Season Review: The Sand Whale and Me Season One

Find out if The Sand Whale and Me is worthy of a full watch.

The Sand Whale and Me is a five episode short series from the legendary Mamoru Oshii, of Ghost In The Shell fame. Each episode is only five minutes long. This series is unlike anything I have ever seen. Instead of opting for a “traditional” style of storytelling, The Sand Whale and Me approaches its narrative in a completely unique manner, treating viewers to what feels like a play-through of a video game.

An ace mech-pilot named KFC fills the role of our main character. After crashing on a desert planted with limited rations, she must find a way to survive. She decides that by killing one of the massive creatures, known as Sand Whales, she will be able to survive. Sand Whales look like a giant fusion between a Humpback Whale and a Graboid from the Tremors movie franchise. Even though KFC doesn’t say a single word throughout the entirety of the series, KFC herself is quite the entertainer. Her antics are hilarious, and on multiple occasions made me laugh out loud. As the series progressed, I even felt myself grow attached to the lady heroine and even empathized with her as she struggled and fought to survive. Fortunately, the entire series itself is filled with comedic moments from beginning to end.

When I first started watching this series, everything felt very random and out of place. It was unclear to me what exactly the point of this show is. My initial thought was that everything that happened was too random and weird, but I kept getting drawn back by that unique feeling that I was watching somebody play a video game. Also, the fact that each episode was only five minutes long made it so that it was easy to digest. On the surface, The Sand Whale and Me is nothing but slapstick comedy mixed with a unique narrative. However, if you seek a deeper meaning from the episodes, you be rewarded as well. The old adage is true, don’t judge a book by its cover. Personally, I found myself contemplating the five stages of grief, the value of companionship, and what the true meaning of survival is. One could even learn what true determination is, and how to cope with disappointment as well from watching KFC try to find a means of survival while she is stranded on this foreign planet. Essentially, if you are looking for entertainment The Sand Whale and Me easily delivers. If you seek more than just entertainment, The Sand Whale and Me can teach you a lesson or two, if you choose to listen.

One of the coolest things about The Sand Whale and Me is that you can watch the entire series in one sitting. Is The Sand Whale and Me my favorite show ever? Hardly. However, it is entertaining and I promise you will not find anything like it anywhere else. In an age where people post playthroughs of video games on YouTube, is very refreshing and interesting to see someone tackle this manner of storytelling in order to deliver something that stands by itself. Who knows, perhaps more shows will adapt to a similar style of storytelling in the future. All in all, The Sand Whale and Me is an innovative piece of artwork. I strongly suggest that you check it out, even if it’s for nothing more than to experience something new and original.

The show threw me off in the beginning and I wasn’t sure if it was something that I could get into. Due to its originality, I kept coming back for more and ended up enjoying the adventure that KFC took me on. While I’m not in a rush to re-watch the entire series again, the next time I’m searching for something to watch and want to be entertained by a quick laugh, The Sand Whale and Me is at the top of my list to satiate my pallet.