Legend Quest (2017 TV series)
| Legend Quest | |
|---|---|
| Genre |
Animation Adventure Horror Fantasy Comedy |
| Created by | José Alejandro García Muñoz |
| Developed by |
Jim Krieg Jose C. Garcia de Letona |
| Written by | Jim Krieg[1] |
| Voices of |
Spanish Cast:
|
| Composer(s) | Leoncio Lara |
| Country of origin | Mexico |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 13[1] (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
Fernando de Fuentes José C. García de Letona Jim Krieg Diego Avalos Andy Yeatman |
| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Ánima Estudios |
| Release | |
| Original network | Netflix |
| Original release | February 24, 2017 |
Legend Quest (released in Latin America as Las Leyendas) is a Mexican animated fantasy comedy-horror television series created for Netflix produced by Ánima Estudios. This is the streaming network's first original animated series produced in Latin America.[1]
It premiered worldwide on Netflix on February 24, 2017.[1]
Plot
When gifted teen Leo and his town in New Spain is attacked by otherworldly creatures, he is cast astray along with his friends Teodora, Don Andres and Alebrije. Together, with a little help from some allies from around the world, they'll do anything they can to stop the evil overlord that plans to eradicate mankind from its history.
Cast
English version
- Johnny Rose as Leonardo "Leo" San Juan-a teenage boy who has the ability to see and speak with ghosts. He lived in a village with his grandmother primary to encountering the evil forces that threaten to destroy the world. Over time he learned that he was a hero of prophecy, which stated that "The Lion (Leo) would destroy the Serpent (Quetzalcoatl)."
- Oscar Cheda as Don Andrés-an old Conquistador ghost who is one of Leo's friends; he claims to have been a barber while he was still alive, and often makes the claim that this makes him qualified to discuss certain subjects. Despite being a ghost he often fears for his safety.
- Annemarie Blanco as Teodora-a girl ghost who apparently comes from the future, rather than the 19th century setting of the series, as shown by her possession of more modern attire and a cell phone. It is later revealed that she is not actually dead, but was left in a coma after an accident; a mysterious lady subsequently taught her the power of Astral projection and advised her that Leo would need her help, prompting Teodora to send herself back through time. As a result of this, Teodora has some abilities that normal ghosts lack, such as immunity to the power of Medusa and greater ability to manipulate physical objects. She came from "La Leyenda del Chupacabras".
- Paul Tei as Alebrije-a strange creature of various colors who appears in different forms depending on the observer, though always retaining his unique color scheme.
- Cydney J. Fam as Marcella-a beautiful girl and Leo's love interest; she comes from a family who are accused of being sorcerers. It is eventually revealed that her mother was indeed a sorceress, but one who refused to aid Baba Yaga and Nu Gui in their plans and was thus attacked and left gravely injured; Marcella later inadvertently gained powers from her mother after touching her comatose form. Marcella took it upon herself to care for her mother, eventually coming to Leo's village.
- Blanca Bassion as Baba Yaga-an evil witch who initially appears to be in league with Quetzalcoatl but is later revealed to have been enslaved by him; she seeks freedom and vengeance on her "master." She and her comrade Nu Gui attempted to persuade Marcella's mother to join them in their plotting
- Paul Tei as Friar Godofredo-a Friar who mentored Leo and later informs him of the existence of the Brotherhood, a noble organization dedicated to fighting evils such as Quetzalcoatl.
- Al-Kesne Shaw as Quetzalcoatl-a legendary deity who is described as a force of creation "when he's in a good mood"; he is the series' main antagonist and seeks to destroy the world so that he can remake it. Previously he did so for humanity's benefit, but was then trapped in an alternate dimension, leading him to seek vengeance. He later tricks the heroes in attempting to destroy the Esfera, an egg containing the next Quetzalcoatl, in order to prevent his own demise.
- Lissa Grossman as Abuelita-Leo's grandmother.
- Andrio Chaverra as Thomas Decatur-a New Jersey inventor who becomes one of Leo's allies.
- Gerald Owens as Fenrir-the legendary wolf of Norse mythology who seeks to bring about Ragnarok; he is Quetzalcoatl's ancient rival and seeks to destroy him. He is chained to the world tree Yggdrasil and guards access to it, as it serves to connect all points of space and time.
