The Mysterious Cities of Gold

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The Mysterious Cities Of Gold
太陽の子エステバン
(Taiyō no Ko Esuteban)
Genre Anime, Historical, Fantasy
TV anime
Directed by Bernard Deyries, Edouard David, Kenichi Maruyama, Kenichi Murakami
Studio Studio Pierrot
DiC (France)
Network Flag of Japan NHK
Flag of France Antenne 2
Flag of United Kingdom BBC
Flag of United States Nickelodeon
Flag of Australia ABC
Original run 1982 – 1983
No. of episodes 39 (List of MCoG episodes)

The Mysterious Cities of Gold (often abbreviated as MCoG)(Japanese: 太陽の子エステバン; Taiyō no Ko Esuteban , French: Les Mystérieuses Cités d'Or, also released as Esteban and the Seven Cities of Gold) is an animated television series produced by Studio Pierrot. It was a French/Japanese co-production which originally aired in Japan on NHK (the national public broadcaster) in 1982, and in France and Belgium in 1983 on Antenne 2. It was also shown in Britain on Children's BBC in 1988, and a few years later in the United States on the Nickelodeon cable network, in Australia on the public broadcaster ABC some time prior to 1987, TV2 in New Zealand, in Iceland on RÚV, in Poland on TVP 2 and later on RTL 7, in Portugal on RTP, SABC in South Africa as well as in Sweden.

There are 39 half-hour episodes, in the typical anime serial style of one continuous story. In some countries (though not in the English dub aired in the UK or the US) a small documentary follows, presenting concise, accurate and appealing (for children) information about subjects related to the episode, due to funding by the NHK.

Contents

[edit] Plot summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.
Left to right: Esteban, Tao, Kokapetl, Mendoza and Zia
Left to right: Esteban, Tao, Kokapetl, Mendoza and Zia

The story is very loosely based on the children's novel, The King's Fifth, by Scott O'Dell.

In the year 1532, a Spanish orphan named Esteban joins a party of Spaniards in their search for one of The Seven Cities of Gold in the New World, hoping to find his father. He is joined on his quest by Zia, an Incan girl, and Tao, the last descendant of the sunken empire of Mu ("Hiva" in the English dub).

Left to right: Pedro, Sancho and Mendoza
Left to right: Pedro, Sancho and Mendoza

The series is a mix of ancient South American history, archaeology, and science fiction. The characters discover many lost technological wonders of the Mayans, Inca, and Olmecs, including a solar powered ship (the Solaris) and The Golden Condor, a huge solar-powered airship, capable of traveling considerable distances under the sun's power alone. They are constantly pursued by antagonists Gomez and Gaspard, who are also in search of the Cities of Gold.

The Cities of Gold, of which there are seven, were built by the Emperor of Mu out of fear of a global war which would destroy civilization. Such a war indeed broke out, destroying the Empires of Mu and Atlantis when they used the "weapons of the sun" (implied to be thermonuclear weapons). The Seven Cities of Gold hold copies of books in their "Universal Libraries" as well as powerful artifacts, including the "Great Legacy", a portable fusion reactor. Other elements of this technology turn up in unexpected places, like the Solaris in Tao's home island, Esteban's and Zia's medallions as keys to the Cities, or Tao's jar as an important piece of the Great Legacy.

Solar ship Solaris, in conventional propulsion mode.
Solar ship Solaris, in conventional propulsion mode.
  • Reminiscences of this ancient story are present in Inca legends written on golden Quipu, which only Zia can read. This triggers an obsessive quest for the Cities of Gold on the part of the Spaniards (Mendoza, very loosely based on Pedro de Mendoza, Gomez, Perez and Francisco Pizarro).
  • Esteban seeks his long-lost father and is tied to Mendoza (who rescued Esteban from a sinking ship as a baby): he might know the whereabouts of Esteban's father and holds half of Esteban's medallion. Esteban seems to have a magical ability to make the Sun appear, which proves an invaluable asset throughout the series.
The Mysterious Cities of Gold English logo
The Mysterious Cities of Gold English logo
  • Zia also seeks her father, from whom she was taken as a very young girl. She has a medallion similar to the one Esteban carries.
  • Tao seeks signs of his ancestors; he possesses an encyclopedia about their lost technology and a "mysterious jar which no one can open" (the Great Legacy's cooling or control rod system).
The Golden Condor
The Golden Condor
  • The Olmecs are descendants of survivors of the global war who hid under their mountain. Only their elite were able to survive, suspended in cryogenic hibernation. The Olmecs do not appear to be human (or if they were Human, it is implied they have horribly mutated from the fallout of the Nuclear war that destroyed their ancestors); they are short, thin and have pointed ears and enlarged frontal bones. Much of their facial characteristics resemble to chimpanzees and they are shown to shriek and scurry like these animals. They are highly intelligent but devious and selfish. Lead by their king, Menator, the Olmecs seek an artifact called the "Great Legacy" in order to power their cryogenic systems, as well as samples of healthy cells from the children to combat their mutations and sterility. Their technology is generally inferior to that of the modern day, with weapons such as spears and swords used. They do however maintain some elements of their advanced technology heritage such as the stasis and medical technology used to keep the elite of the Olmecs in suspended animation until such time as they can be revived, powered by what appears to be a geothermal power system. This power system is destroyed in an escape by the Children and Mendoza, starting a frantic search by the Olmecs for the fusion reactor core (the Great Treasure) hidden in the City of Gold.

