Sand Land Anime Review: Toriyama's Hidden Gem Brings Desert Adventure

Sand Land: The Series

Many of us were taught not to “judge a book by its cover" because there’s only so much you know at first glance. Sometimes, the seemingly rude and selfish person can be our greatest ally, while the nice guy has been plotting our downfall from the start. This isn’t to say some books can’t be judged by the cover because first impressions or gut feelings can also go farther than we realize. So, at which point can we confidently say we truly know someone? There’s no clear-cut answer.

Sand Land Anime Review: Toriyama's Hidden Gem Brings Desert Adventure to Life | Pinnedupink.com

“Sand Land: The Series” is a 13-episode ONA series that aired from the 20th of March until the 1st of May 2024. It was brought to life by Studios Sunrise, Anima, and Kamikaze Douga and feathered the genres of action, adventure, and fantasy. The primary staff behind it includes Yokoshima Toshihisa as director, Iwanami Yoshikazu as sound director, Koujina Hiroshi as episode director and on storyboard, and Hakada Masatoshi also as episode director and on storyboard. Each episode has a runtime of 24 minutes and was targeted at the Shounen demographic, earning a rating of PG-13 for teenagers 13 years of age or older.

The anime is based on the manga “Sand Land," which spanned just one volume from the 9th of May till the 8th of August, 2000. It featured the genres of action, adventure, fantasy, and supernatural alongside the themes of martial arts and mythology. Also targeted at the Shounen, it is the work of author and artist Akira Toriyama and was serialized in Shounen Jump (Weekly). It was then published in English by VIZ Media under the Shonen Jump imprint on the 24th of December 2003. An alternative version titled “Sand Land” was released as a movie on the 18th of August, 2023. It was produced by Bandai, TOHO, Shueisha, and Bandai Namco Filmworks and brought to life by Studios Sunrise, Anima, and Kamikaze Douga. This was also based on the manga, with a runtime of 1 hour and 46 minutes.

The story is set in a desolate, far future, where a war has destroyed the earth. All that is left now is a barren wasteland as far as the eyes can see, where even the supply of humanity's greatest need, water, is controlled by a selfish and greedy king. Thus, one of the protagonists, Sheriff Rao, is out on a search for a long-lost lake, but since he cannot achieve this objective on his own, he seeks the aid of the King of the Demons! Despite what one would think of the Demon King, Rao manages to walk away with his son, Beelzebub, and his assistant, Thief, to help him on his daring quest. Brought together by whatever forces are at play, this unlikely trio must now set off across the challenging desert to reach their shared goal; along the way, they will be facing many obstacles, including dragons, but the worst foe to stand in their way is the King’s army itself! How will the misfits cope with these daunting challenges?

If you see any of the visuals from this anime, you will undoubtedly be reminded of Dragon Ball, and you would be correct because this is one of Akira Toriyama-sensei's works. Whether you are a fan of the legendary Shounen or not, this series deserves to be viewed as its own thing and from an unbiased point of view. First off, the overarching story of this series is formed by two arcs, and it remains straightforward throughout. As you can see from the synopsis, it is quite a unique and refreshing premise you don’t see often, which is a massive plus for me. They take things one step at a time, and I must commend the pacing to be perfect for this type of show; it is thrilling and fun every step of the way and ensures you are hooked from start to finish. Despite how simple it seems, all the events are cleverly tied together to make a cohesive and interesting story. If I were to point out a flaw, it would be that the final episodes were entirely predictable, which is expected from most shounens like this, but it wasn't a deal-breaker in any way. I could accept it, and it nearly concluded Beelzebub's journey to become stronger. It is short, dramatic, raw, exciting, and full of Toriyama-sensei's classic humor!

If I were to break the narrative down, this is a world where humans and demons essentially coexist. Still, they have distanced themselves owing to their mutual hatred, and not even 50 years of drought that would potentially end them could break the barrier. This transpires until Rao decides to settle it all, locating a water source that is said to be so vast that it could return the resource to the entirety of the sandland. To this end, he is willing to join hands with demons, but there are many mysteries to unravel and battles to be fought. The central themes here are prejudice, teamwork, camaraderie, remorse, redemption, and, of course, the immeasurable value of water to the living. This anime has even extended the story from the manga, and as rare as it is, it is a welcome addition. The structure is as follows: the movie's events are neatly divided into the first six chapters, and the remainder is the extension featuring a new arc. Each of these arcs does a great job of getting you attached to the many colorful characters; the show has it all, from angels to demons.

In the character department, I simply cannot gloss over the main protagonist enough! Sheriff Rao was known as General Shiva when he was a soldier of the royal army and is undoubtedly the best character in the show. He is one of the best MCs I have had the pleasure of experiencing, and an equally lovable and memorable cast backs him up. So many emotional moments are built up upon Rao’s touching backstory, which adds so much substance to the series. If I had any complaints, it would be about the main antagonists; while they aren't terrible, they are merely decent and don't measure up to the greatness of the MCs. I enjoyed Muniel from the onset, and General Bred consistently remained a sturdy opposing force but a solid antagonistic force. However, General Zeu and the King himself were pretty lackluster. Moving on, other characters I loved included Ann, Queen Lilith, and Satan himself! Honestly, these guys keep the action rolling, and there is never a dull moment with these characters. Finally, while their humor is childish, nothing stops you from enjoying it besides yourself.

In the Art and Animation department, this show employs a mix of 2D and 3D animation, which takes some getting used to. But as far as such blends go, they did a great job, and I eventually found it all visually pleasing. The CGI is in no way jarring and doesn’t rob anything from the series, so overall, I’d say it looked amazing. The character designs are simple and memorable, accompanied by very “sandy” backgrounds and settings (in a good way). Just give the CGI a chance because they handle it well throughout the show, and it will grow on you, as it did for me. They employ 2D animation whenever there are flashbacks or important events, which are also handled expertly. The quality never drops, and that’s just one reason why it’s so phenomenal!

The Sounds and Music department is as consistent and imbued with quality as the Visuals. The OSTs are stellar to the point that they add so much weight and impact to the action scenes that you’ll remember them for days. But the thing I want to praise the most has to be the sound design for all the weaponry! You won’t hear the typical anime gun noises here; they used real audio of actual weapons to bring these battle instruments to life, and I cannot stress enough how much impact they hold. They set up an unforgettable vibe for all the action scenes, and I savored every minute. The opening theme is "Water Carrier" by Kroi, and the ending is "Drive My Idea" by Tempalay, which was okay but not as great as the rest. Finally, while the voice acting is done fairly well, it is not particularly noteworthy.

Overall, Sand Land: The Series is a delightful show, especially if you enjoy Toriyama-sensei’s work. This story is set in a dystopian world, where heroes among ordinary people fight against more extraordinary powers for something they believe in. This show is concise, straightforward, and direct, avoiding unnecessary scenes and delivering exactly what it promised from the outset. I recommend this show to almost anyone because of how fun this series is, tackling some pretty heavy themes like guilt and discrimination. So relax, anticipate nothing beyond its promises, and embark on its captivating journey!