Rao is one of the main protagonists in the fantasy action adventure, Sand Land: The Series. Kazuhiro Yamaji voices the character in the anime, available to stream on Disney+.
General Shiba, the legendary superstar of the Royal Army and revered as the genius soldier who saved Sand Land, led his troops to the southern region to prevent the Picchi revolt.
It was reported to them by the higher-ups — Supreme Commander Zeu to be precise — that the Picchi were creating an explosive device to destroy Sand Land.
The truth about the Picchi
The Picchi were always a peaceful race so Shiba was skeptical of the sudden change in their behavior; however, he didn’t pursue his skepticism to its conclusion and later paid the price for it.
The Picchi were not creating a weapon of destruction but a machine to produce water. They were incredibly smart people who were developing ways to yield large quantities of water.
This would have removed the King’s monopoly on water and thus, prevent him from getting more wealthy. And so he ordered its destruction.
Two birds, one stone
Zue masterminded all of it and decided to kill two birds with one stone. He ordered Rao, who was General Shiba at that time, to commandeer his troops to go attack the place.
Meanwhile, the Royal Army pretended to cooperate with the Picchi by providing them with Aquanium — a necessary element in the construction of their machine.
When the Royal Army attacked, it caused the dangerous substance to explode, wiping out the Picchi, along with the troops Shiba was commanding.
Rao’s tragic losses
Shiba often objected to Zeu’s decisions when he was a general, so Zeu masterminded this scheme to simultaneously get rid of him and his loyal troops, as well as the Picchi.
Shiba was oblivious to the facts about the Aquanium and its perils. The ensuing explosion also wiped out his home, which was near that site at that time, and his wife, popular actress Ms. Terrier, perished along with it.
General Shiba survived and went on to live in a small remote town under a new name — Rao. He eventually becomes the Sheriff of the town and works hard to maintain order as well as bring water to the citizens.
Later on, when he joins demons to search for the legendary lake and secure water for both their people, he learns the truth about the great explosion 30 years ago and is wracked with immense guilt and regret over his actions, as well as rage against Zeu.
Also Read: The plot of Sand Land: The Series explained