6 Best Anime To Watch If You Like Lazarus

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The cyberpunk genre holds audiences spellbound with its compelling blend of sophisticated technology and societal deterioration, constructing realms where digital augmentations confuse the boundary between humans and machines. “Lazarus,” streaming on Amazon Prime, is a contemporary example of this trend, delving into topics such as corporate control, self-identity, and tenacity in a bleak future.

If you’re drawn to Lazarus’s vibrant neon settings and intricate moral stories, the world of anime holds a wealth of comparable adventures for you. For decades, Japanese animation has been renowned for its portrayal of cyberpunk universes and ethical quandaries that provoke thought about our evolving perspective on humanity in a rapidly advancing technological era.

Six remarkable anime productions exhibit a similar thematic thread as Lazarus, delving into the realms of transhumanism, corporate manipulation, and the preservation of humanity within settings where organic life and technology become entwined.

6.
Ghost In The Shell

Diving Deep Into The Digital Soul

Ghost in the Shell is frequently suggested as a starting point for cyberpunk anime enthusiasts because it has a unique impact on this genre. Released in 1995 by director Mamoru Oshii, this film (and the series it spawned) redefined the boundaries of what anime could achieve. It was thought-provoking, immersive, and daring, outpacing its contemporaries by several decades.

The narrative centers around Major Motoko Kusanagi, a versatile cyborg who serves in Section 9, an advanced crime-fighting unit specializing in cyber matters. As the boundary between technology and humanity becomes increasingly indistinct, this tale delves into profound queries: If one’s memories can be manipulated, what truly defines our identity? What implications arise when bodily presence becomes optional?

The movie was based on the manga by Masamune Shirow, yet director Oshii transformed it into a much deeper exploration of self.

Instead of being leisurely and contemplative like the original film, Stand Alone Complex, the subsequent TV series, is characterized by its procedural structure and intense action sequences. Notably, it’s been dubbed in English, and the performances by Richard Epcar as Batou and Mary Elizabeth McGlynn as Kusanagi are exceptional.

In this world, not only your body but also your soul could be artificially created. If the ideas of transhumanism and a futuristic, technologically advanced setting intrigued you in Lazarus, then you should dive deeper into this fascinating exploration.

5.
Pluto

A Murder Mystery Wrapped in Metal and Memory

If the blend of Lazarus’s future apprehension and deep philosophical thoughts captured your interest, you might discover that Pluto stirs up feelings of unearthing something long-lost within yourself.

In 2023, Pluto – an anime adaptation of Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy – finally came to life after fans had long requested it for years. The manga that inspired this production was penned by Naoki Urasawa, renowned for his works like Monster and 20th Century Boys. He transformed one arc from Astro Boy, “The Greatest Robot on Earth”, into a gripping noir mystery that explores themes such as consciousness, war, sorrow, and self-identity, raising profound questions about each subject.

The main character isn’t Astro Boy, but Gesicht, a European police robot investigating the homicide of advanced robots and their human advocates. What makes Pluto captivating is its uncanny resemblance to real-world conflicts. These robots exhibit empathy beyond many humans. Some suffer from PTSD. Others are creative. One simply yearns for tranquility with his adopted offspring.

The animated series was streamed on Netflix, boasting a strong English voice-over led by Jason Vande Brake as Gesicht, whose subdued portrayal aligns seamlessly with the character’s inner turmoil.

4.
Banana Fish

No Sci-Fi, But All the Desperation of a World on Fire

As a gaming enthusiast, I can’t help but include Banana Fish in any discussion about cyberpunk or sci-fi, even though it doesn’t fit the conventional definition of these genres. However, what sets it apart and cements its place on this list is the palpable sense of existential urgency that permeates every scene of this anime. It resonates with me as deeply as Lazarus, a game I’m also fond of, and that’s why Banana Fish deserves a spot here.

Originally penned by Akimi Yoshida in the late 1980s as a manga, Banana Fish was a pioneer for its time. Its anime adaptation, launched in 2018, updated the backdrop while preserving the intense emotions and political significance. The story unfolds in New York City, where Ash Lynx, a youthful gang leader, embarks on an investigation into the enigmatic phrase “Banana Fish,” connecting it to a government conspiracy, top-secret research, and his own haunting past experiences.

This content is intense, raw, and occasionally hard to bear, yet remarkably captivating. Imagine Lazarus stripped down, minus the neon lights and futuristic technology, yet retaining all its suspense, brutality, and sense of urgency.

In this version, I’ve used simpler language, avoided jargon, and made it more relatable by using a real-life example (Lazarus) to illustrate the characteristics of the original description.

