Some animation companies stand far above the rest thanks to their vision, creativity, and talent, but behind it all there are also robust and versatile tools. In the case of Studio Ghibli, its preferred platform is Toonz, which has been on the market for more than twenty years. Thanks to a recent agreement with the Japanese company Dwango, on March 26 Toonz will become OpenToonz, entering the open source software world.
Beloved films and a common tool
If you haven't seen things like "Spirited Away", "Howl's Moving Castle", or "Princess Mononoke", I must say you're missing out. Studio Ghibli's works don't expire, something very hard to achieve in the animation market, and with each new viewing it's always possible to discover something new. These three excellent movies have another element in common beyond their creator: the main animation tool, known as Toonz. Toonz is developed by the Italian company Digital Video, and its reputation allowed it to reach projects like Balto, Anastasia, and even Futurama.
From proprietary to open source
For more than twenty years, Toonz has been a proprietary tool, but recently Digital Video announced a special agreement with the Japanese publisher Dwango, which includes the acquisition of the Toonz project, with the aim of releasing it to the public under an open source profile. In other words: starting on March 26, during the 2016 edition of the AnimeJapan convention, Toonz will transform into OpenToonz and can be downloaded by enthusiasts and professionals around the world. The agreement will allow Digital Video to offer additional services such as installation, training, and support, plus a 'premium edition' of Toonz that will adapt to each client's specific needs.
With the release of OpenToonz, a new era of cooperation among major animation studios is expected, and the fact that Studio Ghibli's name is there is not a minor detail. On the other hand, Dwango is technically 'Kadokawa Dwango', a true media giant in Japan, and there is certainly a solid strategy behind the acquisition of Toonz. So let's wait until the 26th.
