Jake Long:
Jake is a proud and yet kind and loyal thirteen-year-old (fourteen years old in the second season) skateboarder who is, in secret, a dragon. He uses his duties as a dragon to help defend the underground magical world of New York City, while continuing his training into becoming the first American Dragon. He's a big show off, but at the end of the day, he shows a strong sense of responsibility and a greater sense of maturity. It is revealed that Jake's reckless time traveling turned the Huntsman into the cruel monster he is today. However, doing so, he helped secure his family's secret. Jake is famous for being the second dragon to survive an encounter with the Dark Dragon and the first to do so twice.
(Luong) Lao Shi:
Lao, as Jake's Chinese Dragon maternal grandfather, is a Dragon Master who teaches Jake the necessary skills in becoming a protector of magical creatures. He runs the Canal Street Electronics shop, which is infamous for never having any customers (the shop's slogan is "Never had a customer, never had a sale"), and in turn, uses this location as the main headquarters for all operations. His friend Fu Dog is his guardian who can create magical potions to assist in these missions. Lao's attempts at training Jake can, at times, cause more damage than help. However, Jake learns and puts into use the skills that are essential in becoming the American Dragon. He is famous for being the first dragon to face the Dark Dragon and live to tell about it, and insisted that he train Jake himself in case the Dark Dragon should return; before this encounter, he was very laid back, but matured immensely after defeating him. The name, Luong Lao Shi, appears to be a Romanized translation of the Chinese words for "dragon" and "teacher".
Fu Dog:
Fu is a six hundred-year-old talking Shar Pei and Lao's only companion, who speaks with a Brooklyn accent. Like many magical animals, Fu is able to walk upright, and has no trouble using his front paws as hands despite the apparent absence of opposable thumbs. He's particularly skilled at potion-mixing. Despite his age, he frequently keeps up-to-date with current trends and events that will occasionally put him at odds with Lao Shi. He is somewhat lecherous, and is infamous for constantly gambling and placing bets on Jake in battles; he owes an immense amount of money to many magical beings as a result.
Trixie Carter:
As one of Jake's human best friends, she is sassy, vivacious and is a judgmental character. She is a fashion enthusiast, yet she does not necessarily partake in typical wear. In the situation of Jake and Rose's relationship, Trixie has always shown a dislike and distrust towards Rose advising Jake to be wary around her. But over time, she started to be more supportive of their relationship and even tried to help Jake move on once she was gone.
Spud:
Spud is Jake's other human best friend who, although apparently slow-witted, is actually a genius (he just doesn't want to live with the pressure of being a genius child). He owns a laptop computer that sports surveillance capabilities and other functions that assist him in the field. His philosophy is that he believes that all play and no work is just as bad as all work and no play and he wants to be the medium. He apparently has magical potential and may have a wizard heritage as evidenced by him being able to use Panderis' wand and his grandpa knowing how to seal away the genie in taranushis chalice and his grandpa telling him stories about the mermaid city.In the episode "Something Fishy This Way Comes," it is revealed that he has a fascination with the advanced mermaid city. In the episode "Homecoming" he and Trixie finally decide they are only friends and nothing more.
Rose / Jägergirl:
Rose, Jake's primary love interest, is a member of the Huntsclan. There is a birthmark on her right palm and wrist resembling a Chinese dragon, otherwise known as the "Mark of the Huntsclan." She was born an identical twin, but was taken away from her family as a newborn by The Huntsman after recognizing "the Mark of the Huntsclan" on her right palm and wrist. Jake eventually learns of her secret identity as the Huntsgirl, whom in one episode is addressed by the Huntsman as "Thorn", a play on her real name that reflects her "evil side" and she, in return, eventually learns that Jake is the American Dragon. Contrary to expectation, Rose helped Jake throughout the show until the Huntsman learned of their relationship. After Rose's wish for all Huntsclan to be destroyed (herself included) was granted, Jake immediately wished that Rose had never become a member of the Huntsclan thus rewriting history and, resulting in a normal life for her but also meaning that their relationship had never been. However in the series finale, she later learns of the relationship and helps Jake defeat the Dark Dragon. After defeating the Dark Dragon, it can be assumed that she and Jake started a long distance relationship. It is unknown what became of her twin sister..
Haley Long:
Haley is Jake's seven-year-old little sister who is quite intelligent, talented, a bit of a perfectionist, and a goody two shoes, much to Jake's annoyance. Jake often refers to her as his Achilles heel. He was shocked to discover that Haley is second in line to become the American Dragon. She is currently under the guidance of Sun Park in order to learn and acquire the skills necessary to become the American Dragon. Haley tries hard in school unlike Jake. She is also quick to point out Jake's faults and make herself look superior to him. Yet, deep down, she looks up to him.In the episode Being Human. After Jake became suspended of his dragon duties,she became his replacement for one week.Upon learning of how much of responsibilities Jake has as the American Dragon she quickly defended him when her grandfather and her dragon teacher Sun Park called Jake irresponsible upon finding out what he did to the dragon council was his own doing.
Jonathan Long:
As Jake's well-meaning American father, he's a normal human who has no clue that he's married into a whole family of magical and mystical fire-breathing dragons. He has a sister. Even though his last name is also a valid Chinese surname, Johnathan has no Chinese ancestry. He eventually learns that his family members are dragons, when he sees Haley in her dragon form, in the series finale and is completely accepting.
Susan Long:
Jake's Chinese human-born to Dragon ancestry mother. She does not appear to have inherited any natural dragon powers and abilities, for it skipped her generation. Throughout the series, she keeps the family secret from Jonathan out of fears that he would freak out and (possibly) leave her; yet, this does not occur. However, on the last day of twelfth grade, she wrote a letter explaining her families dragon powers and abilities, but never gave it to him. In one episode, Jake went back in time, took the note and put it in his father's locker causing him to actually leave her but he solved this problem. In the last episode her husband finally finds out of his wife's family history.
Hans Rotwood:
Jake's evil teacher who eventually becomes principal. He believes in magical creatures and by the middle of season two, he is able to trick Jake into revealing himself as a dragon to him. He used to be a famous professor, until his theories on magical creatures humiliated him in front of his peers, destroyed his credibility as a scientific researcher, got him fired from his job at the Hoboken Science Institute, and reduced him to his current position at Jake's school. In the near end of season two in the episode "Magic Enemy #1." He attempts to make Jake reveal himself as being a dragon by humiliating him at school but by the end of the episode after seeing the magical world he is satisfied and refrains himself from further attempts in proving Jake's a dragon.
Großer Jäger:
The Huntsman (referred to as "Huntsmaster" by his subordinates) is the leader of the Huntsclan and the main antagonist of the series. The Dragon Council rates him as the #4 threat to the magical community. Though he is quite powerful on his own, he commonly leaves his minions to do the fighting for him. It is revealed in one episode that he is the monster he is today due to Jake's reckless usage of time travel. He ultimately meets his demise when Rose's wish to destroy all Huntsclan is granted. The Huntsman was originally Rose's first guardian because he took her from her parents as an infant which ultimately resulted in giving her the idea that her parents were deceased.