Teen Titans (TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Teen Titans |
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| Genre | Superhero Teen drama Action |
| Developed by | Glen Murakami Sam Register |
| Voices of | |
| Theme music composer | Andy Sturmer |
| Opening theme | "Teen Titans Theme", performed by Puffy AmiYumi |
| Ending theme | "Teen Titans Theme" |
| Composer(s) |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 65 (as well as a TV movie) (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
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| Producer(s) |
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| Running time | 23 minutes |
| Production company(s) | DC Comics (season 5) Warner Bros. Animation |
| Distributor | Warner Bros. Television Distribution |
| Release | |
| Original network | Cartoon Network Kids' WB |
| Picture format | 480i (SDTV) 1080p (HDTV, digital, BD) |
| Audio format | Stereo (DVD) Dolby Surround (BD) |
| Original release | July 19, 2003 – September 15, 2006 |
| Chronology | |
| Followed by | Teen Titans Go! (2013–present) |
Teen Titans is an exciting American animated superhero TV series. It was created by Glen Murakami and Sam Register. The show is based on the famous DC Comics superhero team.
The series first aired on Cartoon Network on July 19, 2003. Its first two seasons also showed on Kids' WB. Even though only four seasons were planned, the show became so popular that Cartoon Network ordered a fifth season! The last regular episode, "Things Change", aired on January 16, 2006. Later, a TV movie called Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo came out on September 15, 2006. This movie served as the show's big finale.
Teen Titans became one of Cartoon Network's most loved shows. People praised its character development and how it dealt with serious topics. The show also had a lot of humor. It was nominated for several awards, including three Annie Awards. The show led to many spin-off products like comics, video games, music, and toys. In 2013, a new spin-off show, Teen Titans Go!, began. It even had its own movie, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, released in 2018.
Contents
Meet the Teen Titans
Teen Titans mostly gets its ideas from the 1980s comic stories by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez. The show features a similar group of heroes. The five main members of the team are:
- Robin (Scott Menville): He is the smart and strong leader of the Teen Titans.
- Starfire (Hynden Walch): She is a fun and curious alien princess from the planet Tamaran.
- Cyborg (Khary Payton): He is half-human and half-robot, known for his super strength and tech skills.
- Raven (Tara Strong): She is a quiet girl from a different world called Azarath. She uses dark energy and mind powers.
- Beast Boy (Greg Cipes): He is a friendly joker who can change into any animal.
The team lives in Titans Tower. This is a huge T-shaped building with living areas, a command center, and training rooms. It's on an island near Jump City, a big city on the West Coast. The team stops criminals and protects the city. They also learn to deal with growing up, their friendships, and their own limits.
Adventures of the Team
Each season of Teen Titans brings new challenges for the heroes:
- Season 1: The team meets the mysterious supervillain Slade. He wants to make Robin his student.
- Season 2: A new hero named Terra (Ashley Johnson) joins the team. But she is secretly working with Slade against them.
- Season 3: Cyborg faces off against the evil group H.I.V.E. and their leader Brother Blood (John DiMaggio). Cyborg then forms a new team called Titans East with other heroes like Aqualad (Wil Wheaton) and Bumblebee (T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh).
- Season 4: Raven gets caught in a plan that could end the world. Her demon father Trigon (Kevin Michael Richardson) tries to take over Earth.
- Season 5: The Teen Titans team up with many other heroes. They fight against the Brotherhood of Evil, who are Beast Boy's old enemies, and their army of villains.
Theme Songs
The show is famous for having two versions of its theme song. Both were created by Andy Sturmer and sung by the Japanese band Puffy AmiYumi. There is an English version and a Japanese version. The show would play the English song for more serious episodes and the Japanese song for more funny ones.
Characters and Voice Actors
Main Voice Cast
- Greg Cipes as Beast Boy
- Scott Menville as Robin
- Khary Payton as Cyborg
- Tara Strong as Raven
- Hynden Walch as Starfire
Secret Identities of Heroes
Unlike many other superhero shows, the Teen Titans characters usually keep their superhero names all the time. The show rarely talks about their secret identities or real names. The creators wanted kids to easily connect with the characters.
However, there are some hints about their real names:
- Robin: The show never directly says who Robin is. But there are clues that he is Dick Grayson, the first Robin from the comics. For example, a future version of Robin in one episode becomes Nightwing, which is Dick Grayson's second superhero name. Also, a memory seen by Raven shows two acrobats falling, which refers to how Dick Grayson became Robin.
- Beast Boy: At the end of Season 5, the Doom Patrol calls Beast Boy by his real name, Garfield Logan.
- Cyborg: When Cyborg goes undercover, he uses the name "Stone." This is a hint to his comic book name, Victor Stone.
- Starfire: Her real name, Princess Koriand'r, was used when the team visited her home planet, Tamaran.
Episodes List
List of Teen Titans episodes
How the Show Was Made
Music and Songs
The show's theme song was a big part of its identity. It was unique because it had both an English and a Japanese version. The Japanese band Puffy AmiYumi performed both songs. Depending on the episode's mood, the show would play either the serious English version or the funnier Japanese version.
Why the Show Ended
In 2005, fans heard that a sixth season of Teen Titans might not happen. Soon after, Cartoon Network officially stopped the show. There were different ideas about why it ended. Some thought ratings dropped after the "scary" Season 4. Others believed it was because of toy deals. A company called Mattel became Cartoon Network's main toy maker in 2006, and another company, Bandai, had the toy deal for Teen Titans.
After the show ended, Warner Bros. Animation made a movie called Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo. This movie first showed at San Diego Comic-Con International and then on Cartoon Network in September 2006.
Crossovers and New Shows
The original Teen Titans team returned in a short scene after the movie Teen Titans Go! To the Movies. This hinted that they had found a way back.
In 2019, Warner Bros. announced a special crossover movie: Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans. This movie brought together the Titans from both the original show and the Teen Titans Go! series. It premiered at San Diego Comic-Con International in July 2019.
The Show's Impact
Teen Titans has had a lasting impact on the world of superheroes.
- In 2012, new short cartoons called New Teen Titans were made for Cartoon Network. These shorts showed the Titans in a cute, "chibi" style, with the original voice actors.
- Teen Titans Go! started in 2013. It's a spin-off with many of the same voice actors, but it tells different stories.
- The voice actors for Robin, Cyborg, Raven, Beast Boy, and Starfire have played their characters again in other shows like DC Super Hero Girls and various Lego DC Comics movies.
- Some details from the Teen Titans show, like Raven's magic words "Azarath Metrion Zinthos" and Beast Boy's werewolf form, were even used in the animated movie Justice League vs. Teen Titans.
Influence on Comics
The Teen Titans TV show also influenced the original comic books!
- Beast Boy started wearing the purple and black outfit from the show in the comics. He also got the pointed ears and fanged teeth seen in the show.
- Future versions of Cyborg in the comics had armor similar to his animated look.
- Raven's costume in the comics changed to match her design from the show.
- New characters from the show, like Más Y Menos and Hotspot, later appeared in the comics.
- The villain Cinderblock, who first appeared in the show, also showed up in the comic books.
Other Media
Comic Books
From 2004 to 2008, DC Comics published a comic book series based on Teen Titans called Teen Titans Go!. The series was written by J. Torres and Todd Nauck. These comics told new stories that fit with the TV show's events. They often referenced episodes and added more details to the series.
Toys and Collectibles
Bandai released many action figures and toys based on the Teen Titans animated series. This included small mini-figures, action figures of different sizes, playsets like the "Teen Titans Launch Tower Playset," and plush toys. You could find toys of the main Teen Titans, the Titans East, and many other heroes and villains from the show.
Awards and Nominations
The show was recognized for its quality:
- 2005 Annie Awards: Nominated for Outstanding Storyboarding in an Animated Television Production.
- 2004 Annie Awards: Nominated for Outstanding Music and Outstanding Storyboarding in an Animated Television Production.
- 2004 Motion Picture Sound Editors Awards: Nominated for Best Sound Editing in Television Animation.
See also
In Spanish: Teen Titans (serie de animación) para niños
