Short Animations~!!

here I'd like to share some of my favorite really neat short 2D animations, animation memes, animatics, and other animation-y short films & videos!

(*I try to add content warnings where appropriate, I am doing my best but they may not be perfect, I might be under- or over-tagging sorry)

cw: unreality/surreal

Context: Camooh's OCs featured in this video have backstories and can be seen in other videos on the artist's Youtube channel, too.

cw: mild language

Context: This video is inspired by the Warrior cats book series by Erin Hunter, specifically the Omen of the Stars series. Which I haven't read! I really dig this video and I think you can still feel an emotional impact from it even if you haven't read the books, though for those who have I'm sure there is some additional meaning. I think both the awesome visuals and the song choice, ES by crying, make it a very compelling video in general.

Context: This video is inspired by a non-playable character in the videogames Pokemon: Gold/Silver/Crystal versions, Youngster Joey, who is beloved (and beloathed) by fans for repeatedly calling the player to tell them about how much his Rattata, an unimpressive rat Pokemon, has grown. This animation pokes fun as well as attempts to tell a more elaborate story about Joey and his Rattata, who are otherwise insubstantial in their appearances in-game.

Context: This video is inspired by the videogame Night in the Woods.

Context: This video is inspired by the webcomic Homestuck.

Context: This is a fanmade animation with an original story using Pokemon (videogame franchise) characters and its universe, in which a pet Pokemon is abandoned by its trainer and finds a new life in the wild.

cw: surreal imagery, subtextual themes of horror, isolation, and suicide; mention of killing

Context: This video is inspired by the freeware RPGMaker videogame Yume Nikki (dream journal), from which it derives its themes and imagery. The game is pretty unique, it's not for everyone but I really dig it. Also, since it uses pixel art and isn't super detailed, I can stomach the horror elements pretty well. Mostly it's just surreal, taking place in a dream world, but there's a lot of subtext or implications one can analyze that could point to mental illness in the protagonist. Sounds kind of cliche, and I'm not fond of the game's more tragic aspects, but I love that the game introduced a new niche genre of "yume nikki fangames" that have many unique takes on dream worlds and environmental storytelling without dialogue. I also appreciate that some other YNFGs are less tragic in nature. But at the end of the day, Yume Nikki's originality still makes it special and memorable, too.

cw: cartoon violence (a ghost gets shot & skewered, etc.)

Context: This video is based on the animator's experience playing the videogame Pokemon: Blue Version under the self-imposed limitations of a "Nuzlocke" run, a set of rules devised by fans to make the games seem more challenging and meaningful to older and more experienced players.

cw: flashing lights (I think?? It's not super bright but there is a color tint that changes at frequent intervals, so I'm noting this just in case)

cw: flashing lights, grief/death of family member

Context: This animation features pollovy's OCs, which have backstories and can be seen in other videos on the artist's Youtube channel.

Context: This video is based on the 5th arc of the Jojo's Bizarre Adventure manga and anime series, Golden Wind (or Vento Aureo).

cw: flashing lights, explicit lyrics (swearing), cartoony gun violence

cw: flashing lights/colors, bright colors, death, mild cartoon blood/gore

cw: strong lyrics, flashing lights/colors, uhh is it nudity if someone is shown wearing a bra?, gender/body dysphoria

Click the CC button (Closed Captions) for English subtitles if you don't see them and want to view the translated lyrics!

cw: flashing images, eyestrain; the Japanese lyrics might have warnings, too, I need to check...

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2D Animation Tools:

Video Editing Tools:

There are lots of different types of animation and roles/techniques... Rigging, 2D puppeting, stop-motion, traditional hand-drawn 2D animation, 3D animation, motion media... The 12 Principles of Animation... The lists above are commonly-used software I run into in the world of hobby, indie, and student-made animation. I mean some are industry-standard, too, like ToonBoom, but I wanted to provide a list with a range of accessibility options. I have seen super cool stuff made with all of these, and there are options for use with both computers and mobile devices. You can always animate on paper, too! Traditional animation, experimental animation, check it all out...

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Some Youtube animators' acronyms

More Short Animations

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