OpenToonz, the open source version of the Toonz animation software used by Studio Ghibli, was released to the public this weekend. If you want to get your hands on the software, OpenToonz can be officially downloaded at Github.io.
The robust 2D animation software suite, which has also been used in the production of TV series like Steven Universe and Futurama
and theatrical features including Anastasia and Balto, was made open source through a partnership between Italian developer Digital Video and Japanese company Dwango. Its release is a game changer for 2D animation production that could rewrite the future of the art form, possibly leading to a major increase in drawn animation production, while forcing software developers like Adobe and Toonboom to scramble and find ways to distinguish their 2D animation software from a powerful, free alternative.
In releasing the software, Dwango has made clear on their site that the open source software license allows it to be used free of charge for both commercial and non-commercial projects, and that developers may modify its source code freely under the terms of the simple and liberal New BSD License.