¡Mucha Lucha!

{{Short description|American animated television series}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox television | image = Mucha Lucha.jpg | caption = Title card | alt_name = ''¡Mucha Lucha!: Gigante'' (season 3) | genre = {{Plainlist| * Sports (lucha libre) }} | creator = {{Plainlist| * Eddie Mort * Lili Chin }} | developer = {{Plainlist| * Michael Ryan * Eddie Mort * Lili Chin }} | voices = {{Plainlist| * Carlos Alazraqui (seasons 1–2) * Jason Marsden (season 3) * Kimberly Brooks * Candi Milo }} | director = {{Plainlist| * Alfred Gimeno (season 1) * Ken Kessel (seasons 2–3) * Collette Sunderman (voice director: Los Angeles) }} | theme_music_composer = Chicos de Barrio | open_theme = ''¡Mucha Lucha!'' performed by Chicos de Barrio | end_theme = | composer = {{plainlist| * Michael Tavera (seasons 1–2) * Mambotron (season 3) }} | country = United States | language = English | num_seasons = 3 | num_episodes = 52 | list_episodes = List of ¡Mucha Lucha! episodes | executive_producer = Sander Schwartz | producer = {{ubl|Joel Kuwahara|Alfred Gimeno (season 1)|Michael Ryan (season 1)|Eddie Mort (seasons 2–3)|Lili Chin (seasons 2–3)|Ken Kessel (seasons 2–3)|Jim Krieg (seasons 2–3)}} | location = | runtime = 22 minutes | company = {{Plainlist| * Warner Bros. Family Entertainment * Warner Bros. Animation{{efn|Credited as Warner Bros. Television Animation from 2002 to 2003.}} }} | network = The WB (Kids' WB) | first_aired = {{Start date|2002|08|17}} | last_aired = {{End date|2005|02|26}} }}

'''''¡Mucha Lucha!''''' (subtitled '''''Gigante''''' during its third and final season) is an American animated television series that aired on the Kids' WB block on The WB from August 17, 2002, to February 26, 2005.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Erickson |first1=Hal |title=Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 |date=2005 |edition=2nd |publisher=McFarland & Co |isbn=978-1476665993 |pages=568–569}}</ref> It was created by Eddie Mort and Lili Chin and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is the first animated television series intended for children created with Macromedia Flash, a program which became widely used as a medium for animation in the following years.<ref name=Perlmutter>{{cite book |last1=Perlmutter |first1=David |title=The Encyclopedia of American-Canadian-Mexican Animated Television Shows |date=2018 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1538103739 |pages=409–410}}</ref>

A direct-to-video feature film based on the series, ''¡Mucha Lucha!: The Return of El Maléfico'', was released on January 4, 2005.

== Premise == The show is set in Luchaville, a fictional town in Southern California centered on ''lucha libre'' where nearly everyone wears a costume (they are never seen without their mask) and has a well-known wrestling move. These wrestling moves being capable of transforming the character in relation to the naming of the move. The series mainly centres on three friends, Rikochet, Buena Girl, and the Flea, as they struggle through the Foremost World-Renowned International School of Lucha, where they study to become Luchadores.

==Episodes== {{main|List of ¡Mucha Lucha! episodes}} {{:List of ¡Mucha Lucha! episodes}}

==Characters== * Rikochet (voiced by Carlos Alazraqui in seasons 1–2 and Jason Marsden in season 3) – A young 10-year-old wrestler who is the protagonist of the series. He considers himself the bravest of the group, but sometimes leaps before he looks. * Buena Girl (voiced by Kimberly Brooks) – A smart, young 9-year-old female wrestler who always plays by the rules. She can also be very arrogant and obnoxious at times. * The Flea (voiced by Candi Milo) – An 8-year-old friend of Rikochet and Buena Girl who is always dirty and refers to himself in the third person. As well as having a few disgusting habits, he is also the most nervous but often proves to be a useful ally. * El Rey (voiced by Michael Donovan) – An action figure which represents Rikochet's conscience. He carries him in a backpack, but he can move and talk on his own as if he were alive. It is stated that this action figure is just part of a large merchandising euphoria related to a supreme undefeated Mexican wrestler with the same name (an allusion to Santo). Alongside the series, several other El Rey toys appear and often cause trouble with Rikochet. He always calls Rikochet "Chico" and a disgrace.

==Production== ''¡Mucha Lucha!'' ran into a problem when initially pitched to Kids' WB, as the network did not want actual wrestling shown on screen due to seeming violent. Series co-creator Lili Chin would have to draw visual guides to show that actual wrestling was more choreography than harmful acts of violence.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

===Music=== ====Licensed music==== *Café Quijano - Desde Brasil *Los Miserables - Punk Rock Y Subversion *Celso Piña - Cumbia Poder *Tito Nieves - Shut Up *Frankie Negron - So Wonderful *Plastiko - Esfera De Cristal *Pesado - Entre Mi Corazón Tu Y Yo *El Tri - Nosotros Los Latinos *SNZ - Me Protejo *Bacilos - Bésela Ya *Charlie Cruz - Un Chin Chin *Volumen Cero - Hollywood *Los Lobos - Good morning aztlán

==Broadcast== The series has been broadcast on Kids' WB in the United States, Teletoon in Canada, CITV and Kix in the United Kingdom and Canal 5 in Mexico from August 17, 2002, until February 26, 2005. It also premiered on Cartoon Network internationally in 2003, and in the U.S in 2004. In March 2007, repeats of the series began airing on Miguzi, and was later replaced with ''Ben 10'' for the last slot before Miguzi was shut down that same year. Repeats continued to air from 2008 to 2009, and it was removed from the lineup in 2010.

