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Sand Land (2023) movie poster

Timeline

Sand Land (2023) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2023 · 105 mins · Japanese
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Directed by
Toshihisa Yokoshima
Starring
Hiroyuki Yoshino, Mutsumi Tamura, Tomokazu Sugita, Masafumi Kobatake, Kazuhiro Yamaji, Nobuo Tobita

In a far future, war has destroyed the entire Earth, leaving only a barren wasteland where the supply of water is controlled by a greedy king.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (13)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 The book behind the movie
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Movies like Sand Land
  7. 7 Every angle
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13 events in order · contains spoilers

Sand Land Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Sand Land (2023) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Water crisis hits Sand Land

    Years of natural disaster and war have left Sand Land without a reliable water supply. The river that once fed the country has dried up, and water is increasingly scarce and expensive. People struggle to survive as basic needs become something only a few can afford.

    Where
    Sand Land
  2. King's water monopoly tightens

    The king controls the remaining water and prices it far beyond what ordinary citizens can pay. Desperation grows as theft and rioting become common in the search for even a sip.

    Where
    Sand Land
  3. Rao seeks help from demons Beelzebub and Thief

    Sheriff Rao, tired of the king's greed, seeks out Beelzebub and his ally Thief to search for a new water source. The unlikely alliance forms as they agree to join the dangerous quest across Sand Land.

    Where
    Sand Land
  4. Beelzebub and Thief join the quest

    Beelzebub and Thief commit to the mission, setting aside their differences for a larger cause. Together they join Rao to push back against the water monopoly.

    Where
    Sand Land
  5. Vehicle breakdown forces a risky theft

    Their journey hits a snag when their car breaks down in the harsh desert roads. To keep moving, Rao and his companions steal a tank from the king's army, risking war with the royal forces.

    Where
    Sand Land road
  6. King mobilizes his forces

    The king responds by mobilizing his army to stop Rao and his group. The pursuit escalates as the royal troops try to block every possible route to the rumored water source.

    Where
    Sand Land
  7. Rao's leadership helps defy the army

    Rao, a former legendary general, quickly outmaneuvers the army's early attempts to hinder them. His experience keeps the team focused and capable of overcoming setbacks.

    Where
    Sand Land
  8. End of the dried river bed; discovery

    They reach the end of the now-dried river bed, hopeful to find water. Instead, they discover a lake that is secretly the king's private reserve.

    Where
    End of dried river bed, Sand Land
  9. The dammed lake: king's private reserve

    The lake is controlled behind a dam that locks water away from the people. This dam gives the king a brutal monopoly over the kingdom's most precious resource.

    Where
    King's private lake, Sand Land
  10. Tearing down the dam

    Rao, Beelzebub, and their allies confront the dam and tear it down. The act frees the dam's water and signals a turning point in the people's fight against tyranny.

    Where
    Dam site, Sand Land
  11. Water flows back to the world

    With the dam destroyed, water flows back into the world and reaches those who suffered most. The restored supply begins to undo the king's oppressive rule.

    Where
    Sand Land
  12. Oppression ends as water returns

    The king's oppressive regime collapses as citizens gain access to water and dignity is restored. Hope spreads across Sand Land as people celebrate their reclaimed resource.

    Where
    Sand Land
  13. A new dawn for Sand Land

    The alliance between Rao, Beelzebub, Thief, and the people marks a new era for Sand Land. With the water secured, communities begin rebuilding and planning for future cooperation.

    Where
    Sand Land

Last updated: February 06, 2026 at 10:54

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Timeline questions answered

Sand Land Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Sand Land (2023): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Sheriff Rao turn against the king?

Sheriff Rao was a former legendary general of the king's army who grew weary of the king's greed and the toll it took on ordinary citizens. After years of watching the king hoard water and exploit the people, Rao decided to act, seeking out unlikely allies to find a new water source and challenge the royal monopoly.

  • Sheriff Rao
  • king
  • rebellion
  • former general
  • water monopoly
Q2

Why do Beelzebub and Thief agree to help Rao?

Beelzebub and his friend Thief are demons who agree to join Rao's quest despite their differences. The alliance works because Rao's seasoned military strategy combines with the demons' otherworldly abilities, creating a powerful team capable of confronting the king's forces.

  • Beelzebub
  • Thief
  • demons
  • alliance
  • Rao
Q3

Why do Rao and his companions steal a tank from the king's army?

