As FIFA World Cup fun ends across New Jersey, a new soccer show has emerged starring an M/M couple having their own Heated Rivalry of sorts in a brand-new anime series, which is streaming from The Walt Disney Co.
The show Dragon Strikers is about competition, legacy and friendship in a magical world where soccer matches are elevated by “Tamas,” user-specific power moves that are as flashy as they are ferocious. Players might call upon giant dragons or shoot jelly from their hands, all for the glory of scoring a goal. The main crew’s teamwork, along with a queer romance involving one of them with a rival player, make it a must-watch series.
It’s a story about a plucky team of misfits, a chosen family. One member of the core five Knights, is Odward. Odward Stonegarden [voiced by Waylon Jacobs] is an incredibly self-assured and confident “Gorotama” player who offers more than a signature snark. Not only is he incredibly strong on the field, commanding illusions against other teams, but Odward is also savvy in his determination. He tells it like it is, keeps folks’ egos in check and is quite observant along his journey in the show.
Opposite Odward is Casper Ferreiro [Stefan Trout], a metal-manipulating rule breaker who begins playing on the same team [both literally and figuratively] until a disagreement causes Odward to break off. In defiance and newly single, Odward joins the Knights to be their fifth and final player. [Gorotama is a five-versus-five game.]
Where is the romance? It’s the lack thereof that’s intriguing. The exes cross paths throughout the rest of the series. Whether it’s a rude diss on campus or a more intimate grilling, their shared moments offer a new kind of romance. Something is brewing between them, even when they’re at total odds, and that may be true love.
As teammates of the duo find out about their fallout, they all treat the breakup as though it’s a regular thing. Nobody is freaking out or overcoming homophobic odds; it can just be a breakup worth watching. Their friends sense the tension and act accordingly, which can show the next generation how to affirm similar situations.
Their later run-ins gush with contempt and a past worth unraveling, but [whether it’s due to Disney’s self-censorship or time constraints] we don’t get every answer. That’s OK. We’re past the Love, Simon era when gayness felt like a character itself; now it’s just a part of their history.
These are two male characters whose love song is more of a muddled medley. Still, Odward’s love interest and romantic storyline are the largest on the show. No other couples are really explored, giving the minimal interactions between the two in the spotlight a refreshing dose of humanity in an overtly magical story.
Folks were given a huge #MagnetMirror moment in the Season 1 finale, which coincidentally aired this past Pride Month. Their feud culminates in a close kicking match on the field where the two weave around each other, going after the ball. For a brief moment, they are blushing in each other’s arms, lips nearly touching, but then it’s back to the game. It’s a stealthily smart way to share their unresolved issues in the storytelling about the sport, raising the game beyond just getting a goal. More than that, it’s an incredible feat of animation as the show races along this 60-second clip showing their rage, love and every emotion in between.
“Odward is the biggest goat here in the series 😭” shared one X user. TikTok edits of the two have also been popping up and uniting queer fans across the internet.
Battling your ex on the soccer field is no joke, and the finale of Season 1 will give our characters plenty to think about beyond just their romantic endeavors. Somebody is secretly stealing powers, someone else is getting so strong that it’s dangerous, and we’re only 11 episodes in. This is only just the beginning.
Season 2 of “Dragon Strikers” arrives in January 2027, and you already know we’ll be looking for more tension-filled moments between Odward and Casper. According to digital entertainment publication Collider, the series is not available to stream in countries such as Saudi Arabia because of the romance portrayed by Odward and Casper.
