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https://blacknerdproblems.com/lazarus-review/
Shinichirō Watanabe is responsible for some of the best anime of the last three decades.
Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Carole & Tuesday are on the top of my list of best anime for newcomers to the format right up there with Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Haikyuu. Y’all have been here long enough to know when I’m invoking those two, it’s *real* good. But these are series that need little to no introduction. When I type Tank!, a nontrivial amount of you are currently hearing a series of brass instruments followed by “Okay, three, two, one, let’s jam” followed by more brass.
You are more than likely here because you already know that Watanabe is one of the greats and this is his first project in six years, and it’s got Chad Stahelski of John Wick fame directing the action sequences, more jazz, and animation from MAPPA.
Lazarus, by pedigree alone, was always going to be good, so the question that is really on everyone’s mind is Lazarus going to be great?
I’ve watched the first five episodes, and my answer is a solid “maybe.”
The moment the show starts, the animation is ethereal and atmospheric. The opening narration quickly explains the premise of the show: Dr. Skinner released Hapna, the best painkiller ever developed to the world, and then vanished for a bit, before coming back and informing the world that anyone who took the drug was gonna end up dead unless they manage to find him. This exposition is prologued with the following line:
“If you find yourself unable to feel, then that is no different than being dead.”
And then the jazz kicks in, and it very much feels like a homecoming, especially when we meet our poster child, Axel Gilberto. Axel is in line with your typical Watanabe protagonist, although perhaps borrowing a few more moves from the Mugen school of acrobatics while still maintaining the swagger of Spike Spiegel.
Your pilot is a typical pilot, an introduction to the world and to the cast at a very high level. It’s entertaining enough, and the end credits countdown the number of days left to find Skinner before it all goes to hell.
The next few episodes manage to texture the world further as different characters provide different perspectives on their interaction with Hapna. And the sense of worldbuilding is fantastic. The 2050s set pieces manage to feel grounded while showing off a sleek futuristic sense of style and spectacle between all the slickly designed tech, whether it’s massive drones or new age motorcycles. You can believe that this is a world where such a powerful and mysterious drug can be developed, and you can just as easily believe the world’s reaction to the revelation that there is a mass extinction event on the horizon.
The titular Lazarus team is brought together with a little Suicide Squad magic. Everyone’s got some red in their ledger, and some are there voluntarily trying to get rid of it and some are there because it’s mandatory. The team of five is your typical composition of 3 men and 2 women, with four field agents and one running tech support from home base. The first string of episodes shows them in a wide variety of scenarios and shenanigans all in service of their primary mission, with each character getting to pepper in details here and there about their backstory and personality.
Is the main cast likable? Absolutely. Do they radiate a certain aura of cool? You bet they do. Are they still a little archetypical? Unfortunately.
Whereas Cowboy Bebop introduced their principle cast of four over 9 episodes (yeah, Faye showing up in 3 makes perfect sense, but it is wild that Ed doesn’t show up until *episode 9*) and Samurai Champloo and Carole & Tuesday had naturally smaller casts, Lazarus doesn’t generate that same level of endearment for its characters. Axel, Doug, Chris, Leland, and Eleina are entertaining to watch, but their shared screen time in pursuit of solving the grand serialized mystery leave me with only their vibe. Lots of things are implied, but nothing is really known, which can work to a degree, but Axel being a serial prison escapee is nowhere near as iconic as his predecessors.
All that said, Lazarus does stand out in pretty much every other field. The soundtrack is aural bliss, and the action scenes are everything you ever wanted from the vision of Watanabe and the direction of Stahelski. The John Wick DNA is evident and present, and we are thankful for it. The hand to hand is superb, the gun play is clean, the parkour is so much fun to watch. When the characters are in their bag, functionally being superheroes or superspies, the show sings. MAPPA’s animation is so good I continue to wonder how they keep managing to produce the sheer number of high-quality projects that they do. I was enthralled by each episode, so I can forgive the first five episodes for not quite getting their footing for their ambitious scale.
The entire premise of the story comes at a very specific time in our own history, where we are dealing with the aftermath of an opioid crisis and an insurance industry that actively seems indifferent to us. It’s telling that this is the second series that Adult Swim has put out this year about a so-called miracle drug (and you should definitely be watching Common Side Effects, especially since the second season has been confirmed). And that premise is inherently fascinating to me, and why I’m more than willing to keep watching the sleek spectacle.
Lazarus has a solid foundation, a compelling myth arc, clever storytelling, and a cast that needs just a few more dedicated scenes to their own backstory to really sell them. Lazarus also lives in the shadows cast by its predecessor series, some of the most iconic in anime. And only time will tell how far out it will make it, but it does have a decent running start.
