YMMV / The Mysterious Cities of Gold

• Americans Hate Tingle:
  • The very, very, very different fate of the show in its two countries of origin: obscure, rapidly forgotten show in Japan; and a generation-defining classic in the French-speaking world.
  • While the show is entirely set in Latin America, and a Spanish dub exists, it was never broadcast, aside from some Latin American channels. Understandably, as Spanish conquistadors are antagonists.
• Awesome Music:
  • The entire soundtrack not only fits perfectly, it also never seems overly repetitive through 39 episodes and practically every motif is memorable.
  • The theme song. Season 2's version isn't too bad, either. And then there's season 3...
• Complete Monster:
  • Conquistador Francisco Pizarro is the conqueror of the Incan Empire and a cruel, greedy man out for his own enrichment. Seeking the Cities of Gold, Pizarro tries to have entire villages razed and to kill or enslave young Esteban and his friends. Taking over the Incas, Pizarro forces them into slavery and massacres a great deal of them, wiping out their empire to establish control. Ostensibly loyal to the Spanish crown, Pizarro's only true loyalty is to himself and his insatiable greed.
  • King Menator is the cruel ruler of the Olmecs, an underground race seeking immortality. Tyrannizing many of the local tribes, Menator kills and harvests countless innocents for their skin cells to rejuvenate himself and the Olmecs, trying to have Esteban and his friends subject to the same fate and ordering an entire village massacred when they escape into its borders. Menator seeks the Cities of Gold for its priceless technology, using his flying weapon to vaporize many of the Mayans—whom he regards as utterly inferior—when they rise up against him, and even horribly beating the young Tao against a cliff side with the threat of killing him if he's not allowed access to the Cities of Gold. Though preaching everything he does is for the benefit of his race, Menator only intends to preserve those "worthy" while dismissing the lives of the rest and even his own loyal soldiers, intent only on taking what he can and killing everyone else in his way.
• Cult Classic: For those who grew up watching it, it's one of the defining shows of their youth. How else can you explain it getting a direct sequel almost thirty years after it originally ended?
• Ensemble Dark Horse: LaGuerra, a new character from season 3, has caught the attention of the fans. Her anti-villainy, fighting skills, her beauty and her relation with Mendoza has earn the adoration of many. Kinda remind you of Zuko.
  • In Season 1, Gomez and Marinche fit the trope as well.
• Gateway Series: For UK, French and other viewers outside North America (outside of francophone Canada) this (along with Ulysses 31 and Goldorak) was the Gateway Series to anime in the same way as Pokémon, Dragon Ball Z or Sailor Moon was for US viewers. While not a mass success in the U.S., it may also have served as such for some American viewers who saw it on Nickelodeon.
• Germans Love David Hasselhoff: The very, very, very different fate of the show in its two countries of origin: obscure, rapidly forgotten show in Japan; and a generation-defining classic in the French-speaking world.
  • The English dub is something of an example as well. It was made in Canada, but it never aired there, despite the show airing in continuous reruns through the '80s and '90s and beyond on the CBC's French network. Janice Chaikelson's (Zia) grandparents could (and did) watch the show on Nickelodeon when they vacationed in Florida, but she couldn't.
  • The show was also very popular in the UK and was one of the most famous shows on The BCC's CBBC block.
• Growing the Beard: There were complains about season 2 regarding pacing, the plot, out of character moments, Idiot Ball, many Distress Ball and unfunny humor. The general census is that season 3 greatly improved and fixed many of those problems. The animation and the action also take a surprisingly turn for the better.
• Harsher in Hindsight: One of the live-action documentaries in the '80s series explains the early history of what is now Mexico City, along with footage of the then-modern-day city and its inhabitants. Much of the city would be leveled by an earthquake in September 1985, with at least 5,000 and perhaps as many as 45,000 killed.
