‘Lazarus’ Episode 1 review: “Goodbye Cruel World”

It goes without saying that Lazarus has Cowboy Bebop in its blood. Created by Shinichirō Watanabe, the mind behind series such as Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Carole & Tuesday, and more, the latest harkens to his tried and true sensibilities. There’s overt style and grace, the jazz motifs, and an eclectic group of core characters. Society is on the brink of total destruction, and the narrative plays with morality and humanity and the necessity of pain to fuel our abilities to live. It should work. It does work — the artistic team at MAPPA has outdone themselves in the animation. But despite the artistry and kinetic, can’t look away fight sequences, one aspect needles.

Lazarus, really, wants us to see this as a worthy Cowboy Bebop successor. It would have been better if it had simply relied on the creator’s strength and formed its own identity through it.

From the color-blocked official poster to the score composed by the trifecta of Kamasi Washington, Bonobo, and Floating Points to the character design for the roguish protagonist, Axel, the series is practically screaming at us to notice its DNA. And it’s an effective method — there’s a reason why Cowboy Bebop is so beloved. And while Lazarus delivers an entertaining and fast-paced premiere filled to the brim with stunning fight choreography, gravity-defying stunts, and an abundance of pure style, it would have been nice to see it stand on its own two feet.

What is Lazarus about?

Set in the future in 2052, in a utopian-style society, a scientist, Dr. Skinner discovers a miracle drug known as Hapna that can eradicate any pain from those who take it. However, soon after, he disappears, only to return three years later in 2055. Now, he has a much more dire message. The drug has a three-year lifespan, and anyone who takes it will die in 30 days.

This is where our lead, Axel (Mamoru Miyano/Jack Stansbury), shows up. He is being recruited by a mysterious woman, Hersch, while serving countless life sentences in a well-guarded, high-tech prison. But before she can fully deliver her spiel, he demonstrates why he’s so notorious as he makes an epic prison break.

Unleashed onto the world, he’s pursued by law enforcement and members of this woman’s team, who all seem determined to capture him. And, after a tireless trek through the cityscape, they do. Only for Lazarus Episode 1 to leave us on a significant cliffhanger after learning who this group is. A team that consists of an eclectic group of characters, including Doug (Makoto Furukawa/Jovan Jackson), Christine — “Chris” (Maaya Uchida/Luci Christian), Leland (Yuma Uchida/Bryson Baugus), and Eleina (Manaka Iwami/Annie Ward.)

We’re only given enough information about them to ensure we’re interested in their upcoming stories. They’re flat, but only because it’s Episode 1, and the narrative requires it as Axel takes center stage. We don’t know what exactly this team, dubbed “Lazarus,” will be pursuing, but the characters instantly grab our interest, investing in their plights.

Initial thoughts.

Lazarus Episode 1 is a lot of fun and refuses to staunch the flow of movement until the very last moment. This works in its favor to tirelessly show off the skilled and energetic animation and the flawless, uninhibited fight choreography from Chad Stahelski. Everything to do with Axel soars despite the overtly simplistic character design.

The animators have outdone themselves in any sequence in which others pursue Axel. There’s a graceful, near-weightless effect to his movement that never produces something absent of impact. Everything from the gait of his run to the way he moves while mid-air, studying the objects and obstacles around him, is superb. Despite how little we know about him, the premiere showcases his intellect based solely on his movement and problem solving.

The direction hones in on this through first-person perspective shots that capture Azel’s frenzied yet confident pace. It’s less that we’re holding our breath during this chase and more that we’re buoyed by it, floating above the ground with him as he bounds into each new frame.

Everything from the coloring to the lighting helps capture this strange new future that the characters live in. The main chase of the Lazarus premier gives us ample time to invest in the city and its inhabitants, especially as so many are contending with a severe death sentence.

While it irks that the series so clearly wants to ape some of the best elements of Cowboy Bebop, there’s no denying the electrifying effervescence of the core, which captures its protagonists’ carefree, living-on-the-edge mentality. Every individual element works. It’s the packaging that leaves something to be desired.

Continue or quit.

It’s undoubtedly a continue as one of the major premieres of the 2025 spring season. For every gripe about the unnecessary measures the show takes to remind us that it’s created by the Cowboy Bebop magician there’s a fantastic visual feat to counteract it. The series moves and operates with a cool, understated confidence despite the visual grandeur, and it’s those two opposing factors that make it such a worthwhile experience—a frustrating one at times but no less entertaining.

Lazarus Episode 1 is streaming now on MAX (formerly HBOMax), and new episodes air every Saturday on Adult Swim.