Meet the Staff Behind Lazarus

Shinichiro Watanabe is one of those directors whose name alone is enough for the ears to perk up – a level of fame he earned through projects like Cowboy Bebop or Samurai Champloo. His latest series, Lazarus, is less than a month away, and like the cult classics preceding it, it’s the artists with whom Watanabe has surrounded himself that should make all the difference.

It’s been well over a year since Lazarus was first announced – a science fiction action series centered around the hunt for a missing scientist with the key to preventing humanity’s extinction. The 13-episode anime series is directed by Watanabe at Studio MAPPA, where he previously helmed the period piece Kids on the Slope and the political drama Terror in Resonance.

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The Significance of Watanabe’s Return

Back when the series was announced in the summer of 2023, Jason DeMarco of Adult Swim confirmed that Watanabe would be directing every episode of the series. This was significant for a pretty big reason, namely that Watanabe hasn’t been credited as the sole director of a TV anime project sinceTerror in Resonancein 2014. Since then, he has solo-directed short films likeBlade Runner: Black Out 2022and music videos like “More” by Flying Lotus, but not a full series.

In 2019’s Carole & Tuesday, a show that was very much hyped up as his show, he was credited as the “Chief Director” while Motonobu Hori (Super Crooks) was credited as the director. Now, to be clear, the distinction between roles in anime productions can be complicated and nuanced, but there’s a school of thought that a chief director tends to be less involved than just a “director”.

What’s Even The Difference?

For example, Kenji Nagasaki directed seasons 1-3 of My Hero Academia before becoming chief director, a shift in leadership that fans correlated with the anime’s shifting style afterward. Watanabe was also credited as chief director of Space Dandy, another series heavily associated with him. However, while he was undeniably a big part of that production, Space Dandy is just as much the authorship of director Shingo Natsume (One Punch Man, Sonny Boy, ACCA 13).

None of this is to say that Shinichiro Watanabe “hasn’t been directing” or anything like that. Rather, the point is that Lazarus might be a more prominent expression of his creative vision than past projects have put forth, and that is a reason to be even more excited. From the footage shown thus far, Lazarus already feels closer in tone and direction to his work on Terror in Resonance or Kids on the Slope than his collaborations with other directors.

The Team Bringing Lazarus to Life

It would be criminal not to address the elephant in the room. Chad Stahelski, the director famous for the John Wick films that changed the landscape of modern action cinema, lent his talents and those of his company, 87eleven, to designing the action scenes. It’s exciting enough on paper, but the recent Japanese trailer, in particular, truly sells their commitment to raising the bar for hand-to-hand fights in animation, promising exciting things from the full series.

Since the first teaser over a year ago, the marketing’s emphasis has been placed heavily on the agility of Lazarus’ leading man, Axel, from parkour to throwing hands. The recent U.S. trailer (see below) even featured a brief hand-to-hand exchange, in which eagle-eyed viewers might recognize a particular maneuver from John Wick: Chapter 4.

The Writers and Artists (And Where You’ve Seen Them)

Watanabe is credited with the script for the series, as are three other screenwriters: Takahiro Ozawa, Tsukasa Kondou, and Dai Satou. Ozawa’s previous writing credit was 2018’s Mazinger Z Movie: Infinity. Tsukasa Kondou wrote Metallic Rouge and co-wrote Super Crooks and Altered Carbon: Resleeved alongside Satou. As for Satou, he wrote Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045, last summer’s T.P. BON, and the first two entries in the Eureka Seven Hi-Evolution trilogy.

Pivoting back to the visual component, fans of MAPPA’s 2018 adaptation of Banana Fish may just recognize the work of character designer and animator Akemi Hayashi. Hayashi was the animation director on Mari Okada’s Maboroshi but also served as a character designer, animation director, and animator on the Boys Love film by A-1 Pictures, Doukyusei.

The Boys Love connections don’t stop there, however, as Lazarus‘ director of photography, Mitsuhiro Satou, worked on Twittering Birds Never Fly. More notably, Satou was the DP for last year’s critically acclaimed adaptation of Pluto. Art Director Miho Sugiura worked on Princess Principal, Buddy Daddies, and Appare Ranman. Finally, Kana Tanabe, an effects artist on Jujutsu Kaisen and Dorohedoro, is credited with the color design.

The Jazzy, Futuristic Sound of Lazarus

No Watanabe project would be complete without its music, and he has assembled quite the group for Lazarus. First up is saxophonist Kamasi Washington of jazz collective West Coast Get Down, who, in addition to the show’s score, is also performing the opening theme, titled “Vortex”. Capturing a more futuristic sound is British electronic musician Floating Points, with LA-based musician and DJ Bonobo toeing the line with a blend of jazz and electronic iconic to his work.

Finally, English rock band The Boo Radleys’ 1993 track, “Lazarus” is serving as the ending theme, a fitting throwback that is quintessentially Watanabe. Given the director’s track record, this eclectic assembly of talented musicians is perhaps the most surefire element of this new series to be an absolute hit, no matter what becomes of Lazarus when it premieres next month.

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Sources: ANN

Lazarus

Release Date

April 5, 2025

Network

Adult Swim

Directors

Shinichirô Watanabe