Jane and The Dragon (TV series)
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- This page refers to the television series. For the book series, see "Jane and the Dragon".
| Jane and the Dragon | |
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| Genre | Computer-generated imagery |
| Running time | Approx. 23 minutes |
| Creator(s) | Martin Baynton |
| Starring | (Incomplete list) Tajja Isen, Adrian Truss, Mark Rendal, Cameron Ansell, Noah Reid |
| Country of origin | Canada, New Zealand |
| Original channel | YTV (Canada); ABC (Australia) |
| Original run | October 15, 2005–Present |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| IMDb profile | |
| TV.com summary | |
Jane and the Dragon, is a CGI animated series based on the books of the same name by Martin Baynton. The show is directed by Mike Fallows, and is co-produced by Weta Workshop in New Zealand and Nelvana Limited in Canada. The series follows the comedic exploits of Jane, an adolescent girl training to be a knight, and her friend, Dragon, a talking, flying, 300-year-old, fire-breathing dragon.
The program originally aired on YTV in Canada and on ABC in Australia. Since September 2006, it has also been running as part of the qubo block on NBC, Pax/i and Telemundo and can be seen on Five in the UK. In American broadcasts, it bears the E/I bug.
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[edit] About the series
Jane is an adolescent girl who lives in a small, unnamed, medieval European kingdom. Although she was raised to be a lady-in-waiting, Jane always dreamed of becoming a brave knight. She wins the chance to become an apprentice knight after encountering -- and befriending -- a dragon.
The series follows Jane's interactions with the rest of the castle's residents and their frequent adventures. Themes of integrity, loyalty, friendship and courage are woven through the stories. Jane frequently makes errors in judgement, but every episode ends happily.
Jane had always wanted to become a knight, despite the fact that this was a role was reserved for men. According to the backstory explained in the opening theme song, Jane received a chance to make her dream come true when the royal prince was kidnapped by a dragon. She she set out to slay the beast, but wound up befriending him instead. When Jane brings the young prince home to the castle, the king makes her a knight's apprentice. Further details of this early adventure were never explained in the series, so it remains unknown why Dragon kidnapped the prince or how Jane and Dragon came to be friends.
As an knight apprentice, Jane trains and performs various tasks and duties around the castle. Her master is wise Sir Theodore. Sir Ivon, a valiant but somewhat comical knight, has an apprentice of his own named Gunther. Gunther a boy of somewhat questionable integrity, and sees himself as Jane's rival.
Dragon helps Jane as she trains to become a knight. When she is on patrol duty, he lets her ride on his back as he flies around the castle. Jane in turn helps Dragon, who is an orphan, in his efforts to uncover the secrets of his heritage.
In addition to her best friend, Dragon, Jane has several other friends among the castle staff. Jester the royal jester, Pepper the castle cook, and Rake the castle gardener are all about Jane's age. She is also friends with Smithy, the castle blacksmith, stable hand, and squire to the knights.
Also residing in the castle are the King and Queen, their two children, Jane's parents, and Gunter's father. No other characters are seen or heard in the series.
See the List of Jane and the Dragon episodes for further details.
[edit] The Characters
The characters, were voice-acted by the Canadian actors credited below, and physically performed and motion-captured by a team of 5 actors at Weta Productions in New Zealand.
[edit] Jane
Jane is voiced by: Tajja Isen
Jane is 13 years old, and was born into the middle-class in this medieval world, the daughter of a Chamberlain and a Lady in Waiting.[1]
She found her life as a future Lady in Waiting to be boring, and wanted to become a knight and experience adventure. When she heard that the King's son Prince Cuthbert had been kidnapped by a dragon, she set out to rescue him and slay the dragon. However, upon meeting the dragon Jane befriended him instead. Her courage in rescuing the prince led to the King making Jane a knight's apprentice, and she has been training hard ever since.
Jane is close friends with Jester, Pepper, Smithy, and Rake, and has a fierce rivalry with her fellow apprentice, Gunther. But most of her time is spent with Dragon, exploring tunnels in his cave, studying Dragon Runes, or patrolling.
[edit] Dragon
Dragon is voiced by: Adrian Truss
Dragon is Jane's best friend and is always there when she needs him. Dragon was born 300 years[2] before the series began, in a cave not far from the castle. It is here that he meets Jane for the very first time. His home is actually in the mountain, full of secret tunnels and traps that were set by his father.
Dragon is an orphan, so he had to teach himself how to fly as well other things to surivive. As a baby he was captured by humans and kept a pet, and was traded many times before escaping. He taught himself how to speak and stayed away from all humans. After many years, he finally set out on a mission to find a master and discover more about the History of Dragons.
After being discovered by Jane, he accompanied her and helped her with her goal of becoming a knight. He is also friends with Jane's friends Rake, Smithy, Pepper and Jester. Dragon enjoys toilet jokes, burning things, teasing Jane and her friends, lazing about the castle, and having adventures.
[edit] Jester
Jester is voiced by: Mark Rendall
The jester of the king's royal court is fourteen-year-old Jester.[3] His talents include reading, singing, composing, dancing, juggling and cartwheeling. He receives free tutoring and lodging, but is not paid for his position as Court Jester. He is gifted with generosity, an excellent memory and a quick wit. His blue outfit features a jigsaw-puzzle motif and includes a hat with two bells.
