It’s 2025 and vaccines, advanced scientific theories, and breakthrough medicine have stirred up heated discussions nationwide. Staying healthy and maintaining health is a concept prioritized by many. However, negative commentary is abundant, as well as debate around medicine and what is truly needed to maintain good health. Individuals are willing to do whatever it takes to stay in good health, even if that may mean experimenting with the unknown. Not all medicine can be classified as “good medicine.” It was only a matter of time until the topic of medicine made way into animation, specifically speaking, in Shinichirō Watanabe’s anticipated new Adult Swim series, Lazarus.
Attention anime fans and Adult Swim viewers. A new action-packed series premiering April 5th is coming to Adult Swim. Picture this. It’s the year 2052, and the experiments and theories surrounding medicine are no different from 2025. However, in the year 2052, healthcare officials are experimenting with medicine to build a potent treatment to save mankind. How effective can a painkiller drug be that neuroscientists claim will free humanity from pain? Viewers are sure to find out when watching Lazarus.
In the year 2052, a painkiller drug called Hapna was created by the neuroscientist Dr. Skinner (voiced by David Matranga). This drug seems to work wonders, with promises of eliminating all pain from humanity with absolutely no side effects. The concept of a potent drug with no side effects seems like a miracle until the creator, Dr. Skinner, suddenly disappears from Earth. It’s not until three years later that Dr. Skinner appears once again, but this time as a prophet.
If Dr. Skinner reemerges as a prophet, then things have to get better, right? Unbeknownst to viewers, Dr. Skinner becomes a prophet who brings death and ultimately the end of life. A miracle painkiller like Hapna was too good to be true because it was designed with a fatal effect that appears three years after ingestion. With 30 days remaining until all of humanity is doomed, there is only one way to save humanity, and that is through Dr. Skinner.
Lazarus is centered on five agents from around the world who come together to ultimately save all of humanity.
Creating Lazarus
This series is well-crafted. Watanabe has done it again! It was genius to center an animated series on a topic related to current events to draw people to watch the show. In a time where prioritizing health has been a continuous topic in the media, it was sensible to make the focal point of this series on health and the scares that come with managing good health. I admire the approach Watanbe took with Lazarus. Watanbe allows the series to take several unexpected turns. At some point in the series, viewers will have their minds set that Hapna is a God’s send, only to realize that it was simply too good to be true.
A sudden change of events is what keeps viewers captivated in any series. In addition to a sudden change of events, there are multiple twists and turns in the plot. The storyline continues with Dr. Skinner’s disappearance, his reemergence as a Prophet, and the five agents gearing towards their effort to save humanity.
The Importance of Plot Development
Creating each character and allowing them to serve a relevant part of a storyline is crucial to creating an entertaining and action-packed series. In Lazarus, viewers are immediately drawn into the plot by illustrating the aftermath of a prison escape. Instead of jumping into the main plot with Hapna as a source of medicine, the viewer is glued to a high-speed criminal chase that doesn’t end as expected. After the chase, the viewer is introduced to the importance of finding Dr. Skinner and what it means to their fate. At this point, the characters are given an ultimatum to continue being imprisoned or find Dr. Skinner. They appear to choose the latter.
Stay Tuned!
The pilot episode is just the beginning, literally! Whether you are new to the anime world and are looking to explore what this genre offers, or are a seasoned anime viewer, you are in for an action-fueled adventure. Lazarus delivers all elements of anime in a small Adult Swim series. What makes a compelling anime is unique styling, bold imagery, and detailed characters. This is what Lazarus provides for fans.
Each episode will keep your curiosity piqued and will lure you into becoming an overall anime fan. This series delivers. Watanabe does an excellent job showcasing a diverse cast with every member serving an integral part of the plot. As the series starts, you’ll most likely have your mind set on which characters you believe are working for good, and those who are working for evil. As the series progresses, viewers will have their preconceived notions tested. It’s a surprise what will happen next in each episode, when the first episode begins with a prisoner given the opportunity to escape both physically and mentally.
It would be an understatement to say that Lazarus is an Adult Swim series with potential. Lazarus
Lazarus premiered Saturday, April 5 2025, at midnight on Adult Swim.
