Keto Shimizu
{{Short description|American television and comic book writer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Keto Shimizu
| image = HeadShot01-adjusted.jpg
|caption=Keto Shimizu in November 2015
| spouse = Christopher "Bradley" Lastrapes{{cite web|url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/celebrations/engagements/shimizu-lastrapes/article_d43c6832-96fb-11e3-9515-001a4bcf6878.html|title=Shimizu-Lastrapes|work=Tulsa World|date=February 16, 2014|accessdate=September 30, 2014}}
| occupation = Television and comic book writer
| other_names =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|12|23}}
| birth_place = Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.
| years_active = 2006–present
| children = 2
}}
Keto Shimizu (born December 23, 1984) is an American television writer, producer, and comic book writer. She is known for her work on the North American adaptation of Being Human and for her substantial contributions to Greg Berlanti{{'}}s and The CW{{'}}s Arrowverse, including being the showrunner of Legends of Tomorrow.
Life and career
Shimizu accredits her love for storytelling to Waldorf teachings, as her mother Patricia was one of the founders of the first Waldorf school in Princeton, New Jersey.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}} Shimizu's father Yoshiaki was Japanese, and a historian of Asian art.{{Cite web|url=https://www.princeton.edu/news/2021/02/12/yoshiaki-shimizu-distinguished-scholar-who-transformed-study-japanese-art-and|title=Yoshiaki Shimizu, distinguished scholar who 'transformed the study of Japanese art' and Princeton graduate alumnus, dies at 84|website=Princeton University}} She graduated from Twinfield High School in Plainfield, VT, and Emerson College in Boston. Shimizu and her husband, Christopher Lastrapes, have two sons together.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/ketomizu/status/696930365160714240|title=Baby doing gymnastics AND yoga in my uterus while I'm trying to watch The X-Files. #pregnancyproblems #thirdtrimesterjoys|first=Keto|last=Shimizu|work=Twitter|date=February 9, 2016|accessdate=February 9, 2016}}
Shimizu is an fan of Batman, and attributes comic book and television writer Paul Dini as being a notable favorite interpreter.{{cite web|url=http://asiapacificarts.usc.edu/article@apa?behind_the_cape_interview_with_tv_writer_keto_shimizu_17210.aspx|title=Behind The Cape: Interview with TV writer Keto Shimizu|work=asia pacific arts|first=Andrea|last=Apuy|date=August 19, 2011|accessdate=September 11, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170226050109/http://asiapacificarts.usc.edu/article@apa?behind_the_cape_interview_with_tv_writer_keto_shimizu_17210.aspx|archive-date=February 26, 2017|url-status=dead}} She also counts John Ostrander, Alan Moore, Kurt Busiek, Frank Miller, and Chris Claremont as influences in her writing.{{cite web |last=Beedle |first=Tim |date=January 19, 2015 |title=DC Voices: An Interview with Keto Shimizu |url=http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2015/01/19/dc-voices-an-interview-with-keto-shimizu |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150120025749/http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2015/01/19/dc-voices-an-interview-with-keto-shimizu |archive-date=January 20, 2015 |accessdate=January 20, 2015 |work=DC Comics}}
Her first foray into film was with the western short Razor Man, which she wrote and directed, in 2006. The film depicts a lone gunslinger's quest for vengeance in rural 1891 Colorado. In 2007, she directed and wrote a second short film entitled Threads.
She has worked a vast array of positions in her career including post-production assistant (The Spirit, Tron: Legacy), visual effects editorial coordinator (Clash of the Titans), cinematographer (short film The Storm), and camera operator/first assistant to camera (web series Downers Grove).
She worked as a staff writer on the short-lived NBC series The Cape.{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/people/keto-shimizu/|title=Keto Shimizu|work=TV.com|accessdate=September 10, 2014|archive-date=January 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116181000/http://www.tv.com/people/keto-shimizu/|url-status=dead}}
She is openly bisexual.{{Cite web |last=Shimizu |first=Keto |date=2022-02-26 |title=If I didn't already know I was Bi, this photo would force the issue. Daaaaamn. |url=https://twitter.com/ketomizu/status/1497639286161612805 |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=Twitter |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Shimizu |first=Keto |date=2023-03-12 |title=Selma Hayek just reconfirmed my bisexuality. Wow. #Oscars2023 |url=https://twitter.com/ketomizu/status/1635094206569148416 |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=Twitter |language=en}}
= ''Being Human'' =
In 2012, she joined the Syfy adaptation of Being Human, as a story editor. She went on to become a writer on the show, scripting three episodes ("Dream Reaper", "I'm So Lonesome I Could Die", and "Of Mice and Wolfman").
