Lazarus Stumbles Forward with Atmospheric Yet Aimless Episode

The sci-fi anime Lazarus still baffles watchers with its disjointed plotting, presenting another largely self-contained episode in what is ideally a time-sensitive, high-stakes manhunt. Although the series initially threatened urgency with its 30-day window to arrest a rogue scientist, the series has become more episodic with a tendency to forefront subplots at the expense of the overall plot.

An Episode High on Mood, Low on Meaning

This week's episode, "Almost Blue," is more low-key. The crew investigates submerged islands that were once owned by villain Skinner, who lost them as the sea level rose. The concept lacks story weight. With the exception of a loose mention of a population that couldn't experience pain — possibly related to the series' main drug, Hapna — the show adds nothing to the overall narrative.

A late twist suggests a more profound relationship between characters Hersch and Skinner, but with the show's tendency to leave loose ends without resolution, even this scene falls flat with little effect.

 

 

A Visual and Musical High Point in an Otherwise Thin Narrative

In spite of no narrative heft, Almost Blue succeeds on tone and imagery. Underwater location and introspective character moments are matched with the series' standout score, creating an almost meditative experience. These mood pieces become an unexpected strength — one that showcases environmental deterioration without cracking into exposition.

Nevertheless, the episode comes across as more of an artistic music video than a well-oiled cog in a machine that tells a bigger story. This tonal victory serves to do little to address the show's underlying problems: fractured episodes, inconsistent pacing, and wasted potential premise.

Where Almost Blue might be an improvement over past mistakes — say, the cult-movie misfire — it doesn't do a great deal to restore faith. Lazarus is still a show with big ideas and little follow-through. It will be a style-over-substance thing unless it starts to move its atmosphere in tandem with real development.

 

 

Written By Manika Kayal, Intern, India Today Gaming.