Akira Toriyama’s Sand Land, which was previously adapted into a movie, is getting an anime series as well.
The series will feature new animation and an extended storyline.
Fans are unhappy about the exclusive Disney+ release.
There are very few people who haven’t heard of Akira Toriyama. Okay, maybe not everyone knows his name, but his Dragon Ball series has become an iconic staple of the battle shounen genre, known even to people who don’t identify themselves as anime watchers. However, he has done more than a dozen manga other than Dragon Ball. Sand Land, a one-volume work about a post-apocalyptic desert world, is one of them.
There is a movie already
Sand Land has already been adapted into a movie, which premiered on San Diego Comic Con — and in Japanese theaters — just a few months ago. However, the BD release is nowhere in sight, and the movie is only coming to North America in 2024. Yet against all odds, the series is receiving another adaptation: tentatively named “Sand Land: The Series”, it will premiere exclusively on Disney+ in Spring 2024. It will be made by the same people who made the movie — both the staff and the cast are reprising their roles.
Is it going to be the same as the movie?
The new series will feature new animation cuts that were not present in the movie, as well as an extended story that continues the plotline. The story will be written by Toriyama himself, so there is no doubt it will be recognized as a canon expansion of the universe. With the number of episodes not being announced yet, one can only wonder if the series might get a sequel at some point as well. Even if it doesn’t, the fact that Toriyama is still working on things other than Dragon Ball is something that makes fans very happy. The fact that a manga that is over 20 years old is getting such attention is just the icing on the cake.
Reception
There seems to be a divide among the fans, however. While the excitement for the series is universal — it seems that it is a very beloved, if not an insanely popular work — a lot of them expressed concern. The concern stems from the fact that Sand Land: The Series is announced to be exclusively released for streaming on Disney+. The platform is not very popular among anime fans due to its lackluster catalog and being associated with Disney, the latter being a thing some anime fans want to avoid. There have even been calls for Crunchyroll and Funimation to buy the rights for the series as well, although nothing seems to indicate that’s even possible.
Toriyama is still relevant after all these years.
Summary:
Akira Toriyama’s Sand Land, which was previously adapted into a movie, is getting an anime series as well.
The series will feature new animation and an extended storyline.
Fans are unhappy about the exclusive Disney+ release.
There are very few people who haven’t heard of Akira Toriyama. Okay, maybe not everyone knows his name, but his Dragon Ball series has become an iconic staple of the battle shounen genre, known even to people who don’t identify themselves as anime watchers. However, he has done more than a dozen manga other than Dragon Ball. Sand Land, a one-volume work about a post-apocalyptic desert world, is one of them.
There is a movie already
Sand Land has already been adapted into a movie, which premiered on San Diego Comic Con — and in Japanese theaters — just a few months ago. However, the BD release is nowhere in sight, and the movie is only coming to North America in 2024. Yet against all odds, the series is receiving another adaptation: tentatively named “Sand Land: The Series”, it will premiere exclusively on Disney+ in Spring 2024. It will be made by the same people who made the movie — both the staff and the cast are reprising their roles.
Is it going to be the same as the movie?
The new series will feature new animation cuts that were not present in the movie, as well as an extended story that continues the plotline. The story will be written by Toriyama himself, so there is no doubt it will be recognized as a canon expansion of the universe. With the number of episodes not being announced yet, one can only wonder if the series might get a sequel at some point as well. Even if it doesn’t, the fact that Toriyama is still working on things other than Dragon Ball is something that makes fans very happy. The fact that a manga that is over 20 years old is getting such attention is just the icing on the cake.
Reception
There seems to be a divide among the fans, however. While the excitement for the series is universal — it seems that it is a very beloved, if not an insanely popular work — a lot of them expressed concern. The concern stems from the fact that Sand Land: The Series is announced to be exclusively released for streaming on Disney+. The platform is not very popular among anime fans due to its lackluster catalog and being associated with Disney, the latter being a thing some anime fans want to avoid. There have even been calls for Crunchyroll and Funimation to buy the rights for the series as well, although nothing seems to indicate that’s even possible.
