History WesternAnimation / Coco

*** For Miguel: "Family comes first". Because fans may come and go, but your family will love you forever.

* BlackComedy: Inevitable in an animated comedy where half of the cast are the living dead. It ranges from Ernesto de la Cruz dying a ridiculous death (a giant bell falling on him) to skeletons falling apart and putting themselves together again.

* FinishDialogueInUnison: At the cenote, when Miguel and Hector both realize they related:

* AgeCut: During the papel picado prologue, there’s a brief scene where young Coco dances across and becomes a young woman.

** The movie starts and ends with a shot of an orange flag on the banner, with the movie’s title at the beginning and "THE END" at the end, [[CulturalTranslation with the former appearing in the latter's place in the international versions.]]

* BrokenRecord: When Héctor is shocked at learning Ernesto is Miguel’s great-great grandfather, his response is simply this:

** Ernesto de la Cruz is a dead actor and singer who WordOfGod says is based on based on well-known Mexican musicians such as Pedro Infante, Jorge Negrete and Vicente Fernández.

* ChekhovsBoomerang: Héctor disguising himself as Frida Kahlo to cross the marigold bridge is a great gag, but then it turns out that he knows where de la Cruz is supposed to be rehearsing for his Sunrise Spectacular because he borrowed the costume from the show's costume designer. While he's apologizing for losing it, Miguel meets the ''real'' Frida Kahlo, who's choreographing a performance piece with a lot of dancers costumed as herself. She encourages his artistry ''and'' imparts the plot-critical information that no, Ernesto is not here rehearsing, he's holding a very exclusive party that they'll have to find a way into. Later, Héctor's way in is to disguise himself as Frida ''again''. And later still, the entire family disguise themselves as Frida Kahlo thanks to that dance piece she designed, with Miguel personally thanking Frida for her help after she wishes him luck.

** Miguel and his family get into Ernesto's concert at the climax by disguising themselves as the back-up dancers for Frida Kahlo's performance-art piece... which means all of them, including the men, are dressed as Frida Kahlo.

* TheDissenterIsAlwaysRight: Miguel grew up in a family that hates and has banned music, but Miguel loves it and wishes to be a musician. His family, both living and deceased, try to discourage Miguel's dreams, insisting that music does nothing but split families apart. In the end, Miguel's playing helps Miguel's great-grandmother, Coco, who was going senile, to remember her past and connect with her family again. The family realize that they were wrong to ban music so they allow Miguel to pursue his dream.

* EveryoneHasStandards: Even through the Rivera refuse to support Miguel's love for music, Elena destroying Miguel's guitar was ''below'' the line, even for them.

* HeelFaceDoorSlam: It turns out that Héctor would frequently travel with Ernesto in order to support his family by doing something he loved, but he soon realised that he missed his family too much and as he was preparing to return to them, his friend Ernesto, who wanted to achieve ''his'' dreams so badly, murdered him, stole his songs and never told Héctor's family that he was dead, causing them to completely ostracize him.

* HowIsThatEvenPossible: The clerk in the Land of the Dead is allergic to Dante, despite 1) Dante not having any hair and 2) the clerk not having a nose. Neither the clerk nor Miguel have any answers to how that works.

* HypocrisyNod: About halfway through the film, to the hypocrisy behind the ThickerThanWater mentality that is such a big part of Miguel's family. Miguel is running away from Imelda, who is saying that he has to pick a side between his family and music. He responds asking why nobody from his family is on his side. All he wants is to play music, is it really so unreasonable that a family who is supposedly so into loyalty support what makes him happiest? The question is never really resolved, or even brought up again, but the point still stands that Miguel makes a valid argument.

* ItWasWithYouAllAlong: Miguel spends a good chunk of the movie searching for Ernesto de la Cruz, who he believes is his great-great grandfather. It turns out that his actual great-great grandfather is Héctor, the man who was helping him find Ernesto.

* JuxtaposedReflectionPoster: A teaser poster has Miguel stand [[BackToCameraPose with his back to the audience]] and a guitar slung over his back. In the puddle by his feet one can see Hector and Imelda, [[{{Calacas}} skeletal denizens of the land of the dead]], in the reflection.

* MementoMacGuffin: Ernesto de la Cruz's guitar. Believing Ernesto to be his great-great grandfather, Miguel tries to steal it for the talent contest, leading to him being stuck in the Land of the Dead. It's not until the big PlotTwist does he find out that the guitar really ''did'' belong to his great-great grandfather, but it was actually ''stolen'' by Ernesto de la Cruz when he killed Héctor, becoming ''his'' [[SigilSpam iconic]] guitar throughout his career.
* MemorialPhoto: Used as a way to show dead family members are remembered, rather than in a funeral manner, the photo on the ofrenda is the proof that a dead person is remembered and can travel across the marigold Bridge to visit the land of the living.

* NoMusicAllowed: Under the belief that music led her husband to abandon his family, Mamá Imelda banishes music from the Rivera household. This ban remains in effect for 96 years, thanks to her granddaughter Elena enforcing the rule after Imelda passes away. The conflict between the ban and Miguel’s musical interests causes him to run away to pursue his dreams, which then leads him to become a ghost. The ban gets lifted on both sides of the veil with Imelda’s reconciliation with Héctor and Miguel using music to jog Mamá Coco’s memory.

** When Miguel is thrown into the ''cenote'', Héctor immediately comforts the boy, who is crying over being betrayed by Ernesto. What makes Héctor's act truly kind is that this is ''before'' they both realize they're related. As such, Héctor still believes that Miguel is the great-great grandson of his murderer. This is coupled with the fact that, earlier on, Miguel [[KickTheDog called off]] their deal because Héctor was about to take him back to his other family members. Despite all of this, Héctor gives genuine comfort and soothing words to the distressed Miguel.

** In Héctor’' flashback of him singing "Remember Me" to young Coco, they press each other’s faces against one another and we get a shot of Héctor's warm smile from Coco's perspective.

* RemovedFromThePicture: Miguel's great-great grandfather does not have a place in the ''ofrenda.'' His face has been torn out of the picture, though his body and trademark guitar are still visible. Coco has the missing piece of the photo, of Héctor.

** Frida Kahlo has been used as a disguise three times -- First, when Héctor attempts to cross the bridge, in which both his said attempt and disguise were unsuccessful. Second, used again by Héctor to get into Ernesto's party, which ''is'' successful. And thirdly, the ''whole'' Rivera family are disguised as her back-up dancers to get into the festival and get back Héctor's photo.

* SurprisinglyHappyEnding: At first, the movie seems like it's going to end bittersweet as Coco is dying and forgot Héctor almost completely, and Miguel has tried as hard as he could to get her to remember him. Fortunately, he remembers his guitar he brought back and uses it to play "Remember Me", which is what rejuvenates her and causes the ban on music to be lifted, Ernesto to be forgotten, and Héctor's legacy to become famous, ending the film on a wonderful note.

* TechnicianVsPerformer: Ernesto and Héctor (two musical role models for Miguel and great-great grandfather figures), demonstrate the dichotomy. Héctor is the passionate, heart-felt Performer to Ernesto's polished and pristine but emotionally vacant Technician. It's especially apparent in how they both sing "Remember Me": Ernesto turned it into a cheesy love ballad aimed at no-one in particular, while Héctor originally wrote it as a lullaby for his beloved daughter. And then, there's the fact that Ernesto stole Héctor's songs because he knew he wasn't gifted enough to make it on his own artistic merit.

* ThickerThanWater: Much of the film is spent establishing the importance of family above all. But this is also deconstructed in that Miguel's passion conflicted heavily with his family's traditions, with Miguel being genuinely miserable over his inability to do what he loves due to his family ties and lamenting how his family is probably the only one in Mexico that hates music. This leads him to run away as his great-great grandfather did. However, this trope is once again reconstructed, as his adventure cleared up the misunderstanding about Héctor's inability to return home and helped remedy Mama Coco's memory loss, allowing Miguel to reconcile with his family, who wholeheartedly support his dream from then on.

* VehicleVanish: Miguel escapes a guard in the square when vanishing behind a line of people passing between them.
* VileVillainSaccharineShow: The film is generally a children's movie with bright colors. However, Ernesto de la Cruz murdered his best friend on screen to steal his songs and achieve fame. And he will go to any lengths to keep the [[StealthPun skeleton in his closet]].

* WalkingShirtlessScene: An unusual example, as it isn't done for fanservice. Most models in the land of the dead are designed to draw attention to the fact that they are skeletons. This means that most men wear vests or jackets, but no shirt underneath, leaving their rib cages on full display. Both Héctor and Ernesto do this throughout the film.

** But the biggest one of all has to be when Héctor reveals he's Miguel's actual great-great grandfather by telling him that he's being forgotten by his daughter, ''Coco''.

** [[DoubleAesop Miguel and Imelda]] learn to appreciate what they previously opposed:

*** For Imelda: "Follow your dreams" and "let your children do what they love", which are present in Miguel's passion for music going against his family's traditions.

