In Disney's Coco, Miguel secretly plays the guitar despite his family's ban on music.
Miguel Rivera dreams of becoming a musician, but his family believes music caused a painful break with their ancestor, a musician who abandoned his wife and daughter. Miguel practices secretly and admires the famous singer Ernesto de la Cruz.
The guitar is central to the film's plot and visual identity. Miguel borrows a distinctive guitar from de la Cruz's mausoleum, setting off the supernatural journey that takes him to the Land of the Dead during Día de los Muertos.
Coco's story is about music, memory, family, and the importance of being remembered. The guitar is not merely a prop: it represents Miguel's ambition and the family history he is trying to understand.