The Mysterious Cities of Gold

The Mysterious Cities of Gold

Company type	Animated television series
Industry	Animation, Entertainment
Founded	1982
Founder	Jean Chalopin, Bernard Deyriès
Headquarters	Japan, France, United States
Products	Animated television series, DVDs, video games

, internationally recognized as the initial installment of The Mysterious Cities of Gold (French: Les Mystérieuses Cités d'Or), is an animated series created through a collaboration between MK, NHK, DiC Audiovisuel, CLT, with animation by Studio Pierrot.

The series first aired in Japan, but the French adaptation introduced distinct character portrayals and a new musical score before being redubbed for global distribution. Fabulous Films holds the English-language home video rights for releases in the United Kingdom, Australia, and North America.

When NHK BS2 rebroadcast the show in Japan from 1998 to 1999, it used the French-imported animation accompanied by a fresh audio dub, as NHK had erased the original recordings and the rights holder no longer possessed the master tapes. Only Esteban’s original voice actress returned to reprise her role.

A continuation of the story was launched in 2012, extending the narrative across three additional seasons.

Production

The narrative was crafted by Jean Chalopin and Bernard Deyriès. Although commonly believed to be loosely inspired by The King's Fifth by Scott O'Dell, Chalopin clarified that only the names of the three principal characters were borrowed from that work. Hisayuki Toriumi served as the chief director, with Max Saldinger and Atsumi Yajima (NHK) acting as producers. The Western version’s musical composition was created by Haim Saban and Shuki Levy, while Nobuyoshi Koshibe composed the original Japanese soundtrack. Animator Shingo Araki contributed to the series, with episodes directed in part by Toyoo Ashida and Mizuho Nishikubo.

Initially, Koshibe’s score was intended for use in Western markets, but Bernard Deyriès preferred a soundtrack with a more adventurous tone reminiscent of Indiana Jones, which led to Saban and Levy composing music for both Ulysses 31 and The Mysterious Cities of Gold. The Western theme song featured vocals by Noam Kaniel, a collaborator of Levy.

The Western adaptation modified character traits, names, and some footage. The male lead was depicted as more disciplined; certain female dialogue was reassigned to male characters; and several names were altered (for example, Malinche became Marinche, and Chimu was changed to Chimon). Some added dialogue introduced ideas inconsistent with the core storyline. Episodes were edited to eliminate cliffhangers through cutting or adding scenes.

Plot

Set in 1532, Spanish orphan Esteban embarks on a journey with navigator Mendoza—who saved him from a shipwreck—to locate one of the legendary Seven Cities of Gold in the New World. Esteban possesses the unique ability to command sunlight, which aids the crew aboard the Esperanza, a Spanish galleon inspired by the Golden Hind.

Their group includes Zia, an Inca girl who was abducted by Pizarro but later rescued by Mendoza’s party to help decipher a golden quipu that hints at the Cities of Gold. Zia is also searching for her father; both she and Esteban carry matching golden medallions.

After navigating through the Strait of Magellan, their ship is wrecked near the Galapagos Islands where they encounter Tao, the last descendant of the Empire of Hiva. Tao joins their expedition to safeguard the Cities of Gold from destruction and to reveal ancient technology. He brings along a golden jar and his pet parakeet, Kokapetl.

The series intertwines elements of South American history, mythology, archaeology, and science fiction. Along their travels, they meet Incas, Olmecs, Mayas, Urus, Amazons, as well as historical figures such as Francisco Pizarro and Malinche. They uncover advanced technology from Hiva: Solaris (a solar-powered sailing vessel), The Golden Condor (a solar-powered aircraft), and a barometer. Tao’s Hiva encyclopedia assists in interpreting these devices. The Seven Cities were constructed by Hiva’s Emperor to safeguard this technology; Esteban’s and Zia’s medallions act as keys preventing its misuse. A catastrophic war obliterated Hiva and Atlantis using "Weapons of the Sun."

Survivors known as Atlanteans retreated beneath the Mountain of the Burning Shield and evolved into Olmecs distinguished by unique physical features. Their “chosen ones” are preserved cryogenically due to infertility. Led by King Menator, they seek “The Great Legacy,” an artifact concealed within a city of gold believed capable of ensuring their survival while destroying others. Their weapons include spears, swords, and a flying machine powered by particle beams.

When Zia reunites with her father in a Mayan village that reveals a city of gold’s location, hostilities arise between Mayas and Olmecs. Esteban, Zia, Tao, Mendoza, Sancho, and Pedro ally with Mayas against Olmecs. During aerial battles over the city of gold, Menator acquires The Great Legacy—a fusion reactor—that begins to meltdown and destroy the city.

As earthquakes threaten worldwide devastation, Tao offers his golden jar—the reactor’s cooling rod—to a high priest who sacrifices himself to halt the meltdown; this priest is revealed to be Esteban’s father.

