''Legend Quest'' (released in

Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...

as ''Las Leyendas'') is a Mexican

animated Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most anim ...

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...

comedy-horror Comedy horror, also known as horror comedy, is a literary, television, and film genre that combines elements of comedy and horror fiction. Comedy horror has been described as able to be categorized under three types: "black comedy, parody and sp ...

streaming television series created for

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...

produced by Ánima Estudios. It is based on the characters created by Mexican animator Ricardo Arnaiz, and is part of the '' Leyendas'' animated franchise. This is the streaming network's first original animated series produced in

. It premiered worldwide on

on February 24, 2017. The series was renewed for a second season which premiered on October 5, 2019, titled ''Legend Quest: Masters of Myth.'' In 2019, CAKE picked up the distribution rights for the series.

Plot

When a gifted teen Leo San Juan, and the inhabitants of his Mexican village are attacked by a host of otherworldly creatures, Leo's

ghostly A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to rea ...

friends Teodora, Don Andres and Alebrije join him in a

quest A quest is a journey toward a specific mission or a goal. The word serves as a plot device in mythology and fiction: a difficult journey towards a goal, often symbolic or allegorical. Tales of quests figure prominently in the folklore of ever ...

to foil an

evil overlord In fiction and mythology, a dark lord (sometimes capitalized as Dark Lord or referred to as an Evil Overlord, Evil Emperor etc. depending on the work) is an antagonistic archetype, acting as the pinnacle of villainy and evil within a typicall ...

who plans to eradicate mankind from the

annals Annals ( la, annāles, from , "year") are a concise historical record in which events are arranged chronologically, year by year, although the term is also used loosely for any historical record. Scope The nature of the distinction between ann ...

of history. They are aided in their mission by a band of powerful allies—an assortment of

legendary creature A legendary creature (also mythical or mythological creature) is a type of fictional entity, typically a hybrid, that has not been proven and that is described in folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses ...

s from around the world.

Cast

English version

Johnny Rose John Michael Rose is a fictional character in the Canadian sitcom ''Schitt's Creek,'' which aired on the CBC and Pop TV from 2015 to 2020. Johnny is introduced as the patriarch of the central Rose family and stories revolve around his attempts t ...

as Leonardo "Leo" San Juan, a 14-year-old boy who is Marcella's boyfriend, and leader of the group. He has the ability to see and speak with ghosts. He is described as being brave, resourceful, honest, and noble of heart. Prior to the encountering evil forces that threaten to destroy the world, he lived in a small Mexican village with his grandmother. In the first episode, he learns that he is destined to be the

hero A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ...

of whom it was foretold: "The

Lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...

will destroy the

Serpent Serpent or The Serpent may refer to: * Snake, a carnivorous reptile of the suborder Serpentes Mythology and religion * Sea serpent, a monstrous ocean creature * Serpent (symbolism), the snake in religious rites and mythological contexts * Serp ...

." Though he at first refuses to accept his destined role so he can live a normal life, Leo soon embraces himself as a true hero. Leo later also starts to realize Teodora's romantic feelings toward him. * Oscar Cheda as Don Andrés, the ghost of an old

Conquistador Conquistadors (, ) or conquistadores (, ; meaning 'conquerors') were the explorer-soldiers of the Spanish and Portuguese Empires of the 15th and 16th centuries. During the Age of Discovery, conquistadors sailed beyond Europe to the Americas, O ...

; he claims to have been a

barber A barber is a person whose occupation is mainly to cut, dress, groom, style and shave men's and boys' hair or beards. A barber's place of work is known as a "barbershop" or a "barber's". Barbershops are also places of social interaction and publi ...

in his corporeal life. His insistence that his former occupation makes him qualified to dispense opinions on medical issues becomes a

running gag A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling. Though they are similar, catchphrases are not ...

. Despite being a ghost, he often fears for his safety. * Annemarie Blanco as Teodora, the ghost of a 17-year-old girl who actually hails from the future, as shown by her modern attire and

mobile phone A mobile phone, cellular phone, cell phone, cellphone, handphone, hand phone or pocket phone, sometimes shortened to simply mobile, cell, or just phone, is a portable telephone that can make and receive calls over a radio frequency link whil ...

, which contrast with the show's 19th-century setting. It is later revealed that she is not actually dead but rather

coma A coma is a deep state of prolonged unconsciousness in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light, or sound, lacks a normal wake-sleep cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. Coma patients exhi ...

tose due to

injuries An injury is any physiological damage to living tissue caused by immediate physical stress. An injury can occur intentionally or unintentionally and may be caused by blunt trauma, penetrating trauma, burning, toxic exposure, asphyxiation, or ...

sustained in a truck

accident An accident is an unintended, normally unwanted event that was not directly caused by humans. The term ''accident'' implies that nobody should be blamed, but the event may have been caused by unrecognized or unaddressed risks. Most researcher ...

; a mysterious lady subsequently taught her the power of

astral projection Astral projection (also known as astral travel) is a term used in esotericism to describe an intentional out-of-body experience (OBE) that assumes the existence of a subtle body called an " astral body" through which consciousness can functio ...

and advised her that Leo would need her help, prompting Teodora to send herself back through time. Consequently, Teodora possesses some abilities that normal ghosts lack, such as immunity to the power of

Medusa In Greek mythology, Medusa (; Ancient Greek: Μέδουσα "guardian, protectress"), also called Gorgo, was one of the three monstrous Gorgons, generally described as winged human females with living venomous snakes in place of hair. Those ...

and greater skill at manipulating physical objects. She also has a rather fierce rivalry with Marcella. Despite that,she was willing to resuscitate Marcella when she died, possessing her body to perform CPR on herself. Teodora can seem rather selfish and hard-headed at times, but in reality she is a caring, brave, and kind-hearted girl who is willing to risk it all to protect her friends, particularly Leo. In the second season, it's revealed Teodora has gradually been falling in love with Leo, attracted to his bravery and desire to help those in need. * Paul Tei as Alebrije, a flamboyant, kindhearted yet dimwitted strange creature of various colors who appears in different forms depending on the observer, though always retaining his unique color scheme. His real name is apparently hard to pronounce, so he is simply nicknamed Alebrije by the group. He is portrayed quite differently compared to the films in terms of appearance and personality. Alebrije is portrayed as a comical optimistic character who tries to keep the team together, while also presenting his own knowledge when needed. * Cydney J. Fam (Season 1);

Jenna Lamia Jenna Lamia is an American actress, writer, and audiobook narrator. Career Acting Lamia began her acting career in New York City, where she appeared on Broadway in Eugene O'Neill's ''Ah, Wilderness!'' at Lincoln Center. She soon moved on to tele ...

(Season 2) as Marcella, an extremely beautiful 16-year-old girl, and Leo's new girlfriend who comes from a family who are accused of being sorcerers. It is eventually revealed that her mother was indeed a sorceress, but one who refused to aid

Baba Yaga In Slavic folklore, Baba Yaga, also spelled Baba Jaga (from Polish), is a supernatural being (or one of a trio of sisters of the same name) who appears as a deformed and/or ferocious-looking woman. In fairy tales Baba Yaga flies around in a ...

and Nu Gui in their plans and was thus attacked and left gravely injured; Marcella later inadvertently gained powers from her mother after touching her comatose form. Marcella took it upon herself to care for her mother, eventually coming to Leo's village. She eventually befriended Leo, later falling in love with him and having their first kiss. * Blanca Bassion as

, an evil witch who initially appears to be in league with Quetzalcoatl but is later revealed to have been enslaved by him; she seeks freedom and vengeance on her "master." She and her comrade Nu Gui attempted to persuade Marcella's mother to join them in their plotting *Paul Tei as Friar Godofredo, a Friar who mentored Leo and later informs him of the existence of the Brotherhood, a noble organization dedicated to fighting evils such as Quetzalcoatl. * Al-Kesne Shaw as

Quetzalcoatl Quetzalcoatl (, ; Spanish: ''Quetzalcóatl'' ; nci-IPA, Quetzalcōātl, ket͡saɬˈkoːaːt͡ɬ (Modern Nahuatl pronunciation), in honorific form: ''Quetzalcōātzin'') is a deity in Aztec culture and literature whose name comes from the Nahu ...

, a legendary deity who is described as a force of creation "when he's in a good mood"; he is the series' main antagonist and seeks to destroy the world so that he can remake it. Previously he did so for humanity's benefit, but was then trapped in an alternate dimension, leading him to seek vengeance. He later tricks the heroes in attempting to destroy the Esfera, an egg containing the next Quetzalcoatl, in order to prevent his own demise. * Lissa Grossman as Abuelita, Leo's grandmother. * Andrio Chaverra as Thomas Decatur, a New Jersey inventor who becomes one of Leo's allies. * Gerald Owens as

Fenrir Fenrir (Old Norse: ; "fen-dweller")Orchard (1997:42). or Fenrisúlfr (O.N.: ; "Fenrir's wolf", often translated "Fenris-wolf"),Simek (2007:81). also referred to as Hróðvitnir (O.N.: ; "fame-wolf")Simek (2007:160). and Vánagandr (O.N.: ; " ...

