Las Leyendas is a series of horror/comedy animated films where the first film was produced by Cinemex and the sequels are produced by Anima Estudios.
The first film is set in 1807, in the city of Puebla de los Ángeles, New Spain. Leo San Juan, a 9 year old insecure kid, has always been scared by the stories that his older brother Nando tells him. Among these stories is "The Legend of the Nahuala"; according to which the old abandoned house located on Street of Nahuala number 7 is possessed by an evil spirit, Nahual, that took over the spirit of the house's cook. Now, the Nahuala is waiting for the soul of an innocent kid to revive and gain full power.
This legend turns into reality when the spirit of the Nahuala takes over Nando in the presence of Leo and makes him beat all his fears to rescue his brother.
Not everything is what it seems inside the bewitched house, and hidden inside are terrible secrets which are not only of great danger for Leo and Nando, but also for the peace and tranquility of the city of Puebla.
A reboot, Legend Quest, has since graced Netflix.
This series of movies provides examples of:
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La Leyenda de la Nahuala
- Adults Are Useless: Averted. Fray Sinfonolo was vital in the final battle against the nahuala.
- Captain Ersatz: Don Andrés is very similar to Don Quixote.
- Curse Cut Short: Son of a .... Nahuala
- Cute Ghost Girl: Teodora and Xóchitl
- Dem Bones: The adults of the first attack of the Nahuala
- Died Happily Ever After: Santos and his mother
- Freudian Excuse: Why does Santos hate Fray Godofredo? The latter had to seal away the Nahuala, who had possessed/taken on the appearance of Santos's mother. Believing Fray Godofredo had killed his mother, Santos blamed him for his mother's "death".
- Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas:Santos was working with the Nahuala because the house cook was his mother
- Friend-or-Idol Decision: The Nahuala temps Leo San Juan with safe passage if he leaves Nando to her
- I Am Big Boned: One of the female skeletons say this
- Mentor Occupational Hazard: Fray Godofredo was betrayed by Santos.
- Mix And Match Creature: The alebrije is a colorful mix of animals
- One Degree of Separation: Fray Godofredo defeated the Nahuala the first time and saved two children Santos the house cook's son and Leo San Juan grandmother, who was the best friend of Teodora.
- The Obi-Wan: Fray Godofredo he advises Leo San Juan even after his death.
- Used to Be a Sweet Kid: Santos was once the care-free son of the house cook, helping his dear mother where he could. But that all changed on the fateful night the Nahuala possessed the mother, and Santos was forced to watch Fray Godofredo seal her away. For years after that night, he held a deep grudge and vowed to reunite with his mother.
- Would Hurt a Child: The Nahuala is more than willing to take the souls of kids for her benefit and managed to do so with Xóchitl and Teodora. She even tells Nando to his face that she'll kill him just because she doesn't like him instead of taking his soul.
La Leyenda de la Llorona
- Anti-Villain: La Llorona's actions where caused by grief
- Art-Shifted Sequel: The art style is smoother with a more pastel feel in stark contrast to the crude animation of the first film.
- Break the Beauty: In life, La Llorona was once a caring mother whose gorgeous face was matched only by the love she had for her children. After her home burned down and her children subsequently lost their lives, she was so broken by the loss that she literally wasted away out of grief.
- Demonic Possession: Pecas was the master behind the old guy in the island of dolls
- Freudian Excuse: It is understable why La Llorona became an evil spirit first she lost her house, then her children and finally her life
- Living Structure Monster: Pecas when he takes control of the hut
- Marionette Master: The guy in the island of dolls It was Pecas the puppet
- My God, What Have I Done?: La Llorona when she saw that she hurt two children has a flashback to her own children
- Our Banshees Are Louder: La Llorona has shades of this
- Our Dragons Are Different: The Alebrije is part dragon and can spit fire
- Put on a Bus: Nando, Xóchitl and Leo's grandma.
La Leyenda de las Momias de Guanajuato
- Appearance Is in the Eye of the Beholder: A love potion makes Don Andrés see Gloria as a Spicy Latina... Or at least THAT appeared to be the case until it was eventually revealed that it was not the potion at all, Don Andrés truly saw her like this.
- Art-Shifted Sequel: This film gives us another shift to the art style that would become synonymous with the film series.
- Dead All Along: Valentina's father
- French Jerk: Rousseau
- Interspecies Romance: Don Andres being a ghost with Gloria, a human girl.
- Love Potion: Don Andrés was dosed by one.
- Our Zombies Are Different: The Mummies of Guanajuato act like this
- Sweet Polly Oliver / Samus Is a Girl: Luis is Valentina
- Temple of Doom: The resurrection chamber
- Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: Subverted because Gloria's true appareance is ugly
La Leyenda del Chupacabras
- A Handful for an Eye: During the climax, Leo goes berserk and attacks Doctor Merolick when he knocks out Nando, his older brother. Seeing that Leo is actually managing to match up to him in raw strength, Merolick resorts to throwing powder into his eyes.
- Anachronism Stew: Teodora has a phone.
- Big Damn Heroes: The Revolutionaries save Leo San Juan at the last moment.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: Teodora is enchanted by the Cacomixtle (via cheap Chinese glasses laced with curse powder), so she'll assist him in capturing her friends.
- Darker and Edgier: This film has a considerably darker and less whimsical tone than the original trilogy. This tone is pushed harder with the setting, that being of a war camp.
- Dark Is Not Evil: The first Chupacabra to appear in the film is a good guy trying to save his family.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: When Cacomixtle throws curse powder into Evaristo's eyes, they light as if he was drugged.
- Our Vampires Are Different: El Chupacabras.
- Put on a Bus: Don Andrés and Xóchitl don't appear in this movie.
- Playing Cyrano: The Alebrije tries this.
- Taken for Granite: The consequence of the attack of the Chupacabras.
- The Bus Came Back: Nando returns in this movie.
- The Power of Rock / The Power of Friendship: How the Alebrije removes the brainwashing from Teodora.
- Would Hurt a Child: The General would execute them if the law demands it.
La Leyenda del Charro Negro
- Ascended Extra: After making minor appearances in the previous two films, El Charro Negro finally takes center-stage as the main villain.
- Darker and Edgier: This is possibly the darkest film in the series.
- Knight of Cerebus: El Charro Negro, definitely.
- The Bus Came Back: Don Andrés and Xóchitl both return in this movie.
Las Leyendas: El Origen
- Origins Episode: This film is set to tell the origin of the Calavera duo, Finado and Moribunda.
La Leyenda de los Chaneques
