Virtual Hero is a Spanish-South Korean animated television series produced by Zeppelin TV and Motion Pictures, S.A. for Movistar+ based on the comic book trilogy of the same name created by Rubén "El Rubius" Doblas.[1]

Virtual Hero
Created byRubén "El Rubius" Doblas
Based onVirtual Hero
by Lolita Aldea
Written by
  • Juan Torres
  • Alexis Barroso
Directed byAlexis Barroso
Voices of
  • Rubén "El Rubius" Doblas
  • Graciela Molina
  • Nuria Trifol
  • Miguel Ángel "Mangel" Rogel
  • Sergio Zamora
  • Joël Mulachs
  • Elisabeth Bargalló
  • Juan Carlos Gustems
  • Pep Sais
  • Carme Calvell
Opening themeEl libro de las sombras by Mägo de Oz
Ending themeShelter by Porter Robinson and Madeon
ComposerJosé Villar
Country of originSpain
South Korea
Original languageSpanish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes18
Production
Executive producers
  • Pilar Blasco
  • Ismael Calleja
  • Domingo Corral
  • Felipe Pontón
AnimatorJaruyi Studio
Running time22 min.
Production companiesMovistar+
Zeppelin TV
Motion Pictures
Original release
NetworkMovistar+
Release12 October 2018 (2018-10-12) –
28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)

In September 2020, Movistar+ announced the cancellation of the series after two seasons.[2]

Synopsis

edit

Rubius is one of the 100 selected playtesters for the ORV, an experimental virtual reality device. Connected directly to his neuronal network, these glasses transport him to a computer game universe known as the Game Worlds. Little does Rubius know, it's all part of an evil plan hatched by Trollmask, the devious Master of the Game Worlds, who is holding the players hostage in this virtual setting so that they all witness his victory over Rubius. Alongside his allies Sakura, Zombirella, Slimmer and G4T0, this unlikely hero will take on the challenges of the Game Worlds to free the players from Trollmask's clutches.

Cast

edit
Character Voice (Spanish) Voice (English)
Main cast
Rubius Rubén "El Rubius" Doblas Unknown
Sakura Graciela Molina
Zombirella Nuria Trifol Jenny Beacraft
Mangel Miguel Ángel "Mangel" Rogel Unknown
Trollmask Sergio Zamora Masumi Mutsuda
Demonika Joël Mulachs Unknown
G4T0 Elisabeth Bargalló Caitlyn Mary Mac
Slimmer Juan Carlos Gustems Alex Warner
Guruf Pep Sais Unknown
Silueta Carme Calvell
Secondary cast
Maddy Model Marina García Guevara Unknown
Captain Legarde Daniel García Daniel Francis-Berenson
Ben Raúl Rodríguez Unknown
Nancy Marta Barbará
Professor Brasas Rafael Calvo Mark Schardan
Armadurón Alfonso Vallés Unknown
Patitas Ramón Canals
Limón 4K Jordi Ribes

Episode list

edit

Season 1

edit
No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleOriginal air date
11"Un artefacto misterioso"12 October 2018 (2018-10-12)
22"Monstruo de ciudad, monstruo de campo"12 October 2018 (2018-10-12)
33"Cosas grandes y cuadradas"12 October 2018 (2018-10-12)
44"La hora del té"12 October 2018 (2018-10-12)
55"Animalitos sueltos"12 October 2018 (2018-10-12)
66"La batalla de Puerto Panoli"12 October 2018 (2018-10-12)
77"Un mundo real"23 November 2018 (2018-11-23)
88"Doppelgänger"30 November 2018 (2018-11-30)
99"Un pirata metepatas"7 December 2018 (2018-12-07)
1010"Yourface"14 December 2018 (2018-12-14)
1111"Cyberblade"21 December 2018 (2018-12-21)
1212"Reverso tenebroso"28 December 2018 (2018-12-28)

Season 2

edit
No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleOriginal air date
131"Alas negras"28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)
142"Actualizaciones"28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)
153"Sacrificios"28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)
164"Los que vienen a morir te saludan, Maddy"28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)
175"Retazos del pasado"28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)
186"Game (not) over"28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)

Reception

edit

Virtual Hero has received mixed reviews among television critics. On a positive note, Alberto Cano wrote for eCartelera that Virtual Hero is "a series that, in spite of betting on elements already seen on the likes of Ready Player One or Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, manages to build a varied, attractive universe with its own personality, resulting in a fresh, fun animated fiction that rises as a notable product for the young audience."[3] On the negative side, Espinof dismissed the show as "a poor imitation of the shōnen genre" and "an animated fanzine with no pretension or quality".[4]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Así es Virtual Hero, la serie de animación creada por ElRubius". El Mundo (in Spanish). 19 September 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  2. ^ Rodera, Alejandro (8 September 2020). "Movistar+ cancela 'Virtual Hero', que no tendrá tercera temporada". FormulaTV (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  3. ^ Cano, Alberto (13 October 2018). "'Virtual Hero': La serie de ElRubius es un imaginativo, fresco y divertido producto de animación". eCartelera (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  4. ^ "'Virtual Hero' es una mala imitación del género shônen: una serie solo para incondicionales de Rubius". Espinof (in Spanish). 12 October 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2019.