Sands of Destruction: The Long Asked Question Goes Anime!
You know how, since the beginning of time, we have debated "who came first?" Which came first, the egg or the chicken? 'Sands of Destruction,' on the other hand, gives the anime universe a taste of that question with a twist. Video game adaptations 'gone anime' are not uncharted territory. With countless titles going down that same path, it is hard to believe that 'deviating' by not following the rules is the best course of action.
However, in the case of Sands of Destruction, the anime came first! Yes, you heard that right. The game was scheduled to be released in late September 2008, and the anime went on air in July of the same year. Heck, there's even a manga that started its serialization around the same time as the anime in Dengeki Maoh! The magazine that no one has heard of!
From experience alone, the Nintendo DS is one of the most loved consoles. Everyone owned one back in the day, and given that it had this massive library of games to choose from, you just had to try everything out! ‘Sands of Destruction’ was no different, and I remember enjoying it a lot back in the day. But today, we're here to discuss all this show, the anime adaptation of the video game, has to offer, so let's dive right in!
An ‘incomplete’ transition
Right away, if you're a video game fan and are diving into the show expecting a ‘mirror anime adaptation,’ then the show will be disappointing. Sure, the characters are the same, and the world feels similar for the most part. But thinking of the anime as a spin-off or a side story makes more sense, if you ask me.
I mean, it's just impossible to merge 100+ hours of an RPG into a 13-episode anime, even if you're God himself. The anime follows an entirely different route and returns at the very end, despite the plot going in every direction possible for most of the series.
Witness being on the other side.
When it comes to anime, video games, or any form of media, the protagonist, or the good side, is constantly fighting the bad guys who aim to destroy the planet one way or another. It's the most cliche story in the book, which manages to woo the audience even today. Sands of Destruction doesn't play by the rules and gives us the 'World Destruction Committee,' which aims to destroy the world while being ‘the good guys’ in this universe.
It's safe to say that the title enjoys being a maverick through and through because it takes place in a world where humans are these endangered species that the "beast-men" hunt. One day, our main character, Kyrie Illunis, becomes a part of this 'World Destruction Committee' and has the power to destroy the world in his hands. You couldn't ask for a better recruit if you asked me.
However, the show constantly goes in all these different directions, making it hard for viewers not to describe it as being focused, if that makes sense. The aim of destroying the world is there, but as the episodes go by, you are still waiting for progression towards achieving that.
The characters are reluctant to take the initiative themselves. In addition, while the show has comedic elements like any other fantasy or adventure medley, it sometimes tries too hard to be a comedy without the fantasy or adventure and risks becoming something entirely different.
The side dish is better than the main course.
It is not surprising that, considering the show's history of defiance, it would eventually take on a Maverick role in terms of personality. Side characters who overshadow the main character are common in modern titles. The best example is Gojo Satoru from "Jujutsu Kaisen." Still, remember that this is 2008; the deeper you get into the show, the less sense it makes for Kyrie Illunis to be cast in the role of protagonist.
The character is simply portrayed as a carefree young man who is not concerned with the future. That makes us seriously doubt his resolve because things are not looking good in a world where the fate of humanity is on his shoulders. When compared to him, Morte Asherah is a much more suitable protagonist. I would get unanimous agreement if I said she was the best character in the series.
Her abilities are exceptional, and the show later realizes that they made a mistake by giving her much more screen time and importance than our main protagonist. We cannot just stop there; a fantasy anime needs an ancient character from a hybrid species who has a crush on our useless main character and a mascot, right?
Lia Dragonell is this dragon beast-man, and despite being able to grow ‘everything dragon’ in a minute or so, she still uses two handguns. I guess everyone's super obsessed with Dante from ‘Devil May Cry.’ But let's put all that aside and have a look at our mascot, the cutest character that the series has to offer.
Toppy Topran is this plushie talking bear that ends his sentences with ‘kuma,’ giving this fantasy universe that missing piece that makes things a little entertaining, to say the very least. Being a part of the 'World Destruction Committee,' it's almost unbelievable how he's the one calling the shots at times, making the main character mock himself. But hey, it's Sands of Destruction, and apparently, Illunis left all that valor and bravery in the video game!
Action better than the RPG
The anime is not even close to the video game regarding battles, leveling up, and the whole RPG aspect. But the action it does have is well put together. The upside is that you get to see your favorite video game re-imagined and re-defined as an anime, making it difficult for your eyes to leave that screen alone.
Only the humor and action save the show from total collapse. The music isn't much, to be honest. After investing so much time in the video game, I was dissatisfied with the anime's offerings when I first started watching the series. The video game scored excellently with OSTs that are part of my favorite BGM playlist. But the anime has yet to give me a memorable track that I can go back to listen to repeatedly, to be honest.
I was dissatisfied with what the anime had to offer because I am a huge video game fan. It isn’t even an abridged experience that you can connect the dots to bring the perfect picture to life yourself. Instead, you get a different spin-off that makes you appreciate the video game all the more. I’m pretty sure many people didn’t even know this anime existed since it was just a way to promote the video game right before its release.
I don’t know whether sales got up because of this move, but since NA users got to play it two years after its release, that spell didn’t really work worldwide now, did it? However, Production I.G. was behind the anime, which makes the title win many more points since everyone loves that studio to pieces.
It’s safe for you to assume that the anime is one of the better-looking shows from the first decade of the 21st century based on that fact alone. I think that’s one of the reasons why the show ends up nailing the action genre and doing it justice for the most part. But with nothing else going for it,' Sands of Destruction’ doesn’t manage to make that lasting impact if you want to stay relevant in the fantasy/adventure combo.
In case you’ve never heard of this name even once, I’d recommend checking out the video game first because going at it the other way around will only make you regret it. I highly recommend playing this video game for the ‘combat and mechanics.’
I’d give the anime 6/10; it could’ve been way better, but it felt rushed, even for a promotional series. It was better just to hire Keanu Reeves or someone to promote it, but the company had other plans. Don’t miss out on the video game; that’s pure DS gold right there!
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https://pinnedupink.com/blogs/random-thoughts-because-mondays-suck
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Sands of Destruction Official Trailer
