Les Mysterieuses Cites D’or: Les Secrets D’une Saga Mythique- Book Review

July 4, 2024

I first caught the series on BBC 1 in the early 80s and was beguiled by the mythical adventure story of a young Spanish boy named Esteban who joins a voyage to the New World in search of the lost Cities of Gold and his father. The impressive looking background art, sharply drawn characters, and the beautiful soundtrack kept me entranced throughout the whole series, becoming my favourite programme of all time. It was incredibly formative for me and introduced me to the wonders of the ancient world including the Incas, Aztecs, Atlantis and El Dorado. Even at the age of 37 I still regularly revisit the programme every year and I can attest to the fact that it still holds up as an impressive piece of work.

Over a decade ago, I bought Les Mysterieuses Cites D’or: Les Secrets D’une Saga Mythique (The Mysterious Cities of Gold: Secrets of the Mythic Saga) knowing that it was in French but knowing that sooner or later, there would be technology available to allow me to conveniently translate it. And lo and behold, Google Lens has made my life much easier by allowing me to do just that. It's not an elegant solution mind you, holding up a phone over the page and waiting a few seconds for it to translate and then reading it before moving onto the next paragraph is a lengthy procedure so this book better be worth the hastle! So, has it been worth the wait? Let's see...

The book is split into 3 parts: the first looks at the origins, pre-production and production of the series, the second looks at the parallel between its fiction and reality with a look at the characters and setting, and finally, the third looks at the legacy of the series. Since this book was written in 2013 it only looks at the first season but that is is fine by me as it's the one I most resonated with and the one that holds most nostalgic value.

The first section looks at the legend of El Dorado and the city of gold before moving onto Scott O'Dell's book, The King's Fifth. Attaining the rights to create a television series loosely based on the book, DIC and NHK (alongside MK and RTL) worked together to create a story bible of sorts. Whilst there were disagreements about character designs and music along the way, the process was mostly smooth.
Of particular interest to me in this section was the chapter on the creation of the documentaries. As a youth, I loved seeing these and they opened up my eyes to another world of which I knew very little. Additionally, the sublime music, which was so formative for me gets a full four pages talking about the precise keyboards and processes used to create that signature sound. This was mana for heaven for me.

The second section looks at the character, setting and mech designs. The sketches of the original designs was great to see as you could see the iterations that occured along the way before we end up with the designs we all know and love. There is also a section on the themes and ideas of the show, which is very humanist in it's tone.

The final section was very interesting for me as it looked at the myths and legends that formed part of the 'fantastic realism' of the series. The legend of Atlantis, a lost ancient population of giants, old world advanced technology and many other alternate history theories have all been part of the bibiliographic milieu for centuries, all the way from Plato to Dan Brown. The MCOG used these ideas as a springboard to create a fantastical world in the genre known as 'esotericism'.

The deep dive into the symbolism of the show was amazing as it offered new insights into a show I thought I knew pretty well. The idea that the location of the 4 cities represents the natural philosophical elements of air, earth, fire and water was honestly a bit of a revelation.

Overall, as a huge fan of the series, this book was everything I could wish for and more. It goes into deep dives about all the areas you would want covered and does so with an insiders insight and flourish. I love this book and it is a forever one for my collection.

LINK- The Mysterious Cities of Gold: Season 4 Review

LINK- Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 3 (English Dub) -Complete Series Review

LINK- MCOG Series 2 Review

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- Ulysses 31 Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- MCOG Soundtrack on Vinyl Review

LINK- Twin Peaks: The Return Series Review

LINK- Secret History of Twin Peaks: Book Review

LINK- Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier Book Review

Mysterious Cities of Gold- Complete Season 4 Review (Spoiler Free)

January 31, 2021

The Mysterious Cities of Gold started in 1982. 38 years, and 117 episodes later, it has finally ended. So after all this time, has the wait been worth it?

MCOG is a very pretty show © DIC, Fabulous Films, Blue Spirit, Movie-Plus Group

I was lucky enough to be able to download the French language episodes and english fan-subs through the hard work and diligence of the members of the Gold List, a MCOG Yahoo Group created in the late 90s that I had been a member of since 1996. I’d like to say many thanks to Silent_G and the amazing guys at the Discord group who worked hard to make sure that english speaking fans could access the show. Whilst it is not my ideal way to watch the show, I am grateful that I have been able to view it and appreciate it alongside other fans in real time. It created a collegiate atmosphere with the community sharing theories and ideas as the series progressed. I can’t wait for more people to watch the show and really get into interesting conversations about what the ending means.