Lazarus premieres 4/5 @ midnight on Toonami on Adult Swim, next day on Max.
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The post Saving the World from Big Pharma Never Looked So Slick – ‘Lazarus’ Review appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Shinichirō Watanabe is responsible for some of the best anime of the last three decades.
Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Carole & Tuesday are on the top of my list of best anime for newcomers to the format right up there with Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Haikyuu. Y’all have been here long enough to know when I’m invoking those two, it’s *real* good. But these are series that need little to no introduction. When I type Tank!, a nontrivial amount of you are currently hearing a series of brass instruments followed by “Okay, three, two, one, let’s jam” followed by more brass.
You are more than likely here because you already know that Watanabe is one of the greats and this is his first project in six years, and it’s got Chad Stahelski of John Wick fame directing the action sequences, more jazz, and animation from MAPPA.
Lazarus, by pedigree alone, was always going to be good, so the question that is really on everyone’s mind is Lazarus going to be great?
I’ve watched the first five episodes, and my answer is a solid “maybe.”
The moment the show starts, the animation is ethereal and atmospheric. The opening narration quickly explains the premise of the show: Dr. Skinner released Hapna, the best painkiller ever developed to the world, and then vanished for a bit, before coming back and informing the world that anyone who took the drug was gonna end up dead unless they manage to find him. This exposition is prologued with the following line:
“If you find yourself unable to feel, then that is no different than being dead.”
And then the jazz kicks in, and it very much feels like a homecoming, especially when we meet our poster child, Axel Gilberto. Axel is in line with your typical Watanabe protagonist, although perhaps borrowing a few more moves from the Mugen school of acrobatics while still maintaining the swagger of Spike Spiegel.
Your pilot is a typical pilot, an introduction to the world and to the cast at a very high level. It’s entertaining enough, and the end credits countdown the number of days left to find Skinner before it all goes to hell.
The next few episodes manage to texture the world further as different characters provide different perspectives on their interaction with Hapna. And the sense of worldbuilding is fantastic. The 2050s set pieces manage to feel grounded while showing off a sleek futuristic sense of style and spectacle between all the slickly designed tech, whether it’s massive drones or new age motorcycles. You can believe that this is a world where such a powerful and mysterious drug can be developed, and you can just as easily believe the world’s reaction to the revelation that there is a mass extinction event on the horizon.
The titular Lazarus team is brought together with a little Suicide Squad magic. Everyone’s got some red in their ledger, and some are there voluntarily trying to get rid of it and some are there because it’s mandatory. The team of five is your typical composition of 3 men and 2 women, with four field agents and one running tech support from home base. The first string of episodes shows them in a wide variety of scenarios and shenanigans all in service of their primary mission, with each character getting to pepper in details here and there about their backstory and personality.
Is the main cast likable? Absolutely. Do they radiate a certain aura of cool? You bet they do. Are they still a little archetypical? Unfortunately.
Whereas Cowboy Bebop introduced their principle cast of four over 9 episodes (yeah, Faye showing up in 3 makes perfect sense, but it is wild that Ed doesn’t show up until *episode 9*) and Samurai Champloo and Carole & Tuesday had naturally smaller casts, Lazarus doesn’t generate that same level of endearment for its characters. Axel, Doug, Chris, Leland, and Eleina are entertaining to watch, but their shared screen time in pursuit of solving the grand serialized mystery leave me with only their vibe. Lots of things are implied, but nothing is really known, which can work to a degree, but Axel being a serial prison escapee is nowhere near as iconic as his predecessors.
All that said, Lazarus does stand out in pretty much every other field. The soundtrack is aural bliss, and the action scenes are everything you ever wanted from the vision of Watanabe and the direction of Stahelski. The John Wick DNA is evident and present, and we are thankful for it. The hand to hand is superb, the gun play is clean, the parkour is so much fun to watch. When the characters are in their bag, functionally being superheroes or superspies, the show sings. MAPPA’s animation is so good I continue to wonder how they keep managing to produce the sheer number of high-quality projects that they do. I was enthralled by each episode, so I can forgive the first five episodes for not quite getting their footing for their ambitious scale.
The entire premise of the story comes at a very specific time in our own history, where we are dealing with the aftermath of an opioid crisis and an insurance industry that actively seems indifferent to us. It’s telling that this is the second series that Adult Swim has put out this year about a so-called miracle drug (and you should definitely be watching Common Side Effects, especially since the second season has been confirmed). And that premise is inherently fascinating to me, and why I’m more than willing to keep watching the sleek spectacle.
