On October 19, 2024, at New York Comic Con, fans were treated to a screening of the full premiere episode of “Lazarus,” a new thriller anime from Adult Swim by the legendary Shinichirō Watanabe, best known for his work on the iconic “Cowboy Bebop.” In addition, Adult Swim released a first-look trailer of the eagerly awaited series.

Lazarus marks Watanabe’s return to the sci-fi action anime genre, set in a futuristic 2052 where humanity teeters on the brink of extinction after a revolutionary drug “Hapna” turns out to have lethal side effects. As a result, the secret agent task force Lazarus is formed, tasked with finding a cure to save humanity before it’s too late. The anime’s Japanese voice cast has also been revealed, featuring Cowboy Bepop stars Koichi Yamadera and Megumi Hayashibara. Produced by Sola Entertainment and animated by Studio Mappa, fans can look forward to Lazurus airing on Adult Swim in 2025.

Series Synopsis

In the year 2052, the release of “Hapna,” a painkiller drug developed by the renowned neuroscientist Dr. Skinner, brought a sense of peace and stability to the globe as it relieved humanity from pain. At least until Skinner suddenly disappeared without a trace.

What was thought to be the savior of humanity turned into its death sentence when a fatal side effect was discovered in Hapna. Three years since taking the drug, anyone who has used it in any capacity will die. Skinner makes his return to society only to find he’s not credited as humanity’s savior, but rather its executioner. With just 30 days left before humanity begins to perish, the world’s only hope is to find a cure–one that only Skinner can provide. Inconveniently, Skinner must be located first. The team “Lazarus” is formed for that very purpose, with five agents from around the globe brought together to save humanity.

Japanese Voice Cast:

• Koichi Yamadera as Dr. Skinner
• Megumi Hayashibara as Hersch
• Mamoru Miyano as Axel
• Maaya Uchida as Chris
• Yuma Uchida as Leland
• Makoto Furukawa as Doug
• Manaka Iwami as Eleina
• Akio Otsuka as Abel