- Owen Almeida as Akihito-a young Japanese nobleman who is heir to both the magical Sword of Dawn and leadership of the Brotherhood, a noble organization dedicated to thwarting mystical menaces such as Quetzalcoatl. Initially leading a sheltered life that led to his own people despising him, Akihito found the courage to take up his family sword with help from Marcella. The sword enables Akihito to undergo a transformation similar to that of Ultraman, in which he dons a mystical suit of armor and grows to gigantic size.
- Paula Barros as Nu Gui-a Chinese witch and member of Baba Yaga's coven; she was once the daughter of an Emperor, but betrayed him in order to obtain immortality, though the process drove her mad. She is initially contemptuous of Yaga for siding with Quetzalcoatl, but later joins him in Baba Yaga's place; however, like Yaga it is revealed that she serves unwillingly. Barros also provides the voices of Teodora's Mom, Teodora's cellphone, and Akihito's overprotective Vizier.
Spanish version
- Benny Emmanuel as Leonardo "Leo" San Juan
- Mayté Cordeiro as Teodora
- Andrés Couturier as Don Andrés
- Ricardo O'Farrill as Alebrije
Episodes
The series consists of 13 episodes, all of which were released on February 24, 2017.[1]
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Prophecy" | José Alejandro García Muñoz & José Manuel Balanzario Pérez | James Krieg & Ernie Altbacker | February 24, 2017 |
| Leo's gift for seeing ghosts feels more like a curse. But when his loved ones start turning into zombies, he's the only one who can save them. | ||||
| 2 | "Jersey Devil" | Marco Aurelio Ibarra Rodríguez | Jonathan Callan | February 24, 2017 |
| When a cannon shoots their ship out of the sky, the gang agrees to help an American inventor fight the fire-breathing monster attacking his town. | ||||
| 3 | "The Mart" | Marvick Eduardo Núñez Aguilera | Eric Carrasco | February 24, 2017 |
| Leo and friends head to Germany in search of the fabled Brotherhood. Instead, they find a Nicht Mart who delivers bad dreams. | ||||
| 4 | "Ghost of Medusa" | Rajesh R. Bhavnani & Enrique Ocampo Muñoz | Eric Carrasco | February 24, 2017 |
| Leo's compass directs the airship to a desolate Italian town where the locals can see ghosts — including one who turns spirits into stone. | ||||
| 5 | "Vodnik" | Marco Aurelio Ibarra Rodríguez | Ernie Altbacker | February 24, 2017 |
| While investigating sightings of a strange monster that steals children's souls, Leo and the gang unearth a far more sinister threat. | ||||
| 6 | "Fenrir" | Rajesh R. Bhavnani & Enrique Ocampo Muñoz | Mark Hoffmeier | February 24, 2017 |
| The team braves a blizzard to find a portal to Queztocoatl's world. But striking a deal with a mythical wolf is the only way through it. | ||||
| 7 | "Tooth Fairy" | Marvick Eduardo Núñez Aguilera | Jonathan Callan | February 24, 2017 |
| Stranded without a ship and still missing Alebrije, the gang tumbles into foggy London and uncover a plot that's robbing orphans of their teeth. | ||||
| 8 | "Kaiju" | José Manuel Balanzario Pérez | Jeremy Adams | February 24, 2017 |
| Desperate to locate the Brotherhood, Leo steers the ship to a Japanese village — and normal rules no longer apply. | ||||
| 9 | "Nu Gui" | Marco Aurelio Ibarra Rodríguez | Jennifer Muro | February 24, 2017 |
| In a bid to strengthen their coven, Baba Yaga and the immortal Nu Gui summon Marcella to a cave in China that's crawling with terra-cotta soldiers. | ||||
| 10 | "Mister Madera" | Rajesh R. Bhavnani | Tim Sheridan | February 24, 2017 |
| Soon after Leo brings a creepy-looking doll aboard the ship, members of the team start going missing ... and Leo starts talking to sugar skulls. | ||||
| 11 | "The Chilan" | José Manuel Balanzario Pérez | Patrick Rieger | February 24, 2017 |
| Marcella helps Alebrije remember where he lost the Esfera. Turns out, it's back in Mexico, where an undead priest is holding it hostage. | ||||
| 12 | "Golem" | Marvick Eduardo Núñez Aguilera | Jonathan Callan & Eric Carrasco | February 24, 2017 |
|
When Baba Yaga sends a Golem after one of their own, the gang slips through a portal to the future to save their friend — and the world. Note: This episode is the first of a two-part story. | ||||
