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Journeying in the barren wasteland, we have Sand Land: The Series, an anime adaptation of the manga series of the same name by the late Akira Toriyama, creator of Dragon Ball. The manga series was serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine in 2000 and ran for 14 chapters.
This series is a reworked version of the anime film adaptation by Bandai Namco’s Sunrise, which was released last year in Japan. While the movie was not aired outside of Japan, the series will cover what was in the film and be streamed on Disney+ on March 20, 2024.
Not only has the film been reworked into a series, but it also includes additional episodes and scenes. For this review, we got to watch episodes 1 to 7, which are the parts that were covered in the movie. As we mentioned, there are multiple additional scenes that have been added into the series, given that the film is only 1 hour and 46 minutes.
Sandy Fun Adventures
One notable difference of Sand Land when compared to other shōnen series is that it has a rather relaxing tone throughout, giving us a fun and adventurous narrative of humans and demons working together against a greater evil.
The premise follows Sheriff Rao on his journey to seek out the Legendary Spring as promised to stop the ongoing drought and water crisis. The grand adventure kicks off as Rao hears rumors of a demon providing water aid, prompting him to venture to the demon’s lair. This is where he meets the demon prince Beelzebub and his assistant Thief, commencing a grandiose adventure to search for the Legendary Spring.
Unlike most contemporary anime series, Sand Land: The Series utilizes 3D animation, which impressively boasts semblance to traditional 2D animations. No shots look particularly awkward, even as screenshots. All motions and facial expressions are animated without them feeling rigid, making for an enjoyable experience. This is not limited to characters as the backgrounds were given extra care with set dressing that elevates scenes. A desert with dangers awaits, a lush flourishing oasis, or a vast army dam, the world carefully and passionately crafted by Toriyama sensei truly came to life after more than 20 years in manga form.
The voice acting is also worth the praise, with amazing performances from Tamura Mutsumi who acted as Beelzebub brilliantly, capturing the mischievous child-like personality and great love for video games, with some devilish demeanor. Contrasting Beelzebub, we have Yamaji Kazuhiro as the highly responsible Sheriff Rao, who always has a high sense of justice. With such contrasting personalities, both characters make for a dynamic pairing as they go against each other back and forth, yet still have a common goal that puts them together.
Legendary Springs Awaits
All in all, Sand Land: The Series is a lovely adaptation, produced with passion and respect that had us invest in Rao and Beelzebub’s adventure in the sandy plains. This is an adaptation that captures the charm of the manga series, that even if you have never read it, you will easily be drawn to the fascinating adventures of Akira Toriyama’s world.
Despite only watching seven episodes, we are eager to watch more of it. This is how well-crafted the series is, with stellar 3D animation works, great story pacing, and outstanding performances from the voice cast. Sand Land: The Series is an adventure that will keep you excited.
Sand Land: The Series will air on Disney+ on March 20, 2024.
