American Dragon: Jake Long


American Dragon: Jake Long, or simply American Dragon, is an American animated television series. It was produced by Walt Disney Television Animation, created by Jeff Goode and co-developed by Eddie Guzelian and Matt Negrete. It premiered on Disney Channel on December 19, 2004, and ended on September 1, 2007. Fifty-two episodes were produced.

Premise

Set in the New York City borough of Manhattan, this animated series tells the story of a Chinese-American boy named Jake Long, who must balance ordinary adolescence with the ability to change into a dragon. When he eventually unlocks his full potential and turns into the American Dragon, he has to overcome obstacles to protect the magical creatures living in the city, but as his ordinary self, Jake has issues with his deep crush on his schoolmate Rose who, unbeknownst to Jake, has a dark, magical secret of her own: she is a natural dragon-slayer known as the Huntsgirl, a member of the Huntsclan, a cult of ninjas that slays mythical creatures and who Jake has fought consistently. The leader of the Huntsclan is the Huntsman who raised Rose.
Jake navigates the city with his two best friends – Trixie Carter and Arthur P. "Spud" Spudinski. When Jake gets home, it is to an extended family who all live together: Jake, his sister, their parents, and Jake's maternal grandfather Lao Shi. Jonathan, a businessman dad originally from the Midwest, is unaware that he is married into a family of dragons from his Chinese wife Susan . Lao Shi trains Jake in the magical, mystical ways of the dragons. Jake also cares very deeply for his annoying, overachieving, and seemingly perfect younger sister Haley , despite feeling like he is stuck in her small shadow. Grandpa's cynical sidekick, a magical talking Shar-Pei named Fu Dog, is Jake's animal guardian and other best friend.

Episodes

Characters

Main

  • Jacob Luke "Jake" Long : A Chinese-American 13-year-old who is half-human, half-dragon. He is the titular American Dragon. His personality is that of a cool, laid-back skateboarder who talks in rapper slang. He has a keen awareness of the newest developments and styles, is self-assured, and likes video games, extreme sports, all sorts of music, and the occasional comic book. He had a crush on pretty blonde schoolmate Rose until he found out she was actually the Huntsgirl, but their dual identities are bound to stir up trouble. After numerous trials and tribulations over the course of the series, Jake and Rose finally get together in the final episode. A running gag involves the mention of his embarrassing secrets, like having a teddy bear collection and sleeping with a nightlight, to blemish his reputation. His dragon abilities include flight, fire breath, a prehensile tail, and sharp claws, along with highly strong senses.
  • Luong Lao Shi : Jake's maternal grandfather, who was formerly the Chinese Dragon. He runs an electronic shop on Canal Street with the slogan "Never have a customer, never have a sale" alongside his only friend Fu Dog. His attempts at training Jake sometimes do more damage than help. His name is a reference to the Chinese word for "teacher". In his youth in 1972, before his first encounter with the Dark Dragon, Jake's grandpa was known as Lucky Lao Shi.
  • Fu Dog : A 600-year-old Shar-Pei and Lao Shi's only companion. Throughout his entire life, he and a hairless talking cat have fought over Fu's family amulet. He is more "hip" than Lao Shi.
  • Arthur P. "Spud" Spudinski : Jake's best friend, who is extremely loyal and somewhat slow, but he comes up with intelligent things to say at random times. He also has the entire works of Shakespeare committed to memory. There is a chance that Spud is half-wizard. In Season 2, he gains a crush on the head cheerleader, Stacey, who hates him until they start dating near the end of the season.
  • Trixie Carter : Jake's other best friend, who is just as cool as he is. A witty, blunt, and sharp-tongued girl, a hardcore fashionista but also the most logical and mature of the group.
  • Haley Kay Long : Jake's seven-year-old intelligent, talented, over-achieving, but annoying baby sister who also has dragon powers. She takes pride in her ability to expose all of Jake's secrets and highlight her own. Despite all of that, she admires Jake's bravery, selflessness and ability as the American Dragon and sees him as a role model. It is hinted multiple times in the show that all her effort to be better than her brother is so she can impress him and get him to think of her as an equal. She knows that Jake would do anything for her, including forgetting all the problems she has ever caused between them, if it meant her safety. She wants to talk and hang out with him more.
  • Susan Luong-Long : Jake and Haley's mother does not possess any natural dragon abilities like her family and children, having skipped her generation. She does all she can to keep her human husband Jonathan from discovering the existence of magic and her family being magical creatures.
  • Jonathan Long : Jake and Haley's mortal father, and a businessman originally from the Midwest, who is unaware that he is married into a family of dragons. In the series finale, he is initially shocked at his wife's family secret but later comes to welcome it as he always knew there was something magical about them.
  • Rose/Huntsgirl : Jake's love interest and a natural dragon slayer known as the Huntsgirl, a member of the Huntsclan that slays magical creatures, especially dragons. She was born with a red birthmark on her arm resembling a Chinese dragon, leading the Huntsclan to kidnap her from her parents. She also has an identical twin sister whose fate is unknown.
  • Professor Hans Rotwood : Jake's middle-aged German schoolteacher with an obsessive interest in magical creatures, and a quest to discover the American Dragon's identity. Rotwood styles himself as an expert on mythical creatures, but his knowledge is superficial and his expertise a fraud.

