Legend of the Dragon is an animated television series produced by BKN International for CBBC lasting 39 episodes. The show follows Ang, The Golden Dragon, as he protects the twelve zodiac temples against his sister, Ling, the Shadow Dragon.
Contents
Synopsis
The show begins with the passing of the previous Golden Dragon to the afterlife. Ang and Ling Leung, seventeen-year-old fraternal twins born in the year of the Dragon, are next in line for the Golden Dragon power band to defend the mortal world from evil. Ang does not believe he will become the Golden Dragon, as Ling is the best fighter at the Dragon Dojo. Ling is positive that she will become the Golden Dragon. However, when Master Chin Ho calls upon the power of the Golden Dragon to choose who will be the next Golden Dragon, it chooses Ang. Humiliated and furious, Ling storms out of the temple and is tempted by the dark and evil power of the Shadow Dragon. From then on, Ang is forced to fight his twin sister.
In the series 1 finale "Double Double", Ling is overtaken by an even greater shadow magic via the revived Emperor of the Darkest Yin, who orders her to win the mystical powerband of the Golden Dragon. However, Master Chin reveals to Ling that the only way for her to rightfully claim the powerband is to kill Ang. Horrified, Ling breaks free of the darkness that has overwhelmed her for so long, as she cannot kill her twin. Impressed, Chin reveals that it was all a test for Ling, allowing her to follow her true path. He explains, as Ang's twin sister, she can now become a Golden Dragon as well. Chin merging both the positive and negative energies of the Golden Dragon powerband and the Shadow Dragon band bestows even greater dragon firepower onto Ang and Ling as twin Golden Dragons; and are now twice as strong when they work together as one.
The second series begins with the reformed Ling back home as one of the Golden Dragons alongside her brother. Now they, Chin, and the fellow guardians of the Tiger and Monkey temples are ready to put an end to the Zodiac Master and the Emperor of the Darkest Yin. However, the Emperor is on the move to regroup at the Temple of the Shadow Dragon, but not before he attacks and disintegrates the Temple of the Golden Dragons, leaving Ang and Ling's powerbands on the verge of powerlessness permanently. Luckily, Chin suggests going to long-lost Temple of the Shadow Dragon and utilize its vast amounts of negative energy to re-energize their power bands fully.
As Ling was exposed to the evil energies of the Shadow Dragon for quite some time, she became easily tempted by the temple's negative influence on both her mind and spirit. However, with the wisdom of Master Chin, she and Ang successfully recharge their power bands with no negative effects. Elsewhere, the Emperor releases his younger sister Yin Wi, the Guardian of the Shadow Rat, who had been imprisoned by a previous Golden Dragon for a thousand years. The two siblings concoct plans to conquer the modern world and have their vengeance on all twelve guardians of yang; specifically the Golden Dragon. As they head to the Temple of the Shadow Wolf, the heroes encounter K-Lo, the Shadow Wolf Guardian (one of Ling's allies during her dark times as the Shadow Dragon and who seems to have now taken a romantic interest in her).
Characters
Main characters
Ang Leung (voiced by Alan Marriott) is seventeen years old, and is highly accomplished in martial arts and knows of the ancient philosophies of the Golden Dragon, along with his twin sister, Ling. His Powerband is gold with an orange/gold gemstone which makes him muscular, lets him shoot orange/gold fire blasts and fly. Ang is emotionally torn once he finds out that Ling has joined the Zodiac Master and become the Shadow Dragon. Throughout the first season, Ang repeatedly tries to bring Ling back to the light of yang, but Ling, although she does occasionally help him out, is still persistent on claiming his Powerband. Ang still strongly cares about her, even if she is working for Zodiac Master. In Season 2, Ling becomes the second Golden Dragon alongside his sister. With new abilities, they can fly, teleport, as well as become an actual dragon. Ang's best friends are Xuan Chi, Guardian of the Temple of the Monkeys, as well as Beingal, Guardian of the Temple of the Tigers. Ang likes computer games and music; in fact, he devotes much of his spare time to these activities.
Ling Leung (voiced by Larissa Murray) is seventeen years old. Like her brother Ang, she is highly accomplished in martial arts and knowledgeable of the ancient philosophies of the Golden Dragon. Ling has always thought that, since she was the better fighter, she would be the next Golden Dragon. When Ang is selected, she is left filled with hatred, anger and humiliation. After leaving the Dragon Dojo, Ling is approached by the Zodiac Master, who asks her to join him with the promise that he will make her a dragon. Agreeing, she becomes the Shadow Dragon. Ling still cares about her twin brother, even though they are now enemies by her choice. Her allegiance to the Zodiac Master often wavers based on personal or family issues. Most of the time, she fights for him, but there are occasions when she helps Ang and his friends. To power-up, Ling must say, "Empower the Shadow Dragon". Her Powerband is a dark-blue/gold. Later in the series, she also becomes a Golden Dragon and returns to the good side; giving her an identical band to Ang's. In the series finale, "The Heart of the Dragon," the twins can use their Golden Dragon powers to turn into a two-headed dragon. Ling's only romantic interest seems to be K-ho.
Beingal (voiced by Lucy Porter (first series), and Elly Fairman (second season)) is the tough, barefoot Guardian of the Temple of the Tiger. She's Ang and Ling's childhood friend and became a Temple Guardian not long before Ang was chosen to be the Golden Dragon. She has romantic feelings for Ang, becoming angry and jealous when another girl takes interest in him. She is seen to be attractive by the other temple guardians, but Ang does not seem to notice her in this way. Throughout the series, subtle hints that something is going to happen between her and Ang are given away. To power-up, Beingal must say, "Empower the tiger". Her Powerband is green with a red/orange gemstone, giving her tiger stripes, allowing her to fire her tiger claws at enemies, and also shoot green power blasts.
