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Tech News
Kyoto Animation has released a new Netflix anime series, 'Sparks of Tomorrow,' set in a steampunk-inspired world where inventions are driven by love. A review notes the show juggles multiple storylines that strain its otherwise strong animation, while its humor, emotional depth, and drama still come through.
Animator Wong Ping, known for producing his surreal, candy-colored short films largely alone, discusses his work exploring themes of sex, shame, loneliness and desire. He states that artificial intelligence tools have not yet changed how he makes his animations.
A writer tested AliveMoment, an image-to-video AI tool launched in August 2025 that animates and restores old photographs without requiring text prompts, using it on childhood pictures and a photo of her grandmother. The tool runs on a credit-based subscription and includes photo restoration to fix grainy or low-quality images before animating them. Results varied: one animation felt unsettling while another evoked genuine emotional warmth.
Krita, the open-source 2D painting application, remains a favored alternative to subscription-based tools like Photoshop for concept art, comics, and illustration work. It offers a robust brush engine, stylus support for tilt and rotation, HDR painting, texture wrap-around modes, and a timeline-based animation system with onion skinning and audio playback.
A developer published a detailed guide explaining how animation works in the Bevy game engine, aimed at users who understand Bevy's ECS basics but struggle with the official Animated Mesh example. The post builds a mental model step by step, starting from the abstract idea of pairing a spawned 3D model with an animation, then maps that concept onto Bevy's actual AnimationPlayer type and related methods.
Nothing has relaunched its Community Review Program, inviting fans to apply for early access to its upcoming hardware and software. The London-based phone maker is especially seeking applicants skilled in 3D animation, graphic design, sound production, or reviewing, though it welcomes any enthusiastic tech fan. Selected members must share first impressions, post creative content, and publish full reviews once products officially launch, with applications open until September 10, 2026.
The Toronto Blue Jays posted an animated promotional clip for a Nestea brand partnership that showed telltale signs of AI generation, including garbled text and a character with three arms. When fans called out the flaws, the team's social media account insisted the video was made by a real animator, a claim a community note later disputed.
Visual effects veteran Phil Tippett, known for pioneering stop-motion and CG creature work across four decades, has stepped away from filmmaking after selling Tippett Studio. The announcement came over the weekend, closing out a career that spanned classic effects films and influential animation techniques.
Toei Animation has released a spin-off tied to 'One Piece' that centers on Nico Robin and Nami, sending the two heroines on their own standalone adventure separate from the main crew's storyline. The project emphasizes fashion, friendship, and the bond between the two women rather than the series' usual battles and pirate mythology.