I watched the series over the course of a few weeks and these are my reflections on the forth and final season of the MCOG. This is a spoiler free article but I do gently brush over themes covered in the season. For those looking for a more in-depth look at the season and a more detailed retrospective on all the series as a whole, I’d recommend you check out my article here.

Season 4 propels the story forward and picks up from the slight slump of the tail end of the third season, where I felt that the characters started to act out of character and the plot became a little convoluted.

The Golden Condor covers a lot of miles this season © DIC, Fabulous Films, Blue Spirit, Movie-Plus Group

The final series starts with Ambrosius, Gaspard and Laguerra travelling to Africa to find the next city (the fifth of seven), armed with the two gold medallions found from the previous golden city. Building on the legend of the Queen of Sheba, they are seeking the city of Ophir and a treasure that could be a game changer for the possessor, granting them potentially god-like powers. Ambrosius covets it but Esteban and the team are not too far behind him. With Zia's growing ESP abilities, as well as the moxie of the team as a whole, they overcome many of the traps set by Ambrosius to find the Doorway of the Ancients, a Mu-en (Mu-vian? Mu-enite? Mu-tian? ) portal which allows them to teleport across continents in an instant. It is with this development that the series grows in scope.

We get an introduction to Leonardo Di Vinci and the Order of the Hourglass, the organisation set up to find out more about Mu/ Hiva culture. This is a callback to lore that Athanaos (Esteban's father), Ambrosius and Dr. Leguerra were the first 3 members of the Order who set out for the New World to find evidence of the ancient civilisation.

When the fifth city of Ophir is finally discovered, Ambrosius gains the treasure but is betrayed by compatriots. The city retreats in the process of the fight.

Esteben et al. try to find clues to the sixth city, Orunigi, and overcome many challenges to retrieve the Bako, a sacred mask of prophecy which guilds them to its location. It is here that the ‘Grand Heritage’ of the Mu people is revealed and the ‘Great Cataclysm,’ which will destroy the world, must be prevented with the creation of the seventh city.

Phew! Reading that you can see that the show really escalates the stakes and makes it a more global affair but it is still the show we all know and love. It is a tough balancing act to include so many ‘new’ real figures from history and have then fit in with the vast cast of characters from seasons past but I think the show manages it, for the most part. I think you need to see this series almost like a greatest hits- bringing back the classics whilst trying new stuff that fits in to the overall story arc.

The climax of the show is optimistic with disparate peoples across the world joining together to battle against an overwhelming threat that could destroy all life on Earth. Some aspects feel a little undercooked, like the Prince Tyrias plot, but these are small niggles in an otherwise well-crafted story. The denouement is satisfyingly dramatic and also sets up intriguing possibilities about alternate, maybe parallel worlds or realms and possible continuations. As a long-time MCOG fan I couldn’t ask for a better ending.

As with the previous season, there are moments of stunning artistry and beauty and for fans of the series to enjoy. The Golden Condor again is given centre stage and there is pure GC adoration as the machine is lovingly shown from all angles, usually accompanied with a huge swell in dramatic synth music. And that's something to mention too; the quieter contemplative moments have some stunning music that is modern but more than just an homage to the past soundtrack It is its own beast and very worthwhile.

I’d also like to add that, as a former pseudoscientific theories/ conspiracy buff by way of Graham Hancock, Erich Von Daniken et al. and to a much lesser extent Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, it's great to see how the writers of the series have interwoven so much lore, theories and alternate timelines together to make a cohesive and intriguing mythos. The emphasis on telekinetic and advanced tech of the ancients as a unifier is suggested in Hancock’s book ‘Before America’ and had been suggested even by Elon Musk as regards the building of the pyramids. As a former Assassins Creed fan (at least until Black Flag and before it became iterative busy work), the idea that Da Vinci was part of a secret brotherhood who had tapped into a secret knowledge is intriguing and exciting. The fact that notable figures from history make appearances and team-up including Nostradamus, Charles V and the Kings of France and Zimbabwe is a bonus as pseudo-scientists and historians love this world-wide conspiracy/ organisation stuff. *Disclaimer- pseudoscience is fun as a thought experiment but not to be be taken too seriously btw!

I think that the setting and portrayal of Africa is very well done and the peoples are treated with respect and dignity, something that comics (remember Tintin in the Congo, oof!), and some other mediums (many, many anime and manga series), have often not handled well with broad stereotypes and ethnocentric racism usually depicting the land and people as 'savage' and 'other'. The Princess being infatuated with Pedro, which is played for laughs, could be seen as the problematic 'Jezebel' trope however later in the series we see her being a strong and forthright leader who schools Pedro and Sancho for their arrogance. This shows is very positive about Africa in the 16th century, as it should be. After all, the continent was home to many kingdoms and empires that were independent, prosperous and successful in trade before the onset of European colonialism and empire.

However, the harsh realities of colonialism and the start of the slave trade are not ignored and are a plot point mid-way through the series. They struggle to reconcile with a world where men are sold as commodities and the topic is treated with sympathy and respect. MCOG is a deeply humanist work and over the course of the 4 seasons it has always made each peoples sympathetic and flawed. After all, even the Olmecs were just trying to keep their race alive--even if it was through questionable means. As Pedro says, "There are some things that are worth sacrificing, good deeds make you better people" and for his character that is quite the development from season 1. The end of show documentaries discuss the matter somewhat and, whilst aimed at children, it is enlightening and will hopefully get young people thinking more about the legacy of empire.

It's very much a show that is perfect for now, at a time when the pandemic and ecological collapse threatens the world.It also shows how by working together with mutual understanding and empathy, all the cultures of the world can come together to achieve something collectively wonderful. It's a hopeful sentiment and one much needed in a world which has been struck with something as cataclysmic as the pandemic which has isolated and separated many communities and brought forth the fissures that existed in many of the societies. However, like in the MCOG, these times don't have to be seen as apocalyptic but rather a revelation as the lies of individualism have been laid bare. We are a global community and MCOG shows that by working together we can achieve pretty much anything. This is not a revisionist but rather alternate take on the 16th century where rather than European expansionism, colonialism and empire we see collaboration and respect.

I wasn't expecting it but after all is said and done, MCOG sticks the landing and, in places, nails it. It is a masterclass of storytelling and shows how, even after many years, the sequels can carry the momentum of all that has gone before. Sure, there is a bit of ret-conning but when it adds to a larger and better told tale… why not? There is a quote from Twin Peaks where David Lynch's character Gordon Cole states in no uncertain terms, 'Fix your heart or die,’ and I feel that overall, that is what MCOG is saying and it does so eloquently.

Much like how Twin Peaks: The Return stunned audiences with its audacious and ambitious story and visuals many, many years after the OG series, MCOG season 4 more than does the original series justice.

I will miss the show that has been such a huge part of my life but I can’t complain; they gave it a heck of a send-off!

LINK- Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 3 (English Dub) -Complete Series Review

LINK- MCOG Series 2 Review

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- Ulysses 31 Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- MCOG Soundtrack on Vinyl Review

LINK- Twin Peaks: The Return Series Review

LINK- Secret History of Twin Peaks: Book Review

LINK- Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier Book Review

LINK- Hilda Comic Series Review

LINK- Disenchantment- Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Gravity Falls Complete Series Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- An English Geek in Saudi Arabia

Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 4 Part 1 Review (No Spoilers)

December 7, 2020

*Since writing this post, I have written an updated article with a review of the whole season 4. You can find that here*

The Mysterious Cities of Gold started in 1982 and this year was set to mark the conclusion with the forth and final season. Closure, at last, after 38 years. Or so we thought…

Unfortunately, Covid had different plan and has delayed the complete season release. Instead we only get the first part of the season which consists of 11 episodes with the remaining episodes are set to air early in 2021. The show is available to stream on French and Swiss channels but there has been no word on the English language dub yet.

Luckily, I was able to download the available episodes through the hard work and diligence of the members of the Gold List, a MCOG Yahoo Group created in the late 90s that I had been a member of since 1996. I also received translated English subtitles (thanks Kevin!) which were converted and retouched for fluency from the original French to watch alongside the downloaded episodes from the streaming sites of those channels. Whilst not my ideal way to watch the show I am grateful that I have been able to view it and appreciate it alongside other fans in real time.

