During the ComicCon these days, announcements related to the world of television, cinema, comics, and of course, anime are to be expected. That’s exactly what happened during the Adult Swim Festival, where it was revealed that a new anime by Shinichiro Watanabe has been greenlit. If the name doesn’t ring a bell on its own, a list of some of his anime works will surely help: Kids on the Slope, Samurai Champloo, Cowboy Bebop.
Titled “Lazarus,” and produced by the MAPPA studio, this anime would have Cowboy Bebop’s director in charge of an absolute dream team of creative talents. Chad Stahelski, the director of John Wick, would handle the action sequences of the series, and the soundtrack for the project would be created by saxophonist Kasami Washington, DJ Floating Points, and producer Bonobo. The musical mix would blend jazz and electronic elements, in line with Watanabe’s previous works.
From what little we know about the work, apart from the individuals involved, is its synopsis. The series would take place in 2052, following a Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist who has developed a drug called Hapuna capable of curing any disease. There’s a catch, though – it kills the person who takes it three years later. Simultaneously, a team of special forces agents is assembled to take down the malevolent Skinner. How these two plots will relate, who Skinner is, or where the story will lead is yet to be seen. However, it appears that the series will have more in common with the excellent but underrated Zankyo no Terror than with Watanabe’s more well-known works like Samurai Champloo or Cowboy Bebop. And certainly, it’s expected to be better than its recent live-action adaptation by Netflix.
According to Adult Swim’s anime and action series manager, “Lazarus is full of great ideas, incredible characters, and a lot of heart.” And according to Watanabe himself, “I can’t help but feel that this project will serve as a culmination of my career up to this point.” Such statements only elevate the hype, even if there are no trailers or images yet – just the knowledge that Watanabe is focused and backed by such a dream team makes failure seem impossible.
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