Toonami’s Adult Swim programming block will be premiering Shinichiro Watanabe’s new upcoming original anime series Lazarus on April 5, 2025 at 12:00 AM. The series will be released on the Max streaming service the next day and will consist of 13 total episodes.
A new official English-dubbed trailer confirming the air date was also released. Episodes in Japanese with English subtitles will debut in the U.S. on Adult Swim and Max 30 days after their English-language premiere on Adult Swim.
The English dub voice cast for the series includes:
- • Jack Stansbury as Axel
- • Jovan Jackson as Doug
- • Luci Christian as Chris
- • Bryson Baugus as Leland
- • Annie Wild as Elaina
- • Jade Kelly as Hersch
- • Sean Patrick Judge as Abel
- • David Matranga as Dr. Skinner
Meanwhile, the Japanese language voice cast stars:
- • Mamoru Miyano as Axel
- • Makoto Furukawa as Doug
- • Maaya Uchida as Chris
- • Yuma Uchida as Leland
- • Manaka Iwami as Elaina
- • Megumi Hayashibara as Hersch
- • Akio Otsuka as Abel
- • Koichi Yamadera as Dr. Skinner
Additionally, a main Japanese language PV trailer and visual featuring the main cast were also revealed.
Adult Swim producer/SVP and head of anime and action series Jason DeMarco confirmed that Watanabe is directing every episode of the series. John Wick director Chad Stahelski is designing the anime’s action sequences. American saxophonist Kamasi Washington, producer and DJ Floating Points, and musician Bonobo are composing the jazz and electronic-inspired musical score. Sola Entertainment is producing the series, with MAPPA handling the animation production.
Other staff include Akemi Hayashi (Maboroshi animation director) as character designer, Stanislas Brunet (Super Crooks, Symphogear XV) as concept designer, Miho Sugiura (Buddy Daddies) as art director, Kana Tanabe (RE-MAIN) as color designer, Takuma Sakamoto as cinematographer, and Mitsuhiro Sato (Pluto) as composting director.
Washington is also performing the anime’s opening theme “Vortex,” while English alternative rock band The Boo Radleys is performing the titular ending theme “Lazarus.”
Adult Swim describes the main synopsis of Lazarus as:
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. 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?
Source: Deadline (Denise Petski), Adult Swim YouTube Channel
