Lazarus: John Wick Director Shot Live-Action Fight Scenes for Shinichirō Watanabe’s New Anime

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As a gamer who has grown up with the magic of anime and the thrill of action-packed movies, I can hardly contain my excitement for the upcoming series, Lazarus. The dream team collaboration between Shinichirō Watanabe, creator of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, and Chad Stahelski, director of the John Wick series, is a match made in heaven for us anime fans.

The genius behind “Cowboy Bebop” and “Samurai Champloo”, Shinichirō Watanabe, is teaming up with the director of the “John Wick” series for a collaboration that anime enthusiasts have been unknowingly yearning for. Known as “Lazarus,” this upcoming sci-fi series presents an original concept created by Watanabe. To bring the action sequences and chases in “Lazarus” to life, Watanabe has enlisted Chad Stahelski, a former stuntman turned director, who departed from animation and instead filmed these scenes using live-action.

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In an interview with Anime News Network, Shinichirō Watanabe disclosed that Chad Stahelski opted to create the combat sequences for Lazarus in real life first and later adapted them into animation. When asked about novel aspects he discovered while working on Lazarus, Watanabe shared, “This project allowed me to explore meaningful collaborations, one of which was teaming up with Chad Stahelski.” Some fans were apprehensive when Stahelski joined the project, viewing it as mere marketing. However, according to Shinichirō Watanabe, the director of John Wick, Stahelski exceeded expectations. He further explained, “They even filmed live-action fight scenes on our behalf.

Initially, Watanabe thought Stahelski might be too occupied for the project. However, he was in for an unexpected treat. He shared that he had requested guidance on crafting action sequences similar to theirs. Yet, to his amazement, they responded with a generous offer: “We’ll handle the choreography for you!

Securing the esteemed director of all four “John Wick” films to choreograph the action for your production was already a significant coup, but what made it even more astounding is that Chad Stahelski did it pro bono. Initially, we were apprehensive about the financial implications of this project as we’ve never worked with budgets on such a grand Hollywood scale. However, Chad Stahelski has long admired the work of Shinichirō Watanabe and couldn’t resist the chance to collaborate. During our conversation, he reassured us, saying, “Don’t worry about the cost. ‘Cowboy Bebop’ and ‘Samurai Champloo’ have been my inspiration for years. Let me do this for you.

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In an interview with Comic Book Movie in 2023, Chad Stahelski shared how deeply influenced his career has been by the anime series Cowboy Bebop, particularly evident in John Wick: Chapter 4. The director explained that the scene of John Wick’s death in Paris was inspired by the ending of Spike Spiegel’s character in Watanabe’s acclaimed series. “We were drawn to the church imagery and its symbolism as well as the descent down the stairs,” said Stahelski, adding, “I am a fan of Cowboy Bebop, where Spike Spiegel meets his end on the stairs. Hajime Yatate, the director and creator of Cowboy Bebop, has been a significant influence for me, so when I saw that location, it all tied together.

This year at New York Comic Con, a captivating sneak peek for the series “Lazarus” was unveiled. The trailer showcased the stunning animation by Studio MAPPA, hinting at similar feel as “Cowboy Bebop”. Alongside this teaser, viewers also discovered that “Lazarus” is projected to hit screens in 2025.

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2024-11-27 03:10