Sand Land: The Series Review (2024)

Akira Toriyama was a prolific voice in the manga and anime world who’s best remembered for Dragon Ball, Dr. Slump, and his character designs for video games like Chrono Trigger and Dragon Quest. That said, Toriyama is also responsible for many lesser known and overlooked works, Sand Land, being one of them. Sand Land is a 14-chapter manga series that was released back in 2000 that’s suddenly having a renaissance nearly 25 years later with a feature film, video game, and new anime – Sand Land: The Series.

Written by Hayashi Mori and directed by Toshihisa Yokoshima, this episodic iteration of Toriyama’s obscure series perfectly captures Sand Land’s bombastic energy and why it deserves to be checked out by even the most casual of anime fans. It’s not as action-packed as Dragon Ball Z and it’s not as hilarious as Dr. Slump, but Sand Land: The Series stands apart as a unique entity that has plenty of room to grow. Sand Land is a special series that will resonate strongly with adults and children alike that feels like the anime love child of Dune and Mad Max, with a touch of Stephen King’s Dark Tower thrown in for good measure, too.

Sand Land: The Series Sets The Stage For An Expansive World Of Fiends & Fools

Sand Land is Pure Toriyama From Top to Bottom

Set in the world of Sand Land – a barren, dehydrated landscape that's been without a natural supply of water for decades – citizens have grown increasingly desperate over how to make ends meet. A greedy king has monetized his personal water supply, which has resulted in a rise of crime and chaos. Rao, a humble sheriff with a mysterious past, turns to the demon prince, Beelzebub, and his elderly friend, Thief, to locate a new water source and break the corrupt king's unsustainable cycle. It's a simple premise, but one that gets the heavy lifting out of the way early so that Sand Land can celebrate its original characters and weird world.

Sand Land: The Series is rich in world-building and never afraid to have fun with its bleak setting. This is a world that features demons alongside robotic cyborgs, insect-men, high-tech tank artillery, war veterans, and carnivorous monsters that roam the land. Even Angels show up by the end of the first seven episodes. Sand Land establishes clear stakes, but its secret weapon is the fun, casual, affable chemistry between Beelzebub, Thief, and Sheriff Rao as they head out on their perilous adventure. They all come across as distinct individuals from contrasting backgrounds who go on to become excellent foils for one another that slowly grow into this sweet makeshift family.

Sand Land: The Series often leans into the “power of teamwork,” but never in a way that feels pandering or derivative. These seven episodes are rich in comedy, action, and character-building, but Sand Land: The Series also explores some heavier and more layered societal deconstructions that examine the schism between humans and demons as they blame the unknown other for their many problems. Certain characters, such as Rao, have surprisingly melancholy backstories that really make the audience feel for them.

What Does Sand Land Accomplish Across Its First Seven Episodes?

Sand Land's First Half Feels More Like a Movie Than a TV Series

Batch-drops can be a mixed bag when it comes to anime, but it’s an approach that benefits Sand Land: The Series considering its first six episodes are essentially an expanded adaptation of the Sand Land feature film that was released in 2023. There’s a fairly rushed pacing throughout the series, yet each installment still has its own personality rather than purely feeling like a piece of a greater whole. These episodes fly by and lead into each other in a manner that makes it difficult not to just binge through the lot. That being said, it does feel like the first seven episodes could cover a little more plot instead of focusing entirely on one mission. This approach allows for plenty of character-enriching detours, but two major storylines or more episodic tales – rather than a strictly serialized storytelling structure – might have worked slightly better here. It'll be interesting to see if this strategy is taken at all for the season’s second-half or if it will be another strictly serialized affair with the “Angel’s Hero Arc.”

Sand Land is fun, but it might be even more successful if audiences could jump in and out as they please as a way to get a taste of this unique world instead of being confined to a singular storyline that's spread out. It’s not surprising to learn that this same story was adapted as a singular movie. That’s essentially what it feels like and the more standalone monster-of-the-week approach of the original Dragon Ball would have gone far here. However, this is still a highly enjoyable story that’s far from ruined through its serialized storytelling structure. The insect men attack from episodes five and six are the closest that Sand Land gets to this monster-of-the-week quality and these are two of the season’s strongest and standout installments.

