Toonz, the animation software behind Futurama and Studio Ghibli classics like Princess Mononoke and Howl’s Moving Castle will become free for users everywhere as of this Saturday, March 26.
Once only available for high-end systems as part of Microsoft’s Autodesk arm, an open-source version of Toonz (nicknamed Toonz Ghibli Edition) will be available for everyone as a result of collaboration between developer Digital Video, and Japanese publisher Dwango.
“The contract with Dwango, which offers the Toonz open source platform to the animation community, has enabled Digital Video to realise one of its strategies, i.e. to make of Toonz a world standard for 2D animation,” explains managing director of Digital Video, Claudio Mattei. “This deal will be also the starting point of a new exciting plan to endorse the open source business model, by supporting training and customising Toonz for the old and new users.”
Indeed, for all the incredible projects it has been used to develop, Toonz is not a well-known brand in the business. This decision has the ability to change that, however, at a time when animation is booming in sectors of the film world where the medium was previously considered too expensive to produce in. Toonz is regarded for its fluid accessibility which, according to Studio Ghibli executive imaging director Atsushi Okui, allowed the animators “to continue producing theatre-quality animation without additional stress”.
Digital Video will still offer a premium version of Toonz for larger clients, which is customised in-house for use on unique projects.
* Initial announcement made by Cartoon Brew.