Lazarus has a solid foundation, a compelling myth arc, clever storytelling, and a cast that needs just a few more dedicated scenes to their own backstory to really sell them. Lazarus also lives in the shadows cast by its predecessor series, some of the most iconic in anime. And only time will tell how far out it will make it, but it does have a decent running start.
Lazarus premieres 4/5 @ midnight on Toonami on Adult Swim, next day on Max.
Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you? Sign up here! Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, and Instagram!
The post Saving the World from Big Pharma Never Looked So Slick – ‘Lazarus’ Review appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Golden State Warriors superstar point guard Stephen Curry and One World, a Random House Publishing Group imprint, announced on March 29 that Curry and the imprint have agreed to a three-book deal, with the first book, “Shot Ready,” set to debut on Sept. 9.
According to the press release from One World, Curry will draw on his personal journey in hopes of inspiring people from backgrounds different from his own to meet challenges in their lives.
Steph’s new book “Shot Ready” is available for preorder now at https://t.co/9iuYMYCzHC!
— Anika
“Shot Ready is a powerful distillation of Stephen Curry’s transformative philosophy of success–centered on preparation, constant improvement, creativity, connection, mindfulness, and joy —… pic.twitter.com/AglEzmjQxY(@WardeIICurry30) March 29, 2025
“I want to use my story to connect with people of different backgrounds and help them solve the puzzle of their own potential,” Curry said in a statement. “This book is a celebration of the work that happens in the shadows, the creativity that fuels every move, and the mindfulness that keeps me grounded. I hope ‘Shot Ready’ inspires readers to embrace their own journey, trust the process, and always find joy in the pursuit of excellence.”
According to ESPN, the books will also be published in partnership with Unanimous Media, a multimedia company that works to produce compelling family, faith, and sports content for a wide range of ages, which Curry and Erick Peyton started in 2018. The book, which is a hardback, coffee table-style book, is currently available for pre-order on One World’s website.
“Shot Ready” is a multimedia project that includes over 100 photos of Curry and his personal reflections. Like Curry, the publishers are billing the book as a distillation of his personal philosophy of success, geared toward readers who want to reach their full potential. The book is currently on sale for $41.85 on Penguin Random House’s Bookshop page.
“’Shot Ready’ is a powerful distillation of Stephen Curry’s transformative philosophy of success-–centered on preparation, constant improvement, creativity, connection, mindfulness, and joy — delivered in his incomparable voice and style. Stunningly designed and illustrated with over 100 gorgeous photographs, ‘Shot Ready’ is an intimate narrative and a practical blueprint for any reader who wants to unlock their own potential,” One World’s blurb reads.
According to the description of the imprint’s mission on Penguin Random House’s website, Curry’s multimedia company and One World Publishing seem to have aligned missions.
“The mission of ONE WORLD is to provide a home for authors—novelists, essayists, memoirists, poets, journalists, thinkers, activists, and creative artists unconstrained by genre—who challenge the status quo, subvert dominant narratives, and give us new language to understand our past, present, and future. Our writers represent voices from across the spectrum of humanity telling critical, universally important, and compelling stories about a changing world,” the publisher stated.
In addition to Curry, One World counts Tina Knowles, Anelise Chen, Heather McGhee, Keshia N. Blain, Ibrahim X. Kendi, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Donovan X. Ramsey, Nikole Hannah-Jones, and Eve L. Ewing, among authors with whom it has collaborated.
RELATED CONTENT: Stephen Curry Takes On Role Of Assistant General Manager At Davidson College
So, the hype got to you, huh? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. After all, Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrean series is one the most popular adult fantasy series of the 21st century, with its third novel, Onyx Storm, becoming the fastest-selling adult fantasy novel in 20 years (it sold 2.7 million copies in its first week of release).
Before you can dive into Onyx Storm, though, you’ll first have to read Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, as they set up the all-important and overwhelming romantic relationship between the series’ protagonists, Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson, as well as the war between the Continent and the venin; dark magic wielders who steal their power from the world they inhabit.
Leonardo DiCaprio is in the new Paul Thomas Anderson film One Battle After Another. The film is loosely based on the 1990 novel Vineland from Thomas Pynchon. Vineland makes a point about Ronald Reagan and is a story about a political life. Keep this in mind.
The trailer dropped today and gave us a bit more insight into Anderson’s take on the story. From the trailer, it is very clearly about a “rebellion” and pushing back on the government. They say as much in the trailer. So if you weren’t aware of what the novel was about, the trailer clues you in. Still, let us go on.