Review of Lazarus

Every review is subjective, art is subjective your opinion may differ, never trust reviews to make the opinion for you, use them as a guide and make your own journey. -- There are certain anime that provoke unusually polarised reactions, attracting both strong admiration and outright dismissal. This pattern appears most often with works aimed at the seinen demographic, particularly those that draw stylistic influence from the so called golden age of anime. Lazarus sits squarely within this tradition. It is both a seinen series and one whose direction consciously echoes the tone and pacing of 1990s adult oriented productions. Lazarus does not rely on spectacle driven actionor dense narrative hooks designed to maintain constant stimulation. Instead, it adopts a slower, more casual rhythm, presenting an adult focused story whose characters and situations will not resonate with every viewer. That limitation is not inherently a flaw. Not all works require immediate identification with their characters, nor must every narrative move at maximum speed. However, contemporary audiences, particularly younger ones, are often less patient with such approaches, which partially explains the divisive reception.

At times, Lazarus can feel oddly paced, occasionally accelerating through material that might have benefited from greater development. Some narrative corners are visibly cut. Even so, within the scope of what it attempts, the series functions competently. It is not groundbreaking, nor is it likely to be regarded as an awards contender. It is, at heart, a serviceable piece of entertainment built around a familiar premise: a group of criminals compelled to work together to avert a global catastrophe. The story is neither realistic nor especially grounded, but it moves forward with sufficient momentum and provides enough action to sustain interest.

Where Lazarus truly distinguishes itself is in its technical execution, particularly its sound design. The care taken to differentiate indoor and outdoor gunfire acoustics reflects a level of attention to detail that is increasingly uncommon. This technical precision extends to the character writing. The cast behaves in ways that feel internally consistent and recognisably human. Characters hesitate, misjudge situations, and occasionally act impulsively. These imperfections are not contrivances but expressions of believable human behaviour, suggesting a writer who understands how people actually think and react, a quality that is notably scarce in much contemporary genre output.

The musical score further reinforces the shows cohesion. It does not seek to dominate scenes or draw attention to itself, but instead functions as connective tissue, ensuring tonal balance across the production. This restraint is characteristic of director Shinichiro Watanabe. While he is often criticised, his strength has always been an intuitive grasp of balance. Cowboy Bebop was not defined by narrative complexity either, but by the harmony between its elements: music, atmosphere, pacing, and setting. Lazarus follows a similar philosophy.

For these reasons, the severity of the criticism directed at Lazarus feels disproportionate. It is an above average series that understands its own limits. At the same time, it is easy to see why many viewers find it dull. It is not designed for constant engagement or analytical scrutiny. Rather, it is the sort of series suited to a quiet weekend viewing, when one wants to watch something that avoids gratuitous embarrassment or irrational character decisions. In that sense, Lazarus offers a form of mental rest. It does not demand that the viewer think continuously. It allows the show itself to do that work.