One of the biggest surprises to emerge from Anime Expo 2026 wasn’t a new trailer or casting announcement—it was the revelation that Disney encouraged the Dragon Striker team to make the series even more ambitious.
During a panel discussing the anime-inspired Disney+ original, creator and director Charles Lefevbe, creator and executive producer Sylvain Dos Santos, and head writer Paul McKeown reflected on how the project evolved from a love letter to sports anime into one of Disney’s boldest animated productions.
Speaking during the event, covered by Laughing Place, the team explained that they initially feared Disney would ask them to tone down the anime-inspired action. Instead, they received the exact opposite feedback, giving them the confidence to fully embrace the show’s over-the-top style.
Disney pushed Dragon Striker’s action beyond the creators’ expectations
Lefevbe recalled a meeting centered around a sequence where protagonist Key unlocks his Tama powers. Expecting Disney to request a more restrained approach, the team prepared to defend the scene.
Instead, Disney challenged them to go even bigger.
Lefevbe remembered the studio’s response:
“It’s not the thing. It’s not going far enough. You have to push more, far bigger.”
He admitted the feedback came as a complete surprise, adding that it convinced the team they could truly create an anime-inspired series within Disney.
Head writer McKeown echoed that excitement, explaining that combining Disney animation with anime influences had always been a personal dream.
“The fact that we got the opportunity to bring these two things together is like an absolute dream come true,”
he said, praising Disney for trusting the creative team to pursue that vision.
Classic sports anime inspired Dragon Striker’s magical world
Dos Santos also discussed the origins of Dragon Striker, revealing that legendary sports anime such as Captain Tsubasa and Inazuma Eleven served as major inspirations.
However, the team wanted one important difference. Instead of mysterious powers that only viewers might perceive, they built a universe where magic is an accepted part of everyday life. Explaining the concept, Dos Santos said,
“Everybody can see it, everybody can feel it.”
Whether dragons appear or characters freeze opponents on the field, those supernatural events are real within the story’s world.
He added that blending fantasy with competitive sports became the foundation of the series, eventually leading to the creation of the Tama power system that defines the show’s action.
The creators also spoke about their favorite characters, with Lefevbe choosing Skadi, McKeown highlighting Ssyelle for her emotional depth, and Dos Santos selecting Milo because his journey reflects one of the show’s central messages.
According to Dos Santos, Milo proves that success isn’t determined by having the strongest abilities but by believing in yourself, relying on friends, and continuing to grow.
The panel concluded with another major announcement for fans, as the team confirmed that Dragon Striker has been renewed for a second season, ensuring that Key’s magical sports adventure will continue on Disney+.
