SANDA
What is SANDA?
SANDA is a twelve-episode drama and mystery series that premiered in Fall 2025. The story unfolds in a dystopian future where children have become Japan's most precious resource, and the holiday season has been transformed into something sinister. Santa Claus, once a beloved figure of myth, now exists as a genuine threat monitored by government authorities. The narrative centers on Shiori Fuyumura, a student at an isolated boarding academy, who becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth about her missing best friend and believes her classmate Kazushige Sanda holds the key to finding answers.
What sets SANDA apart is its premise of recontextualizing a familiar cultural icon into something dangerous and mysterious. Fuyumura's conviction that Sanda is descended from Santa Claus drives the psychological tension between them, making their interaction the emotional core of the series. The story examines themes of loss, determination, and the lengths people will go to for those they care about, all within a heavily controlled institutional setting that mirrors surveillance dystopia.
The series has finished airing, so all twelve episodes are available to watch in full. It's suited for viewers who appreciate character-driven narratives with an unsettling atmosphere and those interested in mystery stories that subvert traditional symbols and expectations.
In a future where children are few and regarded as Japan's most valuable assets, Christmas has become a mere legend of the past. For the students of Daikoku Welfare Academy—a boarding school where they are educated, protected, and monitored—the mythical Santa Claus is a forgotten character of fiction. For the adults, Santa Claus is a very real menace that needs to be neutralized by the Saint Nick Pursuit Unit in case he makes an appearance. Shiori Fuyumura, a student of Daikoku Welfare Academy, is determined to find her best friend, Ichie Ono, who has been declared dead after being missing for six months. One morning, Fuyumura summons her fellow class representative, Kazushige Sanda, only to attack the unknowing boy. She is convinced that Sanda is the descendant of the infamous Santa Claus—the only person who can make her wish of finding Ono come true—and is determined to force out his dormant true self by any means necessary. (Source: MAL Rewrite)
Episode Schedule
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the latest episode of SANDA?
- The most recent episode is Episode 12, which aired on December 19, 2025.
- How many episodes does SANDA have?
- SANDA has 12 episodes.
- When did SANDA come out?
- SANDA premiered on October 4, 2025.
- Is SANDA finished?
- SANDA has finished airing and every episode has been released.