They also have a single flying machine that appears to use very similar technology to that of the Golden Condor, however it is armed with some kind of particle beam or focused heat weapon of great power. The more senior of the Olmecs are also very familiar with the technology inside the Mysterious city of Gold, manipulating it easily to liberate their Great Treasure...but in the process setting off automated defense systems which engage and cripple the Olmecs flying machine, forcing them to beat a hasty retreat.

Eventually, the Olmecs succeed, at great cost, in taking control of the Great Legacy, but it begins to melt down without the moderation provided by Tao's jar. A Chernobyl-like accident is avoided by the personal sacrifice of Esteban's father who, acting as the High Priest of the Cities, dies replacing the jar.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Characters

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

[edit] Protagonists

  • Esteban - An orphan who was rescued at sea as a young child by the Spanish navigator Mendoza. He wears one of the two sun medallions. He loves adventures and is a very impulsive person. Esteban has a fear of heights which is only strengthened by the people of his home town who believe him to be the 'Child of the Sun' and hoist him high up to call out the sun. He joins the Spaniards in their search for one of The Seven Cities of Gold in the New World, hoping to find his father.
  • Zia - The daughter of an Incan high priest. She was kipnapped from Peru by the Spanish invaders and given as a present to the Queen of Spain. She met Esteban when she was kidnapped for Governor Pizarro who wanted her to read the golden quipu. Zia wears a sun medallion identical to Esteban's.
  • Tao - The last descendant of the sunken empire of Mu ("Hiva" in the English dub). He lived with his father on the Galapagos islands until he was the only one left. Later he joined Esteban and Zia on their journey when the ship Solaris was revealed.
  • Kokapetl - Tao's pet parrot.
  • Mendoza - Spanish navigator for the Spanish fleet. An experienced sailor, he rescued a young Esteban from a shipwreck during one of his voyages. Mendoza knows how to make the best of a situation, however it not always clear where his loyalties lie. He is accompanied by two mercenaries, Sancho and Pedro. Mendoza has spent many years searching for information about the Mysterious Cities of Gold, which led him to the sun medallions.
  • Sancho - Obese associate of Mendoza. Sancho stutters a lot and is a bit slow. He and Pedro have a habit of getting in trouble together, and can sometimes let greed get the better of them but they are loyal to Mendoza and follow his orders without question. Sancho is a sailor at heart, but he is very much after gold.
  • Pedro - Skinny and loud-mouthed associate of Mendoza. Pedro is very cautious and easily scared. Despite his cowardice, Pedro is capable of acts of great courage.
  • Papacamayo - Zia's father and the chief of the Mayan Village of the New Sun.
  • High priest - Esteban's father and the High Priest, guardian of the City of Gold and keeper of the Great Library.

