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OpenToonz

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Free open source 2D animation software with a lineage from Studio Ghibli's production pipeline

Animation Software
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OpenToonz screenshot See all screenshots
  • Deployment On Premises
  • Starting price Free
  • Free trial Not offered
  • Best for Freelancers, Startups, SMEs

What is OpenToonz?

OpenToonz is a free, open source 2D animation application based on the Toonz software originally developed by Digital Video S.p.A. and later customized and used internally by Studio Ghibli for films including Princess Mononoke and The Secret World of Arrietty. In 2016, Dwango released the software's source code under a BSD license, making it freely available for both commercial and non-commercial use, and it continues to be maintained as an open source project.

The software covers the full traditional 2D pipeline, including paper drawing scanning, vectorization, raster and vector drawing, Xsheet-based timing, node-based compositing and effects, and final rendering. It includes Studio Ghibli's GTS scanning tool and a plugin SDK that lets developers add custom effects, including some built-in deep learning based style-conversion effects.

Key Features of OpenToonz

OpenToonz lists 8 documented features, including Raster and vector drawing tools, Onion skinning for frame-to-frame consistency and Xsheet-based exposure sheet animation timing. The list below covers what the product does rather than how it is marketed.

  • Raster and vector drawing tools
  • Onion skinning for frame-to-frame consistency
  • Xsheet-based exposure sheet animation timing
  • GTS scanning tool from Studio Ghibli's internal pipeline
  • Node-based compositing and effects tree
  • Plugin SDK for custom effects development
  • PSD import/export and color palette management
  • Built-in deep learning based style-conversion effects

OpenToonz Pricing

OpenToonz lists one plan, at Free.

OpenToonz

Free

Unlimited, all features

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Free and open source under a modified BSD license, for commercial and non-commercial use.

OpenToonz Specifications

OpenToonz is available on Windows and macOS. It has a free plan.

Deployment
  • On Premises
Billing cycle
Onetime
Desktop
  • Windows
  • macOS
Languages
  • English
Built for
  • Freelancers
  • Startups
  • SMEs
Integrations
Adobe Photoshop (PSD import), TGA image sequences, standard animation pipelines
Public API
No
Free trial
No
Free plan
Yes
Runs in browser
No
Customisable
Yes
Website
opentoonz.github.io

OpenToonz Videos

OpenToonz Screenshots

OpenToonz screenshot 1

OpenToonz Reviews

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OpenToonz FAQs

Yes, OpenToonz is free and open source under a modified BSD license, usable for both personal and commercial projects.

OpenToonz is based on the Toonz software that Studio Ghibli customized and used internally for films such as Princess Mononoke, and it includes Ghibli's GTS scanning tool.

Dwango released the source code as open source in 2016 and the project continues to be maintained by its open source community.

Yes, OpenToonz supports both raster and vector drawing formats within the same project.

Reviewers generally describe OpenToonz as powerful but with a steeper learning curve than simpler consumer animation tools, due to its studio-oriented interface.