If you were a kid or a teen in 2005, it’s highly likely that you may have watched the animated series American Dragon: Jake Long, which premiered on the Disney Channel. If you’re looking for info on the popular series, simply continue reading.
The show was about a boy who could turn into a dragon:
The premise of American Dragon Jake Long, was that Jake was a descendent of dragons and had to undergo secret training missions in order to become the very first American dragon. As Jake is half regular human and half dragon. As the only American dragon, It’s Jake’s duty to help protect all of the magical residents of Manhattan from the powers of evil. However, Jake isn’t stuck without help and is aided by his plucky grandpa Lao Shi and his wise talking 600 year old dog named Fu Dog. Who has the ability to talk as a magical dog.
In the show Manhattan is home to countless types of magical creatures who Jake ends up befriending. Some examples of which include mermaids, unicorns and leprechauns
As well as trying to save Manhattan from sinister threats Jake also has the challenge of navigating life as a teenager, which is part of the unique appeal of the show.
American Dragon Jake Long actor:
The voice actor of the title character Jake Long was voiced by Dante Brasco. Brasco also appeared in Hook which was directed by Stephen Spielberg and featured Robin Williams as an adult Peter Pan. In the film, Brasco played Ruffio the lovable yet angsty leader of the lost boys. Brasco has also lent his voice to many popular animated TV series and films. Some examples of which include Avatar The Last Air Bender, The Legend of Korra, A Goofy Movie, The Proud Family, Ultimate Spider-Man and Star Wars Rebels. One show that you may not be aware that Brasco had a cameo on was The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which starred Will Smith.
The art style changed dramatically from season 1 to 2:
Some fans of the show were shocked when the art style of the show changed dramatically from season 1 to 2 and became a lot more grittier. As many fans preferred the traditional designs of season 1.
A live action movie was in the works:
In the end American Dragon Jake Long featured two seasons and 52 episodes. However, towards the end of season 2 Disney announced that they wanted to produce a live action movie based around the same premise as the animated TV series. However, this idea was later scrapped by Disney and the TV show was also cancelled much to the disappointment of the shows large fan base. As Disney originally intended to produce four seasons of the show.
So whether you fondly remember binge watching episodes of American Dragon Jake Long as a child or you’ve just recently discovered reruns of the show, hopefully you learned a few fun facts about the hit animated show.
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