Maya is a powerful animation software that allows you to create 3D anime. If attention to detail is one of your strong points as an animator, then this is the right tool for you.
Maya provides a strong set of character design features. It includes an interactive grooming workflow with easy-to-use brush-based tools that let you create and style your character’s hair, create fur, and more.
The brusher is intuitive, but they let you create highly customizable and realistic stylings.
It also provides a cutting-edge sculpting toolset that lets users sculpt and shape characters more artistically and intuitively.
Autodesk Maya can be implemented in Adobe After Effects so you can operate changes on your character’s appearance.
Along with advanced character creation, the tool also helps you make realistic and complex environments. For example, you can create atmospheric effects, such as smoke and mist, render photorealistic liquids, and more.
Other key features of Autodesk Maya include:
- Fast playback for 3D animation
- Clip-based time editor
- Motion library plug-in
- Polygon modeling
- NURBS modeling
Do you want to see Maya in action? Check out the video below to see how you can use the tool to create anime:
You can try Maya for free for 30 days from the official website.
Autodesk Maya
Implement realistic movements and style every detail of your 3D anime character for professional results.
If you want a tool that is highly intuitive and requires no previous knowledge and experience, you may want to take a look at what Animaker has to offer.
It is a very visual animation creator. You can create your video designs with drag and drop.
As opposed to other mentions on this list, the character builder integrated into this tool is much simpler. It works with a large library of items that you can mix and match to create highly unique characters.
This of course can save you lots of time, as you only use pre-made objects.
That said, we have to make clear that this tool does not offer as many customization features as other items on this list. However, it has a generous library of pre-made templates, character items, video assets.
It is a good starting point, especially for beginners or for those of you that are not necessarily willing to invest a lot of time in anime character creation.
Besides designing your character’s appearance, you can also add multiple facial expressions and integrate audio files and make the characters talk.
The lip-sync feature automates the movement of your character, which means you do not have to animate frame-to-frame when you want to integrate audio files.
When it comes to the animation process, Animaker uses a powerful HTML 5 engine that aims to offer high performance when you produce your animations.
Other key features include:
- Massive asset library
- 1000+ cartoon video templates
- 3D and 2D animations
- Support for social media videos, video presentations, and more
Animaker is a subscription-based service with 3 different plans, billed yearly. You can also get a custom plan and integrate only the features you plan on using. For that, you will have to contact the Animaker team.
Animaker
Design characters intuitively, with drag-and-drop, and produce your videos seamlessly with a powerful HTML5 engine.
Daz3d is mainly a figure design tool that is known for its extensive toolset that allows you to customize characters in many different art styles.
The tool ensures highly realistic results and offers plenty of customization features. However, keep in mind that it does not let you create characters from scratch.
You need to import pre-made models, either from its pre-existing library, or models made with compatible platforms.
It is equipped with character styling features. You can create both highly realistic human features and other types of characters.
It is a really good platform to customize anime characters. Besides its standard toolset, Daz3d also has an item shop that you can use to integrate specific features into your animation.
You can find ready-made anime characters, poses, hairstyles, accessories, clothing items, and more. If you want to get started with anime creation and need some inspiration, you can just head to the shop and type anime.
You will see that there are plenty of ready-made items that can help you get started. Most of them are customizable, and you can mix and match multiple items to create your unique character.
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The Daz3d library also offers plenty of highly realistic facial expressions and body movement options.
Other key features of Daz3d include:
- Integrates Autodesk 3Ds Max, Mudbox and Maya
- Puts forward tons of tutorials and guides
- Works in browser
Daz3d is free to use. The only expenses you may have are if you decide to use additional items from the shop. Keep in mind that the shop offers free items as well.
Daz3d
Give life to your ideas and create unique 3d anime characters with this comprehensive 3D modeling tool.
Storyboard Pro from Toon Boom is amongst the most popular storyline creation tools. It is equipped with several character creation and animation features that help bring creative visions to life.
The tool lets you use drawing and sketching tools to get started with your project. Afterward, you can implement animatic creation capabilities and sound.
Due to the fact that it is a storyline-based tool, StoryboardPro lets you upload and integrate your scripts. It is compatible with all major script software.
As it works primarily with sketching and drawing tools, Storyboard gives users lots of creative freedom. It has multiple brush options and effects, such as airbrush modes, ink, and crayon.
It incorporates multiple animations and movement features. Similar to Photoshop, it works with layering.
This means that you can easily integrate your character in various scenes, move and animate them on their own.
The tool is fairly easy to use. The UI is quite intuitive and similar to what you can find in other products of this kind. If you have trouble getting started, know that Storyboard provides in-depth video tutorials on how to use the whole toolset.
Other key features of Storyboard Pro include:
- Advanced color management
- Edit drawings on video tracks
- Effects control view
- Clip speed management
- Plenty of audio effects
Storyboard is compatible with Windows and macOS. It is a subscription-based service, with a 21-day free trial.
If you want professional-level results and a quick and efficient workflow, we recommend you look into Cinema 4D.
This rendering software offers a strong toolset that aims to meet the requirements for all sorts of film and animation makers.
The software offers multiple modeling options. It offers support for polygonal modeling, parametric modeling, volume modeling and it can also help you turn pictures into 3D models.
Cinema 4D is great for highly realistic and customizable character creation. Its sculpting feature is very intuitive, allowing users to play around with the models with pull, smooth, flatten, cut, pinch, and other similar functions that let you easily adjust and change up your meshes.
On the topic of character creation, you should also know that this software incorporates a comprehensive set of tools that help you paint detailed textures directly on 3D objects.
Users can create photo-realistic materials with the advanced texturing tool. Cinema 4D offers multi-layered material channels, reflectance, procedural shaders, and more.
In terms of animations, Cinema 4D includes manual animation basic tools that let you animate any 3D object with keyframing. You can also automate animation with an auto-key frame or by using parameters.
It also includes some animation presets. If you want to create anime, you can benefit from the Character Animation toolset which offers tons of realistic movement parameters that you can mix and match in your project.
Cinema 4 can also help you convert facial and body movements from video footage, animate moving objects, track models along with video materials, and more.
Other key features of Cinema 4D include:
- Intuitive and customizable user interface
- Easy to learn
- Strong online community with tons of guides and tutorials
- Easily save multiple versions of the same project
Cinema 4D is subscription-based, with monthly and annual plans available. You can try out the full-feature version within a 14-day free trial.
Cartoon Animator 4 is another beginner-friendly option that can help you get started with your Anime project.
It is a 2D animation software, but it supports imports for 3D motions. You can upload pre-made 3D motions and convert them to multi-angle 2D performance motions.
This gives more possibilities and lets you create more precise movements.
Cartoon-animator lets you upload character models, and it also offers some presets.
Along with that, it offers several character templates for humans and animals. It offers 2D character rigging and bone tools. It supports multiple angles for 2D characters.
The animation features are intuitive and can save you a lot of time, as Cartoon Animator has an extensive set of pre-animated motion clips.
You can mix and blend them together, cut them off, and change their timing to perfectly fit your requirements.
If you want to create your own motions, you can do so with the intuitive IK/KF system. Along with that, it also offers a curve-based Motion Key editor.
This allows you to combine presets with curve-based movements and create professional-level animations.
The tool also has some pre-made poses and natural gestures motions that you can implement into your animation.
Other key features of Cartoon Animator 4 include:
- Photoshop pipeline
- Support for audio implementations
- Motion path and timeline editing
- Render style
Cartoon Animator 4 is sold as a one-time purchase license. It is compatible with Windows and macOS and you can try it for free for 30 days.
