Anime classics like Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, and Space Dandy wouldn’t be the beloved masterpieces they are were it not for the vision director Shinichirō Watanabe brought to them, and the same is going to be very true of Lazarus, his new upcoming series set to premiere on Adult Swim.
Shinichirō Watanabe is working on a new Adult Swim animated series
Shinichirō Watanabe is working on a new Adult Swim animated series
Variety reports that Adult Swim has ordered a full season of Lazarus, which will be produced by studio MAPPA — the Japanese production house behind anime like Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man — and feature “a jazz and electronic score” from saxophonist Kamasi DJ Floating Points and producer Bonobo. The show will also reportedly feature a number of action sequences crafted by John Wick’s Chad Stahelski.
Set in the year 2052, Lazarus tells the story of how Hapuna, a newly developed miracle drug created by a renowned neuroscientist, starts to wreak havoc on society once the public discovers how the drug’s users die three years after taking it. With more and more Hapuna users dying, an elite task force is put together to track down its source. In a statement about the show, Watanabe expressed his hope that people enjoy it and said that the series will speak to how he’s evolved as a director.
“As I embark on this creative journey, I can’t help but feel that this project will serve as a culmination of my career so far,” Watanabe said.
Currently, Lazarus does not yet have a set release date, but Watanabe is set to reveal more about this series at the Adult Swim Festival at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, July 22nd.