Supporting
Ming (voiced by Lucy Porter) is the Guardian of the Temple of the Rat. Her Powerband is black with a deep pink gemstone, giving her a long plait, resembling a rat tail and long metal claws and armor. The Rat Powerband allows Ming to change into whoever she wishes. However, her transformations are not perfect, as there is always something that differs from who she is trying to mimic (such as when she turned into a snake the gem was seen on the back of her neck, as well as when she transformed into Ang, she still retained her ponytail). Her counterpart is the Shadow Rat, who happens to be the Yin Emperor's younger sister.
Robbie is the Guardian of the Temple of the Ox. An eight-year-old boy, but when he empowers the Ox, he turns into an older man. His Powerband is gold with an orange/pink gemstone and gives him armor with an Ox-horned helmet.
Billy is the current Guardian of the Temple of the Ram. His Powerband is gold with a turquoise gemstone and makes him look half-ram, half-human with curly ram horns and rock-like skin, he is also able to create small earthquakes. Like all twelve Guardians, he has a natural spiritual connection with past Ram Guardians; such as Ang and Ling's (supposedly) late mother, Mae-Ying.
Cobra (voiced by Larissa Murray) is the Guardian of the Temple of the Snake. Her Powerband is red with a bright-yellow gemstone giving her green, snake-like skin, as well as venom and a very elasticated body.
Hye is the Guardian of the Temple of the Rabbit. Seeing as she cannot afford to allow herself strong emotions, she cannot quite feel anything much for Ang, but tells Beingal that she is Ang's comrade-in-arms, as well as that she can not ever be replaced. Her Powerband is green coloured with an orange gemstone but she is never seen empowered. Her first appearance is in the episode "Sister Sister".
Mana-Ho is the Guardian of the Temple of the Horse. A tall, blonde hair woman whose laugh is reminiscent of a horse's whinny. Her powerband is red with a blue gemstone.
K-Ho (voiced by Alan Marriott) is the guardian of the Temple of the Shadow Wolf. Ling seems to be head over heels for the young man, but Ang, seems to dislike this "lone wolf". K-Ho shows some signs that he likes Ling but does not let it interfere with his concentration. He is, unlike most of the Shadow Guardians able to care about the universal balance, not taking over the world. In the later episodes K-Ho teaches Ang and Ling skills to be better dragons, teleportation in particular. His powerband is very similar to the old Shadow Dragon band before it was turned into a Golden Dragon band. To power up, K-Ho says "Empower the Shadow Wolf".
Production
On 6 October 2001, BKN International announced the show's production as a co-production with Hong Kong-based studio Animation Enterprises.
On 17 March 2005, BKN pre-sold the series in Germany to Super RTL. Originally, the series was going to have 52 episodes produced, but this was reduced down to 36.
On 22 June 2005, BKN signed a publishing deal with The Game Factory and DeAgostini to produce multimedia based on the show.
Jeff "Swampy" Marsh was the supervising art director, and would go on to be co-creator of major children's television shows such as Phineas and Ferb
Broadcast
The series originally premiered in Latin America on Nickelodeon and eventually made its British premiere on CBBC in July 2005.
The series premiered in the US on Toon Disney's Jetix block in October 2006. Subsequently, the two-part premiere, "Trial by Fire" was shown as a Jetix Blockbuster on ABC Family in August before all Jetix programming moved to Toon Disney. The series continued to air reruns until 2009.
The last thirteen episodes of the show aired in Australia on Network Ten's Toasted TV from 19 March 2008 and ended in 2012.
Episode list
Season Two
The Temple of the Shadow Dragon, Part One
Production Number: 201
Air date: 19 March 2008 (Australia)
Written by: Sean Catherine Derek
The Emperor destroys the Temple of the Golden Dragon, forcing Ang and Ling to look for the Shadow Dragon Temple.
The Temple of the Shadow Dragon, Part Two
Production Number: 202
Air date: 20 March 2008 (Australia)
Written by: Sean Catherine Derek
Ang and Ling to travel to the Shadow Dragon Temple, to recharge their bands with Dark Yin Energy. Master Chin turns the Shadow Dragon Temple into the Double Golden Dragon Temple.
Enter the Wolf
Production Number: 203
Airdate: 21 March 2008 (Australia)
Written by: Rick Ungar
Ang and Ling encounter K-Ho, the Guardian of the Temple of the Shadow Wolf.
Cats and Dogs and Dragons
Production Number: 204
Written by: Mark Seidenberg
Our heroes set out to search for Dr. Beverly Wallis, an archaeologist friend of Master Chin's, who went missing.
Home media
United Kingdom
BKN Home Entertainment released a two-disc set containing the first 13 episodes of season 1 on 23 October 2006. A second two-disc set, containing the other 13 episodes of season 1, was supposed to be released but was cancelled after BKN Home Entertainment UK ceased operations.
United States
From 2006 to 2007, Genius Entertainment released four DVD volumes that made up a portion of season 1. The first volume was released on 31 October 2006, and contains four episodes. The second and third volumes were released on 30 January 2007, containing five episodes each. The Fourth volume was released on 22 May 2007, and contained 6 episodes. On the same day, a box set was released containing the entirety of series 1, including an exclusive fifth volume of six episodes. This box set has been known for a factory manufacturing error where the sound in the episode "Hair of the Dog" cuts out after the first minute of the episode.
Image Entertainment later released all 39 episodes in a single release boxset on 1 December 2009.
Other
The complete series was released on DVD in separate volumes in Bulgaria. Each season (13 episodes) consisted of five two-episode DVDs and one with three episodes.
Media tie-ins
In 2004, World Comics released a comic book tie-in to the series.
A Legend of the Dragon video game was released on 1 May 2007 for the Wii, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable.