🔥 Lazarus Is the Must-Watch Anime of 2025

If Cowboy Bebop and John Wick had a anime baby, it would be Lazarus — a slick, cerebral, and brutally stylish sci-fi thriller that just hit the airwaves.

Directed by Shinichirō Watanabe (Samurai Champloo,Cowboy Bebop, Space Dandy) and animated by MAPPA (Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man), Lazarus isn’t just another futuristic shootout. It’s a ticking time-bomb of a story: a miracle drug that cured all pain turns out to be fatal — and humanity has 30 days to survive.

Team Lazarus. Five elite agents. Zero time to waste.

But here’s the twist: action scenes are choreographed by John Wick director Chad Stahelski. Yes — those fight scenes? Not just cool. Lethal ballet.

And the soundtrack? It slaps. Think Kamasi Washington, Bonobo, and Floating Points — jazz, electronica, and pure vibe, all colliding in Watanabe’s signature style.

Whether you're in it for the fight choreography, the dystopian brain-fry, or just the smooth blend of sci-fi and soul — Lazarus delivers. Hard.

Here's an inside look at the key players and their contributions:​ 👇

🎥 Direction & Storyboarding

• Director: Shinichirō Watanabe

  • Renowned for Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, Watanabe brings his signature style of blending genres and deep character development to Lazarus.

  • He also contributed to the scriptwriting, ensuring a cohesive vision throughout the series. ​

✍️ Scriptwriting Team

• Dai Satō: Known for his work on Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Satō brings a wealth of experience in crafting complex narratives.

• Takahiro Ozawa: Brings a fresh perspective to the series, contributing to its dynamic storytelling.

• Tsukasa Kondō: Adds depth to the narrative with his unique storytelling approach.

🎨 Character & Concept Design

• Character Designer: Akemi Hayashi

  • Hayashi's designs breathe life into the characters, capturing their personalities and the series' futuristic aesthetic.

• Concept Designer: Stanislas Brunet

  • Brunet's vision shapes the world of Lazarus, creating immersive environments that enhance the storytelling.

🥋 Action Choreography

• Action Supervisor: Chad Stahelski

  • Best known for directing the John Wick films, Stahelski brings his expertise in choreographing intense and realistic action sequences to the anime realm.

  • His collaboration with Watanabe ensures that the fight scenes are both visually stunning and narratively significant. ​

🎶 Music Composition

• Kamasi Washington: A jazz saxophonist whose compositions add a rich, soulful layer to the series' soundtrack.

• Bonobo: Brings his electronic music expertise, contributing to the series' modern and atmospheric sound.

• Floating Points: Adds depth with his unique blend of electronic and classical influences. ​

🖌️ Animation & Production

• Animation Studio: MAPPA

  • Known for high-quality animation in series like Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man, MAPPA delivers dynamic visuals and fluid motion that bring Lazarus to life.

• Production Company: Sola Entertainment

  • Oversees the overall production, ensuring that the series maintains its high standards across all aspects.