Synopsis

The following morning, before the sailors awake, the children decide to go back down to the underground chamber again. On waking, the sailors look around for them. Meanwhile, three mysterious figures creep towards the city. In the underground chamber, the children discover that the entrance has reopened and the machinery stopped dead. Looking carefully at the jade mask, Tao finds tiny symbols on its eyes. When they press the wall tiles matching the symbols, the stone beams retract back into the walls, and another hole opens in the floor, leading to a brightly lit room containing a stone sarcophagus. The children open it, finding a statue and half a manuscript. When they emerge, they discover that the three strangers have captured Mendoza, Pedro and Sancho. The strangers are: Doctor Fernando la Guerra, a friend of the conquistador Cortez; Marinche, a native woman of evil intent; and the musclebound native Teteola. They too are searching for the Cities of Gold. They have the other half of the manuscript, and also take Tao's jar, leaving the party tied up in an old building. Kukapetl flies in and untie's Tao's ropes. Tao unties the others and Mendoza knocks out the guard. The children go to get Tao's jar back but are caught in the attempt. While the Doctor shows off his whip, Mendoza overcomes him, allowing the children to escape. The children run off into the jungle, with the three sailors somewhere behind.

Characters

Lana, Esteban, Zia, Tao, Mendoza, Pedro, Sancho, Gwynn, General Gomez, Subcommander Gaspard, Metnard, Carmec, Priest, Wanococha, Wyna.
Characters (English Version): Tao, Zia, Gomez, Lana, Morca, Myeena, The Doctor, Captain Perez, Pedro.
Characters (French Version): Mendoza, Esteban, Pedro, Zia, Gaspard, Gomez, Sancho, Pichu, Pizarro, Tao, Récitante des résumés, Récitant des documentaires

Credits

Voices

Voice: Tomoko Aia (Lana), Masako Nozawa (Esteban), Rei Sakuma (Zia), Motoko Kumai (Tao), Naoya Uchida (Mendoza), Ôki Nakamura (Pedro), Toshiharu Sakurai (Sancho), Sachiko Saitô (Gwynn), Tesshô Genda (General Gomez), Rokurô Naya (Subcommander Gaspard), Mahito Tsujimura (Metnard), Hideyuki Umezu (Carmec), Shigeru Chiba (Priest), Kiyoyuki Yanada (Wanococha), Haruna Ikezawa (Wyna), Katsunosuke Hori (Narrator)
Vocal Talent (English Version): Adrian Knight (Tao), Janice Chaikelson (Zia), Matt Berman (Gomez), Anick Faris (Lana, Morca, Myeena), Walter Massey (The Doctor), Simon Prescott (Captain Perez), Kelly Ricard (Narrator), Howard Ryshpan (Pedro), Vlasta Vrana (Narrator of Documentaries)
Vocal Talent (French Version): Jean-Claude Balard (Mendoza), Jackie Berger (Esteban), Jacques Ferrière (Pedro), Isabelle Ganz (Zia), Pierre Garin (Gaspard), Pierre Hatet (Gomez), Francis Lax (Sancho), Hubert Noël (Pichu), William Sabatier (Pizarro), Odile Schmitt (Tao), Evelyne Séléna (Récitante des résumés), Jean Topart (Récitant des documentaires)

Music

Music: Nobuyoshi Koshibe
Western Version: Haim Saban, Shuki Levy

Art Department

Original Character Designer: Nina Wolmark

Camera

Still Photographer: Yasuchi Kato

Editing

Editor: Tetsuo Matsumoto

Sound

Sound Effects: Masao Tanaka, Ryuchi Wakui

Music Department

Singer: "The Sun's Children" (Japanese Version): Yasuaki Honda

Production Management

Production Manager (Studio Pierrot): Yûji Nunokawa

Production notes

The producers claimed that the series was loosely based on the books "The King's Fifth" (1966) and "City of Seven Serpents," both by Scott O'Dell; no book with the latter title exists in the Library of Congress.

The Japanese version of the series ended each episode with a mini-documentary explaining the historical events and people which inspired the fictional characters. These documentaries were deleted from release in many foreign-language markets, including the United Kingdom.

The series was made primarily for the French market, but was also popular with the Japanese audience.

Its re-release on French DVD spurred rumors that producer Jean Chalopin was negotiating with Japan for a remake or sequel.

The Manuscript