The narrative fearlessly tackles heavy subjects such as drug smuggling, child abuse, and power misuse. However, at its core lies a profound human bond between Ash and Eiji, which subtly emerges as the essence of the show. This isn’t conventional love, but it is love all the same, lending the tale its most poignant emotional resonance.

3.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

You Either Burn Bright, Or Burn Out Fast

Right from its debut, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners plunges viewers without delay into a vibrant, neon-lit dystopia. In this world, survival isn’t an entitlement; instead, it’s something one must relentlessly fight for with gritty determination and raw effort.

Originating from the same creators as CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077, this anime was developed by Studio Trigger (known for productions like Kill la Kill and Promare) and debuted on Netflix in 2022. Despite being merely 10 episodes long, it delivers a powerful punch in each moment, filled with tension, despair, and poignant sadness.

David Martinez, a brilliant yet underprivileged student from the slums, discovers a top-secret cybernetic device. His decision to integrate this technology sets off a chain of events that dramatically alters his life and the urban landscape. This story explores the struggle for significance in a world indifferent to whether you’re flesh or metal. It delves into the consequences when one’s humanity becomes increasingly blurred.

Edgerunners not only draws inspiration from the Cyberpunk 2077 video game; it delves further, offering a more in-depth exploration of Night City’s shadowy depths. The series delves into characters and systems that the game only subtly suggested.

The English dub is exceptionally well-done, featuring Zach Aguilar as David and Emi Lo as Lucy. This anime is unique because the dub might even improve the overall mood of the show, particularly when the dialogue sounds more authentic to Western street language and slang.

Furthermore, the soundtrack is noteworthy. The song “I Really Want to Stay at Your House” by Rosa Walton gained widespread popularity among a whole generation of anime enthusiasts, serving as an unofficial hymn of heartache.

2.
Cowboy Bebop

Space Cowboys Carrying Earth’s Melancholy

In a future scenario where mankind has expanded across the solar system, civilization persists with the same imperfections that once marred Earth. The narrative centers around a band of bounty hunters residing on the spacecraft Bebop, featuring the melancholic ex-assassin Spike Spiegel, the retired law enforcer Jet Black, the elusive swindler Faye Valentine, the quirky computer whiz Edward, and their genetically altered canine companion Ein.

Generally, each episode showcases the crew’s efforts to seize valuable rewards, frequently ending in disastrous failures with just enough survival for continuation. What makes Bebop unique is its episodic format, which progressively unveils the troubled pasts of each character, exposing the traumas that molded them and the spirits they can’t evade.

Shinichiro Watanabe, the director, crafted an exceptional visual journey by seamlessly merging film noir, western, and cyberpunk styles with a jazz-inspired soundtrack, composed by Yoko Kanno, which has earned its own acclaim. The music doesn’t merely accompany the scenes; it takes on a role of its own, shaping the emotional atmosphere in each scene.

The dubbed version of Cowboy Bebop is often praised as one of the finest in anime history, with Steve Blum’s performance as Spike being his most renowned character. Despite having just 26 episodes and a movie, the show’s explorations of existentialism, identity, and the struggle to leave behind one’s past continue to resonate strongly. This is why it remains a must-watch more than two decades after its initial airing.

1.
Samurai Champloo

The Other Side of Lazarus You Didn’t Know You Wanted

If Lazarus left you feeling as if your heartbeat matched an unending rhythm that you wished wouldn’t stop, then you might find that Samurai Champloo continues that same pulsating energy.

Under the guidance of Shinichirō Watanabe, renowned for his work on Cowboy Bebop and Lazarus, Champloo is an intriguing blend of Edo-era Japan and underground hip-hop culture. This unique anime takes the form of a historical samurai journey set to music reminiscent of a 2000s mixtape, and it surprisingly succeeds in ways that surpass expectations.

The story commences with three individuals, Mugen, Jin, and Fuu, unexpectedly meeting and bonding due to a mutual pledge. As they traverse feudal Japan, the setting is peppered with incongruities such as graffiti, hip-hop-performing monks, baseball-loving foreigners, and rap contests. Beneath these seemingly disparate elements lies a gradual character transformation and an unfolding of emotional depths.

Nujabes, who has since passed away, was largely responsible for creating the soundtrack, and it’s not an overstatement to say he revolutionized the field. His compositions exposed a new crop of anime enthusiasts to lo-fi hip-hop, years before it gained widespread popularity on YouTube as a defining trend in the genre.

The voices are undeniably impressive, particularly Steve Blum’s portrayal of Mugen and Kirk Thornton’s performance as Jin. Each actor imbues their characters with a distinct vitality.

Or, more casually:
Both Steve Blum and Kirk Thornton deliver outstanding performances in their roles as Mugen and Jin respectively. They each breathe life into the characters in a unique way.

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2025-05-25 20:09