Throughout the last 30 years, Akira Toriyama has become best known as the man behind Dragon Ball Z and artist of acclaimed JRPGs like Chrono Trigger, Dragon Quest, and Blue Dragon. As a manga creator, his career goes all the way back to the mid 70s, though not all of his pre and post-Dragon Ball work (most of them one-shots) have transitioned over to anime. The last of his non-Dragon Ball works to be adapted for anime was Doctor Slump in the late 90s, but now another one of his works is coming over to the small screen.
Previously revealed earlier in the week before a full reveal at this weekend’s Jump Festa, Toriyama’s sci-fi comedy manga Sand Land is becoming an anime thanks to Bandai Namco Filmworks. The adaptation is being worked on by studios Sunrise (Gundam: The Witch from Mercury), Anima (Chronos Ruler), and Kamikaze Douga (Star Wars Visions: The Duel). Like Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero from earlier in the year, Toriyama created the original story for the adaption, which looks to have a CG/3D art style similar to that film. Currently, it’s not clear if this is a single film or a one-and-done series.
Toriyama released Sand Land back in 2000, and it tells the story of the demon prince Beelzebub, who embarks on a quest with his friend Thief to help Sherriff Rao find a new water supply for Rao’s people. The manga was very short-lived, and only ran across 14 chapters from May 2000 to August that same year. It’s anyone’s guess as to why Toriyama and Bandai have chosen now to adapt it, but maybe it’s just being used as a way to introduce audiences to some of his lesser known works.
Expect the Sand Land adaptation to release in 2023.
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