Miguel Rivera

"Miguel is a 12-year-old aspiring musician who struggles against his family's generations-old ban on music. When a magical mishap lands him in the Land of the Dead, Miguel seeks out his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz, to help him return to the Land of the Living before it's too late"

- Official description.

Miguel Rivera (b. 2005) is the son of Enrique and Luisa Rivera, the older brother of Socorro Rivera, great-grandson of Coco Rivera, great-great-grandson of Imelda and Héctor Rivera, and the protagonist of Coco.

Born into a music-hating family, Miguel inherited his great-great-grandparents' love of music and rather despised becoming a shoe maker. In 2017, he accidentally cursed himself by taking what he believed to be his great-great grandfather's. Miguel refused his grandmother, Imelda's, blessing and got help from his then-unknown great-great grandfather, Héctor.

After helping Coco remember who her father was, Miguel's family welcomed back music into their family. By 2018, Miguel became a proud older brother and finally achieved a dream of being a musician.

Early Life
Miguel Rivera was born in either 2004 or 2005 to Enrique and Luisa Rivera. He was seven years younger than his cousin, Abel and two years younger than his cousin, Rosa.

Unlike the rest of his family, Miguel gained a love of music from his great-great-grandfather and great-great-grandmother after being inspired by Ernesto de la Cruz. However, MIguel's love of music probably surfaced earlier when his great-grandmother, Mama Coco hummed to him when he was a baby. Though Miguel became a skilled guitarist and singer, he never performed in front of people. Miguel hid his enthusiasm from the rest of the family and worked in the family shop as a shoeshiner, even making  the attic a hideout. His hideout was also used by  Coco when she was younger, and it was a place where both of them could escape from their family's expectations.

Almost every year, Miguel was told of how his great great grandmother, Imelda had banned music after her husband had left to raise her daughter, Coco alone.

At an unknown point, Miguel adopted the street dog, Dante, as a pet, naming after Ernesto de la Cruz's horse

Personality and traits
Miguel is a dreamer, wishing to follow his heart in singing and playing the guitar. He is a kind-hearted twelve-year-old boy who loves his family dearly. Miguel showed kindness towards others, especially towards Dante, a stray dog and feeding him treats even when the dog can't do the trick Miguel wants him to do.

Having a passion for music, Miguel keeps it hidden from the rest of the family. The only ones aware of it are his great-grandmother, Coco, and Dante. He shares the passion of music with his Papa Héctor and Mama Imelda. At the end of his journey, Miguel has learned that family is more important, even to music. He is able to retain his love for both of them when restoring Héctor's memories and getting his family to lifting the ban on music. However, deep down, Miguel is a very familial person, as he doesn't like arguing with his family or likes his grandparents' wrath. He wrote "Proud Corazon" to show his love for his family, evident by the lyrics, "Our love for each other will live on forever.

It should be noted that Miguel used to have a fear performing in front of others However, he gave up the fear after his grandfather, Héctor, advised how to get rid of his nerves.

Miguel is also stubborn, noted during his argument with Imelda that they were both stubborn in being both for and against music respectively. Later, during the book, A Story About Music Shoes, and Family, Imelda notes that Miguel is the most stubborn boy she ever met. The deceased Riveras claim that the stubborn nature is something he inherited from Mamá Imelda.

Also, like his great-great-grandfather, Miguel is a well-meaning boy who helps others, such as agreeing to put up Hector's photo when he returned to the Land of the Living. A defiant and kind boy, Miguel loves his family and his friends and willingly would go to the ends of the earth to save them. For example, even during a scuffle between the Riveras and the security guards, he immediately assaulted the security guard who was attacking his Mama Imelda. After learning Hector would be forgotten and that he was his great-great-grandfather, Miguel wanted to save Hector from suffering the Final Death by helping Mama Coco remember the lullaby he sung her.

Miguel was also a key role in mending Imelda and Hector's relationship, as he revealed Imelda that Hector was trying to return home to her and Coco but De la Cruz murdered him before she could get home. Miguel even encouraged Imelda to sing and Hector to playing the guitar, which in turn, ignited a romantic spark between Héctor and Imelda. Miguel is also quite resourceful and witty, being able to come up with plans, especially when going to steal back Hector's photo from Ernesto.

Back then Miguel used to idolize Ernesto de la Cruz until he was the one who murdered Hector for his own songs. He learned to be the true musician from Hector, his true great-great-grandfather, and embraced both his love for music and the love he held for his family. Though defiant, rambunctious, and stubborn, Miguel is a boy who loves his family very much. In the end, he has also become a proud older brother to his younger sister, Socorro, proudly telling her all about their family.