The Mysterious Cities of Gold

[menator]

Hi All,

I highly suggest The Mysterious Cities of Gold from the early 80's if you can find a copy. It is not well known as it hasn't been on US TV for over 10 years now, but it is a fantastic series of 39 episodes.

It is basically about some children and adults searching for the lost cities of gold in mid-1500s South America. Each has their own reason for finding the cities.


Regards,
Jason

Administrator of http://www.themysteriouscitiesofgold.com

[Dunric]

Seconding that opinion, particularly if you like something such as Nadia... Heya, menator.

[TIllIK]

yeah it's a great french anime, you learn a lot about the Inca watching it too :)

[Hanto Chado]

yeah it's a great french anime, you learn a lot about the Inca watching it too :)

Yeah, I loved it. But I like to call it french-japanese collaboration. Saying french anime sounds like saying imatation anime and I don't want to give the weedwackers any more to feed on. The character designs look definitely french, which are alright but not particulary fond of.

[menator]

Yes, it was a Japanese-French collaboration, based on an American book, The King's Fifth by Scott O'Dell. There is not much taken from the book except some of the names and few scenes.

The animation was done by Studio Pierrot, which many of you probably know from Yu Yu Hakusho, Hikaru no Go, Naruto, etc...


Regards,
Jason

[Dunric]

I use french-japanese coproduction also, just because I like literal.

I liked the relative lack of anime stereotypes (yes, including the character designs) just because, well, such stereotypes can be a little tiring to people not familiar with the whole culture.

As for french character designs, I wouldn't say that -- they don't exactly look like Herge's characters, for instance. Still, since they're not what is generally associated with anime they're bound to cause a bit of dissatisfaction. And I think I can see how that works. (Still, I like 'em.)

[dati]

Dear All,

Could anyone guide me on finding this movie, this is one of my Child Hood Favorite. I never finish seeing this movie.

I have search the web, but can't find any english version only (French/Japan) on ******.

I've found few link on torrent, but the quality of the AVI is not so good.

Many Thanks.
Regards Dat.

[Soluzar]

Dear All,

Could anyone guide me on finding this movie, this is one of my Child Hood Favorite. I never finish seeing this movie.

I have search the web, but can't find any english version only (French/Japan) on ******.

I've found few link on torrent, but the quality of the AVI is not so good.

Many Thanks.
Regards Dat.

I don't think it's ever been released on DVD - not even sure about VHS. As far as I know, downloads are your only option. I really wish there was a quality DVD release of this show. Even though it's not quite anime, I loved it as a child.

[Undrave]

Herge was Belgian, not French XD the Mysterious Cities of Gold were meant to look more 'internationnal'. I got the whole DVD collection... great stuff and a neat interview with the director. Love that serie.

[Leader Desslock]

MCoG is a great series. As for where to get it... um... good luck with that. I speak French, so the DVD's are ok for me. You could always approach a fansub group to see if they'd be interested in doing English subs off the raw. I know it'd be popular, and it might inspire the company (DiC?) to re-release the English version. I mean, if companies can re-release a Battle of the Planets box set, you'd think a series this good would be a cinch.

As for the quality of the animation (bootleg), I seem to recall the animation was a bit rough when it was broadcast on Nickelodeon. Someone probably digitized a VHS copy or something.

[menator]

MCoG has been released on DVD in Japanese, French, and German, but no English release yet. I know a guy who has made an excellent MCoG fan DVD set using the video from the Japanese DVD, with English audio.

You can contact him here about his set: skutt@bus.msu.edu

[Dunric]

Herge was Belgian, not French XD

Aah, you know what I'm talking about... :P

[vdubit]

Hi all,

I recently bought a 4 disc DVD set with English stereo off a guy, the DVDs are fantastic, with all episodes and documentaries... it was amazing to see everything again! I am posting this so you guys know this is available...

[Scandiadream]

My colleague lent it to me a couple years ago. It's awesome. The other day, I found "Zia" by Scott O'Dell at my library- and I immediately started singing the MCOG theme song! I wonder if this is the exact book it is based on- or if there is another one as well.

[Soluzar]

Hi all,

I recently bought a 4 disc DVD set with English stereo off a guy, the DVDs are fantastic, with all episodes and documentaries... it was amazing to see everything again! I am posting this so you guys know this is available...
Yeah, that would be what you call a bootleg.

[Tama83]

According to Wikipedia, and I quote:

"It is unclear who owns the rights, or even if the original masters still exist".

However, like the song says:

"Ah-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h. Someday we will find the Cities of Gold"*

...which means that maybe someday we'll find out what became of it.

Also, yes, there is a Region 1 DVD available, but only in Canada and only in untranslated French.

*The Japanese version (Taiyou no Ko Esteban) uses a different theme song. Also, the French version is the same as the English version, which goes:

"Ah-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h, Esteban, Zia, Tao, les Cités d'Or".

[Kaoru-sama]

I only know about this show because people have said here, and on other boards around the 'net dealing with the 1980s, that this aired on Nickelodeon. For the (then) fledging network, running anime, most of which was from Saban...I don't thin MCoG was taken by them though, was cheaper on their thin budget at the time, than making in-house animation (Avatar, Rugrats, et al) and live-action stuff. Of course nowawdays, the network is much different.

I did not know Pierrot Studios handled the animation. I'm not too suprised though. Lots of animation work was farmed out in the 1980s to Japanese studios (Toei, TMS, Tatsunoko and Pierrot mostly). Nowadays, Japanese and Western producers farm out all the work to Korea and the like.

I guess I'm not quite as attatched to this series, as i am to something like Samurai Pizza Cats, which is sorely in need of some digitalized form of a release domestically.

Sadly I don't think this series, or the aformentioned SPC, will see any form of release Stateside. There's just the 'nostalgia' fanbase, and that's really it. So many other titles will never get an R1 (U.S.) DVD release though, while they get it in other countries...so goes it.

Never know though. Robotech and Voltron did it.

[Milky Mixer]

Mysterious Cities of Gold was a wonderful series I remember from my childhood and I'd love to see it again!

[Soluzar]

Mysterious Cities of Gold was a wonderful series I remember from my childhood and I'd love to see it again!
I'm sorry to have to tell you, but you will need to speak fluent French in order to see this series again.

[Daishikaze]

Or german, I could get the German version, if I was a dub fan, I'd probably buy it, but I need to see it in its original language.