‘Sand Land: The Series’ review: one final masterpiece from ‘Dragon Ball’ creator Akira Toriyama

While it may not be as celebrated as Dragon Ball or Dr. Slump, Sand Land is one of legendary manga creator Akira Toriyama’s most tightly constructed and masterful works. Although his shonen failed to garner mainstream attention during its initial run in 2000, the late, great mangaka’s underrated opus appears to be undergoing a surprising renaissance nearly a quarter century later.

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With a critically praised film adaptation released just last year, and a highly anticipated video game from Bandai Namco set to drop soon, it seems that Sand Land is finally getting the recognition it so richly deserves. Carrying on the momentum, Disney+ has also launched an original net animation series based on the resurgent IP.

Featuring the same production team and cast behind the Sand Land movie, this anime series is an incredibly fun, funny and faithful retelling of Toriyama’s manga. Set in the titular barren wasteland, Sand Land: The Series follows an old and grizzled sheriff named Rao. Troubled by endless droughts, the nation’s rivers mysteriously drying up, and the upheaval caused by water scarcity, Rao struggles to maintain order in his small town. To make matters worse, Sand Land’s avaricious King is hoarding the country’s last remaining water source and charging his impoverished citizens extravagant amounts to buy bottled water. This shortage also afflicts Sand Land’s demon population, who have resorted to robbing water supplies from the King’s Army in order to survive.

Such hijackings are to be expected, but Rao is shocked to hear stories of a demon handing out water to thirsty children for free. Intrigued, the aged lawman ventures out in search of the demons. Upon finding their community, he strikes an alliance with the bratty prince of demons Beelzebub and his wise companion Thief. Despite their species’ distrust of one another, he convinces the two demons to team up with him to search for the “Legendary Spring” – a freshwater lake fabled to be hidden deep in the desert. Desperate to alleviate the suffering of both their peoples, the unlikely trio embark on a rollicking cross-country adventure in a dune buggy, where they face off against bandits, monsters, and a ruthless human military intent of keeping the government’s water monopoly.

Sand Land’s initial episodes offer an enthralling blend of fantasy, sci-fi, comedy and action that reels you in with a simple premise, exciting adventures, winsome chemistry between our three leads, and dynamic CGI animation from directors Toshihisa Yokoshima and Hiroshi Kōjina. But while the story’s tone remains kid-friendly throughout, Toriyama and scriptwriter Hayashi Mori deftly weave very adult themes into its breezy narrative.

From the traumas of war and genocide (which tie into Rao’s shockingly dark backstory) to corporate greed and environmental degradation – Sand Land isn’t afraid to tackle extremely serious topics under the guise of an all-ages romp. In many ways, Sand Land is most similar to Avatar: The Last Airbender (the cartoon, not the movie or live-action Netflix series), which frequently dealt with deep socio-political issues in clear and easily understandable ways within the framework of children’s entertainment.

While the series will be instantly engaging for newbies, the first six episodes do admittedly recycle bits and bobs from last year’s theatrical adaptation (albeit with the addition of new scenes and the recreation of specific manga sequences that weren’t included), so fans who’ve already seen the film might feel like they’re simply watching an extended cut. Not to worry though, because from episode seven onwards, the series moves beyond the manga and film to tell entirely fresh stories written by Toriyama that takes place after the conclusion of Sand Land’s source material (which wraps up in episode six). From what we’ve seen, this bold continuation expands the world of Sand Land to present new threats for our core trio, while retaining the exuberant spirit and weighty soul that made the original short story so compelling.

With the introduction of a petulant angel who seeks to eliminate Beelzebub, and an aggressive neighbouring country that is amassing weapons of mass destruction – we find our heroes (and the series) journeying into uncharted territory to stop even more formidable villains. Sand Land’s captivating set-up and immense goodwill earned from its fantastic initial arc gives us every confidence that this series will progress as one of the most vibrant and engrossing anime currently airing. It may not have been intended to be Akira Toriyama’s final work, and it may never rival the commercial popularity of Dragon Ball, but in terms of quality, Sand Land is certainly a fitting farewell to one of manga’s all-time greats.

Akira Toriyama’s Sand Land: The Series premieres on Disney+ on March 20

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