Glen Murakami
Encyclopedia
Glen Murakami is an Emmy Award
winning American
animator
, animation director
, and producer
best known for his work on Batman Beyond
, Teen Titans, Ben 10: Alien Force
, and Ben 10: Ultimate Alien.
as a background artist and informed Murakami when they were hiring artists at Warner Bros
.. Murakami was given a storyboard test, which he failed. But seeing his drawing talent, he was hired anyway.
Working closely with Bruce Timm
, Murakami worked as a character designer and storyboard artist from 1991 to 1993. From 1995 to 1999, Murakami worked as Art Director on Superman: The Animated Series
and The New Batman/Superman Adventures
.
for Batman Beyond
and won an Emmy Award
in 2001 for his work on the series. In addition to producing, he also was credited for story on the movie, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
.
, Murakami produced his first series without Timm, the Teen Titans.
In addition to producing, he was also character designer on the series. Murakami approached the show with an unusual design style, setting them apart from the rest of DC Comics
animated programing. The show's style was dubbed Murakanime or "Americanime
".
The popular series ran for four seasons, 65 episodes, and concluded with the movie Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo
in 2006.
to develop a series for Cartoon Network
's Ben 10 franchise. Murakami served as Executive Producer on Ben 10: Alien Force
, which ran for three seasons and 46 episodes.
Immediately following Alien Force
, Murakami and McDuffie
developed the follow-up series, Ben 10: Ultimate Alien.
announced that Murakami would be executive producer on its upcoming computer-animated television series Beware the Batman
.
comic Death Star Pirates - originally published in issues #16 through #20 of the Star Wars
kids magazine in 1998 and later collected in Star Wars Tales Volume 2 by Dark Horse Comics
.
He also drew a cover for Teen Titans Go!
, and wrote and drew for stories in Batman Adventures and Batman: Mad Love and Other Stories, winning an Eisner Award
for his work in the Batman Adventures Holiday Special.
, Alex Toth
, John Byrne, Gilbert Hernandez
and Jaime Hernandez
, and Dave Stevens
.
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
winning American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
animator
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
, animation director
Animation director
An animation director is the director in charge of all aspects of the animation process during the production of an animated film or animated segment for a live-action film...
, and producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
best known for his work on Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond is an American animated television series created by Warner Bros. Animation in collaboration with DC Comics as a continuation of the Batman legacy...
, Teen Titans, Ben 10: Alien Force
Ben 10: Alien Force
When it recalibrated it gained a more watch-like shape, a green wristband, became smaller and sleeker, and the face dial became black and green. The inside of the hourglass shape glows in different colors at special moments; these colors signify the state that the Omnitrix is presently in...
, and Ben 10: Ultimate Alien.
Animation
Murakami originally wanted to be a comic book artist. His friend from junior high and high school, Keith Weesner, got a job working on Batman: The Animated SeriesBatman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series is an American animated series based on the DC Comics character Batman. The series featured an ensemble cast of many voice-actors including Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Arleen Sorkin, and Loren Lester. The series won four Emmy Awards and was nominated...
as a background artist and informed Murakami when they were hiring artists at Warner Bros
Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation is the animation division of Warner Bros., a subsidiary of Time Warner. The studio is closely associated with the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies characters, among others. The studio is the successor to Warner Bros...
.. Murakami was given a storyboard test, which he failed. But seeing his drawing talent, he was hired anyway.
Working closely with Bruce Timm
Bruce Timm
Bruce Walter Timm is an American character designer, animator and producer. He is also a writer and artist working in comics, and is known for his contributions building the modern DC Comics animated franchise, the DC animated universe.-Animation:Timm's early career in animation was varied; he...
, Murakami worked as a character designer and storyboard artist from 1991 to 1993. From 1995 to 1999, Murakami worked as Art Director on Superman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series is an American animated television series starring DC Comics' flagship character, Superman. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on The WB from September 6, 1996 to February 12, 2000. Warner Bros...
and The New Batman/Superman Adventures
The New Batman/Superman Adventures
The New Batman/Superman Adventures is a name given to a rerun package series that combined Superman: The Animated Series with The New Batman Adventures produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It aired from 1997-2000 on Kids' WB...
.
Batman Beyond
Murakami was promoted to producerTelevision producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
for Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond is an American animated television series created by Warner Bros. Animation in collaboration with DC Comics as a continuation of the Batman legacy...
and won an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
in 2001 for his work on the series. In addition to producing, he also was credited for story on the movie, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker is a 2000 direct-to-video animated film featuring the comic book superhero Batman and his archenemy, the Joker...