*** For Miguel: 'Family comes first'. Because fans may come and go, but your family will love you forever.
*** For Imelda : 'Follow your dreams' and 'let your children do what they love,' which are present in Miguel's passion for music going against his family's traditions.
** 'Fame and fortune are pretty meaningless if people have nothing positive to say about you once you're dead.'

'''Ernesto:''' He's a threat! You think I'd let him go back to the Land of the Living with your photo? To keep your memory alive? ''[{{beat}}]'' No.

* AnAesop:
** 'Follow your dreams' and 'let your children do what they love,' which are present in Miguel's passion for music going against his family's traditions.
** 'Fame and fortune are pretty meaningless if people have nothing positive to say about you once you're dead.'
** 'Family comes first'. Because fans may come and go, but your family will love you forever.

* DramaticallyMissingThePoint: Ernesto de la Cruz missed the point of Héctor's songs. He sings "Remember Me" as a [[AnythingThatMoves frivolous]] [[TheCasanova romance]] song rather than a tender lullaby, and understands "The World Is [[GratuitousSpanish Mi Familia]]" as an endorsement of career success over settling down and forming a family, rather than the other way around.

* TimeSkip: The epilogue skips forward to the next Dia de los Muertos, one year later.

--->'''Héctor:''' I wish I could tell her that her papa was trying to come home. That he loved her so much. ''[beat]'' My Coco...

* ACappella: The scene where Héctor is singing "Remember Me" starts out with him singing it a cappella with no music, then when it changes to the flashback of him singing it to little Coco the acoustic guitar slips in, then slips back out upon returning to the present. The album version keeps the guitar intact for the entire song.

* AnAesop:
** 'Follow your dreams' and 'let your children do what they love,' which are present in Miguel's passion for music going against his family's traditions.
** 'Fame and fortune are pretty meaningless if people have nothing positive to say about you once you're dead.'
** 'Family comes first'. Because fans may come and go, but your family will love you forever.
* AfterlifeAngst: While averted by most of the Land of the Dead, Héctor regrets dying before he could make it back to Imelda and Coco, especially since, due to Imelda's bitterness and Coco's fading memory, he is slowly fading from existence. In addition, Imelda and the Riveras refuse to acknowledge him in the afterlife, leaving him effectively homeless. This gets even worse when he discovers his death wasn't an accident, but a murder by someone he thought was a friend. Resolved when Miguel ensures Héctor's continued existence long enough for him to reunite with Coco.

* AnimatedMusical: Averted. Music is a major theme of the movie and several characters sing, but all of the singing occurs InUniverse.

* CooldownHug: Héctor gives one to Miguel in the cenote when he breaks down over Ernesto's betrayal.

* DiegeticMusical: Every song is performed in-universe, at concerts, a talent competition, or to just practice.

* DisqualificationInducedVictory: The runners-up at the Battle of the Bands end up taking first place after Miguel leaves after being betrayed last minute. Fortunately, they offer to sneak Miguel into Ernesto's tower so he can perform there after all.

* GenerationalTrauma: Miguel aspires to be a musician but is strictly forbidden to by Abuela Elena who hates music with a passion. The reason is that her mother, Mamá Coco, and grandmother, Mamá Imelda, were abandoned by the latter's husband when he became a musician, went on tour, and never came back. This started the family tradition of avoiding anything music related. When Miguel is transported to the Land of the Dead, he frantically tries to find his idol Ernesto de la Cruz --who he also believes to be his great-grandfather-- and get a blessing to become a musician.

* ImmortalityThroughMemory: While the dead themselves have RememberTheDead immortality, for those who are still living, the dead live on through ImmortalityThroughMemory. Once the last person who remembered someone dies or forgets, the person who died experiences a "second death" in the real world and they also die in the afterlife.

* ItsBeenDone: Héctor convinces Miguel not to sing "Remember Me" at the talent show, since there are already a dozen other acts performing the same song.

* NobodyPoops: There are no restrooms in the Land of the Dead.
* NonStandardCharacterDesign:
** All the residents of the Land of the Dead have crude skeleton appearances that look almost the same, but Ernesto de la Cruz looks very much like he did when he was alive. This is a clue that he's not what he seems.
** Héctor is the only skeleton who has rusty yellow bones, is barefoot, and wears rags. This shows he's being forgotten, and once he is remembered once again by the Riveras, his bones revert to white, he gains a pair of shoes, and his clothes are good as new.
* NoodleIncident: Whatever Héctor did with Chicharron's van, mini-fridge, and ''femur'' is so mysterious that Word of God won't even disclose the answers.

