Dragon Striker star Akshar Kumar teases Disney+ show's emotional depth

Actor Akshar Kumar says Disney+'s upcoming fantasy series "Dragon Striker" delivers emotional depth that audiences may not expect from a young adult show, with themes of identity, friendship and heartbreak woven throughout its magical sports action.

"Dragon Striker" premieres June 10 on Disney+ and Hulu, entering a crowded streaming landscape where genre-blending young adult series that combine fantasy action with character-driven storytelling have found growing audiences.

Kumar stars as Key, a farm boy who discovers hidden dragon powers and enrolls at Kal Asterock, an elite school for students with extraordinary abilities, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. At the school, Key teams up with goalkeeper Ssyelle to compete in Gorotama, a magical soccer-like sport central to the series.

Kumar described his character's dynamic within the group during an interview with On The Red Carpet. "I think he's one of those characters who tries to be funny a lot, but I think he is kind of the butt of the joke," Kumar said. He added that the role felt personally familiar: "In my life, in my family, I am the butt of the joke, so that was quite normal for me."

Beyond the on-field competition, Kumar said the series charts a wide sweep of adolescent experience. "It's a journey of self-discovery, it's a journey of identity, of insane amounts of energy and what it means to be a supercharged kid in a school of supercharged kids," he said.

Kumar was emphatic that the show's emotional range extends well past its action sequences. "It's rivalries, friendship, love, heartbreak, defeat, victory, it's all of those things," he said. "Maybe people don't really expect that from a teen, YA (young adult) show, but it's so deep emotionally as well, all the characters really go through it," he added.

Of all the themes in the series, Kumar said identity and chosen family resonated with him most strongly. "Identity and friendship are really strong themes in it. For that, I think that was the most powerful, the connections between chosen family," he said.

The series also incorporates a threat from an ancient evil, raising the stakes beyond the Gorotama competition as Key navigates life at Kal Asterock. "Dragon Striker" streams beginning June 10 on Disney+ and Hulu.