NEWSLETTER
You could call Shinichiro Watanabe's Lazarus a record of his masterpiece, Cowboy. That does not mean that the program is bad, based on the five episodes that I have seen so far, Lazarus It is still an entertaining and elegant trip. But I just expected more than a legendary creator like Watanabe.
It is established in 2052, a near future when a renowned neuroscientist released Hapna, a medicine that can erase all the pain. If that sounds too good to be true, it is: the creator of Hapna, Dr. Skinner, reveals to the world that all who will take the drug will finally die. And then disappear. Like an evil Willy Wonka, he announces a hope of survival: to find it in 30 days, or humanity is convicted.
To help find Skinner, the government establishes an undercover group called Lázaro composed of convicted criminals. And that is where the similarities enter. There is leadership, Axel Gilberto, a Parkour addict that resembles the reckless and ruthless spike spiegel of Bebop. Completing the team is Christine, a beautiful fatal femme; Eleina, a young bright hacker; and Doug, an abrupt researcher who has little patience for Axel's shit. Those are all clear analogues for the drinking crew of Faye, Ed and Jet. The only new element of the team is Leland, a nice university student who assumes several roles during the program (maybe it is only an anthropomorphized version of BebopThe adorable puppy ein).
There is a bit of Suicide squad In the idea of using criminals to find the best villain of humanity, but Lazarus It really does not justify why that is the case (that can be answered later in the execution of 13 episodes of the program). And I would think that there would be more government efforts beyond a group of misfits to achieve a mission that humanity saves. He Lazarus The crew has some opportunities to join throughout each episode, but its interpersonal dynamics feels less organic than the Bebop The characters, whose relationships were enriched by the surroundings of the pressure cooker of an interplanetary spacecraft, the economic struggle always present and the convincing background stories. By episode five of LazarusHe had no real understanding of these characters, while Bebop delivered the seminal episode BALADA DE LOS ANGELES Falle By then.
Like Watanabe's SAMURAI CHAMPLOO, Lazarus It is better enjoyed if you do not look closely at your holes or gadgets (Axel Parkour's inhumour skills make Spieke Spiegel's mischief look meek compared). It is better to sit and enjoy the incredibly elegant vibrations. That includes a wonderfully fluid animation by Mappa; a catchy soundtrack by Kamasi Washington, floating points and Bonobo (with a great final theme, “lazarus” by Boo Radley); and bone creak action choreography by John Wick Director Chad Stahelski. It is difficult not to appreciate all the talent involved.
But again, I just want the whole project to feel more original. Lazarus The premise is not far from Cowboy Bebop: The Moviethat involved a terrorist plot to display nanomatics that would kill everyone on Mars. It is also fun to see that the program arrives next to a more inventive show like Max's. Common side effectswhich deals with the consequences of the real world of miraculous drugs that could cure any disease or injury. The characters in that program are more founded and identifiable, and explore why pharmaceutical companies would not stop at anything to kill such a miraculous drug.
“History began with Dr. Skinner … Is it a saint or a demon?” Watanabe said in the Podcast Engadget through a translator (while relaxing in shadows with a mountain of records behind him, like the absolute boss). “Exactly what do you want to do? That was a large part of the initial driving of the story … what you initially thought of Skinner (the) can change throughout the 13 episodes.”
It is not a great spoiler to say that Dr. Skinner is not always portrayed as a villain in the program. Before the launch of Hapna, he was a famous neuroscientist who pushed humanity to respond to the climatic crisis. But instead of listening to it, the countries of the world chose to pursue profits about the future of humanity. With that in mind, it is not a shock that Watanabe says that the inspiration for Hapna was, in part, the crisis of opioids.
Along flashbacks and short opening monologues, Lazarus We give us glimpses in the effect of Hapna on our main characters, all of which is more convincing than the real search to find Dr. Skinner. Did the pill really healed everyone's pain, or simply closed its ability to feel true emotions?
I am sure that newcomers to Watanabe's work will not have the same reservations with Lazarus Like me, I would only want the program to have the same distinctive identity as its other series. Cowboy It is a noir soaked with jazz; Dandy space It is a hilarious riff in the genre of spatial opera; and Carol and Tuesday It is a moving story of two young girls who pursue a pop music career. Lazarus It is basically another action thriller, but this time it was scored for modern jazz and electronic music.
I am waiting for hope that Lazarus mature in a more reflective show in its second half. But even if not, it is still worth celebrating something new by Shinichiro Watanabe. There are not many anime directors and writers with their sense of style and excellent taste in music and action cinema. Even if it is a minor Watanabe project, it is even more entertaining and creative than the vast majority of the programs that bombard us in the era of television, anime or other transmission.
Lázaro premieres on April 5 in Adult Swim, and will be available in Max the next day. Subtitled episodes will be available 30 days after their folded versions in English.
This article originally appeared in Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entaTainment/tv-movies/lazarus-review-wildly-stylish-but-int
