History YMMV / TheMysteriousCITIESOfGOLD

* EnsembleDarkhorse: [=LaGuerra=], a new character from season 3, has caught the attention of the fans. Her [[AntiVillain anti-villainy]], [[MasterSwordsman fighting skills]], [[EvilIsSexy her beauty]] and [[DatingCatwoman her relation with Mendoza]] has earn the adoration of many. [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Kinda remind you of Zuko]].
* EvilIsSexy: [=LaGuerra=], Zares' villainous henchwoman, is quite the beauty and has attracted the attention of lot of male viewers.

* AuthorsSavingThrow: In season 2, a lot of fans found [[CuteButCacophonic Kokapetl's new voice damn annoying]]. Come season 3, he has fewer lines. He even got a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome by taking on ''Zares'' of all people.

* HilariousInHindsight: Or similar in Hindsight, but Tao's situation is eerily similar to that of Karana, a character from another Scott O'Dell novel, ''Literature/IslandOfTheBlueDolphins''. 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 [[NamesTheSame Zia]]. No relation to the Zia in ''The King's Fifth''.

** In the sequel series, Esteban is overjoyed to see his friends. He hold Zia's hands... and then he jumps into Tao's arms.

* GatewaySeries: For UK, French and other viewers outside North America (outside of francophone Canada) this (along with ''Anime/Ulysses31'' and ''[[Anime/UFORoboGrendizer Goldorak]]'') was the Gateway Series to anime in the same way as ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'', ''Manga/DragonBallZ'' or ''Anime/SailorMoon'' 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.

* GatewaySeries: For UK, French and other viewers outside North America (outside of francophone Canada) this (along with ''Anime/Ulysses31'' and ''[[Manga/UFORobotGrendizer Goldorak]]'') was the Gateway Series to anime in the same way as ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' or ''Anime/SailorMoon'' 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.

* GatewaySeries: For UK, French and other viewers outside North America (outside of francophone Canada) this (along with ''Anime/Ulysses31'' and ''[[Anime/UFORobotGrendizer Goldorak]]'') was the Gateway Series to anime in the same way as ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' or ''Anime/SailorMoon'' 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.

* GatewaySeries: For UK, French and other viewers outside North America (outside of francophone Canada) this (along with ''Anime/Ulysses31'') was the Gateway Series to anime in the same way as ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' or ''Anime/SailorMoon'' 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.

** The English dub is something of an example as well. It was made in Canada, but it never aired there, despite the show being a hit 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.

** [[EvilColonialist Conquistador Francisco Pizarro]] is the conqueror of the Incan Empire and a cruel, {{greed}}y man out for his own enrichment. Seeking the Cities of Gold, Pizarro tries to have entire villages razed and to [[WouldHurtAChild kill or enslave young Esteban and his friends]]. Taking over the Incas, Pizarro [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil 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 [[ItsAllAboutMe only true loyalty is to himself]] and his insatiable greed.

** The English dub is something of an example as well. It was made in Canada, but it never aired there, despite the show being a hit on the CBC's French network. Janice Chaikelson's (Zia) grandparents could watch the show on Nickelodeon when they vacationed in Florida, but she couldn't.

* HilariousInHindsight: Or similar in Hindsight, but Tao's situation is eerily similar to that of Karana, a character from another Scott O'Dell novel, [[Literature/IslandOfTheBlueDolphins 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 [[NamesTheSame Zia]]. No relation to the Zia in ''The King's Fifth''.

** [[spoiler: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? [[YouCantThwartStageOne Wrong, the villains make their escape and they even the odds at the end of the season]].]]
** [[spoiler:After rescuing Esteban's father, Mendoza, Pedroa and Sancho think of leaving on their own. Mendoza wants to become a sailor again and the duo wants to open a tavern in Barcelone. This doesn't stick and the trio is eventually back helping our heroes again.]]

* OneSceneWonder: [[GoodShepherd Father Rodriguez]], Esteban's first ParentalSubstitute who raised him prior to the events of the series. While he [[spoiler:dies in the first episode]], his two scenes really show that he was a good and loving man. The gorgeous and sad music [[spoiler:just after his death]] turns [[spoiler:the death]] of this minor character into one of the biggest [[TearJerker Tear Jerkers]] of the show.

* VillainDecay: In Season 3, [[spoiler:Gaspard makes his return. Rather than being TheBrute, he's been reduced to a villainous ButtMonkey. To illustrate this, the children weren't afraid of him anymore and they kicked his ass embarrassingly more than once.]]

* VillainDecay: [[spoiler:Gaspard makes his return in season 3. Rather than being TheBrute, he's been reduced to a villainous ButtMonkey. To illustrate this, the children weren't afraid of him anymore and they kicked his ass embarrassingly more than once.]]
** [[spoiler:His last scene in season 3 averts this however : after gaining control over one of the flying discs that serve as transportation in the 4th City of Gold, he arrives at the worst possible time for the heroes, grabs Laguerra and kicks Mendoza and the children over the edge and into a precipitous drop. We will see in season 4 if it sticks.]]