So, over the course of a few days I watched the show and these are my reflections on the forth series so far. This is a spoiler free article but I do gently brush over themes covered in the season. Season 4 part 1 propels the story forward and picks up from the slight slump of the tail end of the third season, where I felt that the characters started to act out of character and the plot became a little convoluted.

The final series starts with Ambrosius, Gaspard and Laguerre travelling to Africa to find the next city (the fifth of seven), armed with the two gold medallions found from the previous golden city. Building on the legend of the Queen of Sheba, they are seeking the city of Ophir and a treasure that could be a game changer for the possessor, granting them potentially god-like powers. Ambrosius covets it but Esteban and the team are not too far behind him. With Zia's growing ESP abilities, as well as the moxie of the team as a whole, they overcome many of the traps set by Ambrosius to find the Doorway of the Ancients, a Mu-en (Mu-vian? Mu-enite? Mu-tian? ) portal which allows them to teleport across continents in an instant. It is with this development that the series grows in scope.

We get an introduction to the Order of the Hourglass, an organisation set up to find out more about the ancient Mu/ Hiva culture. As a former pseudoscientific theories/ conspiracy buff by way of Graham Hancock, Erich Von Daniken et al. and to a much lesser extent Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, it's great to see how the writers of the series have interwoven so much lore, theories and alternate timelines together to make a cohesive and intriguing mythos.

Notable figures from this period in history make appearances and add a new layer of intrigue into the mix with quasi-history. What I liked was that, as well as these real figures from history, we also see the return of a few old faces from seasons past who are all eager to get to the fifth city and are as unscrupulous as ever. One reveal in particular has a WTF moment where I actually gasped and then whooped for joy.

When the fifth city of Ophir is finally discovered, the reveal is spine tinglingly good. Its obvious eventual demise is a given, as is this shows wont, but no less dramatic against its backdrop.

Overall, I think that the setting and portrayal of Africa is very well done and the peoples are treated with respect and dignity, something that comics (remember Tintin in the Congo, oof!), and some other mediums (many, many anime and manga series), have often not handled well with broad stereotypes and ethnocentric racism usually depicting the land and people as 'savage' and 'other'. There is the exception of Princess being infatuated with Pedro which is played for laughs. I believe it is meant to show a strong female character but could come across as quite stereotypical of the problematic 'Jezebel' trope. However, this is only a small slight against the show which is very positive about Africa in the 16th century, as it should be. After all, the continent was home to many kingdoms and empires that were independent, prosperous and successful in trade before the onset of European colonialism and empire.

I learned a lot watching this series; I never knew about such amazing historical sites as the 13th century Lalibela monestry, hewn from a single rock, or the great gold mines and trade of the Mutapa Kingdom in Zimbabwe. The documentaries shed more light on these and I've now got a few more books on my wishlist to buy to research more on the matter as a result.

Another plus for the series is how on this journey the children see the harsh realities of colonialism and the start of the slave trade. They struggle to reconcile with a world where men are sold as commodities and the topic is treated with sympathy and respect. MCOG is a deeply humanist work and over the course of the 4 seasons it has always made each peoples sympathetic and flawed. After all, even the Olmecs were just trying to keep their race alive--even if it was through questionable means. As Pedro says, "There are some things that are worth sacrificing, good deeds make you better people" and for his character that is quite the development from season 1. The end of show documentaries discuss the matter somewhat and, whilst aimed at children, it is enlightening and will hopefully get young people thinking more about the legacy of empire.

As with the previous season there are moments of stunning artistry and beauty and for fans of the series to enjoy. The Golden Condor again is given centre stage and there is pure GC adoration as the machine is lovingly shown from all angles, usually accompanied with a huge swell in dramatic synth music. And that's something to mention too; the quieter contemplative moments have some stunning music that is modern but more than just an homage to the past soundtrack It is its own beast and very worthwhile.

And so, as we head into the final straight our team are down to the final 2 cities and I'm not sure how the story will end. I wonder if it'll do the Twilight Zone's, "Man is brought down by his own hubris" *shakes fist in the air* thing as the 5 cities so far have presented clean transportation, energy, medicine and technology but always it has been destroyed by warring factions. I think it'll end on a note of optimism with ‘the kids shall inherit the Earth, and make it better’ but we shall see.

This has been an excellent start to the end of the series and I can't wait for the last few episodes to drop as in this complex 4D chess game, it's all to play for.

