Shinichiro Watanabe’s Upcoming ‘Lazarus’ Anime Releases New Trailer Ahead of April Premiere

Shinichiro Watanabe, the mastermind behind ‘Cowboy Bebop,’ is back with a fresh anime project called ‘Lazarus,’ and it’s already got us hooked. A brand-new trailer just landed, giving a taste of what’s coming when the show hits screens in April. This isn’t some quiet slice-of-life tale—think high-stakes sci-fi action with a killer soundtrack, something Watanabe knows how to nail.

The story kicks off in 2052, where the world’s enjoying a golden age thanks to a drug called Hapuna. It’s a miracle fix, wiping out pain and sickness, all thanks to a brilliant neuroscientist, Dr. Skinner. But here’s the twist—three years later, Skinner vanishes, only to pop back up with grim news. That wonder drug? It’s a ticking time bomb. Everyone who took it has about three years before it kills them. Chaos looms, and a team of five agents, dubbed ‘Lazarus,’ gets thrown together to hunt Skinner down and find a cure before it’s too late.

Watanabe’s teamed up with MAPPA, the studio that brought us ‘Jujutsu Kaisen’ and ‘Chainsaw Man,’ so the animation’s going to look sharp. And the action? That’s handled by Chad Stahelski, the guy who made ‘John Wick’ a household name. I can already picture those fight scenes—smooth, intense, and packed with style. The music’s another big draw, with jazz star Kamasi Washington handling the opening track ‘Vortex,’ while The Boo Radleys drop the ending tune, also called ‘Lazarus.’ It’s got that funky, soulful vibe Watanabe loves.

‘Lazarus’ is set to premiere on April 5 in the U.S. on Adult Swim’s Toonami block at midnight EDT, with episodes hitting Max the next day. Over in Japan, it’ll air on TV Tokyo starting April 6 at 11:45 p.m. The show’s locked in for 13 episodes, keeping it tight and focused. Watanabe’s directing every one himself, which is a big deal—he’s known for classics like ‘Samurai Champloo’ and ‘Space Dandy,’ so his hands-on approach means this could be special.

The voice cast is stacked too. We’ve got Mamoru Miyano as Axel, Makoto Furukawa as Doug, and Maaya Uchida as Christine, just to name a few. Koichi Yamadera, who voiced Spike in ‘Cowboy Bebop,’ steps in as Dr. Skinner, joined by Megumi Hayashibara as Hersch. It’s a lineup that promises some real depth to these characters.

I’m excited to see how this plays out. Watanabe’s got a knack for blending cool visuals with stories that hit hard, and ‘Lazarus’ looks like it’s leaning into that. With a plot this wild—secret agents racing against a global death clock—it’s bound to keep us on edge. April can’t come fast enough.