Official BytePlus partnerBuilt on BytePlus, ByteDance's official AI platform
Guide · Kartoonz
How to make an AI cartoon series with recurring characters
Make an AI cartoon series with recurring characters: build the cast, lock the style, shape and tier, write episodes, keep a series bible and budget a season.
- Recurring characters
- 4 cartoon styles
- 720p
- Captions included
- Episodes up to 8 min
Short answer
Create your cast once and save it in your assets, then lock four things for the whole season: the style, the shape, the quality tier and the caption look. Write each episode as a short idea with a one-line recap, edit the story before it is made so it follows on from the last episode, and keep a series bible so nothing drifts. On Pro an episode of 3 minutes costs 567 credits, so a season of 6 costs 3,402 credits and a season of 10 costs 5,670 credits, charged one episode at a time.
Updated:
How to make the series, step by step
- 1
Create the cast once
Design your lead and a small supporting cast in the character studio, or upload your own drawings, and save every image in your assets with a clear name.
- 2
Lock the look
Choose one style, one shape, one quality tier and one caption look for the season, and write them down. Changing any of them halfway makes episode five look like a different show.
- 3
Write the series bible
One page with the premise, each character's look, personality and catchphrase, the places the story returns to and the rules of your world.
- 4
Plan the episodes
Write one idea per episode: who wants what, what gets in the way and how it ends. Add a one-line recap of the last episode to each idea.
- 5
Shape each episode's story
Add the cast from your assets with the lead first, choose Shape the story first, and edit the story so it picks up where the last episode ended.
- 6
Make, watch and log it
Press Make my cartoon (the credits are on the button), watch the episode through, download it and add one line about what happened to the bible's episode log.
Credit budget for a season
Episodes of 3 minutes, priced with the same function the studio charges with, for a season of 6 and a season of 10. Each episode is charged once, when you make it, so you never pay for the whole season up front. Captions add nothing.
| Tier | One episode (3 min) | 6 episodes | 10 episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ultra (Seedance 2.5) | 756 credits | 4,536 credits | 7,560 credits |
| Pro (Seedance 2.0) | 567 credits | 3,402 credits | 5,670 credits |
| Lite (Seedance 2.0 Mini) | 189 credits | 1,134 credits | 1,890 credits |
Create the cast
A series is the same characters in new situations, so the cast comes first. Start small: one lead your audience follows, and one or two supporting characters who make the lead react.
Design them in the character studio, or upload drawings you own, and save every image in your assets. In each episode, add your lead first: the first character you add leads the story and is kept consistent from start to finish. Then add the supporting characters that appear in that episode. Only use images you have the rights to.
- Lead: the character the audience follows, with a look nobody confuses
- Sidekick: someone who reacts, asks the questions and gets the jokes
- Rival or problem-maker: the reason things go wrong
- A recurring place: the kitchen, the classroom, the spaceship
Keep the style, shape and tier fixed
Viewers notice when a show changes how it looks. Decide these settings before episode one and use them for every episode of the season:
- Style: one of 4 (3D cartoon, anime, comic book and claymation). The whole cartoon keeps the style you pick, and it never changes the price.
- Shape: 9:16, 1:1 or 16:9. Landscape for a YouTube series, portrait for TikTok, Reels and Shorts.
- Tier: Ultra (Seedance 2.5) is the sharpest, Pro (Seedance 2.0) is faster and Lite (Seedance 2.0 Mini) costs the fewest credits. All three deliver 720p, but keep one tier so every episode has the same finish.
- Captions: one of 3 looks and the same number of words per line (1 to 4) in every episode.
Keep a series bible
A series bible is a short document that keeps the show consistent. It doesn't need to be long; it needs to be open next to you every time you write an episode.
- The premise in one sentence
- Each character: look, personality, catchphrase, and the name of the image in your assets
- The places the story keeps coming back to
- The rules of the world, such as "the robot never talks" or "every episode ends at the dinner table"
- The locked settings: style, shape, tier, caption look and words per line
- An episode log: one line on what happened in each episode, so the next one can follow on
Write episode ideas that build a season
Kartoonz writes each episode from the idea you give it and doesn't remember earlier episodes, so every idea should carry what it needs: who is in it, what they want, what gets in the way and how it ends, plus a one-line recap when the episode follows on from the last one.
Plan the season as a list before you make anything. Mix stand-alone episodes with a thread that runs through the season, and save a bigger moment for the last episode.
- Episode idea: "Pip the robot wants to win the school science fair, but his volcano keeps sneezing."
- With a recap: "Last time Pip lost the science fair. Now he wants a rematch, and Juno offers to help."
- A season thread: something small that builds every episode, like a mystery note or a new neighbour
- A finale: the thread pays off and the cast is changed by it
Use the story editing step
Instead of making an episode straight away, choose Shape the story first. Kartoonz writes the story and stops so you can read it as editable text before anything is made. Writing and editing the story costs no credits.
This is where a series stays a series: check that the names, places and running jokes match the bible, add a callback to the last episode, set up the next one and rewrite any line that doesn't sound like your character. Then press Make my cartoon; the button shows the credits before anything is charged.
Test the look with a short pilot
Before you commit a season, make a test cartoon of 15 seconds with your cast, style and shape. On Lite it costs 16 credits. If the characters, the style and the captions look right, make episode one with the same settings on the tier you chose.
Publishing the series
Release episodes on a fixed day, number them in the title and keep them together in a playlist so new viewers can start at episode one. A short portrait teaser of the next episode keeps the audience waiting for it.
On a paid KreatorFlow plan you own what you create and can use it commercially; content made on the free tier is for personal use only. Label AI-generated content where a platform asks you to. If you publish on YouTube, its monetization rules require original, authentic content, which a series with new stories every episode is built on.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep the same characters in every episode?
Yes. Add the same character images from your uploads, generations or saved assets to each episode. The first character you add leads the story and is kept consistent from start to finish. Keep the same style in every episode as well.
Does Kartoonz remember the previous episode?
No, each episode is written from the idea you give it. Add a one-line recap to the idea, or choose Shape the story first and edit the story so it picks up where the last episode ended. A series bible with an episode log makes this quick.
How much does a season cost?
With episodes of 3 minutes, a season of 6 costs 4,536 credits on Ultra, 3,402 credits on Pro or 1,134 credits on Lite. A season of 10 costs 7,560 credits, 5,670 credits or 1,890 credits. Each episode is charged once, when you make it, and captions are included.
How long can an episode be?
From 15 seconds to 8 minutes. After 15 seconds, the length slider goes up a minute at a time, and a minute costs 252 credits on Ultra, 189 credits on Pro and 63 credits on Lite.
Can I change the style in the middle of a season?
You can, because every episode is made on its own, but the series will look like a different show. Keep the style, shape, tier and caption look in your series bible and change them between seasons, not between episodes.
Which tier is best for a series?
All three deliver 720p. Ultra (Seedance 2.5) is the sharpest, Pro (Seedance 2.0) is faster and Lite (Seedance 2.0 Mini) costs the fewest credits. Pick one with a short pilot and keep it for the season.
Can I publish my series commercially?
On a paid plan, you own what you create and can use it commercially. Content made on the free tier is for personal use only. Either way, you are responsible for what you publish, including the rights to any character or image you upload.
Start episode one
KreatorFlow is an official partner of BytePlus, ByteDance's enterprise AI platform. Create your cast, write the first idea and see the price before you start.