| 13 | "The Serpent and the Egg" | Marco Aurelio Ibarra Rodríguez & José Alejandro García Muñoz | Jim Krieg & Ernie Altbacker | February 24, 2017 |
|
With the future of the world at stake, Leo and the Brotherhood wage an epic war against Queztocoatl and his Legions of Evil. Note: This episode is the second of a two-part story, and ends with a memorial to Martha Guadalupe Cuenca Moreno, the wife of show editor R. Edgardo Avalos Cuenca. | ||||
Development
The series was first announced when Variety reported that a new series based on the Leyendas franchise is being developed for Netflix.[2] "We approached Netflix and knew that the trilogy had been successful in Mexico and Latin America, but we dared to propose to do something much more global and they loved the idea," said executive producer Jose C. Garcia de Letona.[3][4] Negotiations between Netflix and Ánima Estudios have begun in October 2015.[3][4] Co-executive producer Fernando de Fuentes was happy with the partnership with the streaming network after the growth of the Mexican animation industry.[3][4] "We have already worked 15 years in the industry and we are happy to see our work on the Netflix platform, which has collaborated with large companies, and has included Ánima [which] makes us proud," said Fuentes.[3][4] Fuentes also said that the show is "an important leap" for the franchise and production company Ánima Estudios.[5]
Release
The series premiered on Netflix on February 24, 2017, worldwide in 190 countries and translated into 24 to 30 languages.[5][1] Producers Fernando de Fuentes and Jose C. Garcia de Letona thought the decision to release the show worldwide in multiple languages is necessary since the country of Mexico, where the show is produced and set, has been receiving more global attention.[3][4] "The world is talking about Mexico and we are lucky in that sense to be able to talk about our country and its relationship with other nations[,] even if it is through cartoons," said Fernando de Fuentes.[3][4]
Reception
The show received a favorable review. Emily Ashby of Common Sense Media gave the series a 4 star rating and said that "the enjoyable show's roots in Mexican folklore is an original concept and could inspire kids' interest in related topics."[6]
Hispanic Impact
The show has been praised for its positive impact towards the Hispanic culture, which makes numerous nods to the history of Mexico and folklore, as well as the series' worthy educational values which reminds the Hispanic younger viewers the importance of their Mexican roots.[7]
See also
- Ánima Estudios
- La Leyenda de la Nahuala
- La Leyenda de la Llorona
- La Leyenda de las Momias
- La Leyenda del Chupacabras
- La Leyenda del Charro Negro
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wolfe, Jennifer (20 February 2017). "Anima Estudios’ ‘Legend Quest’ Debuts on Netflix This Friday!". Animation World Network. Animation World Network. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
- ↑ Calvario, Liz (17 September 2015). "‘Las Leyendas’: Netflix’s First Animated Series Produced in Latin America". Variety Latino. Variety Media, LCC / Penske Business Media, LLC. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Valle Vargas, Montserrat (23 February 2017). "'LAS LEYENDAS': PRIMERA SERIE ANIMADA MEXICANA EN LLEGAR A NETFLIX". Expansión. Time, Inc. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 López, Andrea (24 February 2017). "Las leyendas: primera animación mexicana en llegar a Netflix". Tec Review. Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, México. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
- 1 2 Huerta, Cesar (13 October 2016). ""Las leyendas" llegan a Netflix en 30 idiomas". El Universal. El Universal. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
- ↑ Ashby, Emily. "Legend Quest TV Review". Common Sense Media. Common Sense Media. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
- ↑ Stoddard, Christine (10 February 2017). "Netflix's 'Legend Quest' is enjoyable for adults and reminds Latino kids that they matter". Mic Network. Mic Network. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
External links
- Official website at Netflix
- Legend Quest on IMDb