Jester is one of Jane's most loyal friends, and often provides her with encouragement. His actions in a late episode indicate a romantic attraction to Jane.
[edit] Smithy
Smithy is voiced by: Alex House
Smithy is the castle blacksmith, stable hand, and a squire to the knights.[4] He keeps their horses shod, their swords sharp, their armor in good repair, and their reputations intact. Give him some iron, rope or wood and he’s a real Da Vinci; he can engineer all kinds of labor saving devices for the castle. He also has a way with animals, a calm confidence that all creatures seem to respond to - all except Dragon.
Smithy has a pet pig called "Pig". She often runs in a wheel that pumps the bellows for his fire, and Smithy says he cares about her just like Jane does Dragon.
Smithy is calm, caring, and quiet. He is also the most mature of Jane’s friends and always keeps his head in an emergency. Although he is always willing to help a friend, Smithy will seldom ask for help himself. Dragon’s clumsiness goes hard for Smithy, who often has to clean up after him, or find ways to salvage burnt items.
[edit] Pepper
Pepper is voiced by: Sunday Muse
Pepper is 12 years old. She works long hours in the Royal kitchens and is rarely able to go outside, being which is why she’s so pale.[5] Pepper loves her work and puts a lot of effort into experimenting with new dishes. Unfortunately, she's not a very good cook.
Pepper is Jane's only female friend. Pepper can be rather shy, but is always ready to help her friends. She is especially close to Rake.
[edit] Rake
Rake is voiced by: Will Seatle Bowes
Thirteen-year-old Rake is the royal gardener.[6] He is introverted and deeply devoted to his craft. His gardening talents are displayed in the topiary of the Royal Garden, although he seems to spend more time growing foodstuffs than maintaining ornamental plants. He has rarely been outside the castle walls, or even to the higher places within the castle.
He is openly affectionate to Pepper the kitchen maid.
[edit] Gunther
Gunther is voiced by: Noah Reid
The loner of the castle, Gunther struggles to balance his loyalty to his merchant father and his loyalty to the Knight’s Code of Honour. Gunther's father Magnus believes that being a knight is simply about being a good swordsman, and has no problem with coercing Gunther into dishonorable activities. These situations reveal Gunther’s greatest strength: his quick and resourceful thinking. Gunther often manages to resolve the sticky situations his father creates without damaging his reputation. Although Gunther cannot be relied upon to always make an ethical decision, he usually will act morally by the end of an episode.
Working for his father often causes Gunther to fall behind with his studies. Because Jane does not have the same problem, Gunther occasionally attempts to level the playing field. He can easily best Jane when it comes to strength, but lacks her people skills and is far less popular with others. Despite the tension that often arises between the two, Gunther is not openly jealous of Jane's success and popularity.
[edit] Magnus, the merchant
The merchant is voiced by: Clive Walton
The merchant is an obese, wealthy, greedy, intelligent and unscrupulous man. He is Gunther's father. He hates Dragon and would love to sell his teeth for money.
[edit] King Caradoc
The King is voiced by: Juan Chioran
A good-humored soul, this king has little patience for the affairs of state. He much prefers hunting, fishing and dancing - a lifestyle that has all but bankrupted the kingdom. He loves also loves cabbage. Is the younger brother to the real "King Caradoc"(died before crowning), kept his brother's name so people remember him.
[edit] Queen Gwendoline
The Queen is voiced by: Alex Belcourt
The Queen is rather the quiet type, and quite self-concious about her looks. She is on good grounds with Jane, and loves her husband and two children very much.
[edit] Prince Cuthbert
Prince Cuthbert is voiced by: Cameron Ansell
Prince Cuthbert is the kingdom's heir apparent. He is about seven years old. A selfish child, he takes what he wants and is very hard to impress. The king tends to indulge him.
Cuthbert is the prince that Dragon had kidnapped, precipitating the friendship between Jane and Dragon.
[edit] Princess Lavinia
Princess Lavinia is voice by: Isabel De Carteret
Lavinia is a sweet, caring little girl of about four years old. She looks up to Jane as a true hero. Lavinia has a pair of costume dragon wings made for herself in honor of Jane and Dragon. She enjoys playing games, looking through Rake's garden and hearing stories from Jane.
[edit] Sir Theodore
Sir Theodore is voiced by: Aron Tager
Sir Theodore is a wise knight. As Jane's mentor, he displays patience and understanding.
[edit] Sir Ivon
Sir Ivon is voiced by: Ben Campbell
Loud, enthusiastic, short-tempered, and very, very Scottish, Sir Ivon is Gunther's mentor. He has a deep love of weapons of any kind, from swords and axes to the fearsome chopping-machines he invents himself. Despite his love of violence and fighting, he has a kind nature beneath it all, although it is often cancelled out by his impatience. He tries to do his best by Gunther, but it is clear he is oblivious to the Merchant's manipulations, and often gives his young apprentice odious chores as punishment for his short-comings.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.qubo.com/jane_meet.asp Jane
- ^ http://www.qubo.com/jane_meet.asp?cast=dragon Dragon
- ^ http://www.qubo.com/jane_meet.asp?cast=jester Jester
- ^ http://www.qubo.com/jane_meet.asp?cast=smithy Smithy
- ^ http://www.qubo.com/jane_meet.asp?cast=pepper Pepper
- ^ http://www.qubo.com/jane_meet.asp?cast=rake Rake
