Today’s mini-review was written by Azelle Elric.
PoArtMo Mini-Reviews are short, quick-read reviews written by members of the PoArtMo Collective. Our goal is to introduce you to art (books, documentaries, movies, etc.) that you may not be familiar with, and that both adults and youths alike can enjoy.
Taiyō no ko Esuteban (The Mysterious Cities of Gold – TV Series)
Genre: Action, adventure, science-fiction, history, myths, archeology.
Year: French Japanese animated series originally aired in France from September 1983 to June 1984, 39 episodes.
Creator(s): The story was written by Jean Chalopin and Bernard Deyriès, and is very loosely based on the novel ‘The King’s Fifth’ by Scott O’Dell. The series’ chief director was Hisayuki Toriumi.
Summary:
Barcelona, 1532. Esteban is an impulsive young orphan who wants to find his father. He follows Mendoza, the navigator who saved his life ten years ago, in a Spanish expedition toward the New World.
The main aim of this expedition: the discovery of the Seven Cities of Gold.
During his journey from Spain to South America, Esteban will meet his best friends : Zia an Incan girl and Tao the last descendant of the Mu Empire (Hiva Empire in English).
Inspiration: 5 stars.
Positivity: 5 stars.
Family-friendliness: 5 stars.
Why we like it: Another French Japanese series with a beautiful animation, beautiful landscapes and a wonderful soundtrack. I’m fond of Tao, but my favourite character is without a doubt Mendoza, he is neither totally evil nor totally good, I find him rather realistic in his characterization.
Who can read / watch: Everyone aged 7 and above.
Favorite moment: The discovery of the solar ship Solaris in episode 6. I was (and still am) totally devastated when it was destroyed in episode 9…
PoArtMo verdict: A wonderful TV show, I eagerly awaited the documentary at the end of each episode as to how it was made! It was my first discovery of the pre-Columbian civilizations and an absolute revelation!
For more information on the show, check out these links below.
The Mysterious Cities of Gold – Wikipedia
IMDb – The Mysterious Cities of Gold
The Mysterious Cities of Gold Cartoon Intro Opening Theme HD
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