The Mysterious Cities of Gold ( TV Series 1982 - 1983 )





 

Plot



The Mysterious Cities of Gold, also called Esteban, a Boy from the Sun, abbreviated MCoG, is a Japanese-French animated series co-produced by DiC Entertainment and Studio Pierrot. The series premiered in Japan on NHK on May 1, 1982 and ran for 39 episodes until its conclusion on September 5, 1983. Set in 1532, the series follows the adventures of a young Spanish boy named Esteban who joins a voyage to the New World in search of the lost Cities of Gold and his father.



 

It was licensed for release in France by AK Video, which aired the series under the title Les Mystérieuses Cités d'Or in 1983. The French version, edited to have different characterization and music, was subsequently redubbed and distributed to many different countries throughout the world. In the United States, it aired under its English title of The Mysterious Cities of Gold. It is licensed for English language home video release in the United Kingdom, Australia, and North America by Fabulous Films.



Opening Narration

 

It is the 16th century. From all over Europe, great ships sail west to conquer the New World, the Americas. The men eager to seek their fortune, to find new adventures in new lands. They long to cross uncharted seas and discover unknown countries, to find secret gold on a mountain trail high in the Andes. They dream of following the path of the setting sun that leads to El Dorado and the Mysterious Cities of Gold.



Characters

 

Esteban (voiced by Shiraz Adam)  An orphan who was rescued at sea as a baby twelve years ago by the Spanish navigator Mendoza. He wears one of the two sun medallions. He dreams of adventure and is very impulsive. Esteban has a fear of heights which is confounded by the people of Barcelona who believe him to be the "Child of the Sun" and hoist him up high at the port to call out the sun to aid the departing ships. 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 (voiced by Janice Chaikelson)  The daughter of an Inca high priest. She was kidnapped from Peru five years ago, when she was seven, by the Spanish invaders and given as a present to the Queen of Spain for her daughter, Princess Margarita. She met Esteban when she was kidnapped by Mendoza for Governor Pizarro who wanted her to read the golden quipu. Zia wears a sun medallion like Esteban's, with an interlocking sun and moon disc.

Tao (voiced by Adrian Knight)  The last living descendant of the sunken empire of Mu (Hiva in the English dub). He lived alone on the Galapagos islands following the death of his father. Initially he is evasive to the others' company when they wash up on his island, but when the ship Solaris was revealed he joined them on their journey.

Mendoza (voiced by Howard Ryshpan)  A Spaniard, navigator for the Spanish fleet. He rescued a young Esteban from a shipwreck during one of his voyages. An experienced sailor, a proficient navigator and a master swordsman, Mendoza places himself in the role of a leader. It is not always clear, however, where his loyalties lie and as such he is often at odds with the other characters. He is accompanied by two mercenaries, Sancho and Pedro. Mendoza has spent many years searching for information about the Mysterious Cities of Gold, which eventually led him to the sun medallions  one of which he took from Esteban when rescuing him for safe keeping.





Episode Guide

 

 

Series 1 (1982) 

1. Esteban, Child Of The Sun 

2. Crossing The Atlantic 

3. Heroes Again 

4. Adrift On The Endless Sea 

5. The Abduction Of Zia 

6. The Ship Solaris 

7. Secret Of The Solaris 

8. The New Continent 

9. The End Of The Solaris 

10. Secret Of The Temple 

11. Messengers Of The Region 

12. Secret Of The Medallions 

13. Mystery Of The Parents 

14. Esteban's Medallion 

15. The Subterranean Secret 

16. The Urubus 

17. The Great Condor 

18. Maiden Flight Of The Great Condor 

19. The Nazca Plateau 

20. The Spaniards' Cannon 

21. The Amazons 

22. The Mirror Of The Moon 

23. The Jade Mask 

24. The Manuscript 

25. The Lake Of Gold 

26. The Swamps 

27. The Doors Of Night 

28. The Forest Of Statues 

29. The Burning Shield 

30. The Escape 

31. The Village Of The New Sun 

32. Attack Of The Olmecs 

33. The Reunion 

34. Revolt Of The Mayas 

35. The Olmec Machine 

36. Aerial Pursuit 

37. The City Of Gold 

38. The Great Legacy 

39. End Of The City Of Gold