You might not know the name Shinichirō Watanabe, but there’s a good chance you know his work. Watanabe is known for creating well-known animes like Cowboy Bebop, Kids on the Slope, and Samurai Champloo. And now he’s developing a new series for Adult Swim.
The new show is called Lazarus and will be produced by anime studio MAPPA. Also involved: John Wick action stuntman coordinator and director Chad Stahelski, and musicians Kamasi Washington, Bonobo, and Floating Points.
We’ll get a better look at the show from the Adult Swim Festival this weekend during the Toonami on the Green event at Comic Con in San Diego. The show is set in the near future (2052) and tells the story of a celebrated neuroscientist named Dr. Skinner.
Skinner develops a side effect-free miracle drug called Hapuna, and vanishes shortly after. He comes back three years later with bad news: the drug kills everyone who takes it.
To counteract this, a special task force of agents “gathered from across the world” is formed, called Lazarus. They have to figure out how to reverse the effects of the drug before it’s too late.
In a press release from Warner Bros. Discover, Watanabe said that he “can’t help but feel that this project will serve as a culmination of my career so far. I hope you enjoy it.”
Jason DeMarco, SVP, Head of Anime and Action Series at Adult Swim, said getting a big fish like Watanabe was huge for the network.
“Shinichirō Watanabe is simply one of the greatest living artists, and it’s a dream come true to be able to collaborate with him on a new original series. Like all of his work, Lazarus is packed with big ideas, incredible characters, and a ton of heart. We can’t wait for anime fans to see this world.”
We’ll know more soon.