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Chrono Trigger Meets One Piece In New Series Dragon Striker, And It’s An Instant Must Watch

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Chrono Trigger Meets One Piece In New Series Dragon Striker, And It’s An Instant Must Watch

Modern anime, particularly the shonen variety, has served to dominate the attention of youth audiences with its spectacular serial storytelling and searing visuals. This has been a crescendoing...

Maria Nushi
June 6, 2026 10 Mins Read
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Modern anime, particularly the shonen variety, has served to dominate the attention of youth audiences with its spectacular serial storytelling and searing visuals. This has been a crescendoing phenomenon now for decades, whereas nowadays, viewers happily wait with excitement for the latest episode of Jujutsu Kaisen, other timeless classics from the 1990s never faded away, with the Drums of Liberation in One Piece’s case growing ever louder. Now, in capturing the magic that brings these shonen anime roaring to life, La Chouette Compagnie and Disney Television Animation are bringing a glorious new sports fantasy to Disney XD, Disney+, and Hulu.

Dragon Striker is about as anime-influenced as it gets, with Key (voice of Akshay Kumar) strives to leave his humble upbringing for Kal Asterock Academy, where he can become a pro Gorotama player. With the central game being essentially a smaller, powered-up soccer where different players, Key included, have special “Tama” abilities to give them an edge on the field, it’s not hard to see where the anime elements come into play. Ahead of its June 9 debut, ScreenRant got the chance to speak with Dragon Striker co-creators Charles Lefebvre and Sylvain Dos Santos about the surprising influences behind their upcoming blockbuster animated series.

Chrono Trigger Is The Top JRPG To Influence Disney’s Dragon Striker

As Variety previously reported about Lefebvre’s clear 1990s influences, counting Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy IX, and The Vision of Escaflowne, it’s perhaps unsurprising that the most acclaimed project of the three ranks among the top. With Key discovering his incredible abilities in real-time, and dangers lurking around the school including an “ancient evil”, one may reasonably draw comparisons between protagonist Crono and his allies gathered across time as they discover the prehistoric alien parasite, Lavos. The expansive lore of the game, and its wonderfully-executed multiple endings based on player actions, sets up some bold expectations for Dragon Striker.

“Chrono Trigger was my first JRPG, so I used to draw those type of universes. Dragon Striker was my opportunity to put

everything I love and I used to do in one universe.”

-Charles Lefebvre

But beyond the darker secrets to be unearthed in Dragon Striker, there’s plenty of world-building that bring light Chrono Trigger connections to the table. It’s not known how connected Dragon Striker will be to the legendary time-hopping JRPG, Key’s journey from humble origins into a larger destiny, discovering disruptive powers of his own, may feel more influenced by a multitude of anime and gaming classics.


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But connections like Key’s new teammate on the Knights, Ssyelle, and her time-manipulation abilities may strike a chord with fans of the 1995 classic. Plus, Ssyelle has a noteworthy passing resemblance to Chrono Trigger’s Marle, which seems like a solid nod—or Kid, for that matter, but that’s a discussion for another day. One can’t help but note the similarities of its floating island setting of Kal Asterock and the Dark Ages-era Kingdom of Zeal, either. Undoubtedly more connections will be exciting to unearth as more fans get to watch the series, but in some cases, they’re hardly even subtle for those who know Tama.

For A Show Influenced By Anime, Only One Piece Could Truly Take The Top Spot

Dragon Striker Meets One Piece and Chrono Trigger Knights

Dragon Striker has garnered positive impressions from critics so far due to how well it channels the shonen anime spirit without ever taking itself too seriously in the process. It creates an endearing underdog story which, while one may reasonably want to compare to shonen sports anime like Haikyuu!! and absurd sports fantasy action movie Shaolin Soccer, Sylvain Dos Santos cut straight through to confirm his top influence, One Piece, in the making of Dragon Striker.

“In terms of anime, I think my main reference is probably manga and anime like One Piece. I mean, I read One Piece for like 20 years. Back in the day, that was not the coolest anime in the world, but that was alright.

What I like with One Piece is its characters and that even though Oda doesn’t take things seriously, it’s still really intense. It’s really epic.”

-Sylvain Dos Santos

For the most part, this tracks fairly well. One Piece is among the top quintessential anime following a young dreamer striking out for greatness. It starts off innocently enough, but as Key awakens his seemingly dangerous Tama with his pyrokinetic abilities, it’ll be interesting to see just how he rises to the challenge on the field, provided he doesn’t turn it, himself, and/or his teammates into a smoldering crater first. But beyond making a loose comparison between Key’s powers and Luffy growing to grasp the powers of his Devil Fruit and mastering the various forms of Haki at his disposal, the colorful array of characters and their stories clearly left a mark.



















Grand Line · Pirate Adventure Edition
The One Piece
Anime Quiz

⚓CrewNakama

⚡PowersDevil Fruit

🌊ArcsAdventure

☠VillainsEnemies

🌎WorldBlue Sea

01

Monkey D. Luffy is the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates and dreams of becoming King of the Pirates. He gained his signature stretching abilities by eating a Devil Fruit as a child. What was this fruit originally believed to be called?




✓ Correct! The Gomu Gomu no Mi (Gum-Gum Fruit) was what Luffy’s Devil Fruit was believed to be — a Paramecia-type fruit that turned his body into rubber. Luffy accidentally ate it from the treasure chest of the Red Hair Pirates when he was a child in Foosha Village.

✗ That answer missed like a Gum-Gum Pistol in a storm! The answer is the Gomu Gomu no Mi. The Mera Mera no Mi is the Flame-Flame Fruit eaten by Ace, the Bara Bara no Mi is Buggy’s Chop-Chop Fruit, and the Hana Hana no Mi is Robin’s Flower-Flower Fruit.

02

The One Piece world is divided by a massive geological formation that runs around the entire globe, separating the oceans. What is this continent-like structure called?




✓ Correct! The Red Line is a massive continent that circles the globe vertically, dividing the world’s oceans into four seas: North Blue, South Blue, East Blue, and West Blue. It intersects with the Grand Line at two points, including the holy land of Mary Geoise.

✗ That answer missed like a Gum-Gum Pistol in a storm! The answer is the Red Line. The Grand Line is the ocean route where pirates compete, the Calm Belt is a windless sea surrounding it full of Sea Kings, and Reverse Mountain is the entry point to the Grand Line. The Red Line is the massive continent dividing the world.

03

In the One Piece world, there is a spiritual power that allows users to sense others’ presence, predict attacks, and even exert their willpower over others. What is this power called?




✓ Correct! Haki is a mysterious power that exists in every living being in the One Piece world. It comes in three types: Observation Haki (sensing), Armament Haki (invisible armor), and the rare Conqueror’s Haki (dominating willpower), which only one in a million people possess.

✗ That answer missed like a Gum-Gum Pistol in a storm! The answer is Haki. Chakra is the energy system from Naruto, Nen is from Hunter x Hunter, and Ki is from Dragon Ball. Haki is One Piece’s unique power system with three distinct forms: Observation, Armament, and Conqueror’s.

04

The Seven Warlords of the Sea (Shichibukai) were powerful pirates who worked for the World Government in exchange for pardons. Which of these characters was NOT one of the original Seven Warlords?




✓ Correct! Kaido was never a Warlord — he was one of the Four Emperors (Yonko), the most powerful pirates ruling the New World. Known as “the Strongest Creature in the World,” Kaido ruled over Wano Country with the Beast Pirates. Mihawk, Crocodile, and Doflamingo were all Warlords.

✗ That answer missed like a Gum-Gum Pistol in a storm! The answer is Kaido. Mihawk (the world’s greatest swordsman), Crocodile (the desert king of Alabasta), and Doflamingo (the Heavenly Demon) were all Warlords. Kaido was a Yonko — an Emperor of the Sea — a rank above the Warlords entirely.

05

The Marineford War arc is considered one of the most emotional and pivotal arcs in One Piece. Luffy desperately fought to save someone important to him from execution. Who was Luffy trying to save?




