ToonCrafter

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What ToonCrafter is

ToonCrafter is an open-source research project that generates intermediate frames between two cartoon images. It uses pretrained image-to-video diffusion priors, and sparse sketch guidance can help control the generated frames. The project also demonstrates cartoon sketch interpolation and reference-based sketch colorization, including colorization with one or two image references. It is not presented as a commercial product: the makers say they have not set up an official profit-making project or web application, and they do not guarantee successful generations. For local use, the repository provides command-line inference and a Gradio demo; the project page also links a Hugging Face demo and community implementations for ComfyUI, Colab, and Windows. The model supports up to 16 frames at 512×320 resolution. It uses about 24 GB of GPU memory, though community changes have reduced that to about 10 GB. The makers report about 24 seconds for 50-step inference on an A100. They caution that it can misunderstand image contents and produce unconvincing transitions when objects appear or disappear. The repository lists an Apache-2.0 license.

Who it suits

ToonCrafter is for people exploring cartoon interpolation or reference-based sketch colorization who can use its self-hosted tools. It is a research exploration rather than a commercial product.

What it does well

Sparse sketch guidance can influence generated frames.
Demonstrates sketch colorization with one or two references.
Offers command-line inference and a local Gradio demo.
Repository lists an Apache-2.0 license.

What to know first

Supports up to 16 frames at 512×320 resolution.
Listed model uses about 24 GB of GPU memory.
Makers do not guarantee generation success.
May misunderstand images or produce weak appearance transitions.

Limits

The model supports up to 16 frames at 512×320 resolution. The listed configuration uses about 24 GB of GPU memory, though community changes have reduced memory use to about 10 GB.

Getting started

Open the ToonCrafter project page
Use the repository's command-line inference or local Gradio demo
Alternatively, open the linked Hugging Face demo
Explore community implementations linked for ComfyUI, Colab, or Windows

Verdict

ToonCrafter offers an open-source route to cartoon frame interpolation and sketch experiments, with local and linked demo options. Its frame and hardware limits, along with acknowledged generation issues, matter for prospective users.

Questions

Is ToonCrafter free?

Yes. It is listed as free, and the repository lists an Apache-2.0 license.

How can I run ToonCrafter?

The repository provides command-line inference and a local Gradio demo. The project page also links a Hugging Face demo.

What platforms are listed?

The listed platforms are self-hosted, web, and Windows. The project also links community implementations for ComfyUI and Colab.

What can ToonCrafter generate?

It interpolates two cartoon images, supports sparse sketch guidance, and demonstrates cartoon sketch interpolation and reference-based sketch colorization.

What are its model limits?

Generation supports up to 16 frames at 512×320 resolution. The makers also report that the model may misunderstand image contents and struggle with some transitions.

Facts from ToonCrafter's own pages

Access: The makers say they have not set up official profit-making projects or web applications. · github.com, 4 Oct 2026
Additional uses: The project demonstrates cartoon sketch interpolation and reference-based sketch colorization. · doubiiu.github.io, 4 Oct 2026
Colorization: The project demonstrates reference-based sketch colorization using single or dual image references. · doubiiu.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
Demo: The project page links to a Hugging Face demo. · doubiiu.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
Founded: 2024 · doubiiu.github.io, 28 Sept 2026
Hardware: The repository reports about 24 GB GPU memory and 24 seconds per frame on an A100 for its listed 50-step configuration, and notes community reductions to about 10 GB. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Integrations: The repository lists community implementations or support for ComfyUI, Colab, and Windows. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Known limitations: The model may misinterpret image content and may struggle with transitions when objects appear or disappear. · doubiiu.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
License: The GitHub repository identifies its code license as Apache-2.0. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Local use: The repository provides command-line inference and a local Gradio demo. · github.com, 4 Oct 2026
Model limit: The makers report support for videos up to 16 frames at 512×320 resolution. · github.com, 4 Oct 2026
Model limits: The repository says generation supports up to 16 frames at 512x320 resolution. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Project status: The authors describe ToonCrafter as an open-source research exploration rather than a commercial product and say no official profit-making project or web application has been set up. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Purpose: ToonCrafter interpolates two cartoon images using pretrained image-to-video diffusion priors. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Research affiliation: The project page lists contributors affiliated with the Chinese University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong, Tencent AI Lab, and Monash University. · doubiiu.github.io, 4 Oct 2026
Research status: The makers describe ToonCrafter as an open-source research exploration rather than a commercial product and say generation success is not guaranteed. · github.com, 4 Oct 2026
Sketch guidance: It supports sparse sketch guidance for generated cartoon interpolation. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
Ways to run: The repository provides command-line inference and a local Gradio demo. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026

Where ToonCrafter stands on Freedom251

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