American Dragon: Jake Long TV Poster Image

American Dragon: Jake Long

age 8+
(i)

 

Descendant of dragons fights dark magic in NYC.
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What parents need to know

Positive messages

Confusing racial stereotyping.

Violence & scariness

Fight scenes abound. Some torture, threats.

Sexy stuff

Some side comments might go over kids' heads, but parents might catch a thing or two.

Language

Jake does not usually speak respectfully to his Grandfather.

Consumerism
Not applicable
Drinking, drugs, & smoking
Not applicable

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that some of the racial stereotypes are confusing. Though there is an attempt to present a representation of urban mixtures, there is not much respect in the characterization of cultural background. There can be violence against females in the fight scenes and some macho fronting by Jake.

What's the story?

AMERICAN DRAGON: JAKE LONG is about an Asian-American boy, Jake Long (voiced by Dante Basco), who lives in New York City. A typical teenager who loves to skateboard, Jake is protecting a family secret: He is in fact a dragon, and it's his duty to protect the magical creatures that live in New York City.

Is it any good?

QUALITY

While kids will enjoy the pratfalls and goofy behavior of Jake and his crew, parents might cringe at the awkward portrayal of urban life in this show. Jake's posturing when talking to his grandfather, who happens to be his spiritual master, goes against the Chinese tradition of respect for one's elders. Also confusing is the "ghetto" speak of his African-American friends. It's true that cultural differences in urban living are very real; perhaps this show would be better off sticking to the action, rather than the social commentary.

The pace of the show is bouncy and entertaining, though some of the fight scenes can present scary dark forces that Jake must defeat. Some humorous moments come through, but the iffy aspects of the show outweigh the treats here. In other words, there are better programs out there for young martial arts aficionados to pursue.

Families can talk about...

  • Families can talk about what it would be like to keep a secret about heritage the way Jake and his mom and sister withhold information from Mr. Long.

TV details

Premiere date:January 21, 2005
Cast:Charlie Finn, Dante Basco, Mae Whitman
Networks:Disney Channel, Disney XD
Genre:Kids' Animation
Topics:Magic and fantasy, Sports and martial arts, Adventures
TV rating:TV-G
Available on:Streaming

This review of American Dragon: Jake Long was written by

Joly Herman
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are conducted by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

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What parents and kids say

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Adult Written bycartooncarro December 4, 2011
age 8+

First&Second seasons are like two differents shows

I adore this show. I'm 17, watched it when I was younger but stopped 'cuz of the season two art change. Randomly got back into it, and I cannot stop. If you're looking for something cute and funny, go with first season episodes. If you want a captivating plot where you need to watch the episodes in order to understand, go for season two (it also has little funny episodes, though :P). Um, no, this show is not racist haha omg these people. Trixie is black, and talks with slang. Jake is asian, and talks with slang. It's not because Trixie's black, it's just because of the area they've grown up in. It has nothing to do with race. Stop being over-sensitive. -------First season - focused more on the funny, Jake and Trixie used a lot of slang which some parents wouldn't like. Jake's a lot more arrogant in this season and not really focused on anything but Rose and impressing other kids. Jake and Rose's situation is a more complex and interesting Romeo & Juliet and I love it :) --------Second season - Seems like a whole different show. A lot less slang, focused plot, Rose and Jake are more involved. Jake disrespects Grandpa a little less, and there's actually some Chinese culture in this season.
What other families should know
Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
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Teen, 14 years old Written byicefire22 April 9, 2008
not rated for age

Awesome!!

This is my favorite show.me and my friends watch it whenever it's on. My mom even likes it. And she's 35! It's entertaining and even funny to watch Jake juggle his social life and his duties as the American Dragon.This show is a must watch. Some people don't approve of the violence or "bathroom jokes" but you gotta remember-it's Disney channel. Every show is rated g on disney channel. They wouldn't put anything that was really bad on Disney channel. Parents have to remember-it's just a tv show.
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Teen, 13 years old Written bybunniesferrets April 9, 2008
not rated for age

I love this show !!!

I think "American Dragon" is a fun, great show for everyone. Some good episodes are The Academy, The Ski Trip, and Breakout ! Good job Disney Channel !!
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