    Main villains

  • The Huntsman : The leader of the Huntsclan, a society of thieves that hunt and steal magical creatures for profit. They are highly trained and use sophisticated weapons. Huntsclan members have a specific birthmark that resembles a dragon. His true name and face were never shown. The Huntsman is #4 of the 13 threats to the magic community. In the second season, his outfit is redesigned as magenta and he sports a ninja mask and a dragon skull helmet. His face is finally revealed when his helmet is destroyed, and is ultimately killed by his protegee Rose.
  • The Dark Dragon : The secondary main antagonist of the show. Considered the #1 threat to the magical world, the Dark Dragon hates all of humanity and intends to overthrow them.
  • Bananas B : A monkey with a rapper style and Jake's temporary animal guardian who later betrayed him to become Councilor Chang's assistant. He talks with an Australian accent.
  • Councilor Chang : A former member of the Dragon Council and the Dark Dragon's assistant who worked with Lao Shi when he first fought the Dark Dragon.
  • Eli Excelsior Pandarus : A dark wizard who tries to be the world's most powerful sorcerer.

    Recurring and guest

  • Sun Park : Jake's home-ec schoolteacher, Haley's dragon mentor, and formerly the Korean Dragon.
  • Nigel Thrall : An exchange student from England who hides his identity as a wizard. He shared a temporal rivalry with Jake when they both ran for school president but end up defeating Maximius together.
  • Fred Nerk : The Australian Dragon who was Jake's temporary rival at the Dragon Council Games until he saves him from the Dark Dragon.
  • Jasmine : Jake's first date, who turned out to be a soul-sucking creature called a Nix.
  • Huntsboy #88 and Huntsboy #89 : Two of the Huntsman's new apprentices, supposedly both cousins of Rose. 88 is as hip-hop and arrogant as Jake, which ironically shows Jake how annoying he can really be, while 89 is more of a nerd. Neither knows how to fight, and they were only accepted into the Huntsclan due to killing monsters in video games.
  • Brad Morton : A 15-year-old jock bully at Jake's school who likes to make fun of him and frequently hits on Rose.
  • Sigmund Brock : Rotwood's former mentor who inspired him to research magical creatures. He is brought in to replace Rotwood as Principal of Fillmore Middle School when Jake gets Rotwood fired but takes it upon himself to discover the dragon's identity causing Rotwood to team up with Jake and get him fired.
  • Stacey Wintergrin : The school's cheerleader captain who is Spud's unrequited love interest until she eventually warms up to him.
  • Kara Oracle : Sara's oracle twin sister is always in a bad mood, although she can only predict good things.
  • Sara Oracle : Kara's oracle twin sister is always happy, although she can only predict bad things.
  • Veronica : A half-human with eight spider legs who works at the Magus Bazaar.
  • Bertha the Giant : A dim-witted female giant with a stinky foot.
  • Silver : A mermaid who is afraid of water and a medical science prodigy.
  • Ms. Dolores Derceto voiced by : An undercover mermaid detective working as the principal of Jake's junior high who has a temporary romance with Lao Shi.
  • Danika Hunnicutt : Jake's second love interest after Rose went to Hong Kong and is the school's swim team captain. She gets mad and leaves him after he accuses her of being the siren. She later became Jake's graduation partner.
  • Hank Carter : Trixie's father, who is a US Navy officer.
  • Olivia Mears : Haley's academic rival.
  • Yan Yan : A Sphynx cat, also known as a Chinese Hairless, who has been fighting with Fu Dog over his family's amulet over centuries. She pretends to belong to a young girl called Olivia.
  • Huntsgirl #18 : A student at the Huntsclan Academy who develops a crush on an undercover Spud due to his in-depth knowledge about dragons and fights over him with another student.