Lazarus Review: A Resurrection Going Nowhere

Lazarus (available on HBO Max) comes from Shinichirō Watanabe, the creator of critically acclaimed anime like Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo. To say people expect things from him, is an understatement.

I was somewhat intrigued when the anime was announced since I have enjoyed Watanabe’s previous work — Cowboy Bebop. I kept my expectations low because I wasn’t as excited after watching the trailers. Another reason to temper expectations was that, although the animation was handled by the well-known MAPPA studio, the anime was announced by Adult Swim. Adult Swim’s previous forays into anime, like Ninja Kamui and Uzumaki, have largely been massive disappointments.

The Plot

Episode 1 sets up the plot: Dr. Skinner, a genius, develops a drug called Hapna, which becomes widely popular due to the lack of any apparent side effects. The world, using his drug, engages in a hedonistic lifestyle, even as Dr. Skinner mysteriously disappears. Years later, he reappears, only to reveal that Hapna will mutate into a deadly toxin. This sets off panic across the world as nearly everyone has consumed the drug at least once. Dr. Skinner also claims to have the cure, and he is willing to share it with the world, if they find him within 30 days. Lazarus, a task force formed by the government, is given this mission. Filled with misfits from around the world, they have just one job — find Skinner before the world ends.

Episode 1 does a decent job of introducing the plot, characters, and formation of Lazarus. However, the episodes that follow – roughly from two to eight – are remarkably forgettable. What should feel exciting or tense instead comes off as dull and lethargic. Our main characters go on multiple goose chases on one clue to Skinner after another, but each time it ultimately leads to nowhere, returning the characters and the story to square one. This repetition spans multiple episodes, offering little progress for the main story.

RELATED: Lovely Complex Review: A Quintessential Shoujo Anime

Lacking Substance

There are attempts to explore the backgrounds of the members of the Lazarus team, but these are rushed and underdeveloped. This is largely because each member receives only a single episode that has neither the time nor depth to properly explore their past and motivations. In trying to add layers and emotional depth to our characters, the show instead drifts away from the urgency of its central narrative. The writing becomes increasingly uneventful, which in turn makes the plot sloppy. Despite the looming threat that the world is going to end in 30 days, we barely see any large-scale panic or societal collapse, and this feels completely unrealistic.

The final episodes do return to the main storyline, and while this should have been a positive direction for the show, the shift feels rushed. The way our characters find Dr. Skinner feels contrived. I wasn’t a fan of the cliché “Dr. Skinner was close to us all along.” It felt lazy, with no proper buildup or foreshadowing to this reveal.

Frustrations

One of the most convenient and frustrating deus ex machina moments happens near the end – at the Amsterdam airport, Skinner’s Hapna-based bioweapon leaks when his briefcase is shot by security forces. Conveniently, every single member of Lazarus is nearby and gets exposed to the bioweapon, and only they develop immunity to Hapna, while everyone else exposed at the airport dies.

The show suffers from a lack of mystery and suspense. A good mystery engages the audience by giving them clues they can piece together. But here, the audience barely gets anything, which is a poor writing choice. As for the positives, the show has strong animation, well-executed action scenes, and an enjoyable soundtrack. Maybe Lazarus was more about human connection and finding peace in the last moments of humanity. But the show does not deliver on that aspect either.

Conclusion

Mundane and average – that is how I would describe Lazarus. There is nothing offensively bad about it, but your time would be better spent watching something else.

Final Grade: C-

Have you seen Lazarus? If so, let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

  FOR FANBOYS, BY FANBOYS Have you checked out LRM Online’s official podcasts and videos on The Genreverse Podcast Network? Available on YouTube and all your favorite podcast apps, This multimedia empire includes The Daily CoG, Breaking Geek Radio: The Podcast, GeekScholars Movie News, Anime-Versal Review Podcast, and our Star Wars dedicated podcast The Cantina. Check it out by listening on all your favorite podcast apps, or watching on YouTube! Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts |  Spotify |  SoundCloud | Stitcher | Google Play