Live2D
is a digital rendering technique and animation software that allows for the generation of animated 2D graphics, usually character avatars in the anime style, with smooth 3D-like animations. Developed by Japanese programmer Tetsuya Nakajo and his company Cybernoids (now Live2D Inc.), Live2D operates through the morphing and shifting of many layered 2D sprites on an overall skeleton to create smoothly animated 2D characters.
Released around 2010, Live2D technologies have seen extensive adoption in video games, visual novels, digital softwares, and Virtual YouTuber projects. Compared to traditional animation, Live2D provides a smooth 3D-animation-like quality that is suitable for interactive media like video games. Compared to 3D animation, Live2D maintains the hand-drawn quality of 2D artworks and is far less expensive and time-consuming to create.
The current main Live2D software is Live2D Cubism; Live2D Inc. developed another technology in 2017 known as Live2D Euclid that provides a combination of 2D and 3D animation technologies to generate true 3D models with 2D qualities. However, Live2D Euclid was a commercial failure and is no longer sold or supported by Live2D Inc. since 2018.
A highly similar software known as E-mote developed by M2 Co.,Ltd. also exists. Compared to Live2D, E-mote is more closely linked to the Visual Novel medium thanks to having a closer relationship with popular VN engine Kirikiri. However, because Live2D is much more well known than E-mote, it is extremely common for people to mistakenly report works with E-mote as works with Live2D.
Media Works Featuring Live2D
Video Games
- Azur Lane
- Artery Gear: Fusion
- BanG Dream! Girls Band Party!
- Battle Girl High School
- Ensemble Stars!
- Epic Seven
- Fire Emblem Fates
- Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage!
- Girls' Frontline
- Goddess of Victory: NIKKE
- Love Live! School idol festival 2 MIRACLE LIVE!
- Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story
- Namu Amida Butsu! -UTENA-
- Path to Nowhere
- Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight -Re LIVE-
- SOUND VOLTEX
- The Tale of Food
- Twisted Wonderland
- The Wizard's Promise
- Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel
- hololive (Live2D used on official company software)
- Nijisanji (Live2D used on official company software)
- VOMS Project
Media Works Featuring E-mote
Video Games