• Hilarious in Hindsight: Or similar in Hindsight, but Tao's situation is eerily similar to that of Karana, a character from another Scott O'Dell novel, Island of the Blue Dolphins. Both are the only humans left on their island, they both learn to fend for themselves, both have animal sidekicks, and both are awaiting the arrival of other people on their islands, though in Tao's case, its because of a prophecy is father told him. The only other differences is Tao not having to wait eighteen years to get off his island, and Tao is confirmed to be the last of his people. In Karana's situation, it's only implied she's the last. In the book's sequel it's revealed that she has a niece. Her name is Zia. No relation to the Zia in The King's Fifth.
• Ho Yayinvoked:
  • A Puppy Love version with Esteban and Tao, who cling to each other when stressed or frightened, invade each others' space at any time for any reason, and generally behave like a married couple. Also, when Tao was forced to destroy the Solaris, only the sight of Esteban calling to him could cheer him. Also: Sancho and Pedro for the adult version, or Gaspar and Gomez for the villain version.
  • In the sequel series, Esteban is overjoyed to see his friends. He holds Zia's hands... and then he jumps into Tao's arms.
• Like You Would Really Do It:
  • The third city of gold is collapsing because of an earthquake. Zia and Esteban try to get their medallions and don't return in time to get in the submarine. They actually made it out alive by riding an escape boat.
  • Halfway in season 3, Ambrosius, LaGuerra and Gaspard are captured and placed under guard by one of Esteban's friend. So it's smooth sailing from now on, right? Wrong, the villains make their escape and they even the odds at the end of the season.
  • After rescuing Esteban's father, Mendoza, Pedro and Sancho think of leaving on their own. Mendoza wants to become a sailor again and the duo wants to open a tavern in Barcelona. This doesn't stick and the trio is eventually back helping our heroes again.
• Magnificent Bastard: Juan Carlos Mendoza is the eventual guardian of young hero Esteban, having saved him as a baby from the seas. Realizing Esteban's connection to the Cities of Gold, Mendoza makes himself a mentor figure to the boy and his companions, manipulating them to lead him to the gold and make himself rich. Growing to care for the kids, Mendoza also constantly outwits the forces of the Conquistadors and even the Olmecs, at one point flooding a village to save it from the evil Malinche's poisoning. Seemingly betraying the heroes to join the Conquistadors at the end, Mendoza in fact goes behind their backs to deliver Spanish weapons to the Inca and give them a fighting chance.
• Misblamed: Some differences between the French and Japanese translations are attributed to Bowdlerization by the former of the latter, which is inaccurate since the series is a joint Franco-Japanese production written by Jean Chalopin and Bernard Deyriès but animated in Japan. If anything, the differences were more to tailor them to differing expectations of their respective '80s-era audiences than anything else.
• One-Scene Wonder: Father Rodriguez, Esteban's first Parental Substitute who raised him prior to the events of the series. While he dies in the first episode, his two scenes really show that he was a good and loving man. The gorgeous and sad music just after his death turns the death of this minor character into one of the biggest Tear-Jerkers of the show.
• Ship Tease: Season 2 has a huge amount of Ship Tease, mainly with Esteban and Zia. You can see them constantly hugging and holding hands. When Zia saved Esteban's life, he gives her a smooch. Zia also has good deal of Ship Tease with Tao, Zhi, Prince Zhu and Gurban.
• Squick: Myeena is about the same age as the heroes, but she's engaged to a man who looks like he's in his early to mid-20s.
• Toy Ship: Esteban × Zia
• They Changed It, Now It Sucks!: After the release of the preview trailer for the sequel series, which showed that the series would be animated with Cel Shading, a lot of comments pretty much declared that the whole thing was permanently ruined.
• Values Dissonance: Myeena, a tween, is engaged to Wynacocha, an adult man. Apart from Tao, who's disappointed she isn't available, everyone takes it in stride. Probably a case of Truth in Television; the concept of legal adulthood is a relatively new one and adolescents getting married was fairly common back then.
• Villain Decay: In Season 3, Gaspard makes his return. Rather than being The Brute, he's been reduced to a villainous Butt-Monkey. To illustrate this, the children aren't afraid of him anymore and they kick his ass embarrassingly more than once.

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