Shinchiro Watanabe’s Lazarus Release Window Announced

Adult Swim has shared when Lazarus, the newest anime from Shinichiro Watanabe, director behind hits such as Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Carole & Tuesday, is coming to Adult Swim! Watanabe has been behind some of the most notable anime releases among anime fans, and that’s already looking to be the case with the creator’s next major helmed project. Adult Swim has been behind a number of original anime projects in the last few years especially, and that means they have teamed up with a few notable creators to showcase a ton of interesting new anime never seen before in other mediums. 

Adult Swim had quite a ton to showcase during San Diego Comic-Con this year, and one of the now in the works projects they had to showcase was Lazarus. First revealed to be in the works some time ago, Adult Swim has now showcased an even better look at the now in the works anime as it’s gearing up for its launch some time in 2025 as announced during the panel for Rick and Morty: The Anime!

What Is Lazarus? 

Lazarus is a new original anime series directed by Shinichiro Watanabe for Studio MAPPA, and is currently in the works for a release with Adult Swim. The new anime will feature John Wick director Chad Stahelski designing action sequences, and Sola Entertainment producing for a release with Adult Swim’s Toonami block when it finally does start its broadcast. As for what to expect from the new anime, Adult Swim begins to tease Lazarus as such:

“The year is 2052 – an era of unprecedented peace and prosperity prevails across the globe. The reason for this: mankind has been freed from sickness and pain. Nobel Prize winning neuroscientist Dr. Skinner has developed a miracle cure-all drug with no apparent drawbacks called Hapuna. Hapuna soon becomes ubiquitous… and essential. However, soon after Hapuna is officially introduced, Dr. Skinner vanishes. Three years later, the world has moved on. But Dr. Skinner has returned – this time, as a harbinger of doom.” 

The synopsis continues with, “Skinner announces that Hapuna has a short half-life. Everyone who has taken it will die approximately three years later. Death is coming for this sinful world – and coming soon. As a response to this threat, a special task force of 5 agents is gathered from across the world to save humanity from Skinner’s plan. This group is called ‘Lazarus.’ Can they find Skinner and develop a vaccine before time runs out?”