Sand Land is one of the many works by the late great manga creator Akira Toriyama, and though it was released in the year 2000, it's only now becoming a worldwide mainstream hit. Playing second fiddle to Toriyama's more well-known Dragon Ball franchise, Sand Land's short run is ironically birthing a franchise several years after the fact. This includes a video game, a movie and an anime series, with the latter two seeming almost redundant.

Despite this, the Sand Land TV series isn't merely the same thing that was already seen in the anime movie. It's namely one of the last projects that Akira Toriyama worked on before he passed away, and it allowed him to expand upon the ideas that were already present in his manga. This allows fans new and old to enjoy it, as it brings a new spin to the water wars seen in previous versions of Sand Land.

Sand Land: The Movie Finally Adapted the Akira Toriyama Manga

Sand Land was released across four months in the year 2000, with the story comprising a single manga volume. This wasn't due to cancelation, as it simply told all the story that Akira Toriyama had come up with in a succinct timeframe after the temporary end of Dragon Ball following the conclusion of the Dragon Ball GT anime (which wasn't actually based on one of his manga). The story of the manga involved a world ravaged by drought and natural disaster, with water now a rare commodity.

A greedy king controls his country's water supply while mistreating his people, forcing Sherrif Rao, who once fought in the king's army, to take matters into his own hands. He teams up with the demon prince Beelzebub to find a new water supply, and their quest uncovers the truth behind the king's actions. Though short-lived, Sand Land was beloved by many, with fans regarding it as the encapsulation of Toriyama's style. It combined humor, adventure and, of course, his instantly recognizable art.

Over two decades after it initially came out, a CGI anime film adaptation was finally announced. The movie was directed by Toshihisa Yokoshima and co-produced by Sunrise, Kamikaze Douga and Anima. It adapted the entirety of the manga's story, finally bringing it to life as Toriyama's influence on anime as a whole was bigger than ever. After all, the generation across the world who had become introduced to anime through Dragon Ball Z now had kids of their own.

Anime as a whole is more popular than ever, driving a lot of nostalgia and success for venerable franchises. Likewise, the success of Dragon Ball Super and even the more recent Dragon Quest video games (which feature Toriyama's art style and designs) has furthered how recognizable Toriyama's art is, making now the perfect time for the adaptation. Already released in Japan in 2023, the Sand Land movie is now making its way to the West in 2024. As it does so, it's also coinciding with the anime TV series that also brings the material to life.

Sand Land: Movie vs. Anime Series

Given that they're releasing so close to each other, many fans will likely question the differences and/or similarities between the anime movie version of Sand Land and the anime TV series adaptation. After all, they're both based on the same source material, the likes of which wasn't even that long to begin with. These differences extend to both the anime series' animation and its story. For one, the movie version of Sand Land is CGI, whereas the anime series (which looks mostly the same) has somewhat more traditional animation.

The story is obviously longer than what's told in the movie, but this isn't a case of artificially extending the manga's story, so to speak. The first six episodes of the 13-episode Sand Land anime are titled "The Story of the Fiend Prince," and they retell the story of the anime movie and the manga. At the same time, new elements are added to where it's not simply the third version of a story that's already been told, and this sets up the second half of the series.

This is "The Story of the Angel Hero," and it's an entirely new story that isn't based on anything from the manga. It's set in the Forest Land, giving a completely new locale to the series. There are also new characters in the form of Ann and Muniel. Available on Hulu elsewhere, the series is one of several anime coming to Disney+ in the West. Though its plot can't be found in the source material, it was written by Akira Toriyama himself for the series.

Beyond coming up with this additional plot, Toriyama did the character designs for Ann and Muniel, who fit right at home with his usual casts of unique characters. Thus, the series creator was still involved with this new material to the very end, and fans of the legendary artist were sure to be enticed to enjoy his final work. There is another sense of connection to the movie version of the story, however.

Much of the cast and creative team behind the Sand Land film are involved with the anime series. They're both extensions of a general push for Sand Land adaptations, with the movie and TV series being two parts of the three-sided pyramid for the story's future.

The Sand Land Video Game Will Also Retell the Manga

Along with these two animated adaptations, there's also the upcoming Sand Land video game. Akira Toriyama was also involved with this project, ensuring that it wouldn't merely be a sort of cheap cash grab or tie-in. Pitting the heroes of the story against the forces of the greedy king, the game's plot is once again a retelling of what was seen in the manga. Toriyama stated that players didn't need to be familiar with the source material, but it's hard to expect much beyond the main story.

In terms of expansion, it will feature elements from the TV series, namely the Forest Land section seen in the second half of the show. This begs the question of which version of the story newcomers should enjoy. Playing the game, watching the anime TV show and the anime movie might be a bit much given that they're so similar, so it comes down to a matter of time. Those who simply want to watch a movie for the speed and convenience of it should stick to the Sand Land movie, especially if they've already read the manga.

At the same time, both newcomers looking for a new anime series to binge or those who've read the Sand Land manga and want to see the material expanded upon might be more interested in watching the TV show. Conversely, the video game has the chance of being the best incarnation of the Akira Toriyama series, as it makes the story interactive through gameplay. Given the quality of Sand Land and Akira Toriyama's creativity in general, it's also more than fine to enjoy every version of the series. The manga isn't long at all, as it's only one volume.

The movie doesn't wear out its welcome, and even the TV series is only 13 episodes long and can easily be watched in its entirety over the weekend. The only version of Sand Land that might be a bit more of a time sink is the video game, as it will feature several side quests and explorable dungeons. If nothing else, fans of Dragon Ball should probably consume the franchise so far over one weekend before the game comes out, thereafter enjoying the video game as a final celebration of Akira Toriyama's legacy.