Adult Swim Europe released a new English-dubbed sneak peek video for the upcoming Lazarus TV anime series last weekend, previewing one of the protagonists, Axel, breaking out of prison as a gunfight occurs.
The U.S. version of Adult Swim also uploaded an extended version of the prison break scene on its YouTube channel.
The anime will begin airing on Toonami’s Adult Swim and in Japan on April 6, 2025. It will have 13 total episodes and will be streamed on Max the following day after its TV broadcast.
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.
Meanwhile, the anime’s main Japanese voice cast stars:
- • Mamoru Miyano as Axel
- • Makoto Furukawa as Doug
- • Maaya Uchida as Christine
- • Yuma Uchida as Leland
- • Manaka Iwami as Elaina
- • Megumi Hayashibara as Hersch
- • Akio Otsuka as Abel
- • Koichi Yamadera as Dr. Skinner
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?
