The brilliant creator ofCowboy Bebopand many more hits, Shinichiro Watanabe, has come back withLazarus, yet another exciting anime that will definitely be a must-watch. However, the original intent of the story was the opposite of what it is right now, and given Watanabe’s track record with such types of stories, it could have easily been yet another hit on his belt.
In a new interview betweenMantan Weband Shinichiro Watanabe, the creator and director talked about his new seriesLazarus, which he wrote the original script for and is being animated by Studio Mappa, the producers ofJujutsu KaisenandChainsaw Man. Watanabe’s original idea for the story was something more in the lane ofSpace Dandy, but this was shot down, and he was told to make a story that is more serious and dark, and this led to the birth of the currently airingLazarus.
Lazarus Could Have Been Something Entirely Different
Watanabe was approached by Adult Swim producer Jason DeMarco for a new story. DeMarco was a huge fan ofCowboy Bebop,and the company offered to fund whatever anime Watanabe came up with fully, but with one condition. When asked if he could make a sci-fi action, Watanabe asked if he could make something likeSpace Dandy, to which DeMarco said they wanted something a bit more serious and dark. Fortunately, that is the extent to which Cartoon Network gave direction, and Watanabe was given full creative freedom to come up with whatever story.
‘We’d like you to make a sci-fi action movie.’ When I asked if something like ‘Space Dandy’ would be okay, he said, ‘No, something more serious.'" “Basically, they trusted the director and didn’t give me any detailed instructions about the content. When working with the US, there is often a lot of interference, but this time I was able to make the film quite freely.”
- Shinichiro Watanabe
Already having the potential to beone of Studio MAPPA’s best anime,Lazarusrevolves around a task force of the same name that is sent out on a timely mission to find Dr. Skinner, who poisoned the world with a medicine called Hapuna that, on the surface, is a miracle drug that cures all diseases but kills the user after 3 years.Space Dandy, on the other hand, follows Dandy, who is going all around the universe on the hunt for undiscovered alien species, together with Meow and QT.
Lazarus Still Has A Lot Of Potential
Watanabe’s Latest Still Deserves An Extra Look
While Shinichiro Watanabe might have been thinking of making a series that leaned more into the adventure and comedic aspects like his previous hit, there was no interference in the making ofLazarusand this was wholly his work.Lazarusseriously has a lot going for it, be it the production, the story, or the amazing music,Lazarusis looking up to be something special.