Their vehicle breaks down while traveling through the harsh desert roads. To continue their journey toward the water source, they are forced to seize a tank from the king's army. This bold move instantly draws the king's fury and mobilizes a pursuing force against them.

  • tank theft
  • vehicle breakdown
  • king's army
  • desert journey
Q4

What makes the dam so important to the king's control?

The dam blocks a lake that serves as the king's private water reserve. By controlling this dam, the king maintains a brutal monopoly over the kingdom's most precious resource, forcing citizens to pay astronomical prices or resort to theft for survival.

  • dam
  • king's monopoly
  • water reserve
  • lake
  • control
Q5

How does destroying the dam restore water to Sand Land?

When Rao, Beelzebub, and their allies tear down the dam, the water from the king's private lake floods back into the dried riverbed and reaches streams, fields, and communities across Sand Land. The restored water supply weakens the king's grip on power and ends the oppression.

  • dam destruction
  • water flow
  • river restoration
  • liberation
Q6

Why does the king's water monopoly cause so much suffering?

The king controls the only remaining water supply and prices it far beyond what ordinary citizens can afford. This forces people to steal out of sheer necessity, creates widespread desperation, and drives the gap between rich and poor to the breaking point.

  • water scarcity
  • poverty
  • oppression
  • greed
  • suffering
Q7

How does Rao's military experience help the group?

As a former legendary general, Rao possesses battlefield instincts that prove crucial against the king's forces. He deftly maneuvers around checkpoints and skirmishes, buying precious time for the others to continue toward the water source while outmaneuvering the pursuing army.

  • Rao
  • military tactics
  • army pursuit
  • general
  • strategy
Q8

What is the significance of the lake at the end of the dried riverbed?

The lake is secretly the king's private reserve, hidden at the far end of what was once the country's main river. This location makes it the single largest remaining water source, which the king has dammed and hoarded for himself while the rest of the nation suffers.

  • lake
  • dried riverbed
  • secret reserve
  • location
Q9

What happens to the king and his regime after the dam falls?

With the dam destroyed and water flowing freely to the people, the king's oppressive regime collapses. Citizens regain access to water and dignity, hope spreads across Sand Land, and the alliance between Rao, Beelzebub, Thief, and the people marks a new era of cooperation and rebuilding.

  • king's defeat
  • regime collapse
  • new era
  • hope
  • freedom

Movie threads

More Movies Like Sand Land, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Sand Land tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Hopeful Dystopian Quests like Sand Land

A hopeful band of heroes challenges a corrupt regime in a barren world. Discover movies like Sand Land where characters fight for survival and freedom against oppressive rulers in a broken world. If you enjoyed the adventurous spirit and triumphant rebellion of Sand Land, you'll find similar stories of hope and resistance here.

  • rebellious
  • hopeful
  • adventurous
  • tense
  • oppressive
  • resilient
  • Tone: hopeful, adventurous, tense
  • Pacing: fast, action-oriented
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a linear quest structure: a clear injustice is established, a group of unlikely allies forms, and they undertake a perilous mission to dismantle the corrupt system. The journey is the focus, punctuated by action sequences and challenges that test the group's resolve, leading to a decisive and uplifting conclusion.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a core emotional experience: starting with the oppression of a bleak setting but building towards a cathartic, hopeful victory. They balance tense action with a fundamentally optimistic arc about fighting for a better future.

Adventures with Found Family like Sand Land

Mismatched companions bond while overcoming dangers on a shared mission. Find movies similar to Sand Land that feature a group of unlikely allies becoming a found family on a dangerous quest. These stories combine fast-paced action with heartfelt character dynamics, perfect if you loved the camaraderie in Sand Land.

  • found family
  • adventurous
  • heartwarming
  • comradely
  • resilient
  • cooperative
  • Tone: hopeful, comradely, lighthearted
  • Pacing: fast, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot is driven by a external goal or mission that forces a group of strangers or rivals to work together. The narrative equally focuses on the progression of the quest and the evolving relationships within the group, moving from friction to mutual dependence and deep loyalty.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their emphasis on character dynamics over pure plot. The joy comes from watching a cohesive team form under pressure, making the action sequences more meaningful and the hopeful endings emotionally satisfying.

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Every angle

Sand Land (2023) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Sand Land in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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