Carlos Sánchez

Alive
Dead

Production Information

First Appearance:

The Book of Life

Voiced By:

Héctor Elizondo

Relationship Information

Family:

Manolo Sánchez (son)
María Posada (daughter-in-law)
Carmen Sánchez (wife, deceased)
Anita Sánchez (grandmother, deceased)
Sánchez Family

Traits

Personality:

Stern, strict, caring, compassionate

Alignment:

Neutral, later Good

Likes:

His family, bullfighting

Dislikes:

His family in danger, Manolo choosing music over bullfighting (formerly)

Personal Information

Species:

Human

Age:

40 (according to María)

Gender:

Male ♂

Status:

Deceased

Hair Color:

Brown

Eye Color:

Black

Home:

San Ángel, México (before)
Land of the Remembered

“	A Sánchez man never apologizes, you've just changed that.	”
—Carlos Sánchez

Carlos Sánchez is a major character in The Book of Life, Carlos is Manolo's father who wanted his only child and only son Manolo to become a bullfighter like almost all the Sánchez family bullfighters before him that was in their family.

Personality

Carlos is a stern and strict father and bullfighter. He is also a very courageous, brave, fearless, bold, daring, and strong-willed fighter. But he is also a very sweet, kind, friendly, benevolent, selfless, loving, generous, caring and compassionate father and husband who loves and truly cares for both his family and the town of San Angel very much and dearly. Carlos was also willing to defend and fight to protect the town of San Angel from an attack from The Bandit King Chakal and his Army of Banditós.

Appearance

Carlos looks identical to Manolo, they have same and identical hairstyle such as the swirly curly hair, but with a very handsome mustache, a green traje de luces with various of medals around, and his two swords crossed on his back.

Role in The Book of Life Film

He first appears in the film when his son returns to him at his wife, Carmen's, grave on the Day of the Dead. When he sees Manolo sucessfully ward off a mad boar, he tells his son that he will become a famous Sánchez family bullfighter one day. But when Manolo says that he would like to be a musician, Carlos angrily rejects the idea. Carlos strongly disapproves of Manolo's love of music over bullfighting. Years later, he is seen in the audience of Manolo's first bullfight with a bull. He disowns his son after he refuses to kill the bull. Later near the end of the film he tries to fight and hold Chakal off. However, he is killed in the process in order to give the town time to prepare for Chakal and his men. He meets his wife Carmen Sanchez in the underworld along with Manolo Sanchez.

Relationships

Carmen Sánchez

Carmen is the deceased wife of Carlos Sánchez and the deceased mother of their only child and only son Manolo. Carmen was and still is the one and only true love of her husband Carlos Sánchez.

Manolo Sánchez

Manolo is the first born, an only child and only son of Carlos and Carmen Sánchez, Carlos had wanted and hoped his only child and only son Manolo would follow and carry on the Sánchez family bullfighting tradition of being a bullfighter. Manolo does not want be a bullfighter like almost all of the Sánchez family bullfighters before him. Manolo truly thinks and truly believes that killing the bull in bullfighting is wrong. But Manolo's father, Carlos, does not agree with his son about not killing the bull in bullfighting.

Luis Sánchez

Luis Sánchez is Carlos' father, and Manolo's grandfather. According to Carlos, Luis started teaching Carlos how to bullfight when he was only 9. He was most known for fighting three bulls at once, stating that one bull was for cowards.

Trivia

He is 40 years old, according to Maria.
A bull put him in a coma for 3 years when he was around 9 years old, when he just started his bullfighting practice.^[1]
After Manolo was bitten by Más y Menos, Carlos carried his body to the town. That's how everyone found out he had passed away.^[2]
Part of the reason Carlos doesn't want Manolo to be a musician is that it reminds him too much of Carmen; who was a singer/dancer at a cantina in Mexico City when Carlor met her.
Carlos and Captain Mondragon were rivals since childhood. This is mainly because they both fancied Carmen; until Mondragon met Gertrude.