"Lazarus: Cowboy Bebop Creator's New Anime Debuts Tonight"

Lazarus is a groundbreaking original sci-fi anime series that has captured the attention of fans worldwide, thanks to the involvement of some of the biggest names in entertainment. Directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, the mastermind behind Cowboy Bebop, Lazarus promises to be a unique addition to the anime landscape. However, critic Ryan Guar's review of the first five episodes emphasizes that Lazarus stands apart from Watanabe's previous work. The animation is a collaboration between Mappa Studio, known for hits like Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen, and Sola Entertainment, creators of Tower of God. Additionally, action sequences are choreographed by Chad Stahelski, the director of the John Wick series, ensuring dynamic and thrilling scenes.

Given the buzz and intrigue surrounding Lazarus, it's no surprise that Adult Swim has secured the rights to air the series simultaneously in the U.S. and Japan. If you're eager to know where to watch Lazarus online, here's everything you need to know.

Where to Stream Lazarus

Lazarus

02052 - A miracle drug turns lethal, and humanity faces extinction. It's up to a team of outlaws known as LAZARUS to save the world. They have 30 days! See it at Max. New episodes of Lazarus will be available to stream on Max (instead of Crunchyroll or Netflix) the day after they broadcast on Adult Swim. That means new episodes of Lazarus will arrive on Max every Sunday. Max subscriptions start at $9.99 and can be bundled with Disney+ and Hulu.

According to a Warner Bros. press release, subbed versions of Lazarus episodes will air and arrive on Max 30 days after the dubbed episodes.

How to Watch New Episodes Live

Lazarus is airing simultaneously in Japan and the United States. In the States, you can watch new dubbed episodes of Lazarus live on Adult Swim during its Toonami block on Saturday nights. Aside from cable, Adult Swim is included in live TV subscriptions like Hulu + Live TV (which offers a three-day free trial).

Lazarus Episode Release Dates

The first season of Lazarus will include 13 episodes total. Each episode will air live on Adult Swim before arriving on Max. Note that episodes air at midnight (technically Sunday), but are part of Adult Swim's Saturday block, which is why that date is used. Think of it as you'll be staying up, not waking up, to watch new episodes.

Assuming it won't have a mid-season break, here's what I predict the episode release schedule will look like for Lazarus Season 1:

Episode 1: "Goodbye Cruel World" - April 5 (12am EST/9pm PST) Streaming: April 6, 2025
Episode 2: "Life in the Fast Lane" - April 12 (12am EST/9pm PST) Streaming: April 13
Episode 3: "Long Way from Home" - April 19 (12am EST/9pm PST) Streaming: April 20
Episode 4 - April 26 (12am EST/9pm PST) Streaming: April 27
Episode 5 - May 3 (12am EST/9pm PST) Streaming: May 4
Episode 6 - May 10 (12am EST/9pm PST) Streaming: May 11
Episode 7 - May 17 (12am EST/9pm PST) Streaming: May 18
Episode 8 - May 24 (12am EST/9pm PST) Streaming: May 25
Episode 9 - May 31 (12am EST/9pm PST) Streaming: June 1
Episode 10 - June 7 (12am EST/9pm PST) Streaming: June 8
Episode 11 - June 14 (12am EST/9pm PST) Streaming: June 15
Episode 12 - June 21 (12am EST/9pm PST) Streaming: June 22
Episode 13 - June 28 (12am EST/9pm PST) Streaming: June 29

What Is Lazarus About?

In a rare move for the anime industry, Lazarus is entirely original. No manga inspiration here, so no reading ahead to find out what happens. Here’s the official plot synopsis from the Lazarus website:

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.

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?

Lazarus Voice Cast and Characters

Lazarus was created by Shinichirō Watanabe. Here's the main voice cast in Japanese and English:

Mamoru Miyano (Japanese) and Jack Stansbury (English) as Axel
Makoto Furukawa (Japanese) and Jovan Jackson (English) as Doug
Maaya Uchida (Japanese) and Luci Christian (English) as Christine
Yuma Uchida (Japanese) and Bryson Baugus (English) as Leland
Manaka Iwami (Japanese) and Annie Wild (English) as Eleina
Megumi Hayashibara (Japanese) and Jade Kelly (English) as Hersch
Akio Otsuka (Japanese) and Sean Patrick Judge (English) as Abel
Koichi Yamadera (Japanese); David Matranga (English) as Dr. Skinner