LINK- MCOG Season 4 Streaming (French Dub and French Subtitles)

LINK- Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 3 (English Dub) -Complete Series Review

LINK- Watch MCOG Season 1, 2 and 3 on SBS On Demand Australia

LINK- MCOG Series 2 Review

LINK- MCOG Nostalgia

LINK- MCOG Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- MCOG Soundtrack on Vinyl Review

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- Ulysses 31 Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- An English Geek in Saudi Arabia

Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 4 Delayed Due to Coronavirus

April 27, 2020

*Update- MCOG series 4 has started to stream on RTS (Swiss Channel) in French and the link is here. I have seen the whole of season 4 (English subbed) and here is my review with no spoilers)

As a huge MCOG fan, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the final season but news on its release has been quiet. I know that it was projected for release in late 2020, however a curious forum member from the les cites dor blog emailed the company and got a response:

Here is the email:
Hello,
I already wrote to you to have more information on the development of the Mysterious Cities of Gold season 3.
And with the COVID-19 period, I ask you if the broadcast of season 4 will still be broadcast, as expected at the end of 2020 or later. If unfortunately yes, when? Thank you in advance and I congratulate you for your excellent work compared to the two previous seasons.
Sincerely,
Hugo

Here was the response the email:

Hello,
Thank you for your email and your interest in the Cities of Gold series.
To answer your question, we are well in manufacturing / production of the last season ... but of course the sanitary situation and the confinement do not make production and respecting the schedule easy ... It is therefore still difficult to know if we will be able to deliver all episodes on time for broadcast at the end of the year, even if that remains our goal.
Sincerely,
Blue Spirit

20-22 rue des Bons Enfants 75001 Paris
www.spirit-prod.com

So, it seems that season 4 is in production but its release might be delayed due to the Coronavirus so we may be looking at a 2021 release. Please do remember that this is the internet and so the source of this information may not be correct but I do believe it is true as it seems to be in line with what Blue Spirit had said about the MCOG release timeline

LINK- lescitesdor forum page

LINK- Mysterious Cities of Gold Season 3 Review

LINK- Watch MCOG Season 3 on SBS On Demand Australia

LINK- MCOG Series 2 Review

LINK- MCOG Nostalgia

LINK- MCOG Gold Condor for Sale

LINK- MCOG Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- MCOG Soundtrack on Vinyl Review

LINK- What Comics Have Taught Me

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- Ulysses 31 Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- An English Geek in Saudi Arabia

LINK- Video Gaming In Saudi Arabia

Not long to go until we see the golden condor once again in action.

Manga Exhibition at the British Museum: Review

June 5, 2019

In Japan, manga has been a part of the culture for a long time. The origins of manga are debated and The Handscroll of Frolicking Animals by Kitazawa Rakuten is considered a major influence, but generally it gained prominence in the post World War 2 era where artists such as Osamu Tezuka brought some levity and lightness to proceedings with Mighty Atom or Astro Boy as he's known in the West. Tezuka was to manga what Will Eisner was to American comics; the medium existed before their arrival but they brought it to the fore and forever changed it.

Astro Boy is iconic and will feature heavily in the 2020 Olympics, which will be held in Japan.

As a young boy growing up in east London, England, I didn't know anything about manga or anime but I was consuming it unknowingly through shows such as The Mysterious Cities of Gold and Ulysses 31.
One Saturday I went into my local WH Smith and saw issue 22 of a magazine called Manga Mania and was taken by the big eyes, spiky hair style and tiny mouth and nose of the cover star that reminded me so much of the animation style I liked. When I picked it up, from the top shelf next to the more salacious magazines, I felt a bit of a rebel but upon opening it the kinetic imagery and artistry blew me away. Flicking through it I saw a mention of The Mysterious Cities of Gold in the letter pages and knew I had found something special. From then on I would buy Manga Mania monthly and purchased graphic novels, VHS films, soundtracks and even anime cels. The shop Forbidden Planet became nerd nirvana for me and I'd visit it monthly. Manga was one of my first true loves and one that has survived to this day, at least to some lesser extent. Manga is in my lifeblood and even though it doesn't feature as prominently in my daily life as it once did for me, it was formative in my youth and for that I am still grateful.

I loved getting my monthly Manga Mania fix.