✓ Correct! Portgas D. Ace, Luffy’s sworn older brother, was captured by the Marines and sentenced to public execution at Marineford. Luffy broke into Impel Down prison and then stormed Marineford itself in a desperate attempt to save Ace, leading to one of the most heartbreaking moments in anime history.

✗ That answer missed like a Gum-Gum Pistol in a storm! The answer is Portgas D. Ace. Nico Robin was rescued during the Enies Lobby arc, Zoro is rarely in that kind of danger, and Sabo was believed dead at the time. Ace’s execution at Marineford triggered an all-out war between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines.

06

Roronoa Zoro is the first member to join Luffy’s crew and serves as the Straw Hats’ swordsman. He has a unique fighting style. How many swords does Zoro wield in his signature technique?




✓ Correct! Zoro is famous for his Santoryu (Three Sword Style), wielding one sword in each hand and a third in his mouth. This unique fighting style makes him one of the most distinctive swordsmen in all of anime. His dream is to become the world’s greatest swordsman by defeating Dracule Mihawk.

✗ That answer missed like a Gum-Gum Pistol in a storm! The answer is three. Zoro’s signature Santoryu (Three Sword Style) involves wielding one sword in each hand and gripping the third in his mouth. While he can fight with one or two swords, his three-sword technique is his most iconic and powerful combat form.

07

The World Government in One Piece is controlled by a mysterious group of individuals who sit at the very top of its power structure, above even the Admirals and the Fleet Admiral. What are they called?




✓ Correct! The Five Elders (Gorosei) are the highest-ranking leaders of the World Government, residing in the holy land of Mary Geoise. They command all military and political power, including the authority to order a Buster Call. Their true nature and abilities have only recently been revealed in the series.

✗ That answer missed like a Gum-Gum Pistol in a storm! The answer is the Five Elders (Gorosei). The Celestial Dragons are descendants of the founding kings but don’t rule directly, the Revolutionary Army opposes the government, and the Yonko are pirate emperors outside government control. The Gorosei sit at the absolute top.

08

It was revealed that Luffy’s Devil Fruit is not actually the Gomu Gomu no Mi, but a mythical Zoan-type fruit with a much more significant true name. What is the fruit’s real identity?




✓ Correct! The Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Sun God Nika is a Mythical Zoan-type fruit that the World Government had been hunting for 800 years. When Luffy awakened it during the Wano arc, he unlocked Gear 5 — gaining the power of “the most ridiculous ability in the world” with limitless imagination-based combat.

✗ That answer missed like a Gum-Gum Pistol in a storm! The answer is the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Sun God Nika. The Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Phoenix belongs to Marco, the Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu was Kaido’s dragon fruit, and the Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Okuchi no Makami was Yamato’s fruit. Luffy’s true fruit is the legendary Sun God Nika.

Voyage Complete
Your Pirate Bounty

/ 8

Are you King of the Pirates — or still swabbing the deck?

While the series is not necessarily setting Key up to be a Luffy clone, what Dos Santos points to in One Piece’s influence is the story’s wildly compelling team dynamic at its core, and its adventurous spirit not taking itself too seriously. Key clearly has a legacy to live up to, with his mother, the legendary champion known as the Dragon Striker. But as a 12-year-old student chasing his dreams, building his team, and discovering his destiny, Key has plenty of growing up to do over even the initial 11-episode batch, hopefully the first of many to come. Dragon Striker may strive not to take itself overly seriously, but it’s still bringing serious heat ahead of its Disney XD debut.

Dragon Striker will premiere all 11 episodes on Disney XD on June 9, 2026, with it streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.


dragon-striker-poster.jpg


Release Date

June 9, 2026

Network

Disney XD

Directors

Charles Lefebvre

Cast

  • Cast Placeholder Image

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Rebecca LaChance

    Ssyelle (voice)

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Waylon Jacobs

    Odward (voice)

  • Headshot Of Evanna Lynch

    Evanna Lynch

    Ameline (voice)


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