Mendoza returns to Spain with recovered gold while pledging future reunions. Esteban, Tao, and Zia set off aboard The Golden Condor toward the Pacific Ocean in search of another city of gold.

Characters

The primary English voice cast consists of:

• (): An orphan saved from the sea a decade ago by the Spanish explorer Mendoza, Esteban possesses one of two sun medallions. Adventurous and headstrong, he embarks on the Spaniards' expedition to discover the Seven Cities of Gold, driven by the hope of locating his father. He struggles with acrophobia, a fear exacerbated by Barcelona residents who regard him as the "Child of the Sun."
• (): Daughter of an Incan high priest, she was abducted from Peru and presented as a gift to the Spanish Queen’s daughter. After Mendoza kidnapped her for Governor Pizarro—who sought her skills to interpret the golden quipu—she met Esteban. Zia wears a sun medallion depicting an intertwined sun and moon emblem.
• (): The sole heir of the submerged Mu empire (known as Hiva in English), Tao lived in solitude on the Galápagos Islands until joining the group after they uncovered the ship Solaris. Intellectual and well-read, he often counterbalances Esteban’s impulsiveness with reason, carrying an ancestral encyclopedia.
• (): A seasoned Spanish sailor and navigator who rescued baby Esteban. Mendoza commands the expedition with expertise in navigation and sword fighting but harbors uncertain allegiances. Accompanied by sailors Sancho and Pedro, he has long been pursuing knowledge about the cities of gold and holds a fragment of Esteban’s medallion. His full name, Juan Carlos Mendoza, is revealed in season three.
• () and (): Two humorous sailors motivated by greed who accompany Mendoza and the children on their journey. They frequently attempt to evade Mendoza’s supervision due to the taxing nature of their travels.

DVD and digital

The Mysterious Cities of Gold was made available on VHS and DVD across France, Belgium, Japan, Portugal, French-speaking Canada, and Germany. In 2007, Fabulous Films acquired distribution rights for Regions 2 (Europe), 1, and 4. The entire series of 39 episodes was released in the UK on June 23, 2008, as a six-disc DVD collection featuring restored audio and visuals. Subsequent DVD releases followed in Australia (August 2008) and North America (April 7, 2009). Additionally, the series can be purchased or streamed through various digital platforms.

Soundtrack

Composed by Nobuyoshi Koshibe and Katsuo Ohno

• 1982, Starchild Records released Taiyou no Ko Esteban BGM Collection Vol.1, an LP containing 17 tracks from the Japanese score.
• 1983 saw Starchild Records issue Taiyou no Ko Esteban BGM Collection Vol.2, an LP with 13 more tracks.
• Also in 1983, Starchild Records produced Ougon no Condor/Sorezore no Utopia, an EP featuring two pieces.
• Another 1983 EP from Starchild Records titled Boukenshatachi/Itsuka Dokoka de Anata ni Atta included two tracks.

Composed by Haim Saban and Shuki Levy

• In 1983, Saban Records issued a seven-inch single Les Mysterieuses Cités D'Or containing the main theme and Zia's motif.
• The same year brought an LP from Saban Records titled Les Mystérieuses Cités D'Or (Bande Originale De La Série Télévisée) with 16 unedited tracks.
• A CD reissue was released in 1998 by RYM Musique from vinyl sources, including two bonus tracks from Inspector Gadget.
• Also in 1998, Animusik issued a CD/VCD re-release sourced from vinyl with thirteen mono bonus tracks derived from videotape; the VCD featured video clips.
• In 2002, Loga-Rythme produced a two-CD set with a complete reorchestration by Boub (Yannick Rault).
• Airplay Records released Zia in 2002 as a CD single comprising four remixes of the main theme.
• Fabulous Films offered a twelve-track album in 2008 featuring restored music edited from videotape masters by Chris Watson; this release included a stereo TV version of the English theme song and was distributed as a limited-edition bonus alongside DVD sets in both the UK and Australia.
• XIII Bis Records reissued versions in 2012 and 2013 containing original LP tracks plus American/English variants and remixes.
• A digital reissue appeared in 2017 via Wagram Music encompassing all original LP material, prior bonus tracks, and the English rendition of the main theme.

Video games

Ynnis Interactive developed two titles inspired by the series. The initial release, The Mysterious Cities of Gold: Flight of the Condor, appeared in 2013 exclusively for iOS platforms. Following a successful Kickstarter campaign that same year, the second game, The Mysterious Cities of Gold: Secret Paths, was launched in 2014 across multiple platforms including PC, iOS, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS.

Episode guide

The show first aired in Japan on NHK starting 1 May 1982 and subsequently premiered in France on France 2 from 28 September 1982. Its first English-language broadcast occurred on Nickelodeon in the United States on 30 June 1986, with the BBC airing it in the United Kingdom beginning 1 September.

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External links

• Authentic pre-Columbian cities depicted in the series
• Fan-made French website dedicated to The Mysterious Cities of Gold
• Review from Animerica