New York Comic-Con might be an event that focuses on comic books, the movies and television series that they spawn, and pop culture but anime has been finding its way into the annual event. In the first days of the convention, franchises like Dragon Ball, Digimon, and Bleach have had some big reveals for fans. On top of established anime franchises, new blood has made its way to Comic-Con this year as Adult Swim had a major reveal up its sleeves. Lazarus is the next big original anime from the Cartoon Network programming block and there’s more than one reason to believe that this is the spiritual successor to Cowboy Bebop.
To start, Adult Swim confirmed at this year’s New York Comic-Con that anime fans can expect Lazarus to arrive next year. The original anime series is being brought to life by Studio MAPPA (Attack on Titan, Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man) and is directed by none other than Shinichirō Watanabe. The legendary director is responsible for Cowboy Bebop and has a history in the anime realm outside of Spike Spiegel with the likes of Space Dandy, Terror in Resonance, and Macross Plus to name a few. In the new trailer, we are able to see how the protagonist, Axel Gilberto has quite a bit in common with his predecessor Spike.
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Lazarus Trailer Knocks It Out Of The Park
Adult Swim has seen varying levels of success with its original adaptations, ranging from the likes of Fena: Pirate Princess, Shenmue The Animation, and most recently, Junji Ito’s Uzumaki. Of them all, Lazarus is looking to be the most stylish and perhaps the most well-received thanks to its creative pedigree. While the 2025 release might have been similar to Cowboy Bebop in its aesthetic, the story of the series is one that differs greatly from that of the Bebop.
What is Lazarus?
Unlike the bounty-hunting adventures of Spike, Jet, Faye, and Ed, Lazarus’ main characters are struggling against a far scarier prospect than wondering where their next meal is coming from. In the year 2052, a new miracle drug has been revealed that can cure any disease. Created by the enigmatic Dr. Skinner, the “cure-all” is one that seems to have no downside but is revealed to have a caveat that might spell doom for humanity. All who take the drug are destined to die three years after the fact, sending mankind into a dire strait.
In the face of this looming doom, a group dubbed “Lazarus” has been formed that is hoping to save humanity and discover a vaccine that will cure the side effects of the drug Hapuna. On top of Watanabe working as the director of the upcoming anime, Adult Swim has employed John Wick director Chad Stahelski to choreograph the action scenes of the series. Along with saxophonist Kamasi Washington, DJ Floating Points, and Bonobo, Lazarus is hoping to give Cowboy Bebop a run for its money in the music department.
While Cowboy Bebop did make a comeback thanks to Netflix’s live-action adaptation, the television series was canceled following its first season. It’s highly unlikely that we’ll ever see a sequel or spin-off that takes place in Spike Spiegel’s world but spiritual successors like Lazarus are doing their best to continue the musical tradition of the action series.
Want to stay up to date on Lazarus and the other anime reveals at this year’s New York Comic-Con? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on the spiritual successor of Cowboy Bebop and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things anime and comics.