Highlights
- SAND LAND: THE SERIES, an anime adaptation of Akira Toriyama’s manga, is set to debut on Disney+ STAR Japan in Spring 2024.
- The series follows Sheriff Rao and his companions as they search for scarce water in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
- SAND LAND: THE SERIES will feature unreleased clips from the film, scenes from the original manga, and an original story by Toriyama, with the original cast and staff returning.
The anime adaptation of Akira Toriyama’s SAND LAND, titled, SAND LAND: THE SERIES, was announced by Disney+ STAR Japan on Monday, with a brand-new key visual released featuring the series’ main characters.
The announcement comes a few months after the debut of the SAND LAND film, which debuted in cinemas in August. SAND LAND: THE SERIES is expected to debut in Spring season of 2024.
SAND LAND is set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where the only available water is greedily hoarded by the king. Desperate to find the fabled Phantom Lake, Sheriff Rao asks demons for help, and is accompanied by Beelzebub, the son of the Demon King, and his assistant Thief as they embark on a journey so perilous it may threaten the very son of the Demon King.
The original SAND LAND manga was briefly serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine between May and August 2000, with the series being compiled into a single volume in November 2000. VIZ publishes the SAND LAND manga in English.
The upcoming SAND LAND: THE SERIES will feature various unreleased clips from the feature film released in August this year, scenes from the original manga and will also have an original story by author Akira Toriyama that continues from where the film left off. The upcoming series will also feature the original cast and staff from the SAND LAND film, with Toshihisa Yokoshima returning to direct the series.
Yokoshima worked with Toriyama on the Dragon Quest games, of which Toriyama was the character designer. He will be assisted by Hiroshi Koujina, who served as direction assistance on the SAND LAND film, while Yūgo Kanno (Ajin) returns to compose the music.
Throughout 2023, Toriyama’s SAND LAND manga has gotten attention as multiple adaptations of the manga have been announced. The SAND LAND film which was first announced in December 2022 and made its box office debut in Summer 2023, hitting Japanese cinemas on August 18. The SAND LAND film was produced through a collaboration between studios Sunrise (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion), Kamikaze Douga (Pop Team Epic), and Anima.
On June 8, Bandai Namco Entertainment announced the video game adaptation of SAND LAND at the Summer Game Fest, which is being created in Unreal Engine 5 and is slated for release on PS5 and Xbox. SAND LAND: THE SERIES will stream on HULU in the US.
Source: ANN