, the legendary wolf of

Norse mythology Norse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia, and into the Nordic folklore of the modern period ...

who seeks to bring about Ragnarok; he is Quetzalcoatl's ancient rival and seeks to destroy him. He is chained to the world tree

Yggdrasil Yggdrasil (from Old Norse ), in Norse cosmology, is an immense and central sacred tree. Around it exists all else, including the Nine Worlds. Yggdrasil is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'' compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional s ...

and guards access to it, as it serves to connect all points of space and time. * Owen Almeida as Akihito, a young Japanese nobleman who is heir to both the magical Sword of Dawn and leadership of the Brotherhood, a noble organization dedicated to thwarting mystical menaces such as Quetzalcoatl. Initially leading a sheltered life that led to his own people despising him, Akihito found the courage to take up his family sword with help from Marcella. The sword enables Akihito to undergo a transformation similar to that of Ultraman, in which he dons a mystical suit of armor and grows to gigantic size. *

Paula Barros Paula or PAULA may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Paula, in video game '' EarthBound'' * Paula, in ''The Larry Sanders Show'' * Paula Campbell (''EastEnders''), in 2003 Film and television * ''Paula'' (1915 film), a s ...

as Nu Gui, a Chinese witch and member of Baba Yaga's coven; she was once the daughter of an Emperor, but betrayed him in order to obtain immortality, though the process drove her mad. She is initially contemptuous of Yaga for siding with Quetzalcoatl, but later joins him in Baba Yaga's place; however, like Yaga it is revealed that she serves unwillingly. Barros also provides the voices of Teodora's Mom, Teodora's cellphone, and Akihito's overprotective Vizier.

Spanish version

*Benny Emmanuel as Leonardo "Leo" San Juan *Mayté Cordeiro as Teodora *Andrés Couturier as Don Andrés *Ricardo O'Farrill as Alebrije

Episodes

Season 1 (2017)

The season consists of 13 episodes, all of which were released on February 24, 2017.

Season 2 (2019)

The season consists of 13 episodes, all of which were released on October 5, 2019.

Development

The series was first announced when

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

reported that a new series based on the ''Leyendas'' franchise is being developed for

. "We approached

and knew that the trilogy had been successful in Mexico and Latin America, but we dared to propose to do something much more global and they loved the idea," said executive producer Jose C. Garcia de Letona. Negotiations between Netflix and Ánima Estudios have begun in October 2015. Co-executive producer Fernando de Fuentes was happy with the partnership with the streaming network after the growth of the Mexican animation industry. "We have already worked 15 years in the industry and we are happy to see our work on the Netflix platform, which has collaborated with large companies, and has included Ánima

hich Ij ( fa, ايج, also Romanized as Īj; also known as Hich and Īch) is a village in Golabar Rural District, in the Central District of Ijrud County, Zanjan Province, Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also ...

makes us proud," said Fuentes. Fuentes also said that the show is "an important leap" for the franchise and production company Ánima Estudios.

Release

The series premiered on

on February 24, 2017, worldwide in 190 countries and translated into 24 to 30 languages. Producers Fernando de Fuentes and Jose C. Garcia de Letona thought the decision to release the show worldwide in multiple languages is necessary since the country of

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, where the show is produced and set, has been receiving more global attention. "The world is talking about Mexico and we are lucky in that sense to be able to talk about our country and its relationship with other nations even if it is through cartoons," said Fernando de Fuentes.

Reception

Critical response

The show received a favorable review. Emily Ashby of

Common Sense Media Common Sense Media (CSM) is an organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children.

gave the series a 4 star rating and said that "the enjoyable show's roots in Mexican folklore is an original concept and could inspire kids' interest in related topics."

Accolades

Hispanic impact

The show has been praised for its positive impact towards the

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

culture, which makes numerous nods to the history of

and folklore, as well as the series' worthy educational values, teaching younger Hispanic viewers about the importance of their Mexican roots.

References

External links

* at Netflix * {{Ánima Estudios 2010s Mexican television series 2010s animated television series 2017 Mexican television series debuts Mexican children's animated adventure television series Mexican children's animated comedy television series Mexican children's animated fantasy television series Mexican children's animated action television series Mexican children's animated science fiction television series Mexican children's animated horror television series Mexican flash animated television series Ánima Estudios television series Spanish-language Netflix original programming Netflix children's programming Animated television series by Netflix Anime-influenced Western animated television series English-language Netflix original programming Television series set in the 1810s Teen animated television series