Moho Debut 13.5 | Create your own cartoons and animations in minutes | Software for PC and Mac OS

This is a standalone entry-level software package that lets you do 2d character animations such as for cartoons or explainer videos. It like Photoshop Elements vs Photoshop - a scaled down pro-level package for those just wanting to test the waters before investing in the ($300+) full version. This package has a pretty steep learning curve for a novice, but I’m still working through it. There are some tutorials on YouTube that will get you started.

I got this for my son to start to mess around as he really enjoys using his phone to create stop motion and drawn animations. He has a low level gaming PC with a 4gb GPU and the PC can handle this program with zero issues at all. Luckily I set it up with an old CD/DVD drive, so I was able to use this. Not sure why people still sell stuff on discs. Installation was fast and easy. I was really excited about the stock imagery. There is plenty to choose from, we decided on some funny looking cats. However, thats where the ease ends. I am sure much of the interface is common industry language, but the UI may as well be written in hieroglyphs for all I know. It is pretty difficult to navigate and set up if you dont know what the thousands of windows and buttons are for, which we clearly dont. I was able to create some basic movements and such after a while and got a bit of an idea where things were headed. I was going to do the tutorial with my son, but it turns out the tutorial is a massive PDF document and not on-screen interactive. We are still working on getting the hang of things, and I think it is really a matter of playing around with i for a while, but I would not say this is for beginners. I would call this more suited for a hobbyist that has been animating for a while and wants a better platform. However, I do think with some time and practice getting to know the program, we will eventually be able to create some neat stuff, so the only reason I didnt give it 5 stars was the confusing UI and complexity for true beginners.

I have no artistic skills but I like the idea of animating things so wanted to give it a shot. While this software isnt simple (you have to draw, color, and animate), its not terribly difficult and a reasonably smart or dedicated person can use it. It comes with libraries already built in that you can tweak to get you started, as well as a 300+ page getting started booklet in PDF format. Im not expecting to make movies, but I love that I can do at least a little something.

The description made it seem straightforward and easy to learn, but even the beginner setting is tricky with hidden buttons. We will have to find some YouTube tutorials and try again. Definitely not as easy as I thought it would be.

I admit that I have not used any animation software before this one. I am a traditional artist who only uses a drawing pad for my PC when I’m in the mood the stray away from old school pencil and paper. Maybe it’s just me, but I found the learning curve a little steep and a little frustrating at times. The tutorials are a great help and there is a ton of help on the internet. After a few days of playing around with this version, I can see where this is good for a beginner. The tools and menus are easy to navigate once I got through a few tutorials. Overall, I like this but if I decide to go further into animation, I will definitely buy the pro version because of my art background. This nice thing is anything I do in this version can be imported into the pro version. Pros- Nice set of tools to use to get into animation. Layout is nice once I got used to it. The bone tool is fun. Cons- For me a little steep learning curve. Overall, I enjoy this software and I believe it’s at a good price for a beginner.

I have not created animation on a computer before so I was curious to see how it works and what its like. I feel the Debut version of this software is a great way to get your feet wet with the concepts and tools used for creating digital animation. There is a PDF file that includes a step by step tutorial of how to get started in creating animations of your own. I also found some great videos made by McCoy Buck on YouTube that really helped me learn the software basics even though he was using the Pro version. This might be a great way to see the features in action before purchasing if youre on the fence. This tool appears to have previously been called Anime Studio many years ago but the tools and layout are very similar to Moho Debut today. Moho Debut allows the creator to create custom drawings and objects using vector drawing tools which provides endless possibilities for the creator. As an example, I created a stick person drawing using the basic drawing tools. Then I created a bone structure for my character which allows me to move the arms and legs of the character and bring it to life. The next step is to record an animation using key frames (for this example) which allows me to specify where I want objects positioned at this specific point in time from one keyframe to the next. Its very similar to tools I have used while editing videos. Since I dont have great artistic ability, I was happy to see a character building tool and a library of characters that come included with Debut. This makes it easy for beginners to quickly get going with creating a scene and to begin telling a story with these characters. I also enjoy seeing the stock pre-created scenes that appear when opening the application. Many of these have backgrounds and animations applied to the characters so you can see examples of what types of animations are possible with this tool and you have the freedom to experiment and explore the inner workings of the scene to see how it was created. If you are a beginner, give Debut a try before going for the Pro version unless you already know there are tools in the Pro version you will need. I do like that this tool is not subscription based so its a one time purchase. They also sell additional character packs and other add-ons via their website. Overall, I have been happy with this tool after spending about 20 hours learning the various features and tools. Im sure there is much I have to learn still but I like what Im seeing so far.

Fast delivery, great program and good price.

You can think of the debut edition of Moho version 13.5 as having a reduced feature set for almost all the types of options that Moho offers. For example, you can draw, but there are drawing features in the professional version of Moho that are not available in the Debut version. Likewise, you use the bones feature in Debut but there are advanced features of the bones mode that are only available to users of the professional version. I my opinion you get a lot of features in the Debut version, moreover, there is an upgrade path for the Debut to professional edition of Moho; if you are an animation beginner this might be the path for you. While there are a lot of tutorials on Moho available on YouTube, I recommend giving the tutorial that comes with Moho a try first, this tutorial is only in pdf but is quite easy to follow. Finally, in comparison to its competitors, who mostly offer subscription based services and are quite expensive, Moho is a great deal. Even the professional version is reasonably priced for what it does.

The disc didnt come with all the files needed for installation. And the one you need, msvcr100.dll isnt even available anymore. You also cant return opened software, so its money down the drain.

Moho Debut offers a great way to start working with vector-based skeletal animation, without requiring a large upfront investment. The learning curve can be steep, but even a novice can produce great-looking results with a little time and effort. Experienced animators, however, should skip this version in favor of the more expensive Pro edition, as some of Debut’s limitations make it suboptimal beyond casual use (especially when it comes to output quality). Moho’s bone animation system is intuitive to use, and an optional beginner mode makes things even easier by initially hiding some of the software’s more advanced features. A tutorial is provided in the form of a 329-page PDF document, which seems daunting at first, but the large size is the result of having many helpful pictures that guide you every step of the way. That said, the tutorial and user manual could be improved if Moho made use of PDF’s indexing/navigation features (e.g., a clickable table of contents), as the current documents require a ton of scrolling to find what you’re looking for. My only disappointment with Moho Debut is its severely limited output resolution. When creating your own projects, the software offers only a handful of SD/480p presets, and the custom dimensions are limited to just 900x900. That means even basic HD (720p or 1280x720) is out of reach, and your exported animation videos can look blurry/pixelated on modern devices or screens. Nowadays, even the cheapest of smartphones can record video in 1080p, which makes Moho Debut’s 480p resolution feel downright archaic. Overall, I’m enjoying Moho Debut’s easy-to-use animation tools and detailed tutorial, but its low-resolution output presets and short 3000-frame length limit can make the software feel somewhat more like a paid demo for the Pro edition, rather than a complete standalone product. Four stars.