Lazarus Episode 1 Was…

Article at a glance:

• Episode 1 kicks off with a pretty heavy-handed info dump, and not much actually happens plot-wise. It’s a bit jarring, but not a dealbreaker.
• MAPPA went all in with the animation and direction. The action scenes are buttery smooth and framed like a movie. Pure eye candy.
• The BGM throughout the episode was fantastic, and the world feels rich and lived-in already. Not a huge fan of the ending theme, but the rest of the OST carries hard.

You know, my interest in this series really increased when IGN gave it a bad review lol. I know they have access to more episodes, while I only have access to 1 episode at the moment. But they gave the first 5 episodes a 5/10. And having only watched Lazarus Episode 1, I don’t see how you can even justify that score unless something goes really wrong in the upcoming 4 episodes. I guess I shouldn’t really be taking an IGN review seriously but still. Either way though, Lazarus will be an interesting ride for sure.

So welcome back to another first impressions article and today we are talking about Shinichiro Watanabe and MAPPA’s new original anime, Lazarus, Episode 1 more specifically. And again, this article is based on only episode 1 because that’s the only episode currently available to me. With that said, let’s get started.

What did I think of Lazarus Episode 1?

Let’s go over the few criticisms I do have from Episode 1. The episode starts with a heavy-handed exposition. I understand they need to do it but the first few minutes of the show are just a huge exposition dump and that can feel a little jarring, Aside from the heavy exposition dump, nothing much happens in the first episode as far as the plot goes. Yes, Episode 1 is amazing but it only gives us a very basic introduction to the story. This could’ve been handled a little more subtly. But these are just some nitpicks I had, that’s all.

Let’s move on to the positives. As you’d expect from Shinichiro Watanabe, the action scenes are pure cinema. MAPPA also did their best to adhere to the classic Cowboy Bebop art style. The animations are buttery smooth, and the camera work is really creative. A lot of the shots from Episode 1 alone are wallpaper-worthy. The big chase scene in Episode 1 is framed and directed so well. The world design is really good, too, and the big chase scene helps establish the state of the world.

Of course, the music is really good too. The BGM was fantastic throughout the episode. I may not be the biggest fan of the ending theme but aside from that, the OST really added to the show. So despite being stagnant in terms of the plot, Episode 1 still was a lot of fun and really well-directed. Another thing Episode 1 did well establishing the personality of everyone in the team.

That is all for now

All in all, Lazarus Episode 1 was really good despite some minor issues. The anime really well animated and directed. The action scenes are buttery smooth and those alone are good enough to justify checking out this anime. Let me know what you guys think in the comments. I will take my leave here. See ya!

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