.
Teen Titans
In 2002, after a decade working on shows produced by his friend and mentor Bruce TimmBruce Timm
Bruce Walter Timm is an American character designer, animator and producer. He is also a writer and artist working in comics, and is known for his contributions building the modern DC Comics animated franchise, the DC animated universe.-Animation:Timm's early career in animation was varied; he...
, Murakami produced his first series without Timm, the Teen Titans.
In addition to producing, he was also character designer on the series. Murakami approached the show with an unusual design style, setting them apart from the rest of DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
animated programing. The show's style was dubbed Murakanime or "Americanime
Anime-influenced animation
Anime-influenced animation refers to non-Japanese works of animation that emulate certain aspects of the visual style of anime. Due to Western culture, the term anime has been coined to explicitly refer to Japanese animation...
".
The popular series ran for four seasons, 65 episodes, and concluded with the movie Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo
Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo
Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo is a 2006 animated film adaptation of the DC Comics superhero team Teen Titans. It is set in the milieu of the animated series' Teen Titans that ran from 2003-2006. The film premiered on Cartoon Network on September 15, 2006...
in 2006.
Ben 10: Alien Force and Ben 10: Ultimate Alien
Following Teen Titans, Murakami teamed up with late writer Dwayne McDuffieDwayne McDuffie
Dwayne Glenn McDuffie was an American writer of comic books and television, known for creating the animated television series Static Shock, writing and producing the animated series Justice League Unlimited, and co-founding the pioneering minority-owned-and-operated comic-book company Milestone...
to develop a series for Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
's Ben 10 franchise. Murakami served as Executive Producer on Ben 10: Alien Force
Ben 10: Alien Force
When it recalibrated it gained a more watch-like shape, a green wristband, became smaller and sleeker, and the face dial became black and green. The inside of the hourglass shape glows in different colors at special moments; these colors signify the state that the Omnitrix is presently in...
, which ran for three seasons and 46 episodes.
Immediately following Alien Force
Ben 10: Alien Force
When it recalibrated it gained a more watch-like shape, a green wristband, became smaller and sleeker, and the face dial became black and green. The inside of the hourglass shape glows in different colors at special moments; these colors signify the state that the Omnitrix is presently in...
, Murakami and McDuffie
Dwayne McDuffie
Dwayne Glenn McDuffie was an American writer of comic books and television, known for creating the animated television series Static Shock, writing and producing the animated series Justice League Unlimited, and co-founding the pioneering minority-owned-and-operated comic-book company Milestone...
developed the follow-up series, Ben 10: Ultimate Alien.
Beware the Batman
In 2011, Warner Bros. AnimationWarner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation is the animation division of Warner Bros., a subsidiary of Time Warner. The studio is closely associated with the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies characters, among others. The studio is the successor to Warner Bros...
announced that Murakami would be executive producer on its upcoming computer-animated television series Beware the Batman
Beware the Batman
Beware the Batman is an upcoming American computer-animated television series based on the DC Comics superhero, Batman. The series is set to air in the United States on Cartoon Network starting in 2013, as part of their upcoming DC Nation block...
.
Comics
Murakami illustrated the Star WarsStar Wars (comics)
Comic books based on Star Wars have been published by Marvel Comics and Dark Horse Comics.-Marvel:The Marvel published a series of Star Wars comic books from 1977 to 1986, lasting 107 issues and 3 annuals....
comic Death Star Pirates - originally published in issues #16 through #20 of the Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
kids magazine in 1998 and later collected in Star Wars Tales Volume 2 by Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
.
He also drew a cover for Teen Titans Go!
Teen Titans Go!
Teen Titans Go! is a comic book series that was published by DC Comics. It is based on the 2003 animated TV series Teen Titans which is itself loosely based on the team that starred in the popular 1980s comic The New Teen Titans. The series was written by J...
, and wrote and drew for stories in Batman Adventures and Batman: Mad Love and Other Stories, winning an Eisner Award
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
for his work in the Batman Adventures Holiday Special.
Awards
- Eisner AwardEisner AwardThe Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
- Best Single Issue - 1995 - 'Batman Adventures Holiday' Special (with Paul DiniPaul DiniPaul Dini is an American writer and producer who works in the television and comic book industries. He is best known as a producer and writer for several Warner Bros./DC Comics animated series, including Star Wars: Ewoks, Tiny Toon Adventures, Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated...
, Bruce TimmBruce TimmBruce Walter Timm is an American character designer, animator and producer. He is also a writer and artist working in comics, and is known for his contributions building the modern DC Comics animated franchise, the DC animated universe.-Animation:Timm's early career in animation was varied; he...
, Ronnie del CarmenRonnie del CarmenRonnie del Carmen is an animation storyboard, story artist and designer. He was recently Story Supervisor on Pixar's tenth full-length computer-animated film titled Up and director of its accompanying short film on DVD, Dug's Special Mission.-Filmography:*The Untitled Pixar Movie That Takes You...
, and others)
- Annie AwardAnnie AwardThe Annie Awards have been presented by the Los Angeles, California branch of the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood since 1972...
- Outstanding Individual Achievement for Production Design in an Animated Television Production - 1999 - Legends of the Dark Knight - 'The New Batman/Superman Adventures'
- Annie AwardAnnie AwardThe Annie Awards have been presented by the Los Angeles, California branch of the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood since 1972...
- Outstanding Achievement in a Daytime Animated Television Production - 2001 - 'Batman Beyond' (with Jean MacCurdyJean MacCurdyJean MacCurdy is an American-born longtime animation/children's programming professional, best known for having worked at Hanna-Barbara, and for having presided over the Warner Bros...
, Alan BurnettAlan BurnettAlan Burnett is a television writer-producer particularly associated with DC Comics and Walt Disney television animation. He has had a hand in virtually every DC animated project since the waning years of the Super Friends, and continues to do so...
, Paul DiniPaul DiniPaul Dini is an American writer and producer who works in the television and comic book industries. He is best known as a producer and writer for several Warner Bros./DC Comics animated series, including Star Wars: Ewoks, Tiny Toon Adventures, Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated...
, and others)
- Emmy AwardEmmy AwardAn Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
- Outstanding Special Class Animated Program - 2001 - 'Batman Beyond' (with Jean MacCurdyJean MacCurdyJean MacCurdy is an American-born longtime animation/children's programming professional, best known for having worked at Hanna-Barbara, and for having presided over the Warner Bros...
, Alan BurnettAlan BurnettAlan Burnett is a television writer-producer particularly associated with DC Comics and Walt Disney television animation. He has had a hand in virtually every DC animated project since the waning years of the Super Friends, and continues to do so...
, Paul DiniPaul DiniPaul Dini is an American writer and producer who works in the television and comic book industries. He is best known as a producer and writer for several Warner Bros./DC Comics animated series, including Star Wars: Ewoks, Tiny Toon Adventures, Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated...
, Bruce TimmBruce TimmBruce Walter Timm is an American character designer, animator and producer. He is also a writer and artist working in comics, and is known for his contributions building the modern DC Comics animated franchise, the DC animated universe.-Animation:Timm's early career in animation was varied; he...
, Hilary Bader, Stan Berkowitz, Rich Fogel, Robert Goodman, Curt Geda, Butch Lukic, Dan RibaDan RibaDaniel Esteban “Dan” Riba is an American television director of animated cartoons. He is best known for his work on Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman/Superman Adventures, Batman Beyond, Turok: Son of Stone, Justice League , Justice League Unlimited, and...
, James Tucker, Andrea RomanoAndrea RomanoAndrea Romano is an American casting director, voice director, and voice actor, whose work includes casting, and voice directing Batman: The Animated Series, Tiny Toon Adventures, "Animaniacs", "Pinky and the Brain", Teen Titans, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and multiple Warner Bros...
)
Influences
Murakami's influences include Jack KirbyJack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
, Alex Toth
Alex Toth
Alexander Toth was an American professional cartoonist active from the 1940s through the 1980s. Toth's work began in the American comic book industry, but is known for his animation designs for Hanna-Barbera throughout the 1960s and 1970s. His work included Super Friends, Space Ghost, The...
, John Byrne, Gilbert Hernandez
Gilbert Hernandez
Gilberto Hernández, born February 1, 1957, in Oxnard, California, usually credited as Gilbert Hernandez and also known by the nickname Beto , is an American comics writer/artist...
and Jaime Hernandez
Jaime Hernandez
Jaime Hernandez is the co-creator of the black & white independent comic book Love and Rockets .-Early life:...
, and Dave Stevens
Dave Stevens
Dave Stevens was an American illustrator and comics artist. He is most famous for creating The Rocketeer comic book and film character, and for his pin-up style "glamour art" illustrations, especially of model Bettie Page...
.