Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©Bird Studio/Shueisha ©SAND LAND Production Committee
A SCIFI JAPAN EXCLUSIVE
Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©Bird Studio/Shueisha ©SAND LAND Production CommitteeToho has provided information and high-res images from their new anime film, SAND LAND (サンドランド, Sando Rando). The adaptation of Akira Toriyama's acclaimed manga is scheduled for nationwide release in Japan on August 18th.
Introduction
Akira Toriyama is a legendary manga artist who has created numerous works and characters, including the phenomenally popular manga Dragon Ball (ドラゴンボール, Doragon Bōru) which has sold 260 million copies worldwide, Dr. Slump (Dr. スランプ, Dokutā Suranpu), which has taken the world by storm, and character designs for the popular DRAGON QUEST game series. More than 20 years after it was first published, SAND LAND, a manga that has been called "a masterpiece of overwhelming perfection" among Toriyama's works, has finally been made into a movie!
In SAND LAND, Beelzebub, a demon prince, forms a strange trio with Thief, a demon, and Rao, a human sheriff, in a mysterious desert world where demons and humans coexist, and they embark on a dangerous journey to find a "Phantom Spring" somewhere in the desert. Although the story is a completed in one volume, reviewers stated that "the balance of adventure, action, and humor is perfect. It contains all of Akira Toriyama's charms." and "A tank, an old man, and adventure, which is the essence of Mr. Toriyama. SAND LAND is a masterpiece that lets you fully enjoy the quality of the story and the artwork."
Story
In the desert world of "Sand Land", both demons and humans suffer from a lack of water.
Beelzebub, the prince of demons, forms a strange trio with Thief, a demon, and Rao, a human sheriff, and set out on a journey to find the "Phantom Spring" somewhere in the desert.
The demon prince Beelzebub. Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©Bird Studio/Shueisha ©SAND LAND Production Committee
Details
Japanese Theatrical Release: Friday, August 18, 2023 (Nationwide Roadshow at Toho Cinemas)
Voice Cast
Beelzebub: Mutsumi Tamura
Rao: Kazuhiro Yamaji
Thief: Cho
General Are: Satoshi Tsuruoka
General Zeu: Nobuo Tobita
Director: Toshihisa Yokoshima
Directior Advisor: Hiroshi Kojina
Screenplay: Hayashi Mori
Sound: Yoshikazu Iwanami
Music: Yugo Kanno
Theme Song: "Utopia" by Imase
Animation Production: Sunrise, Kamikaze Douga, ANIMA
Distributor (Japan): Toho
©Bird Studio/Shueisha ©SAND LAND Production Committee
Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©Bird Studio/Shueisha ©SAND LAND Production Committee
Rao. Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©Bird Studio/Shueisha ©SAND LAND Production Committee
Thief. Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©Bird Studio/Shueisha ©SAND LAND Production Committee
Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©Bird Studio/Shueisha ©SAND LAND Production Committee
General Are. Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©Bird Studio/Shueisha ©SAND LAND Production Committee
Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©Bird Studio/Shueisha ©SAND LAND Production Committee
General Zeu. Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©Bird Studio/Shueisha ©SAND LAND Production Committee
Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©Bird Studio/Shueisha ©SAND LAND Production Committee
Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©Bird Studio/Shueisha ©SAND LAND Production Committee
About Toho Co. Ltd.
Toho Company provides high-quality entertainment to a wide range of customers through its film production, distribution, and exhibition business, which is solidly supported by its real estate business including the Shinjuku Toho Building and Hibiya Chante, animation production, DVD software production and sales, and TOHO Cinemas' efforts to expand its network of multiplex cinemas. Among these, "Godzilla," which has been around since 1954, is Toho's flagship IP that has many fans around the world and has been loved for many years.