If you were a city, which city would you be? And what would that say about you as a person?

In order to maintain anonymity, the members of Money Heist's crew go by randomly chosen city names — a brilliant strategy, if you think about it (although, as we know, that doesn't last very long for some of our culprits). In the documentary Money Heist: The Phenomenon, executive producer Jesús Colmenar says that the names were inspired by a T-shirt that the show’s creator, Álex Pina, was wearing. (It was emblazoned with the word Tokyo.) “That would be the perfect name for the main character,” Colmenar thought, and the rest was history. "Within 15 minutes, I said, 'Berlin, Moscow, Denver.' It was really quick," he explains in the film.

But while the city names were seemingly chosen on a whim, the characters somehow grew to embody many traits of those eponymous locales. Read on to find out how.

Tokyo (Úrsula Corberó)

The tough, headstrong heroine who narrates the series has plenty in common with her namesake city. As the capital of the third-largest economy in the world, Tokyo is a place that is constantly reinventing itself. Reinvention is no stranger to the woman formerly known as Silene. As we learn in a flashback, Silene was planning an escape abroad with her boyfriend, Rene, before a bank robbery went wrong and she ended up joining The Professor's crew. Much like the city of Tokyo — which successfully held the Summer Olympic Games in the midst of a pandemic — the character is constantly challenging everything she encounters (especially authority) but manages to keep audiences engaged throughout the series.

Rio (Miguel Herrán)

The youngest of the crew, Rio is full of vigor and lust — he's in love with Tokyo and is such an integral figure to the gang that they decide to reunite for a new heist in order to rescue him from Interpol. Similarly, Rio de Janeiro has an undeniable allure, one that attracts young people with the promise of samba, caipirinha and, as Palermo would put it, a little “boom, boom, ciao.”

Berlin (Pedro Alonso)

Despite meeting his demise at the end of the first heist, Berlin remains a vital figure in the show (and has even inspired his own spin-off). As the mastermind behind the heist squad’s plans, he's a dynamic, controlled, sometimes violent and often unpredictable presence. Literally and figuratively divided during the Cold War, the city of Berlin has emerged as a leader in biotechnology as well as the media and entertainment industries. And when wandering its streets, you have no choice but to confront its violent history, from the Berlin Wall and the Topography of Terror museum to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.

Nairobi (Alba Flores)

Beloved crew member Nairobi is responsible for taking charge of the bill-printing operation at the Spanish Mint, motivating her hostages to produce prolific work while also remaining compassionate and attuned to their needs. Kenya’s capital city is also the industrial center of the country, manufacturing everything from building materials to cigarettes. With its own stock exchange and an estimated wealth of $49 billion, this booming city is certainly in the money-making business.

Denver (Jaime Lorente)

The free-spirited, daring Denver is a go-with-the-flow kind of guy. Although he was recruited for the heist as the muscle by his former miner father, Moscow, he sees it through to the end — and even falls in love. The Rocky Mountain city of Denver is filled with outdoors lovers and thrill-seekers alike, making the city name ideal for someone so easygoing and passionate.

Moscow (Paco Tous)

The former miner-turned-criminal is industrious and hard-working — he had to be, in order to lead the team digging the tunnel out of the mint — while maintaining secrecy about his role in the heist and being protective over his well-meaning son. Russia’s largest city has a long history of secrets and espionage. The home of the Kremlin is also no stranger to perseverance, helping shape not only the rest of Russia but the world.

Palermo (Rodrigo de la Serna) 

The Argentine engineer who was instrumental in carrying out the second heist is of two natures: He's a romantic at heart — he was in love with his best friend, Berlin, and helped him plan the heist — but also short-tempered and volatile, constantly flexing his alpha-male muscles to get the team to fall in line behind him. It's fitting for a postcard-perfect city that lives in the shadow of the very live volcano of Mt. Etna, which routinely emits small eruptions of dangerous lava. 

Helsinki (Darko Perić)

A veteran Serbian soldier, Helsinki is one of the most surprising members of the crew. Although he looks like a tough guy, he's a big softy at heart and is loyal to his best friends (Oslo and Nairobi, to name two). He's dedicated to finishing the heist and is one of the most reliable members of the crew. As a city, Helsinki is approachable both figuratively and literally, with friendly locals and a much-respected public transportation system that makes getting to the sauna a breeze.