Sand Land reviews call the anime adaptation of Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama’s manga "one final masterpiece"
Mar. 27, 2024Sand Land is now streaming on Disney Plus and Hulu
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Sand Land, the new Hulu/DisneyPlus anime adaptation of Akira Toriyama’sotherbig manga, is gaining the attention of critics – with one calling it a “final masterpiece” from the late Dragon Ball creator,who died in early March.
NME’s review, which calls Sand Land a “masterpiece”, says the anime’s first six episodes present “an enthralling blend of fantasy, sci-fi, comedy and action that reels you in with a simple premise, exciting adventures, winsome chemistry between our three leads, and dynamic CGI animation from directors Toshihisa Yokoshima and Hiroshi Kōjina.”
IGN, meanwhile, shines a spotlight on the “stunningly choreographed fights”, noting that they offer a reminder of Toriyama’s “endless imagination.”
Elsewhere,CBRcelebrates the “rich world-building” of the sandswept anime as well as commenting on the “heavier and more layered societal deconstructions” that crop up periodically in the series.
Finally,CG Magazineoffers perhaps the greatest praise of all, stating that Sand Land “feels like a glory days to the return of the original Dragon Ball.”
Interested? Sand Land revolves around a world not too dissimilar toDune, one that has been ravaged by drought after years of war. The series follows Sheriff Rao as he turns to demons – including the prince Beelzebub – for help in solving the water crisis.
The first six episodes of Sand Land adapt last year’s movie, with the new episodes from episode 7 onwards covering the new ‘Angelic Heroes’ arc.
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I’m the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you’ll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.
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