Kamasi Washington, Bonobo, and Floating Points are gearing up to score a new animated show by Cowboy Bebop director Shinichirō Watanabe. The series, titled Lazarus, has been greenlit by Adult Swim, and will be produced by anime studio MAPPA.
Lazarus marks Watanabe’s return to sci-fi and action, following shows like Samurai Champloo and Kids on the Slope. The series will feature action sequences designed by stuntman and John Wick director Chad Stahelski. “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 in a statement. “I hope you enjoy it.”
Jason DeMarco, head of anime and action series at Adult Swim, added: “Shinichirō Watanabe is simply one of the greatest living artists, and it’s a dream come true to be able to collaborate with him on a new original series. Like all of his work, Lazarus is packed with big ideas, incredible characters and a ton of heart. We can’t wait for anime fans to see this world.”
Watanabe’s new show is in a future world (2052, to be exact) where sickness and pain have been eradicated due to a miracle drug created by a Nobel Prize winning neuroscientist. But only after the drug has been widely distributed is its crucial side effect revealed: everyone who takes it will die three years later. In an attempt to save the world, a special task force of five agents called “Lazarus” is assembled to develop a life-saving vaccine.
