ABOUT SHAPEMESHING
ShapeMeshing is a procedural framework developed at Marza Animation Planet that converts traditional 2D animation into fully-realized 3D geometry. Originally created for Marza’s short film THE PEAK, the system’s hybrid 2D/3D aesthetic was recognized with multiple visual effects and technical achievement awards, highlighting its ability to maintain a hand-crafted look within a modern CG pipeline. This early success became the foundation for ShapeMeshing’s continued development and its evolution into a flexible, studio-scale toolset.
ShapeMeshing ingests layered drawings, analyzes their structure and timing, and generates dynamic 3D meshes. Artists animate with the freedom of 2D while delivering geometry suitable for feature-level rendering. The technology is designed for stylized content, supporting a wide range of use cases from previs and character animation, to motion design and real-time applications.
SHAPEMESHING BASICS
This video guides you step-by-step through the initial workflow of ShapeMeshing 1.0: Importing 2D artwork, configuring the conversion, and producing a preliminary 3D mesh for animation. It’s the entry point for artists and technical creatives looking to convert hand-drawn or 2D asset art into editable 3D geometry with minimal setup. (For details on ShapeMeshing 2.0 please contact us at address below).
SHAPEMESHING ADVANCED
“ShapeMeshing Advanced” walks through the entire pipeline – from importing layered 2D art, to generating mesh, rigging, cleanup, and exporting production-ready 3D geometry. If you’re already familiar with the basics, this video demonstrates how to handle complex cases, fix common issues, and push ShapeMeshing into real-world shot production workflows.
PUBLISHED PROCEEDINGS
“ShapeMeshing: Design-guided Procedural Conversion of 2D animation to 3D”
SIGGRAPH Asia 2025 Technical Communications, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, December 2025
Read the full paper HERE
LINKS
CGWORLD.jp: Trying a New Real-Time CG Workflow: Marza Animation Planet’s Short Film “THE PEAK” ~ Unite Tokyo 2019
fxguide: Making Waves in Animation
CGWORLD.jp: The making of Marza Animation Planet’s short film “Samurai Frog Golf” chosen for the SIGGRAPH 2022 Electronic Theater
Cartoon Brew: How They Did It: Organic Water Effects With A Flash/Maya Pipeline
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work would not have been possible without the leadership and support of:
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Takamasa Matsunari
Production Engineer
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Hiroaki Mita
Production Manager
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Mayumi Tachikawa
Advisor / Producer
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Haruhiro Uchida
Executive Vice President
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CONTACT
Want more ShapeMeshing? Interested in learning more or using the tools for your own production? Contact us at MZProduction@marza.com
