Disney Channel debuts an original animated series, AMERICAN DRAGON: JAKE LONG, at 8:00 pm on Jan. 21, 2005. The 2D series for kids 6-11 is produced by Walt Disney TV Animation.
Set in Manhattan, Jake is 13-year-old skateboarder, trying to deal with being a Chinese-American teenager with the secret ability to transform into a dragon. Its so secret; he must keep it from his friends, the public and his Caucasian American father. Businessman Dad is as American as apple pie and completely unaware that he has married into a family of dragons. Jakes Mom, a professional caterer, tries to help Jake live up to his destiny, but is not able to transform into a dragon herself (the ability skips a generation).
His pesky younger sister, Haley, is a nascent dragon. Their Dragon Master grandfather has moved to the U.S. to take Jake under his wing. Grandpa, Lao Shi, patiently trains Jake to master the fundamentals of being a dragon and to unlock his potential. Grandpas cover is an electronics shop hes bought on Canal Street. The old masters sidekick is a gruff 600-year-old magical Shar-Pei named Fu Dog, Jakes animal guardian.
Jake would prefer rolling about the city on his skateboard with his pals, feisty Trixie and dimwitted Spud. They attended Millard Fillmore Middle School where Jake has a crush on the beautiful blonde schoolmate, Rose, who, unbeknownst to Jake is secretly a dragon slayer. Born into The Huntsclan, a group that leads normal lives by day and hunts magical creatures by night, Rose has the covert dual identify of Huntsgirl.
She also is training under her master. Often both mystical trainees need to be rescued by their masters and then the magical spells and effects explode.
Jakes destiny is to be guardian, protector and champion to magical creatures secretly living alongside humans in New York City. Among them are leprechauns on Wall Street, a heard of unicorns in Central Park and the underwater Hudson mermaids.
The voice cast features Dante Baso as Jake Long, Amy Bruckner as Haley Long, Keone Young as Grandpa, John DiMaggio as Fu Dog, Lauren Tom as Mom, Jeff Bennett as Dad, Kittie as Trixie, Charlie Finn as Spud and Mae Whitman as Rose.
The theme song for AMERICAN DRAGON: JAKE LONG is The Chosen One, performed by Los Angels rock band Mavin, featured actor/musician AJ Trauth (EVEN STEVENS).
The series has a cultural consultant, Professor Yunzian Jan, Ph.D. who is an author and faculty member of UCLAs department of anthropology. His areas of expertise include folklore, mythology, the Chinese dragon, Chinese family and kinship.
Jeff Goode, a playwright, director and co-founder of No Shame Theater in Los Angeles created the series. The series was developed by Matt Negrete (KIM POSSIBLE) and Eddie Guzelian (DISNEYS FILLMORE!). Goode Negrete, Guzelian and Christian Roman are exec producers. Roman also directs the episodes.
AMERICAN DRAGON: JAKE LONG is a production of Wang Film Prods. and WDTA, in association with Disney Channel.
