Shinichiro Watanabe is one of those anime creators who has his own inimitable style – and this style deserves the attention of all anime fans.
Lazarus, the new anime title, has been released on Adult Swim – it is a new work by Shinichiro Watanabe, a modern anime classic. If you liked the stylish and gripping story, then it's time to check out other cult works by the Japanese master.
1. Cowboy Bebop, 1998-1999
Jet Black, a former cop, and Spike Spiegel, a man with a difficult past, never thought their crew on the spaceship Bebop would grow. For them, the ship is both a home and a way to travel the universe.
But new companions have entered their lives: Faye Valentine, a charming adventurer; Ed, a young genius hacker; and Ein, a dog who may be smarter than many humans. Together they continue to do what they love – bounty hunting.
Cowboy Bebop is a unique combination of science fiction and mystery, with each of the 26 episodes telling its own exciting story.
2. Samurai Champloo, 2004-2005
The hot-tempered, sword-wielding vagrant Mugen and the reserved ronin Jin are ready to fight to the death, but they are constantly interrupted. The orphan Fuu makes them promise to postpone the duel until they fulfill her request.
They must help the girl find a mysterious samurai who smells of sunflowers. Fuu knows nothing more about this man, but she is determined to find him.
Mugen and Jin reluctantly embark on a long journey through Edo-era Japan. Along the way, the trio encounters people who want to kill them, rob them, or enslave them.
3. Macross Plus, 1994
The year is 2040, humanity is at its peak, and two pilots, Isamu Dyson and Guld Bowman, fight for air superiority while virtual idol Sharon Apple prepares for a concert.
Many don't know this, but Watanabe was the driving force behind this OVA, which is considered by many to be the best installment in the Macross franchise. Released in 1994, Macross Plus tells the story of how the lives of three people become intertwined when the world is threatened by AI.
4. Space Dandy, 2014
Space Dandy is a unique project – it is a delightfully strange anthology show with images that clearly reflect Watanabe's ideas.
The anime follows the adventures of a group of space travelers, including a bounty hunter named Dandy, an alien named Meow, and a robot named QT. Dandy travels around the world hunting criminals, and each episode is unique in both genre and presentation.
Space Dandy becomes a kind of almanac of stories. It is almost an anthology, where the episode about the zombie uprising ends with philosophical reflections.