[edit] Antagonists

  • Commander Gomez - Greedy and vicious commander of the Spanish armed forces who will stop at nothing to get his hands on gold. He is accompanied by Captain Gaspard, who is very loyal to him. During the story, both of them leave the Spanish army, due to conflicts with Govenor Pizarro. Senior Gomez's rank gives him authority over a ships captain.
  • Captain Gaspard - Loyal subordinate of Senior Gomez and Captain of the Guard, he also commands the Spanish soldiers. A bit rough, but not too smart, he is a very practical man with extensive knowledge of fighting and warfare. In the long term, gold is the only thing that interests him.
  • Govenor Pizarro - Pizarro is the appointed governor of the entire region. He commands the Spanish invasion forces, including Senior Gomez and Captain Gaspard. Greedy and ruthless, he will do anything to accomplish his goals. The character is based on the real life Francisco Pizarro.
  • Menator - Leader of the Olmecs, he possesses a lot of scientific knowledge. Cold and calculating, he plans to use the technology of the Cities of Gold to harness the power of the Sun and save the Olmec race from extinction.
  • Kalmec - Second in command of the Olmecs. He is in charge of the Olmec army and the defense of the Mountain of the Burning Shield. Less knowledgeable of the Olmec's technology than Menator, he specialises in military. Treacherous and merciless, he believes in the supremacy of the Olmecs.
  • Marinche - Guide and advisor to the doctor, followed by Tetiola who is loyal to her. She is very devious and she wants to find the Cities of Gold. The character is based on La Malinche, who assisted the Spaniard Hernán Cortés in his conquest of her native Mexico.
  • The Doctor - A Spanish doctor. He seems to specialise in poisons. He is searching for the Cities of Gold together with Marinche and Tetiola. Although he has more morals than Marinche and dislikes using such primitive methods as poisons, as soon as Marinche reminds him of their primary goal, he would do anything, such as providing enough poison to kill an entire village.

[edit] Others

[edit] Spaniards

  • Alvarez - Soldier of the Spanish army under Pizarro's command.
  • Andreas - Another of Pizarro's soldiers.
  • Father Rodriguez - Spanish priest in Barcelona, who adopted Esteban. He died the day before the ship Esperanza left for the New World.
  • Lucas - A Captain in Pizarro's army.
  • Perez - Captain of the Esperanza.

[edit] Amazons

  • The Amazon Queen - A wise and just ruler who wishes to live in peace.
  • Omoru - The evil priestess of the rain god who plans to depose the Amazon Queen.
  • Paula - An Amazon warrior who supports the Amazon Queen.
  • Morca - the Queen's lady in waiting who tries to warn her about Omoru's treachery.
  • Lauda - Another Amazon warrior, but who supports Omoru.

[edit] Incas

  • Apo - An Inca wise man imprisoned along with many of his people by Governor Pizarro.
  • Ketcha - A warrior of the High Peak.
  • Illama - One of the children of the High Peak.
  • Kraka - Chief of the city of the High Peak.
  • Kiyun - An Inca prisoner in Pizarro's Fort.
  • Luca and Shicomi - Two children of the High Peak who befriend Esteban, Zia and Tao.
  • Myuca - An old story teller who knows many Inca legends.
  • Pasha - Once a High Priest of the Cities of Gold, Pasha is imprisoned in his own temple by Pizarro.
  • Telapa - A citizen of the High Peak.
  • Tohawka - A young Inca who tries to escape from Pizarro.
  • Upanki - Leader of the warriors of the Fort of the Black Eagle.
  • Wayna - A warrior of the High Peak who is sent to guide and protect the children.
  • Yacuma - A woman who looks after the children while they stay at the High Peak.

[edit] Mayas

  • Myena - A young Maya girl who has no family, but who is taken in by Papacamayo.
  • Wynacocha - Leads the warriors of the Village of the New Sun.
  • Sheehol - Chief of a village neighboring the Village of the New Sun.
Spoilers end here.

[edit] Episode guide

[edit] Credits

  • Directed by: Edouard David, Bernard Deyriès, Kenichi Maruyama and Kenichi Murakami
  • Produced by: Kanae Mayuzumi, Max Saldinger and Atsumi Yajima
  • Musical Score by: Shuki Levy, Haim Saban and Ryuji Sasai
  • Writing Credits: Bernard Deyriès and Jean Chalopin

[edit] Regional releases

MCoG has a small but loyal fanbase. It has been released on DVD in France, Belgium, Japan, Canada (in French) and Germany, but not in other parts of the world. It remains unclear who owns the rights to the English version, or even whether the masters still exist.[1]

However, some have attributed the English-language licence to either Saban Entertainment or DiC, as Shuki Levy and Haim Saban are listed in the English dub credits,[2] and DiC as the original distributor.[3]

It is rumored that a sequel was attempted, but cancelled due to lack of funding.[4]

The series has been dubbed and subtitled in French, English, Spanish, Swedish, Portuguese, German, Polish, Turkish, Bulgarian, Arabic, Japanese, Hungarian, Hebrew, Ukrainian, Icelandic, and Zulu.

[edit] English dub

The English dub was directed by Howard Ryshpan in Montreal, Canada. Although the voice actors are not credited, some have been identified in recent years.