* AmericansHateTingle: 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.
** Also, 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 conquistadores are the Big Bads.
*** The Spanish being the big bads is actually ''very'' debatable. If anything, the ''Olmecs'' are the Big Bads while everyone assumes the ''Spaniards'' are the Big Bads. There have been shown to be plenty of despicable people on both sides, with Malinche, probably being the worst you can get in this series, being an Aztec. (Even the Spanish Doctor who's traveling with her is [[EvenEvilHasStandards disgusted]] when she suggests poisoning a village's river supply)
*** The whole show is very careful to reinforce the point that aside from the three children (and any other children they meet), very few are BlackAndWhiteMorality "good guys". Aside from those mentioned above, at least one tribe of Native Americans tries to sacrifice the children, and even the fabled Heva civilization ended up in a war of mutually assured destruction with Atlantis. Arguably the central conceit in giving the medallions to children at birth is because they would only use them for the right reasons.

* {{Squick}}: Myeena is about the same age as the heroes, but she's engaged to a man who looks old enough to be her father.
** If it helps, Myeena looks to be at least a couple of years older than Zia at least, and Wynacocha probably isn't THAT old- in his early to mid-20s would be more accurate than "old enough to be her father".

** Very much a case of Rose-Tinted Nostalgia Glasses on the part of some fans. Speaking as someone who loved the original series, the truth is that what made it special was being more than the sum of its parts - while some of the artwork in the original series was breathtaking, the overall quality of the animation actually varied wildly from episode to episode.
*** The cel-shading of the first couple episodes has a very conspicuous computerized look, with robotic movements for the characters. But it gets much better as the show goes on.
*** And then there is Season 3 and the faith on the series was near fully restored with way more praises than criticism.

** Hell, there's enough of it in The Bible!

* MagnificentBastard:
** Mendoza provides a rare good-guy example, for given values of good.
** In season 2, Zares manipulate our heroes in various {{Batman Gambit}}s in order to facilitate the children discovering the City of Gold for him. In the end, all he needs is reaping all the rewards. But his greatest accomplishment is keeping his true identity a secret: he's truly [[spoiler:Ambrosius, the diminutive eccentric and friendly alchemist our heroes have being working with near the beginning]]. By the end of season 2, there still is no one who has discovered his secret identity (save for Tian Li who was dumb enough not to warn our heroes.).

** Also, 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 conquistadores are the Big Bads.
*** The Spanish being the big bads is actually ''very'' debatable. If anything, the ''Olmecs'' are the Big Bads while everyone assumes the ''Spaniards'' are the Big Bads. There have been shown to be plenty of despicable people on both sides, with Malinche, probably being the worst you can get in this series, being an Aztec. (Even the Spanish Doctor who's traveling with her is [[EvenEvilHasStandards disgusted]] when she suggests poisoning a village's river supply)
*** The whole show is very careful to reinforce the point that aside from the three children (and any other children they meet), very few are BlackAndWhiteMorality "good guys". Aside from those mentioned above, at least one tribe of Native Americans tries to sacrifice the children, and even the fabled Heva civilization ended up in a war of mutually assured destruction with Atlantis. Arguably the central conceit in giving the medallions to children at birth is because they would only use them for the right reasons.

* HoYay[[invoked]]: A PuppyLove 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 [[spoiler: 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.

* MagnificentBastard: Mendoza provides a rare good-guy example, for given values of good.

* CrossDressingVoices: In the Japanese version of the '80s series, both Esteban and Tao are voiced by women; Esteban's seiyuu (in both the original 1982 dub and the 1998 redub) is none other than Creator/MasakoNozawa.

* DuelingDubs: The original series, in Japanese. When the series was to be rerun on NHK in 1998, it was found that the original Japanese dialogue track was lost, presumably deleted because of the show's lack of popularity in Japan. Thus the series had to be redubbed into Japanese from French, and the new dub utilized an almost entirely new stable of voice actors, with Creator/MasakoNozawa (Esteban) the only returning seiyuu. For example, the new voice of Zia was Creator/ReiSakuma (Shampoo of Manga/RanmaOneHalf), replacing Creator/MamiKoyama (the original Anime/MagicalPrincessMinkyMomo).

* TheOtherDarrin: In Japanese, it applies to every character ''except'' Esteban. When the show was to be released on DVD in Japan in the late 1990s, the original 1982 dialogue track had been lost; thus, for the home video release and rebroadcast on NHK's BS2 channel, the show had to be redubbed from French ''back'' into Japanese, using an entirely new stable of seiyuu except for Creator/MasakoNozawa (Esteban).