Is the Lazarus Anime Worth Watching?

In the Spring 2025 anime season, filled with ambitious new projects and exciting sequels, few have garnered as much anticipation as Lazarus. This original anime, slated for 13 episodes, began airing on April 6, 2025 and features an all-star staff of industry veterans.

Due to this, many curious onlookers may wonder whether the anime is worth watching. Yes, the Lazarus anime is undoubtedly worth trying, and its first two episodes have received largely positive reactions.

Set in the year 2052, the series revolves around a world where mankind relies on a miracle drug known as Hapna. However, the happiness derived from it is soon shattered when its creator, Dr. Skinner, reveals that the drug will eventually kill its user. As he plunges society into darkness, a special task force called “Lazarus” moves into action to find the scientist and develop a cure.

Based on the two episodes released so far, the most common point of appreciation for the series is its animation. The studio behind the project, Mappa, is arguably the biggest name in the industry right now. Having worked on Attack on Titan, Vinland Saga, and Jujutsu Kaisen, Lazarus is yet another addition to their catalogue of popular anime.

The main reason fans are excited, however, is because of the creator, Shinichirou Watanabe. This legendary figure is the mastermind behind original anime such as Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo. The flavor of his direction is already apparent through Lazarus, and viewers can’t help but notice how similar the main characters, Axel and Spike from Cowboy Bebop, are.

Lazarus combined both dystopian and cyberpunk elements, delivering them through the eyes of its likeable cast and fascinating world. Its visuals and choreography are very smooth, while the dialogue, action scenes, and music make it seem more like a Western animation than a Japanese anime.

Additionally, the series’ action supervisor is Chad Stahelski, the acclaimed director of John Wick. His contribution has already stolen the spotlight since the fights have been exhilarating right from the first episode. At the same time, there are also a few criticisms of the anime.

While it is still in its early stages, viewers can’t help but notice that the plot is moving along very quickly. There is very little exploration of Dr. Skinner’s reasoning for committing mass murder, and the formation of the team to track him down is also done in a very nonchalant manner. The lack of exaggeration may be the reason why it feels more like an American animated series, but it also faces the risk of isolating Japanese anime fans.

Nevertheless, it is still too soon to tell that the anime will not expand upon these topics. The story itself may not be the most intriguing at this point, but the exhilarating action and charming protagonist make it a series worth watching.

Should You Watch Lazarus in English or Japanese?

As mentioned earlier, Lazarus is a unique venture since it actively seeks to appeal to both the Japanese audience and English-speaking fans. As a testament to this, the anime’s English dub is airing first on Adult Swim’s Toonami Block and Max. This is the only version currently available globally.

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While Japanese viewers get to watch it dubbed in their language on TV Tokyo, the rest of the world can only watch this version one month after the English episode comes out. Therefore, while English voice acting is infamous among anime watchers, it is the only widely available source at this point.

Based on early reactions, the English dub has also done justice to the characters, as there have been minimal complaints about how the voices fit the cast. Thus, this is one anime where fans can watch it in either of the two languages and expect an enjoyable experience.

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