Coming straight out of the mind of the beloved Dragon Ball's Akira Toriyama, the original Sand Land manga is a short, one-volume work published all the way back in the year 2000. This past year, it was adapted into a feature film. SAND LAND: THE SERIES takes the 106-minute movie and re-edits it into six 24-minute episodes—meaning there is a good 20 minutes or more of new footage to round out the story (even accounting for the opening and ending theme songs).

Judging from the posters or trailers—or simply a familiarity with Toriyama's other works—you might expect SAND LAND: THE SERIES to be centered around the super-strong, pint-sized, spiky-haired "Prince of the Demons"—i.e., Beelzebub. And while he is a part of the core trio—and is the one who gets the over-the-top fight scenes—this is not his story. Rather, this is the tale of an old man coming to terms with his past by fighting for the future.

Rao, the old man in question, is an amazing character who steals every scene. He is strong and stoic—rarely letting his true emotions out. However, that doesn't mean he's some overly-curt asshole. Instead, he is respectful to all he meets—be they human or not. He doesn't see the demons as "lesser than" (despite them being humanity's eternal enemies). He is willing to indulge their whims—like teaching them to drive his dune buggy—to foster a trusting relationship. He's calm under pressure, believes in his companions, and would never ask anyone to do something he wouldn't do himself.

That said, deep down, he is a fundamentally broken man, haunted by his sins from his time as a soldier. While he has spent the last 30 years doing all he could to protect his one small corner of the world, he wants more than anything to atone—and, barring that, get revenge on those in power who used and discarded him. He's understandable and undeniably human. Or, to put it another way, he's impossible not to root for.

On the other hand, Beelzebub is basically a kid—despite being extremely strong and having lived for thousands of years. His long life has led to a sense of eternal boredom—which is one of the reasons why he decides to join Rao on his quest. Another is that despite being "evil" (and relishing that role), he's actually a kind guy at heart. He may have no love or trust for humans, but should he have the chance to save a life, he will take it.

The final member of the party is Thief—an elderly demon who, despite his even greater age, is as immature as Beelzebub at times. He constantly complains about everything—in direct contrast to Rao's stoic mood and Beelzebub's excitement. Yet, as things progress, the adventure gives him a new joy in life—along with recognition from his peers that validates him in both new and old ways.

Together, they make a surprisingly strong unit—and it's easy to see why the three are willing to put their lives on the line for each other despite their short time together. Even if the two demons are initially along for the ride only out of a sense of boredom and the potential of a new water source, the connection they make with Rao is more than enough justification for them to stay with him when things get more personal near the anime's climax.

All this said, there is a hidden fourth member of the group that bears mentions: their stolen tank. More than just an action set piece, the 104 Tank is almost as much of a character as the actual people—like the Enterprise in Star Trek or the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars. It is both their home and their companion in battle. More than that, it is their very lifeline, as they will die in the desert without it.

This adds massive stakes to the numerous tank-centric battles in the series. Each shell that heads in their direction and each bullet that bounces off the armored shell comes with added emotional weight. Just as the adventure mars our heroes, so is their mechanical companion. So it's no surprise that the tank battles shine above all else visually in this anime.

Now, don't get me wrong, SAND LAND: THE SERIES looks great all around. The in-person fight scenes are fast, fluid, and well-choreographed. Frankly, the 3D animation is so top-tier that you can take pretty much any still frame from the series, and it's impossible to tell that it's not a 2D drawing. On the aural front, the anime has a killer opening theme ("Water Carrier" by Kroi), and the music throughout has a great use of heavy drums to keep things constantly tense.

All in all, these first six episodes of SAND LAND: THE SERIES are a great little self-contained story about a man finding redemption and learning to overcome—and teach others to overcome—their long-held prejudices. I'm not sure where the series will go now that Rao's personal tale has reached its end, but I'm excited to see where things go for the unlikely trio of friends as they travel beyond the edge of their familiar desert on a brand-new adventure. This visually stunning action-adventure is another reminder of why Toriyama was a world-builder with boundless creativity.

SAND LAND: THE SERIES will debut its first seven episodes simultaneously on Disney+ and Hulu in the U.S. on March 20, 2024. Episodes 8-13 will then be released weekly.