Since those heady underground days in the early 90s, manga has grown and thrived and its influence is spreading across the world. So, when I heard that the British Museum was hosting the largest manga exhibition outside of Japan I wasn't surprised and knew that I had to go. The British Museum has dipped its toes into the manga and anime pool before over the years but these have been smaller, more focused exhibition. This promised to be a much larger, grander affair as manga is still developing and evolving, the form has and is still contributed rather uniquely to modern culture and I'm glad that a venerable institution as the British Museum is recognising this. I visited the Kyoto International Manga Museum several years ago, which is the largest repository of manga in the world, and wanted to see how this exhibition would compare.

So the question is, is the exhibition worth visiting? In a word, yes.... but this comes heavily loaded with a proviso, which I'll go into later.

The whole show feels less like a staid exhibition but more like something you'd see at more immersive and engaging galleries, no surprise as manga means 'irresponsible pictures' and what is on show is a riotous walk-through of the medium. Being a family oriented exhibition the more controversial elements have been excised but that doesn't diminish what's on show, rather it still offers a smorgasbord of artists and genres that covers the art-form well without excluding younger generations or upsetting some sensibilities.

The exhibition starts with an introduction about the origins of manga and provides a guide on how to read it, from left to right. Then there is a section on the manga-ka, the artists who produce the manga, and the tools of their trade.

On an impressive display of collected comics are a few televisions with the chiefs and editors of the weekly manga collections which are published weekly and sell in the millions. They offer their insight into the creative, production and distribution process.

Around the corner, there is a brief look at the influence of woodblock and scroll works on the medium. There are a few stunning pieces on show but a couple stood out to me, the one where a recent piece of work by artist Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira, Domu and Memories) was compared to his woodblock forebear. The current breed of artists have built on the shoulders of giants and their influence is appreciated here.

After that, the bulk of the exhibition is split into little islands where different themes of manga and artists are explored like Love, Sports, Horror etc. This is all quite dynamic and exciting as there are banners and posters hanging from the ceiling and giant murals and original art pieces stuck on the gallery walls.

In the middle of the exhibition, there is an impressive library of manga on offer and many soft seats in which to read at your own pace.

The last section of the exhibition has a couple of art installations. Kawanabe Kyosai’s theatre curtain from 1880 was painted in just four hours after the artist had imbibed several bottles of rice wine. He painted the 17 metres by five metres high piece using a huge brush and it was done in such a rush of inspiration that you can still see his footmarks on it!. It really is an impressive achievement and whilst not manga, it shows the kinetic frenetic art style that would feature in so much manga years down the line.

Kawanabe Kyosai’s theatre curtain certainly is an impressive piece of work. — *Kawanabe Kyosai*’s theatre curtain certainly is an impressive piece of work.

Near the exit, a large projected montage of Studio Ghibli films at the end is a fitting bookend to an impressive exhibition.

The exhibition is a great primer for the common manga fan or someone with a cursory interest in the medium but someone looking for a deeper look into the minutiae of manga, this is not that. In my opinion the exhibition, whilst well organised and curated, had some glaring omissions in manga-ka such as Rumiko Takahashi (Mermaid Saga, Urusei Yatsura and Inuyasha) and Masamune Shirow (Ghost in the Shell, Aplleseed and Dominion Tank Police), but on a personal level I'd have loved to have seen some works by Yoshitoshi Abe (Serial Experiment Lain, Haibane Renmei) and Yukito Kishiro (Battle Angel Alita). I understand that with such a large number of artists it is not possible to get everything in the exhibition but Takahashi and Shirow are titans of the medium and needed some mention or recognition. It’s like having an exhibition on Italian masters and forgetting to mention any of the Turtles; Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo, it just wouldn’t seem complete. However, as the first real look at manga outside of Japan this is an excellent exhibition and well worth the 90 or so minutes of your time. It is an amuse-bouche to the promise of something more and for that I’m excited.

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- Battle Angel Alita: And So It Ends

LINK- The Moomins 80's Soundtrack Vinyl Review

LINK- Inspector Gadget Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- Ulysses 31 Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- The Mysterious Cities of Gold Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- Sonic Mania Video Game Vinyl Soundtrack

LINK- Thomas Was Alone Video Game Vinyl Soundtrack Review

LINK- Akira Soundtrack Vinyl Review

Digital vs Physical Media

June 17, 2017

Over recent years there has been a push towards digital media. There are many positives to this including the fact that it saves space and resources. As a father of 1 with a small house space is a premium, I can have tonnes of digital media and it won't take up any more physical space. Also a lot of the time digital media is accessible from different location via online services like Netflix or the cloud, this makes it really convenient to access resources from many different locations and there is no risk that the digital media can be lost or stolen. Digital media can be cheaper to acquire the physical copies, especially when it comes to rare or retro games. For example Mother on the SNES used to trade on eBay for over £100 but now is available from the Nintendo online store for only £6.49.

