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I told you, a Sánchez man never apologizes. But, you've just changed that. I should’ve been a better father. I’m very sorry.

—Carlos apologizes to Manolo Sánchez after the bullfight in the Land of the Remembered.

Carlos Sánchez is a major character in The Book of Life. He is the widower (a man who has lost his spouse by death and has not remarried) husband of Carmen Sánchez and the father of Manolo Sánchez who wanted his only child and only son to become a bullfighter like almost all the Sánchez family bullfighters before him that was in their family.

Appearance[]

Carlos is essentially an older version of his son Manolo Sánchez as they share the same and identical hairstyle such as the swirly curly black hair and brown eyes, but the only differences is that Carlos has graying hair, smaller eyes and a very handsome mustache with a goatee.

He has a green traje de luces with various of medals around and his two swords crossed on his back.

Personality[]

Carlos is a stern and strict father and bullfighter who is shown to be very courageous, brave, fearless, bold, daring and strong-willed fighter. However, 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 Ángel very much and dearly.

Carlos was also willing to defend and fight to protect the town of San Ángel from an attack from the Bandit King Chakal and his army of Banditós.

In The Book of Life Film[]

Carlos first appears in the film when his son Manolo Sánchez returns to him at his wife Carmen Sánchez'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 and he later disowns his son after he refuses to kill the bull. He felt remorse for his son’s passing. Yet, he can’t even bring himself to feel sorry because of his beliefs. 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 Carmen in the underworld along with Manolo. He eventually realizes the error of his ways after hearing “The Apology Song”. Carlos apologizes to Manolo for his arrogance and his disapproval for his son’s love for music. But, Manolo reassured him that he was only doing what was best for him. He later joins Manolo and his friends to defeat Chakal and his bandits in the Land of the Living (After all, it is the Day of the Dead).

Relationships[]

Carmen Sánchez[]

Carmen is Carlos' late wife who was and still is his one and only true love.

Manolo Sánchez[]

Manolo is Carlos' only child and son who had wanted and hoped that his only child and only son 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, Carlos does not agree with his son about not killing the bull in bullfighting. In the arena in the Land of the Remembered, he expressed his guilt and regret to Manolo for forcing him into tradition after hearing “The Apology Song”.

He later joins Manolo to defeat Chakal.

Luis Sánchez[]

Luis is Carlos' father.

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.

Family Tree[]


 
Unnamed father
 
 
 
Unnamed mother
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Anita Sánchez
 
 
 
Jorge Sánchez
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Luis Sánchez
 
 
 
Unnamed children [1]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Carlos Sánchez
 
 
 
Carmen Sánchez
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Manolo Sánchez
 
 
 
Maria Posada
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnamed twin girl one [2]Unnamed twin girl two [3]Unnamed baby boy [4]
 


Trivia[]

  • Carlos is 40 years old, according to María Posada.
  • A bull put Carlos in a coma for 3 years when he was around 9 years old when he just started his bullfighting practice.[5]
  • After Manolo Sánchez was bitten by Más y Menos, Carlos carried his body to the town. That's how everyone found out he had passed away.[6]
  • Part of the reason why Carlos doesn't want Manolo to be a musician is that it reminds him too much of Carmen Sánchez; who was a singer/dancer at a cantina in Mexico City when Carlos met her.
  • Carlos and Captain Mondragon were rivals since childhood [7]. This is mainly because they both fancied Carmen; until Mondragon met Gertrude Alexander.

Gallery[]

Concept art[]

Screencaps[]

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References[]

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