Sand Land: The Series’ seventh episode also kicks off a new storyline that brings a lot of exciting energy to the table while expanding the series’ world. This new material, that’s original to the Sand Land anime, is written by Toriyama and should function as a bittersweet farewell to the prolific storyteller. It’s enough to get audiences excited for the season’s remaining six episodes instead of ending on a content note of closure. It's a smart, yet simple decision that teases what's to come, rather than making it feel like Sand Land's adventures are solved and over. It’s unclear if Sand Land: The Series will only last for 13 episodes or if it will use Toriyama’s manga and original ideas to tell further stories down the road. It certainly feels as if there are limitless possibilities in Sand Land and that this isn’t a closed-off or finite universe.

How Does Sand Land Compare To Akira Toriyama’s Other Works?

Toriyama's Trademark Style is On Display, But Hardcore Dragon Ball Fans Should Temper Their Expectations

Anyone who’s ever enjoyed any of Toriyama’s other works will no doubt appreciate what’s going on in Sand Land: The Series. Admittedly, Sand Land has more in commong with Toriyama’s deeper cuts than Dragon Ball, invoking Pink, Jaco: the Galactic Patrolman, and Neko Majin Z. That said, Sand Land’s creative fight sequences and engaging battle choreography are certainly reminiscent of early Dragon Ball. There’s an early sandworm battle and action sequence that’s absolutely thrilling and helps Sand Land flex its animation muscles. On that note, Sand Land: The Series adopts the same CG animation style and aesthetic as Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s a look that may not connect with everyone, especially those who are more used to traditional animation and visuals. All of this is effectively complemented by a passionate, heroic score by Yugo Kanno (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Pluto, Psycho-Pass). Sand Land’s world and characters definitely feel like they could have been a pit-stop during Goku’s journeys in the original Dragon Ball with characters akin to the series’ odder figures like Monster Carrot or Fortuneteller Baba’s demonic warriors. There’s even a corrupt government and king that prevent their altruistic pursuit of water for the people, who bear more than a few similarities with Dragon Ball’s Red Ribbon Army.

This crossover between Sand Land and Toriyama's other works doesn't feel like the author is cribbing on himself. Rather, it's a satisfying look into how he's evolved the same ideas and themes over a 45-year legacy. Sand Land entering the mainstream will hopefully provide the opportunity for Toriyama's entire manga catalogue to receive anime adaptations. Overall, Sand Land: The Series sets up an excellent framework that just scratches the surface of this world. Sand Land is a playful, thought-provoking anime that will leave audiences hungry for more and eager for the next batch of episodes to drop.

The first seven episodes of Sand Land: The Series are now available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu.

8

10

Sand Land: The Series

TV-14

Anime

Action

Adventure

In a post-apocalyptic wasteland, water is controlled by a greedy ruler. Sheriff Rao enlists the king of demons' son Beelzebub and assistant Thief to find a lost lake, facing dangers across the desert.

Release Date

March 20, 2024

Creator(s)

Akira Toriyama

Cast

Mutsumi Tamura , Kazuhiro Yamaji , Chō , Satoshi Tsuruoka , Nobuo Tobita , Ayumu Murase , Mikako Komatsu

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1

Writers

Hayashi Mori , Akira Toriyama

Streaming Service(s)

Hulu

Franchise(s)

Sand Land

Directors

Hiroshi Kôjina , Toshihisa Yokoshima

Pros

• A rich, unique world that?s easy to get lost in.
• Lovable characters who the audience will easily bond with.
• Strong use of CG animation and visuals that are never a distraction.

Cons

• Pacing wears thin and storytelling would benefit from more standalone stories.
• Occasionally feels like a movie that?s been divided into multiple episodes.
• Rote and one-note villains.