Summary
In a recent interview withANN, directorShinichiro Watanabe, creator of series likeCowboy BebopandSamurai Champloo, talked about his upcoming anime,Lazarus,made alongsideJohn Wickdirector Chad Stahelski.He talked about many things, including how he and Stahelski ended up working together (Watanabe is aJohn Wickfan),his music taste(he would like to collaborate with Billie Eilish), his career, and so on.
Anyway, despite focusing on his upcoming work, one thing that stands out is a revelation made right at the beginning of the interview:Watanabe revealed that all his anime take place in the same universe. This means that, for Watanabe himself,Cowboy Bebop, Carole & Tuesday,Samurai Champloo, Terror in Resonance, Space DandyandLazarusare all a small part of the history of a larger universe. A few fans pointed out that Watanabe’s series share the same currency, Woolong, and it’s not uncommon for the latest series to make references to older ones.
What Does it All Actually Mean?
Not That Much If You Don’t Want It To
Well, while the same currency and small references may point to a shared universe,all it really means is that the creator imagines these stories as taking place in the same world, although in different times/places. As if they are allpart of the history of the same reality.
Itdoes not mean, though, that Watanabe has bigger plans to strongly connect these stories to each other. It may be something more like your life and the life of a random person living in Egypt back in 60 BC. Same universe, same world, different times, totally different stories and not necessarily related in any way (in this case, you don’t even share the same currency).
Itcouldmean though that we might see references tohis previous works inLazarus. Considering we know it is the same universe, the story takes place around 20 years beforeCowboy Bebop. It does not mean Watanabe wanted to do a prequel toCowboy Bebop,but we might see familiar faces (maybe a younger Spike?).
It’s better not to expect the show to be abigCowboy Bebopreference, but it is possible there will be some. But fans can also just ignore the shared universe if they want to, as the series work just fine as independent and unrelated stories.
The UpcomingLazarus
A Long-Awaited Collaboration Between Watanabe and Stahelski
Lazaruswas announced as an Adult Swim original show, slated for 2025, but the exact premiere date is yet to be announced. It takes place in the 2050s and follows a scientist, Dr. Skinner, trying to find a vaccine for a drug that was believed to be a “miracle drug”. The vaccine is named Lazarus (likely a reference to the biblical Lazarus, but who knows if the David Bowie album also served as inspiration).
Cowboy BebopandSamurai Champlooare available to stream on Cruchyroll and Hulu (there is also a 2021 Cowboy Bebop live-action series on Netflix). Lazarus will premiere on Adult Swim in 2025 and will likely also be added to Max.
Cowboy Bebop
Cast
This iconic anime series is now available on Blu-ray and follows the adventures of the laid-back bounty hunter, Spike Spiegel, and his diverse crew as they navigate a futuristic, jazz-infused world. Fueled by stunning visuals and a captivating soundtrack, Cowboy Bebop blends action, mystery, and noir elements, offering a fun space-western anime.