[edit] UK airing

The show was shown in 1988 as part of Children's BBC during the early afternoon slot (at 4.20pm, one episode a week), before Newsround but after the programs for young children. It was presented/introduced from what was called "The Broom Cupboard" (a very small studio with a seated presenter surrounded by pictures children had drawn of their favourite shows). The presenter was Phillip Schofield, who has transitioned from children's TV to primetime TV, and was replaced on The Broom Cupboard by Andy Crane. A clip exists of Phillip Schofield singing the theme tune, which was dug out of the archives on the occasion of his leaving Going Live!, much to his embarrassment.

The programme was shown without the accompanying 3 minute documentaries (see below) that appeared at the end of each episode, which were considered inappropriate for the time slot.

Later, the show was broadcast several times on The Children's Channel, with the final repeat run ending in April 1995. As with the BBC broadcasts, the live-action documentaries were omitted from all the episodes. The show has not aired on British television since.

[edit] The 39 documentaries

The 39 documentaries, averaging 3 minutes in length are not documentaries about the making of the show but closer in context to History/Discovery Channel featurettes themed around that particular episode. For instance an episode featuring Pizarro was thus followed by a short documentary about him. Others feature the Strait of Magellan, the Galápagos Islands, Inca worship, sacrifice, Machu Picchu, the Amazon rainforest, the various temples, and the Jade Mask. Each documentary was filmed (not animated) at the various locations. They also feature many aerial shots featuring ships, Inca terraced farms, the Amazon and the Straits of Magellan. In the English version these documentaries are narrated by Vlasta Vrana. While not shown in the UK or the US, the documentaries aired in Australia and other countries. The documentaries are included in the retail versions of the series - but no English retail version has been released.

[edit] Setting

Most of the backdrops in the series are based on real archaeological sites and artifacts, reproduced with near-photographic accuracy. They are, however, often combined and moved to suit the plot. Famous cities and their fictional counterparts include, in order of appearance:

[edit] Trivia

  • There are two versions of the opening credits. The version aired in the UK is a cut-down version running 60 seconds instead of the full 75. The full version of the credits includes a live-action shot of a bird diving into the sea and more sequences of the three children running along. One possible reason for the cut is that many TV shows in the UK have short opening credits (30 seconds) while it is customary for many Japanese anime series (the show was animated in Japan) to have long opening/ending credits of up to 90 seconds.
  • For the English-language dub of the episodes, the closing credits were still written in French, although the ending theme was in English. This was also originally the case with Ulysses 31, although for American broadcast, English-language credits were generated for that series.
  • Haim Saban, who worked with Shuki Levy on the music, has since become a billionaire through his association with the rise of multi-channel children's television.
  • The voice actors from the English dub also worked on other cartoons from the same company.[9] The voices of Esteban, Mendoza, Gomez, Pizzarro, Olmecs and Sancho are recognisable in the English dub of Ulysses 31.
  • Furthermore, many of them speak with strong Canadian accents.
  • On his last day presenting Going Live! (the Saturday morning Children's BBC programme in the UK) Philip Schofield's co-presenter Sarah Green surprised him with a video clip of himself singing the theme tune to MCoG from years before, much to the howls of amusement from the Going Live crew. Judging by Philip's reaction he was completely unaware this was going to happen.
  • Lima is mentioned as the destination in Episode 2, yet the story is set in 1532, three years prior to Lima's founding by Francisco Pizarro.
  • Like many other animated shows of the time, the number of episodes in the series is a multiple of 13 (39 in this case). This is due to the fact that 13 weeks represent a quarter of a year making scheduling easier for networks.
  • Esteban was referred to as a 'child of the sun', and the lyrics to the opening credits song are about the "children of the sun". This is how the Inca referred to themselves.
  • Spoiler: A violent scene in which the Olmecs use a death ray to vapourise some of the Mayans was cut from a later episode in at least one region.
  • Other cuts have been made to various versions, apparently to reduce the running time, and occur during slower paced scenes.[10] For example, Episode 1 started with a 5 second high angle shot of the square in Barcelona which was cut from the UK version.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] French sites

[edit] Music

Formerly Broadcast Animated Nickelodeon Shows of the 1980s
Channels on the Nickelodeon Network: TV Land | Nick Too | Nick GAS | Nicktoons Network | Noggin / The N
Premiered between 1983-1989:

Bananaman | DangerMouse | Belle and Sebastian | Star Trek: The Animated Series | The Little Prince | The Smurfs | Mysterious Cities of Gold | Spartakus and the Sun Beneath the Sea | Adventures of the Little Koala | Heathcliff | Jim Henson's Muppet Babies | Inspector Gadget | Maple Town | Count Duckula | The Alvin Show on Nickelodeon | Beetlejuice | Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics | Looney Tunes on Nickelodeon | Noozles | The World of David the Gnome
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