= Arrowverse =
In the summer of 2013, Shimizu boarded the DC Comics produced Green Arrow origin series Arrow, as an executive story editor and writer. Her first episode she co-wrote, with executive producer Marc Guggenheim, was "Broken Dolls", which was critically lauded. Other sophomore season episodes she contributed to include "Blast Radius", "Suicide Squad", and "The Man Under the Hood".
On July 9, 2014, it was reported that a prequel comic book series would debut in September of that year to bridge the second and third seasons of Arrow, written by Shimizu and Guggenheim, entitled Arrow 2.5. Some of her work emphasizes the characters she established, with Bryan Q. Miller, in the episode "Suicide Squad".{{cite web |last=Sands |first=Rich |date=July 9, 2014 |title=Exclusive: DC Entertainment Launches New Arrow and The Flash Digital Comics |url=http://www.tvguide.com/News/DC-Arrow-Comics-1084098.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140712005322/http://www.tvguide.com/News/DC-Arrow-Comics-1084098.aspx |archive-date=July 12, 2014 |accessdate=September 10, 2014 |work=TV Guide}}{{cite web |last=Burlingame |first=Russ |date=September 9, 2014 |title=Arrow Season 2.5: Details on the Suicide Squad Backup Revealed |url=http://comicbook.com/2014/09/09/arrow-season-2-5-details-on-the-suicide-squad-backup-revealed/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912035442/http://comicbook.com/2014/09/09/arrow-season-2-5-details-on-the-suicide-squad-backup-revealed/ |archive-date=September 12, 2014 |accessdate=September 30, 2014 |work=ComicBook.com}}
With the commencement of the series' third season, Shimizu was promoted to co-producer, along with Ben Sokolowski. She and co-executive producer Jake Coburn co-wrote the season's second installment, "Sara". She co-wrote the sixth episode, "Guilty", with co-executive producer Erik Oleson. She and Coburn co-penned the season's mid-season finale "The Climb", which introduced supervillain Ra's al Ghul (Matt Nable). Shimizu scripted her first solo outing with "Suicidal Tendencies", helmed by Jesse Warn. It saw the reformation of Task Force X, with new member Cupid/Carrie Cutter; and explored the past of Deadshot.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/mguggenheim/status/560519746567680000|title=Arrow 3x17 begins filming today. Written by @ketomizu. Directed by @JesseWarn @Captain_Rowe |work=Twitter|last=Guggenheim|first=Marc|date=January 28, 2015|accessdate=January 29, 2015}}
Shimizu co-wrote, with Sokolowski, the fourteenth episode, "Fallout", of Arrow's sister-series The Flash. It showcased the DC superhero Firestorm (Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein) and featured the debut of supervillain Gorilla Grodd.
During the 2015 Winter Television Critics Association tour, The CW announced an animated miniseries, Vixen, centered around the DC heroine. It premiered on CW Seed in August of the year, and was released weekly on Tuesdays. It shares the same universe as Arrow and The Flash. The series is written by Shimizu, Arrow showrunner Wendy Mericle, Brian Ford Sullivan, and comic book writer Lauren Certo.{{cite web |last=Ching |first=Albert |date=January 12, 2015 |title=Guggenheim Talks "Pushing the Envelope" in "Arrow"/"Flash" Animated Spinoff "Vixen" |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=58392 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150112200627/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=58392 |archive-date=January 12, 2015 |accessdate=January 20, 2015 |work=Comic Book Resources}}
At the start of production for Arrow's fourth season, Shimizu was promoted once again; being named producer, along with Sokolowski.{{cite web |last=Cassidy |first=Katie |author-link=Katie Cassidy |date=July 30, 2015 |title=#Arrow |url=https://twitter.com/MzKatieCassidy/status/626953011785547776 |accessdate=August 28, 2015 |publisher=Twitter}} She co-scripted the second episode of the season "The Candidate" with Guggenheim; which saw the introduction of supervillain Anarky.{{cite web|last=Guggenheim|first=Marc|title=Arrow Ep. 402, co-written by @ketomizu, begins production today.|url=https://twitter.com/mguggenheim/status/624263560177188864|work=Twitter|date=July 23, 2015|accessdate=September 24, 2015}} She and new co-executive producer Speed Weed wrote the seventh episode "Brotherhood".{{cite web|last=Guggenheim|first=Marc|title=Arrow Ep. 407 begins production today. Written by @ketomizu & @RealSpeedWeed and Directed by @JamesBamford|url=https://twitter.com/mguggenheim/status/645975814245236737|work=Twitter|date=September 21, 2015|accessdate=September 24, 2015}} Shimizu next contributed to the 13th episode "Sins of the Father" with Sokolowski;{{cite web|last=Guggenheim|first=Marc|title=Arrow Ep. 413 is in production. Written by @ketomizu & @BenSokolowski|url=https://twitter.com/mguggenheim/status/674736020479315968|work=Twitter|date=December 9, 2015|accessdate=February 6, 2016}} and the 15th episode "Taken", which she and Sullivan wrote a teleplay for, based on a story from Guggenheim; and the critically panned "Eleven-Fifty-Nine", co-written with Guggenheim.{{cite web|last=Guggenheim|first=Marc|title=Arrow Ep. 415 is in production. @ketomizu @briforsul @gregorythesmith @Megalyn |url=https://twitter.com/mguggenheim/status/687480692045787136|work=Twitter|date=January 13, 2016|accessdate=February 6, 2016}}
With the conclusion of the fourth season, Shimizu departed Arrow and relocated to spin-off DC's Legends of Tomorrow in its second season as co-executive producer, which featured the Justice Society of America.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/ketomizu/status/719616820366438400|title=Farewell, dear #Arrow. It's been an amazing 3-year adventure. Hello #legendsoftomorrow, an…|work=Twitter|last=Shimizu|first=Keto|date=April 11, 2016|accessdate=July 21, 2016}} She co-wrote the Reagan-era episode "Compromised", the George Lucas-themed "Raiders of the Lost Art", the dinosaur-filled "Land of the Lost", and the Tolkien-inspired "Fellowship of the Spear". Jesse Schedeen of IGN, Rob Bricken of Io9, and Charlie Ridgely of ComicBook.com all described the revamped second season as "the best DC TV series."{{cite web |last=Schedeen |first=Jesse |date=March 28, 2017 |title=WHY LEGENDS OF TOMORROW IS NOW THE CW'S BEST DC COMICS SERIES |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/03/28/why-legends-of-tomorrow-is-now-the-cws-best-dc-comics-series |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170328184214/http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/03/28/why-legends-of-tomorrow-is-now-the-cws-best-dc-comics-series |archive-date=March 28, 2017 |accessdate=June 20, 2017 |work=IGN}}{{cite web |last=Bricken |first=Rob |date=January 25, 2017 |title=Suddenly, Legends of Tomorrow Is DC's Best (and Most Fun) TV show |url=http://io9.gizmodo.com/suddenly-legends-of-tomorrow-is-dcs-best-and-most-fun-1791617787 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170125202258/http://io9.gizmodo.com/suddenly-legends-of-tomorrow-is-dcs-best-and-most-fun-1791617787 |archive-date=January 25, 2017 |accessdate=June 20, 2017 |work=Io9}}{{cite web |last=Ridgely |first=Charlie |date=September 5, 2017 |title=Why Legends Of Tomorrow Is The Best DC TV Show |url=http://comicbook.com/dc/2017/01/18/why-legends-of-tomorrow-is-the-best-dc-tv-show/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170120085521/http://comicbook.com/dc/2017/01/18/why-legends-of-tomorrow-is-the-best-dc-tv-show/ |archive-date=January 20, 2017 |accessdate=June 20, 2017 |work=ComicBook.com}}
At the beginning of Legends of Tomorrow's fourth season, Shimizu was named executive producer and co-showrunner of the series.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}} After her promotion, Shimizu would go onto write an additional 12 episodes of the show, including the series finale "Knocked Down, Knocked Up".{{Cite web |date=2022-02-28 |title=Knocked Down, Knocked Up - DC's Legends of Tomorrow - CBS Detroit |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/knocked-down-knocked-up-dcs-legends-0f-tomorrow/ |access-date=2023-09-03 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|2582956|Keto Shimizu}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Shimizu, Keto}}
Category:21st-century American women writers
Category:21st-century American screenwriters
Category:American bisexual women
Category:American LGBTQ screenwriters
Category:American television writers
Category:American women television producers
Category:American women television writers
Category:American writers of Japanese descent
Category:Bisexual screenwriters
Category:Screenwriters from New Jersey