{{short description|Spanish animated TV series}} {{Infobox television | image = | image_upright = | image_size = | image_alt = | caption = | alt_name = | native_name = <!-- {{Infobox name module|language|title}} or {{Infobox name module|title}} --> | genre = <!-- Must be reliably sourced --> | creator = Rubén "El Rubius" Doblas | based_on = {{based on|Virtual Hero|Lolita Aldea}} | developer = | writer = {{plainlist| * Juan Torres * Alexis Barroso}} | screenplay = | story = | director = Alexis Barroso | creative_director = | presenter = <!-- Organized by broadcast credit order, with new main cast added to the end of the list --> | starring = <!-- Organized by broadcast credit order, with new main cast added to the end of the list --> | judges = <!-- Organized by broadcast credit order, with new main cast added to the end of the list --> | voices = {{plainlist| * 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}} | narrator = | theme_music_composer = | open_theme = ''El libro de las sombras'' by Mägo de Oz | end_theme = ''Shelter'' by Porter Robinson and Madeon | composer = José Villar | country = Spain<br>South Korea | language = Spanish | num_seasons = 2 | num_episodes = 18 | list_episodes = | executive_producer = {{plainlist| * Pilar Blasco * Ismael Calleja * Domingo Corral * Felipe Pontón}} | producer = | news_editor = <!-- Content editor or editors of a current affairs/political show such as Newsnight. --> | location = <!-- Nation the series was filmed in, if different from the nation of origin. --> | cinematography = | animator = Jaruyi Studio | editor = <!-- Film editors --> | camera = <!-- Either Single-camera or Multi-camera --> | runtime = 22 min. | company = Movistar+<br>Zeppelin TV<br>Motion Pictures | budget = | network = Movistar+ | released = <!-- {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | first_aired = {{Start date|2018|10|12|df=y}} | last_aired = {{End date|2020|2|28|df=y}} }}
'''''Virtual Hero''''' is an 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Así es Virtual Hero, la serie de animación creada por ElRubius |url=https://www.elmundo.es/f5/mira/2018/09/19/5ba2205e268e3e711c8b45f0.html |website=El Mundo |access-date=16 May 2019 |language=es |date=19 September 2018}}</ref>
In September 2020, Movistar+ announced the cancellation of the series after two seasons.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rodera |first1=Alejandro |title=Movistar+ cancela 'Virtual Hero', que no tendrá tercera temporada |url=https://www.formulatv.com/noticias/movistar-cancela-virtual-hero-tercera-temporada-103516/ |website=FormulaTV |access-date=8 September 2020 |language=es |date=8 September 2020}}</ref>
==Synopsis== 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== {| class=wikitable ! Character !! Voice (Spanish) !! Voice (English) |- ! colspan=3 | Main cast |- | Rubius | Rubén "El Rubius" Doblas | rowspan=2 {{n/a|Unknown}} |- | Sakura | Graciela Molina |- | Zombirella | Nuria Trifol | Jenny Beacraft |- | Mangel | Miguel Ángel "Mangel" Rogel | {{n/a|Unknown}} |- | Trollmask | Sergio Zamora | Masumi Mutsuda |- | Demonika | Joël Mulachs | {{n/a|Unknown}} |- | G4T0 | Elisabeth Bargalló | Caitlyn Mary Mac |- | Slimmer | Juan Carlos Gustems | Alex Warner |- | Guruf | Pep Sais | rowspan=2 {{n/a|Unknown}} |- | Silueta | Carme Calvell |- ! colspan=3 | Secondary cast |- | Maddy Model | Marina García Guevara | {{n/a|Unknown}} |- | Captain Legarde | Daniel García | Daniel Francis-Berenson |- | Ben | Raúl Rodríguez | rowspan=2 {{n/a|Unknown}} |- | Nancy | Marta Barbará |- | Professor Brasas | Rafael Calvo | Mark Schardan |- | Armadurón | Alfonso Vallés | rowspan=3 {{n/a|Unknown}} |- | Patitas | Ramón Canals |- | Limón 4K | Jordi Ribes |}
==Episode list== ===Season 1=== {{Episode table |overall= |season= |title= |airdate= |episodes= {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 1 | EpisodeNumber2 = 1 | Title = Un artefacto misterioso | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2018|10|12|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 2 | EpisodeNumber2 = 2 | Title = Monstruo de ciudad, monstruo de campo | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2018|10|12|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 3 | EpisodeNumber2 = 3 | Title = Cosas grandes y cuadradas | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2018|10|12|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 4 | EpisodeNumber2 = 4 | Title = La hora del té | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2018|10|12|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 5 | EpisodeNumber2 = 5 | Title = Animalitos sueltos | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2018|10|12|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 6 | EpisodeNumber2 = 6 | Title = La batalla de Puerto Panoli | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2018|10|12|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 7 | EpisodeNumber2 = 7 | Title = Un mundo real | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2018|11|23|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 8 | EpisodeNumber2 = 8 | Title = Doppelgänger | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2018|11|30|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 9 | EpisodeNumber2 = 9 | Title = Un pirata metepatas | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2018|12|7|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 10 | EpisodeNumber2 = 10 | Title = Yourface | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2018|12|14|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 11 | EpisodeNumber2 = 11 | Title = Cyberblade | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2018|12|21|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 12 | EpisodeNumber2 = 12 | Title = Reverso tenebroso | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2018|12|28|df=y}} }} }}
===Season 2=== {{Episode table |overall= |season= |title= |airdate= |episodes= {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 13 | EpisodeNumber2 = 1 | Title = Alas negras | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|2|28|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 14 | EpisodeNumber2 = 2 | Title = Actualizaciones | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|2|28|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 15 | EpisodeNumber2 = 3 | Title = Sacrificios | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|2|28|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 16 | EpisodeNumber2 = 4 | Title = Los que vienen a morir te saludan, Maddy | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|2|28|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 17 | EpisodeNumber2 = 5 | Title = Retazos del pasado | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|2|28|df=y}} }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 18 | EpisodeNumber2 = 6 | Title = Game (not) over | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|2|28|df=y}} }} }}
==Reception== ''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."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cano |first1=Alberto |title='Virtual Hero': La serie de ElRubius es un imaginativo, fresco y divertido producto de animación |url=https://www.ecartelera.com/noticias/virtual-hero-critica-serie-el-rubius-49816/ |website=eCartelera |access-date=16 May 2019 |date=13 October 2018 |language=es}}</ref> 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".<ref>{{cite web |title='Virtual Hero' es una mala imitación del género shônen: una serie solo para incondicionales de Rubius |url=https://www.espinof.com/criticas/virtual-hero-mala-imitacion-genero-shonen-serie-solo-para-incondicionales-rubius |website=Espinof |access-date=16 May 2019 |date=12 October 2018 |language=es}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}} {{Movistar+ original series}}
Category:Animated series based on comics Category:Spanish animated television series Category:2018 Spanish television series debuts Category:2020 Spanish television series endings Category:Movistar+ network series Category:2018 South Korean television series debuts Category:South Korean anime-influenced animated television series Category:Spanish anime-influenced animated television series Category:South Korean animated television series Category:Spanish fantasy television series Category:2010s South Korean animated television series Category:2020s South Korean animated television series