The name Akira Toriyama has become synonymous with Dragon Ball, as the mangaka was responsible for introducing the world to Goku and his fellow Z-Fighters that have become a pillar in the anime world. The world of the dragon balls isn’t the only universe that Toriyama has created, however, as his past work Sand Land is set to finally receive an anime adaptation. Hitting theaters in Japan this August, the story following the demon known as Beelzebub has dropped a new trailer to further explore the supernatural locale.
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Sand Land first debuted as a short manga series in the year 2000, releasing only a few chapters before the story focusing on the son of the devil came to an end. While never receiving an anime adaptation prior to this upcoming film that will hit theaters, the designs and artwork from Akira Toriyama play on the mangaka’s strengths and allowed him to work outside of the parameters of the universe focusing on the Z-Fighters. At present, the film has yet to receive a North American release date, so it should be interesting to see if it will receive a theatrical run in the West thanks to the popularity of Toriyama and anime in general.
Sand Land: New Trailer
If you haven’t had the opportunity to dive into the story of Sand Land, here’s the official description for the manga that arrived in the year 2000 from the manga publishers at Shonen Jump, “In the far future, war has destroyed the entire Earth, leaving only a barren wasteland where the supply of water is controlled by the greedy king. In search of a long-lost lake, Sheriff Rao asked the king of the demons for help…and got the king’s son, Beelzebub, and his assistant, Thief. Together the unlikely trio sets off across the desert, facing dragons, bandits and the deadliest foe of all… the King’s army itself! It’s travel adventure and tank action in this new story from Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball Z!”
What has been your favorite work from mangaka Akira Toriyama outside of the Dragon Ball universe? Do you think the CG animation style works for Toriyama’s art? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of Akira Toriyama.