Earthbound costs a fortune for a mint boxed copy but now it is available for under 7 quid on the Nindendo store.

There are many pros for buying digital but I have my concerns.
Physical media has a resale value. With some games costing £60 on release I like the fact that if I like it I can keep it in my collection but if don't or I don't think it is worth having permanently I can sell it on. I can afford now to keep all my physical games but as a child I depended on trading to purchase the next game, otherwise there was no way I could have afforded it on my £2 a week pocket money.

However my concern with digital media is mostly to do with the legacy.
PT, the free Silent Hills demo from Sony, is no longer downloadable on the PS Store. Many Sega games have been taken down from iOS, only downloadable to those who bought them initially and can download again but not for new customers.
If Metropolis, Fritz Lang's masterpiece were a digital only release made now it would have been lost to the digital ether, same for F. W. Marnau's Nosferatu. Games such as Silicon Knights Too Human, which was successfully destroyed due to copyright infringement would no longer be available in the digital marketplace.
Many modern games use online servers to play multiplayer, but after some time the servers are turned off meaning the multiplayer is no longer accessible.

But its not all doom and gloom. The internet creates tribes and ardent fans, there will always be someone or a small group who preserve something of interest and disseminate its. As a Mysterious Cities of Gold fan it was thanks to joining the Goldlist mailing list that I was kept up to date on developments on the new series. YouTube uploaders also preserve classics like Quatermass and emulators upload roms of classic and obscure games onto websites.

Fans often keep obscure or niche products and media alive.

So the whole issue is pretty complex but for me physical media is the way for most ways to consume most media but there are occasions for digital media.

The Mysterious Cities of Gold- Retro Soundtrack Review

June 7, 2017

I am a huge fan of the animated series Mysterious Cities of Gold, it is my favourite programme of ALL time and was a formative part of my childhood; single handedly creating my interest in anime, manga, South and Central American culture and synthesizer music (It's why I love Jarre, Vangelis and Oldfield).

In my mancave I have a MCOG medallion, an original cel, a French book discussing the making of (even though I haven't studied French since my GCSE's 20 years ago) and a model of the golden condor. However no mention of The Mysterious Cities of Gold would be complete without a mention of the mesmerising soundtrack. There have been some amazing soundtracks for TV shows over the years but the synthesizers and futuristic sounds used in the soundtrack gave this series a unique, mesmerising atmosphere all its own.

I made this influence map 7 years ago and as you can see the MCOG features prominently.

I don't know my arpeggios from my elbow but hopefully I'll be able to describe the tracks with such flourishes of description that you'll get the gist of what I'm saying and trying to convey; layman's terms.... don't begrudge me my enthusiasm and flights of descriptive fancy.

I got this CD for much cheaper than it is currently going for... this OST is in high demand!

The album starts with the French opening credits. It has the instrumentation that we all know and love but with the vocals of French pop star of the time Noam Kaniel. The track is okay but holds no real nostalgia for me, that'd be track 16, the extended version of the English vocal track that played over the opening of the show. Track 15 is the instrumentation of the opening credits so if you feel like having a Philip Schofield moment this is the one to do it on!

Track 2, Heureux Esteban (Happy Esteban), is the track familiar to many as the 'to follow' music. It played at the end of the show and teased you as to what would happen in the next episode. The track itself is an upbeat and jolly track with a gentle pulsing synth and wonderfully joyful instrumentation.

Tracks 3 and 4, Theme de Zia and Theme de Tao are both French vocal tracks. Zia's Theme is airy and light and the vocals are like a ballad, it suits the character well. Tao's Theme starts with a driving drumming beat and then the riveting rhythmic music kicks in, I don't understand the vocals but the chorus is instantly singable.

Track 5, L'aventure de Tao (Tao's Adventure), is a driving track which starts with a blaring bit of brass and then sounds like a marching band with some triumphalism. It is a very memorable track and often occurred at adventurous moments of the show, usually when the children were enacting out a plan to save someone or get something.

