Sand Land: The Series announces release date, cast for new arc 

Sand Land: The Series will premiere on March 20, 2024, as announced by the anime's official staff on March 4, 2024. Along with this information, two new cast members, and details regarding the anime's additional content have arrived.

Sand Land: The Series serves as an anime adaptation of Akira Toriyama's short manga series, Sand Land. Toriyama launched the manga in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump, where it was serialized from May to August 2000.

Earlier, Toriyama-san's manga inspired an anime movie adaptation, which premiered in August 2023 in Japan. The upcoming series will have additional elements as well as cuts from the film.

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Sand Land: The Series will be released on March 20, 2024

On Monday, March 4, 2024, the official team behind Sand Land: The Series revealed that the series will premiere on March 20, 2024, with its first seven episodes, simultaneously on the Disney Plus' STAR Anime Series programming slot, and Hulu in the USA. From Episode 8 onwards, the series will air one episode every Wednesday.

According to the official staff, the first six episodes of Sand Land: The Series are labeled as Prince of Demons arc or Akuma no Oji-hen in Japanese. This arc will feature scenes from the anime movie, recut into episodic format. Additionally, it will contain additional footage.

On the other hand, the rest of the episodes (7-13) will feature a new arc called Tenshi no Yusha or Angelic Heroes in English. Notably, the narrative for this arc is set in a place named Forest Land, conceptualized by Akira Toriyama himself. The author has also shared a specially drawn illustration to celebrate the announcement.

The main visual for Sand Land: The Series (Image via X/@Sandland_pj_jp)

New cast members for Sand Land: The Series is also announced. Mikako Komatsu, better known as Maki Zen'in from Jujutsu Kaisen, stars as Anne, who is described as a girl who comes from the Frest Land to accompany Beelzebub and his friends on their adventure.

Mikako-san will be joined by Ayumu Murase, who plays Muniel's role in the upcoming anime. Muniel is an angel who has come from heaven and calls himself a hero in the Forest Land. Besides them, the series will feature returning cast and staff members from the anime film.

Mutsumi Tamura returns as Beelzebub, while Kazuhito Yamaji will reprise his role as Rao. Other returning cast members are Cho as Thief, Satoshi Tsuruoka as General Are, and Nobuo Tobita as General Zau.

Beelzebub, as seen in the anime film (Image via Sunrise, Anima, Kamikaze Douga)

Toshihisa Yokoshima is directing the anime, with Hiroshi Kojina as the direction adviser. Hayashi Mori is writing the anime's scripts, while Yoshikazu Iwanami is directing the anime's sound. Yugo Kanno also returns to compose the series' music.

Sand Land: The Series follows Akira Toriyama's manga series that centers on a dystopian, and barren world, where the supply of water is controlled by a greedy king. In search of an elusive lake, Sheriff Rao goes to the king of demons for help.

Beelzebub, the king's son, and his assistant, the Thief, join the Sheriff on this mission. Together the trio embarks on a captivating adventure across the desert, facing the deadliest foes they can imagine on their way.

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