==Home media== Warner Home Video released one compilation on VHS and Region 1 DVD that contained the first six-segment episodes from season one, titled ''Heart of Lucha'', on August 19, 2003. The direct-to-video movie ''The Return of El Maléfico'' was released on October 5, 2004, exclusive to Walmart stores, while other retailers released it on January 4, 2005, during the series' third and final season.

In 2019, ¡Mucha Lucha! was available remastered for the first time in High Definition for home viewers and became available on demand through Amazon Prime.<ref>{{cite web|title=Amazon Prime series page|website=Amazon |url=https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/0QBQWZWVQQMBGGMCO1Q6SL7350|access-date=2022-11-21}}</ref>

Since 2022, the show became available for streaming on HBO Max in Latin American countries, also using the High Definition remasters.<ref>{{cite web|title=HBO Max series page|url=https://www.hbomax.com/series/urn:hbo:series:GYKb_dw6VMRi_uQEAAABX|access-date=2022-11-21}}</ref>

As of 2026, the series has yet to have a complete series DVD box set.

==Merchandise== A toy line based on the show was released by Jakks Pacific in 2004.<ref>{{cite news |last=DeMott |first=Rick |url=http://www.awn.com/news/jakks-pacific-lands-mucha-lucha-toy-license |title=JAKKS Pacific Lands Mucha Lucha Toy License |work=Animation World Network |date=2003-10-17 |access-date=2014-12-01 }}</ref> The toy line included "Mix-a-Lot" action figures; these had removable body parts that could be placed on the bodies of other action figures in the series. "Signature Move" action figures were also released, along with a toy wrestling ring. However, the second series of the toy line was cancelled.

During the summer of 2003, DC Comics published a three-issue mini-series of comic books based on ''¡Mucha Lucha!''. All three of the stories featured in these comic books were written by Eddie Mort, and have even been occasionally referenced in the TV series.

# El Rey, Come Home! # It's All Buena! # Limbo of the Lost Luchadores!

The show was licensed for a Game Boy Advance video game, ''Mascaritas of the Lost Code'', in late 2003; a PlayStation 2 video game, ''Mysterioso Grande'', was slated for release, but was cancelled around 2004, as the creators could not find a publisher.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.unseen64.net/2008/04/15/mucha-lucha-unreleased/|title=Mucha Lucha [PS2 – Cancelled] – Unseen64|date=April 15, 2008|website=Unseen64: Beta, Cancelled & Unseen Videogames!}}</ref>

In 2005, the Mexican snack company Sabritas distributed promotional items in the form of Tazos with a picture of various characters from the show. Totaling 230 pogs, they were sold in two separate series. The first series is referred to as the "classic" series, while the second series is referred to as the "rematch" series.

==Proposed revival== In 2014, a revival called ''¡Mucha Lucha! Para Siempre'' was proposed which would have centered on Rikochet, Buena Girl, and the Flea as teenagers.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/LjAXpxv4joo Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200126080707/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjAXpxv4joo Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjAXpxv4joo| title = All About Mucha Lucha (Includes 2014 Revival Pitch Reel Excerpt) | website=YouTube| date = 21 November 2019 }}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://muchalucha-art.tumblr.com/post/122013214348/will-there-be-more-mucha-lucha-well-were-still|title = Mucha Lucha! Para siempre}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://muchalucha-art.tumblr.com/page/3|title = Mucha Lucha! Para siempre}}</ref>

==See also== {{wikiquote}} * Lucha libre (Mexican wrestling) * El Santo * Chicos de Barrio * Blue Demon

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb title|0353115}} {{Warner Bros. animation and comics}} {{Kids' WB}}{{Portal bar|Animation|Television|Cartoon|United States|Sports|California|Mexico|Hispanic and Latino American|2000s}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Mucha Lucha}} Category:¡Mucha Lucha! Category:2000s American animated comedy television series Category:2000s American children's comedy television series Category:2000s American sports television series Category:2002 American animated television series debuts Category:2005 American television series endings Category:American animated television series about children Category:American children's animated action television series Category:American children's animated adventure television series Category:American children's animated comedy television series Category:American children's animated sports television series Category:American flash animated television series Category:American sports comedy television series Category:Animated television series set in California Category:Comedy franchises Category:English-language American television shows Category:Hispanic and Latino American television Category:Kids' WB original shows Category:Lucha libre Category:Television series by Warner Bros. Animation Category:Television shows adapted into comics Category:Television shows adapted into video games Category:Television shows set in Mexico Category:The WB animated television series Category:Warner Bros. franchises Category:Warner Bros. Television Studios franchises