadera. It is seemingly the ultimate miracle drug, halting pain, yet its creator suddenly goes missing. Upon his return, Hapna is revealed to have disastrously fatal side effects, with only Dr. Skinner possessing the cure. Aside from additional footage, perhaps the most exciting reveal is the confirmation of Cowboy Bebop veterans, including Yamadera and Faye Valentine's Megumi Hayashibara.

Lazarus Unveils Stellar Japanese Voice Cast at New York Comic-Con

A Crowd-Pleasing Announcement for Certain

The Toonami original anime series Lazarus is the latest to the platform, sure to appeal to longtime viewers of the platform similarly to Cowboy Bebop. The anime is produced by Studio MAPPA, adding to its long line of accomplished original anime, the third of its projects alongside Watanabe's direction including Terror in Resonance and Kids on the Slope. But perhaps the most exciting aspect about the premiere episode stream of Lazarus for lucky attendees at New York Comic-Con, in addition to unveiling its Japanese voice cast.

ing Yamadera and Hayashibara is Mamoru Miyano, who voices Axel from the preview, voice of Death Note's Light Yagami, as well as the recently revealed VA for Hikaru Kamiki in Oshi no Ko. The cast generally shows a high-caliber roster of highly active talents in today's anime scene, including Urusei Yatsura, Blue Box, Tower of God, Kaiju No. 8, Fruits Basket, and Ranma ½. While Lazarus is the latest in a near decades-long lineup of IGPX, it's also a uniquely exciting prospect for anime viewers.

Lazarus Could Be the Most Exciting Watanabe Project Since Cowboy Bebop

Boasting All the Classic Hallmarks but with a Modern Audience

Cowboy Bebop is still considered one of the greatest anime of all time, with director Watanabe seemingly unable to create a project that doesn't fall within general audiences' favorite anime. However, with other niche projects like Samurai Champloo being loved as a genre alternative with similarly quirky and brilliant musical choices, or Space Dandy's more absurd spiritual sequel, Lazarus could be the original, gritty sci-fi thriller to truly stand out.

With the series featuring a grounded yet high-octane cyberpunk and tech-noir aesthetic, as Axel embodies the similar vibes of other classic Watanabe anime protagonists, Lazarus has a natural appeal. Add to this the pulse-pounding electronic beats as a collaborative effort between Kamasi Washington, Floating Points, and Bonobo, and it's poised to be the newest idiosyncratic series in Watanabe's catalog with a surely memorable soundtrack. Lazarus is set for a 2025 release, so stay tuned for more updates before its inevitable rise next year.

Source: Press Release, Adult Swim on YouTube