* VehicleVanish: Miguel escapes a guard in the square when vanishing behind a line of people passing between them.
* VileVillainSaccharineShow: The film is generally a children's movie with bright colors. However, Ernesto de la Cruz murdered his best friend on screen to steal his songs and achieve fame. And he will go to any lengths to keep the [[StealthPun skeleton in his closet]].

[[JustForFun/IThoughtThatWas Not to be confused]] with the [[NamesTheSame 1969 Broadway musical]] starring Creator/KatharineHepburn as UsefulNotes/CocoChanel.

[[caption-width-right:349:There's a bone to pick with people, in more ways than one.]]

Not to be confused with the 1969 Broadway musical starring Creator/KatharineHepburn as UsefulNotes/CocoChanel.

* NoMusicAllowed: Under the belief that music led her husband to abandon his family, Mama Imelda banishes music from the Rivera household. This ban remains in effect for 96 years, thanks to her granddaughter Elena enforcing the rule after Imelda passes away. The conflict between the ban and Miguel’s musical interests causes him to run away to pursue his dreams, which then leads him to become a ghost. [[spoiler:The ban gets lifted on both sides of the veil with Imelda’s reconciliation with Héctor and Miguel using music to jog Mama Coco’s memory.]]

* MagicMusic: {{Subverted|Trope}}. Miguel strumming Ernesto's guitar in his tomb seems to be what causes him to cross over between worlds. However, it's later revealed that he crossed over due to being cursed, for stealing from the dead when Dia de los Muertos is a day for '''gifting''' to the dead.

** All the residents of the Land of the Dead have crude skeleton appearances that look almost the same, but Ernesto de la Cruz looks very much like he did when he was alive. This is a clue to that he's not what he seems.

* NoOshaCompliance:
** A bell that's heavy enough to crush someone to death should not be suspended by a single rope that can go slack with one accidental pull of a lever.
** The Land of the Dead notably lacks a large number of safety systems on the heavy machinery within it. Justified, as everyone is already dead and are only prone to AmusingInjuries in this respect.
* NoStuntDouble: InUniverse, Ernesto says he did all his own stunts for his movies.

* DespairEventHorizon: Héctor thinking he'll never see his daughter again.

** When Héctor plays "Everyone Knows Juanita" for Chicharrón, he changes one of the lines of the lyrics, and when Chich protests this, Héctor responds, "There are children present" (referring to Miguel, but it also works [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall in a meta-sense]] for the intended audience), indicating that the original words were something naughty and/or inappropriate. The context ("And her ''knuckles'' dragged down to the floor") heavily suggests the original line was referring to GagBoobs.

* DeadCelebritiesHangOutInHeaven:
** Ernesto de la Cruz is a dead actor and singer who WordOfGod says is based on based on well-known Mexican musicians such as Pedro Infante, Jorge Negrete and Vicente Fernández.
** Many of the Land of the Dead's inhabitants are RealLife deceased Mexican celebrities, including [[Film/{{Frida}} Frida Kahlo]], Mario Moreno 'Cantinflas', Wrestling/ElSanto, Jorge Negrete, and Pedro Infante, who Ernesto is largely based on. Some are mentioned by name while others are a FreezeFrameBonus.

* FightingWithChucks: Tío Oscar takes Tío Felipe's bones to build a nunchaku that he uses against Ernesto's guards. Felipe, armless, tries using his empty sleeves as nunchaku to keep the mooks from following the other Riveras onto the stage.

* {{Spexico}}: Deliberately averted. The development team flew to Mexico and did extensive research on everything native to it. From the architecture, to the music, to the food, and ''especially'' the local mannerisms in order to make the movie feel as authentic as possible. The vast majority of the cast is of Latino descent (as are the vast majority of the musicians that played for the soundtrack) and the characters use the Mexican dialect of Spanish rather than the typical version taught in American schools, paying particular attention to uniquely Latin American details like Elena's WeaponOfChoice.

** PlayedForLaughs near the start of the film, when some of the Riveras catch Miguel talking to a Mariachi at Mariachi Square. They interrogate him to know "what did he offer" Miguel, and aggressively let him know that they "know your tricks", as though he were a child abductor offering candy, or a street peddler offering drugs.

* ImageSource:
** FadingAway

->''"Never forget how much your family loves you. "''

->''"Remember me / Though I have to say goodbye, remember me!"''
-->-- '''Ernesto de la Cruz'''

* AccidentallyKarmic: The backstage hand who, while distracted by the performance of Ernesto de la Cruz, accidentally moves a lever that drops a giant bell on the latter, crushing him to death. This serves as karmic justice for murdering Hector, although the karmic justice for stealing Hector's reputation and credit is yet to come.