The designation “Lazarus” refers to two distinct but recently concluded or concluding series: an anime television series and a long-running comic book series. Both have reached their respective finales in mid-2025, offering resolutions to their complex narratives.
The Anime Series Finale: Lazarus (2025)
The anime series Lazarus, created and directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, concluded its run on June 29, 2025, with its 13th episode titled “The World is Yours.” The series, produced by MAPPA and Sola Entertainment, centered on a team tasked with finding Dr. Skinner, the creator of the pain-relieving drug “Hapna,” which was revealed to have a fatal, retroactive effect after three years. Humanity had only 30 days to secure a cure before widespread death occurred.
The finale saw the Lazarus team successfully locate Dr. Skinner, who had been hiding in a homeless camp. Despite finding him in his final stages, Skinner managed to provide the formula for the antidote before his death. A key revelation in the final episode was that all members of the Lazarus team had been exposed to Skinner’s chemicals during the “Schiphol Airport incident” and had miraculously survived, developing a partial immunity to Hapna. This survival, it was revealed, had inspired Skinner’s plan.
Following the acquisition of the antidote, the series concluded with the cure for Hapna being distributed globally, saving humanity. The Lazarus team, initially assembled from various backgrounds, was pardoned for their past actions and given the option to continue working together to combat future threats and corruption. While the episode provided a conclusive ending, some critics noted its abruptness and that certain plot elements felt conveniently resolved or underdeveloped. Despite wrapping up its main storyline, the finale also contained hints that suggest the possibility of a second season.
The Comic Book Series Finale: Lazarus: Fallen
Coinciding with the anime’s conclusion, the critically acclaimed Image Comics series Lazarus, written by Greg Rucka with art by Michael Lark, is also reaching its narrative culmination. The final chapter of the comic series is titled Lazarus: Fallen and began its release in June 2025.
Launched in 2013, the Lazarus comic series is set in a dystopian future where the world has reverted to a feudalistic system, controlled by a handful of powerful “Families”. The protagonist, Forever Carlyle, is a genetically engineered super-soldier and the “Lazarus” of the Carlyle Family, tasked with enforcing their will. The final arc, Lazarus: Fallen, focuses on Forever Carlyle finally breaking free from her father’s control and aiming to dismantle the entire oppressive system. Both writer Greg Rucka and artist Michael Lark have expressed excitement about delivering the long-planned conclusion to Forever’s journey, promising twists and a definitive resolution to the decade-long story.
