Set in 2052, Lazarus imagines a future shaped by a miracle drug called Hapna, which eliminates all pain. But peace comes at a cost. Three years after Hapna becomes widespread, its creator, Dr. Skinner, resurfaces to announce that everyone who took the drug will die in 30 days. Civilization teeters on the brink, but people are surprisingly chill about their impending demise.

In response, a global task force—code-named Lazarus—is formed to hunt Skinner down and find a cure before time runs out. That premise alone is enough to hook you. But under the sci-fi thriller surface, the series hits even harder by echoing anxieties from our own world.

Hapna is a fictional miracle drug as well as a metaphor for the quick fixes we cling to, and the consequences we choose to ignore. The show draws clear parallels to real-world crises: the opioid epidemic, medical inequality, government overreach and the institutional failures exposed during the pandemic.

Director Shinichirō Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo) has cited these influences directly, and it’s reflected in the show’s tone and focus on who gets left behind when systems collapse.

The action, designed by John Wick director Chad Stahelski, is clean and physical. His stunt team choreographed sequences in live action, which were then hand-animated by Studio MAPPA. The results are kinetic and intense without relying on spectacle alone and I wish there were even more of them.

The soundtrack, composed by Kamasi Washington, Bonobo and Floating Points, brings a dreamy, lo-fi atmosphere that perfectly balances the urgency of the narrative. It’s an anime score that I would 100% buy on vinyl to write to. It adds texture to every pause and makes the action hit even harder.

The characters are as memorable as the world they’re moving through. The Lazarus team includes a diverse mix of personalities and backgrounds, each carrying their own unique burden. Axel (voiced by Jack Stansbury in the English dub) plays a key role in the group with his whimsy, hardcore parkour skills and general disregard for danger. There’s a quiet resolve to him and a steadiness that holds the chaos in check, even as he’s going toe to toe with ghost assassins.

The voice cast across the board brings a sense of grounded drama that helps anchor the show’s more surreal elements. David Matranga delivers a cool, unsettling performance as Dr. Skinner. Jade Kelly, Luci Christian, Jovan Jackson, Bryson Baugus and Annie Wild round out the core Lazarus ensemble, each bringing emotional nuance without leaning too hard into archetypes.

Then there’s the wildcard energy of Popcorn Wizard (Brittney Karbowski), a nomadic super-hacker whose quirky presence leaves a real impression. It’s pure Watanabe: a mix of style, strangeness and character design that dares you to underestimate what you don’t yet understand.

Lazarus stands out because of the way it engages with the moment we’re living in. It taps into the dread of a society trying to medicate its way out of crisis, and the fear that the systems we’ve come to trust might be the ones that undo us. It raises questions about power, purpose and who gets to decide what progress looks like.

No spoilers here, but the season finale leaves the door open for more, so I’m hoping we’ll get a second season because I want to see this crew get into more hijinks and world-class fights.

The full first season of Lazarus is now streaming on Max. It’s 13 episodes of richly animated, emotionally layered sci-fi with purpose. If you’re into shows that build atmosphere and leave you thinking, add this one to your watchlist.