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The Mysterious Cities of Gold

Original title: Taiyô no ko Esuteban
  • TV Series
  • 1982–1983
  • TV-Y7
  • 28m
IMDb RATING
8.6/10
4.6K
YOUR RATING
The Mysterious Cities of Gold (1982)
Set in the 16th century, this animated tale tells the story of a young boy searching for his identity
Play trailer1:58
2 Videos
58 Photos
FrenchAnimeHand-Drawn AnimationAdventureAnimationComedyFamilyFantasySci-Fi

In the 16th century, a trio of kids must search throughout South America for personal answers linked to El Dorado - the mysterious city of gold.In the 16th century, a trio of kids must search throughout South America for personal answers linked to El Dorado - the mysterious city of gold.In the 16th century, a trio of kids must search throughout South America for personal answers linked to El Dorado - the mysterious city of gold.

  • Stars
    • Shiraz Adam
    • Janice Chaikelson
    • Adrian Knight
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    8.6/10
    4.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Stars
      • Shiraz Adam
      • Janice Chaikelson
      • Adrian Knight
    • 49User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro

    • Episodes

    Videos2

    Mysterious Cities of Gold aka "Taiyô No Ko Esteban"
    Trailer 1:58
    Mysterious Cities of Gold aka "Taiyô No Ko Esteban"
    The Mysterious Cities Of Gold
    Trailer 2:01
    The Mysterious Cities Of Gold
    The Mysterious Cities Of Gold
    Trailer 2:01
    The Mysterious Cities Of Gold

    Photos58

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    + 52
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    Top Cast80

    Shiraz Adam
    • Esteban
    • 1982–1983
    Janice Chaikelson
    • Zia
    • 1982–1983
    Adrian Knight
    Adrian Knight
    • Tao
    • 1982–1983
    Michael Rudder
    • Pedro
    • 1982–1983
    Howard Ryshpan
    Howard Ryshpan
    • Mendoza
    • 1982–1983
    Terrence Labrosse
    • Sancho
    • 1982–1983
    Vlasta Vrana
    Vlasta Vrana
    • Narrator…
    • 1982–1983
    Matt Birman
    Matt Birman
    • Captain Gomez
    • 1982–1983
    Kelly Ricard
    • Narrator
    • 1982–1983
    Maurice Podbrey
    Maurice Podbrey
    • Governor Pizarro
    • 1982–1983
    Dean Hagopian
    • Kalmec
    • 1982–1983
    Walter Massey
    Walter Massey
    • The Doctor
    • 1982–1983
    Anick Faris
    • Lana…
    • 1982–1983
    A.J. Henderson
    • Captain Gaspard…
    • 1982–1983
    Richard M Dumont
    Richard M Dumont
    • Menator…
    • 1982–1983
    Shigeru Chiba
    Shigeru Chiba
    • Priest
    • 1982–1983
    Tesshô Genda
    Tesshô Genda
    • General Gomez
    • 1982–1983
    Tomoko Ai
    Tomoko Ai
    • Lana
    • 1982–1983
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews49

    8.64.6K
    1
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    Summary

    Reviewers say 'The Mysterious Cities of Gold' Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Curabitur pretium tincidunt lacus.

    Nulla facilisi etiam dignissim diam quis enim lobortis scelerisque
    Lorem ipsum dolorSit amet consecteturAdipiscing elitSed do eiusmodTempor incididuntUt labore et doloreMagna aliquaUt enim ad minimVeniam quisNostrud exercitation
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    Related interests

    Jean-Pierre Léaud in The 400 Blows (1959)
    French
    Steve Blum and Koichi Yamadera in Cowboy Bebop (1998)
    Anime
    Jodi Benson, Jason Marin, and Samuel E. Wright in The Little Mermaid (1989)
    Hand-Drawn Animation
    Still frame
    Adventure
    Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)
    Animation
    Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
    Family
    Elijah Wood in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
    Fantasy
    James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
    Sci-Fi

    Storyline

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      In the English version the lost continent in the Pacific is referred to as Heva. However in every other version (including the original French) it's called by its far more familiar name: Mu.
    • Goofs
      During the opening credits, Esteban is seen controlling the golden condor using 2 control levers. However, during the episodes proper, he only uses one (the condor just has one, shaped like a cobra).
    • Quotes
      • English Opening Titles Narrator: It is the Sixteenth 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.
    • Alternate versions
      The series is a French and Japanese coproduction. Although the opening and ending animations have clearly been designed for the Japanese songs, these animations were edited to fit the song used in the French version and it is this version that has been used for international distribution (like the American version). Also, the background music composed for the French version is the one used in foreign versions.
    • Connections
      Featured in Fan des années 80: 1983 #1 (2009)
    • Soundtracks
      Itsuka Dokokade Anatani Atta
      (Japanese Ending song)
      Music by Katsuo Ōno (as Katsuo Ono)
      Arrangements by Jun Satou
      Lyrics by Yû Aku
      Performed by Pal

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    FAQ8

    • Is a sequel to season 1 (1982) underway?
    • How many episodes will there be?
    • When will season 2 premiere?

    Details

    • Release date
      • June 30, 1986 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Japan
      • France
      • Luxembourg
    • Official site
      • French video tape site
    • Languages
      • French
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Esteban and the Seven Cities of Gold
    • Production companies
      • Diffusion Information Communication (DIC)
      • MK Company
      • NHK
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    • Runtime
      • 28m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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