Track 6, L'aventure D'Esteban (Esteban's Adventure) is an instrumentation of Tao's Theme and so this has me thinking that maybe they got the track listing mislabeled for track 5 and 6- the old switcharoo. Anyhow this track sounds like a calypso track with a lush steel drum sound playing over some nice percussive bass.

Track 7, Les Tristes Cites D'or (Sad Cities of Gold), is a bit of melancholia and levity amongst the bombast. It has a flute playing winsomely over some soft instrumental music. Then the chorus comes in and you know that this is a song of reflection. The whole piece is beautiful and evocative of early morning sadness.

Track 8, Le Vol du Condor (The Flight of the Condor), is one of the signature tracks of the show. It’s a work of fragile magic, a hypnotic combination of beautifully breathy sounds and exquisitely gorgeous melodies and soft-spun instrumentation. There is much serenity in this piece of music and it lifts the spirits.

Track 9, En Naviguant (By Sailing), has some of the soundtracks lushest and most organic synthesizer sounds. There are little zephyrs that punctuate the strong synthesizer sound, adding a sense of scope and wonder to this dreamy track.

Track 10, Les Incas (The Incas), is a joyful track that combines traditional flute sounds with Spanish guitar to create vivid imagery of the andes. It is a very evocative piece of music and one of my favourites.

Track 11, Esteban Dans La Vie (The Life of Esteban), is one of the more emotional tracks. It played when Esteban and Zia both meet their fathers, moments of great gravitas. As such it is suitably downbeat and dramatic, verging on melodrama but without the negative connotations that implies. A great track worth a listen.

Track 12, La Grand Tempete (The Great Storm), is a track that was used in the He-Man cartoon series too. It is a swirling whirlwind of drama and conjures up images of storms with its deep resonating sound and brooding score. A truly great track that builds up slowly and spectacularly.

Track 13, Les Dieux Des Incas (Gods of the Incas), is one of the greatest tracks ever written in my opinion. when people talk about soundscapes they discuss Eno, Tangerine Dreams, Popul Vuh and various artists of the same calibre but this track shows that Saban and Levy should be included in the pantheon. This track is an otherworldly journey through a sound cosmos to the higher dimensions of sound. It is so powerful and evocative, almost primal. This is one of my favourite albums of all time and this track is one of the reasons why.

Track 14, Les Aventures Electroniques (Electronic Adventures), is an upbeat slab of pop electronica, it is a fast paced track that surges forward with excitement and vitality. This is one of the best tracks on the album and I remember that it occurred at high octane moments in the show. The track itself is a wonderful flute melody playing over a stirring synth production with several joyful moments and pauses. Another great highlight.

There are a few omissions on this soundtrack that disappoint me though and one of the most glaring omissions is St. Elmo's Fire (also known on other versions of the soundtrack as La Passage Secret), known to many fans as the Song of Mysterious Awesomeness. The sense of awe and wonder this music piece brought in me at the time was palpable, I would shake with excitement as this track was reserved for only the most special moments of the series. It is used when a new discovery is made or when the characters experienced a grand phenomena. The juddering driving synths mixed with the whoozy flow of the main tune lend the piece an otherworldly air which perfectly suited the air of mystery. I have extremely powerful memories of this track as this music was used on the maiden flight of the golden condor. The point when the machine comes online for the first time and flies is etched in my memory. I've seen this episode more than any other (I watch the series annually) but I still get goosebumps when the music kick in. The link to this moment is below and I would recommend you watch it (it kicks in at 56 seconds).

Overall the album is a beautifully crafted electronic masterpiece bubbling with synths and tones, all exquisitely held together with crystalline pop production. It is an evocative suite of synth music which perfectly captures the feel of the show. There are moments of true euphoria but it's not all happy electronic music, there are some moments of menace and levity. I love the whirling feeling of weightlessness on some compositions but then it can be followed up with wafts of dense symphonic mist that emerges floating up from the speakers. For fans of electronic music or fans of the show, this is a must-have. Okay it's not the complete soundtrack but the tracks on here are clean and pristine with no crackle or hiss.

Mysterious Cities of Gold Soundtrack

LINK- MCOG Series 2 Review

LINK- MCOG Nostalgia

LINK- MCOG Gold Condor for Sale