# The Mysterious Cities of Gold (1982)

> A young Spanish boy sails to the New World in search of the lost Cities of Gold and his father.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/10509

## Facts

- Seasons: 4
- Episodes: 117
- Episode runtime: 28 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: animation, adventure, family
- Created by: Soji Yoshikawa, Mitsuru Majima, Mitsuru Kaneko, Jean Chalopin
- Network: NHK G
- Cast: Rei Sakuma, Masako Nozawa, Isao Sasaki, Takeshi Aono, Kaneta Kimotsuki, Haruna Ikezawa, Gorō Naya, Katsunosuke Hori
- TMDB rating: 8.6/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0122356/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: none
- Tone: hopeful, adventurous, wondrous, earnest, warm

## What critics say

Audiences broadly regard the series as a beloved, acclaimed animated adventure with strong nostalgic and emotional appeal across its seasons.

## Synopsis

The Mysterious Cities of Gold (1982-2021) is a Japanese animated adventure series created by Soji Yoshikawa, Mitsuru Majima, Mitsuru Kaneko and Jean Chalopin, produced with Pierrot and DIC and broadcast on NHK G. Its protagonist is Esteban, a young Spanish boy who joins a voyage to the New World hoping to find his father and the legendary Cities of Gold. Along the way he forms a bond with the resourceful Zia (voiced by Rei Sakuma), a companion from the lands he reaches, while Esteban is voiced by Masako Nozawa and the expedition is led by Mendoza (Isao Sasaki). The engine of the series is a traveling quest in which each episode brings a new obstacle, encounter or hidden civilization, from jungle peril to tense negotiations between explorers and native peoples. The story unfolds across four seasons spanning four decades of broadcasts, told as one continuing journey rather than isolated cases. Set in the sixteenth century Americas, the show evokes Maya and Incan worlds with a sense of curiosity and wonder. Its tone is warm, hopeful and adventurous, with an earnest emotional core about family and belonging. Fans of Future Boy Conan, Dogtanian and the Three Musketeers and Jungle Emperor Leo will find a similar blend of animated spectacle and heartfelt quest.

## Shows like The Mysterious Cities of Gold

- [Ultramarine Magmell (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/72916)
- [One Piece (1999)](https://ember.film/tv/34801)
- [Nils Holgerson (1980)](https://ember.film/tv/18033)
- [Now and Then, Here and There (1999)](https://ember.film/tv/24261)
- [Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit (2007)](https://ember.film/tv/39093)
- [Nobody's Boy: Remi (1977)](https://ember.film/tv/40632)
- [Sindbad the Sailor (1975)](https://ember.film/tv/19527)
- [Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water (1990)](https://ember.film/tv/22767)
- [Pokémon Horizons (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/139781)
- [The Legend of Zorro (1996)](https://ember.film/tv/15806)

---

Site overview: https://ember.film/llms.txt