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Shinichiro Watanabe’s Lazarus is one of the most hyped anime of Spring 2025, with a great plot and cast. Apart from Shinichiro Watanabe, John Wick director Chad Stahelski channels his energy into the action choreography of the anime. Popular artists such as Kamasi Washington, Bonobo, and Floating Points are involved in the project.
Even though such big names are involved with the series, the fandom is busy finding similarities and dissimilarities between Lazarus and Cowboy Bebop. Since Watanabe is the original creator of both series, there is bound to be some resemblance, but people will be shocked to know that there are more differences than one can identify.
Shinichiro Watanabe Shared His Insights Regarding Lazarus And Cowboy Bebop’s Similarities
Apart from having the same director, there are a few similarities between Lazarus and Cowboy Bebop. The most surprising of which was revealed by Watanabe during an interview with Anime News Network. Watanabe mentioned that all of his works take place in the same universe, which indirectly confirms that Lazarus, Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, and Space Dandy happen in the same universe.
Watanabe said,
I’ve always thought my shows took place in the same universe
Even though there are a few similarities, Shinichi Watanabe feels that each of his works has their specialty and should be enjoyed without comparison.
Interesting tidbit: Megumi Hayashibara voices both Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop and Hersh from Lazarus.
How Is Lazarus Different From Cowboy Bebop?
Story
Lazarus and Cowboy Bebop have different plots. The former takes place on Earth in the Year 2052, revolving around a special force, Lazarus, tasked with finding a vaccine to treat a critical medical condition. On the other hand, Cowboy Bebop has a neo-noir and space Western plot, which takes place in 2071, almost two decades later since Earth was deemed uninhabitable. The story revolves around Spike Spiegel and Jet Black, who are bounty hunters and catch criminals to earn rewards.
Character Development
Lazarus is still in its early phase with little character development, as there is still time for something major to develop. On the other hand, Cowboy Bebop is known for its character development as it features every character coming out of their shell in a unique way. People can still recall how much the characters have transformed since the first episode.
Character Design
The character designs, race, and background are very different in Lazarus. Lazarus has a young crew, whereas Cowboy Bebop has a comparatively older crew and a dog. Akemi Hayashi is behind the character designs of Lazarus, and since she was involved with Akimi Yoshida’s Banana Fish, fans can draw some similarities. However, drawing similarities between Akemi Hayashi’s design and Toshihiro Kawamoto seems far-fetched.
Music
Composer Yoko Kanno and Seatbelts handled the music and soundtrack of Cowboy Bebop, whereas Bonobo, Kamasi Washington, and Floating Points have contributed to Lazarus’ music. The former follows a combination of Western, Jazz, and Blues music, but the latter took a more modern approach with electronic, experimental, alternative rock, and jazz music.
Also Read: LAZARUS Heats Up as Kamasi Washington, Bonobo, and Floating Points Drop Fire Tracks
We are still a few episodes deep into the story, and Lazarus could become a major hit. Let’s sit tight and see how our task force handles the job.
Priyanko is currently pursuing his Master’s in Economics. He loves to read manga or watch anime in his spare time. He is a massive fan of One Piece, Naruto, and Haikyu. Amidst the Great Pirating Era, he wishes to become the greatest Hokage, even though he is short.
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