Are you wondering what the Sand Land manga is about after seeing the announcement trailer for a new game of the same title during Summer Game Fest 2023? Sand Land is an enthralling Japanese manga series masterfully created by the renowned Akira Toriyama. It first appeared in Weekly ShĹŤnen Jump magazine between May and August of 2000 and was subsequently compiled into a single tankĹŤbon volume by Shueisha in November of the same year. Fast forward twenty-three years later, and fans are incredibly excited to see the new game that’ll let them explore the Sand Land universe.
What is the Sand Land Manga About?
The Earth has been devastated by war in the distant future, resulting in a desolate wasteland where water is a precious commodity controlled by a greedy king. In search of a lost lake, Sheriff Rao seeks assistance from the demon king and is unexpectedly accompanied by his son, Beelzebub, and an assistant named Thief. This unlikely trio embarks on a perilous journey through the desert, encountering dragons, bandits, and the formidable King’s army. Experience an exciting travel adventure and tank action in this gripping tale from Akira Toriyama, the mastermind behind Dragon Ball Z.
Here are two critical reviews of the Sand Land manga that can give you an idea of what to anticipate:
Sand Land has been described as “the ultimate disposable comic, executed perfectly” by Greg McElhatton. In his review for Read About Comics, he characterized it as a lighthearted and enjoyable tale that, while lacking in depth and memorability, successfully delves into the fictional universe and its one-of-a-kind characters. Despite Toriyama’s complaints about the tank design, McElhatton praised the art, asserting that it was more consistent than Toriyama’s previous work on Dragon Ball.
John Jakala of Anime News Network also praised the artwork and story, deeming them superior to Dragon Ball’s. Jakala commended Toriyama for his “masterful job” in establishing the appearance and personality of each character in the first chapter, stating that the characters were a significant source of the series’ appeal.
Where Can I Read the Sand Land Manga?
If you’re interested in reading the Sand Land manga, you can find it on Viz Media’s website. Keep in mind that you’ll need to purchase it to gain access. Fortunately, a free preview includes 36 pages, so you can ensure it’s the style and type of manga you enjoy. If you decide to purchase the Sand Land manga, you have physical and digital formats.
If you want a hard copy of Sand Land, you can purchase the physical paperback version for $9.99 from Viz Media’s website orvarious other retailers:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Books-A-Million
- Bookshop.org
- Kinokuniya
- RightStuf
- Comic Shops
In case you’d like to buy Sand Land in a digital format for $6.99, you could visit any of these sellers:
- Google Play
- iBooks
- Kindle
- Nook
Since Sand Land was initially published in the Shone Weekly ShĹŤnen Jump magazine, I found that the digital version of Sand Land is formatted perfectly for my Kindle and provides a great reading experience.
Related: Sand Land: Release Date, Platforms, and Trailer
What to Expect from the Sand Land Game
Sandland’s announcement trailer offered a glimpse into the game’s premise. Players will assume the role of Beelzebub, a demonic prince, and lead a team of monstrous characters to explore the sandy world of Sand Land. In addition, to close combat, players can operate tanks to engage distant enemies and other military vehicles. Sandland boasts a diverse selection of vehicles for players to traverse the desert.
Upon initial inspection, the game may seem to deviate from the original source material since Beelzebub is now the lead character, rather than Sheriff Rao. Currently, there is limited information available regarding the similarities and divergences between the manga and the video game. Please stay tuned as we will provide further updates as they become available. For now though, enjoy the Summer Game Fest announcement trailer for Sand Land:
