Monty Oum was an American animator, writer, and director known for creating the original animated series RWBY. Born Monyreak Oum on June 22, 1981 in Providence, Rhode Island, he was of Cambodian, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Japanese heritage. A self-taught animator who did not complete high school, he began creating fan videos online as early as 2002. His early independent work included the 2007 short Haloid, which featured characters from Halo and Metroid and went viral, as well as the Dead Fantasy series, which pitted characters from Final Fantasy and Dead or Alive against each other. These projects showcased his signature style of fast-paced, creative action choreography.

Oum briefly worked as a combat designer for Midway Games and later for Namco Bandai Games on Afro Samurai, but he became frustrated with the gaming industry. In 2009 he met the founders of Rooster Teeth Productions, and by 2010 he had joined the company as an animator. He became the lead animator for the long-running machinima series Red vs. Blue and served as its director for the tenth season. His work on that series led Rooster Teeth to approve his original concept for a new show. In 2012 Oum announced RWBY, an anime-inspired 3D animated series that he created, wrote, directed, and produced. The series premiered in 2013 and followed four young women training to become warriors. It was praised for its elaborate fight sequences and unique visual style, becoming a commercial success and a signature property for Rooster Teeth.

Following Oum's death on February 1, 2015 due to a severe allergic reaction, the studio continued producing RWBY with his collaborators. The series gained popularity internationally, particularly in Japan, leading to the creation of an official anime adaptation. RWBY: Ice Queendom, a television series produced by Studio Shaft, premiered in 2022 and retold the original story with new scripting. Oum is credited as the original creator for this adaptation. The RWBY franchise has also expanded into manga adaptations, further cementing Oum's role as an original creator whose work transcended its initial medium.

Oum's artistic identity was defined by his dynamic action direction, which blended influences from anime, Hong Kong martial arts films, and video games. He was known for choreographing elaborate combat sequences that emphasized fluid motion and creative use of characters' superpowers. Despite his lack of formal training, his technical skill and distinctive vision earned him recognition within the animation industry. RWBY received a Streamy Award for Best Animated Series and an International Academy of Web Television Award for Best Animated Series, and it was nominated for a Producers Guild of America Award. Oum's legacy as a creator lies in demonstrating how independently produced web animation could achieve mainstream success and inspire international adaptations, bridging Western and Japanese animation traditions.