"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!"

 
The Mysterious Cities Of Gold (MCoG) was an 80's cartoon produced in French by a Japanese animation company (the original series was called "Les Mysterieuses Cites d'Or"). The series consists of 39 episodes totalling around 14 hours. An English-dubbed version of the series ran in the U.K. on the BBC, and in America on Nickelodeon. It is loosely based on the book "The King's Fifth" by Scott O'Dell, and music for the series was produced by Haim Saban and Shuki Levy.

The series centered around three children, Estaban, an orphan in Barcelona, who is believed to be able to bring out the sun, Zia, an Incan girl stolen from her people, and Tao, the last remaining survivor of an ancient civilization that sank into the sea centuries ago. The three, each with a different goal, accompany the explorer Mendoza and his crew in the search for the Cities Of Gold. Esteban searches for the hidden meaning behind the medallion he wears around his neck. Zia hopes to be reunited with her father at long last. Tao dreams of learning the lost history of his people. Along the way they find wonders of ancient technology, including a golden condor that flies and a galleon with solar sails. But the ruthless Spaniards are gold-hungry, and the Olmecs are waging war against the peaceful tribes of the Americas. And if that weren't enough, the Cities Of Gold themselves hold the power to destroy mankind if they should fall into the wrong hands.

Each episode in this linear storyline also featured a three minute documentary featuring live footage, which helped put the series into a historical perspective and provide some sort of educational experience to the viewer. For whatever reasons, these documentaries were cut out of BBC broadcasts.

Episode List (which I will node in due time)

  1. Esteban, Child of the Sun
  2. Crossing the Atlantic
  3. Heroes Again
  4. Adrift on the Endless Sea
  5. The Abduction of Zia
  6. The Ship Solaris
  7. Secret of the Solaris
  8. The New Continent
  9. The End of the Solaris
  10. Secret of the Temple
  11. Messangers of the Region
  12. Secret of the Medallions
  13. Mystery of the Parents
  14. Esteban's Medallion
  15. The Subterranean Secret
  16. The Urubus
  17. The Great Condor
  18. Maiden Flight of the Great Condor
  19. The Nazca Plateau
  20. The Spaniards' Cannon
  21. The Amazons
  22. The Mirror of the Moon
  23. The Jade Mask
  24. The Manuscript
  25. The Lake of Gold
  26. The Swamps
  27. The Doors of Night
  28. The Forest of Statues
  29. The Burning Shield
  30. The Escape
  31. The Village of the New Sun
  32. Attack of the Olmecs
  33. The Reunion
  34. Revolt of the Mayas
  35. The Olmec Machine
  36. Aeriel Pursuit
  37. The City of Gold
  38. The Great Legacy
  39. The End of the City of Gold

Theme Song to "The Mysterious Cities Of Gold"

     Children of the sun
     See your time has just begun
     Searching for your ways
     Through adventures every day

     Every day and night
     With the condor we'll fight
     With all your friends in tow
     Search for the Cities of Gold

     Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
     Wishing for the Cities Of Gold...
     Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
     Someday we will find the Cities Of Gold!

     Do-do-do-do-do
     Ah, Ah, Ah!
     Do-do-do-do-do
     Cities Of Gold!
     Do-do-do-do-do
     Cities Of Gold!

     Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
     Someday we will find the Cities Of Gold!

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