Iwao Takamoto (1925-2007) spent a lifetime in the animation industry and was influential in the creation of some of the most beloved characters in the medium's history, including Scooby-Doo, Atom Ant, The Jetsons' Astro, The Flintstones' Great Gazoo, and The Wacky Races' Penelope Pittstop and Muttley, all of whom he designed. Iwao Takamoto: My Life with a Thousand Characters is the story of this legendary American artist, told in his own words.

Takamoto records his experiences growing up in the heart of Los Angeles as a self-described -street kid- and his...