Flawless, I wish Bullet Physic comes to Unity 5. VMD Anim + FBX Anim demo.
So I found out how to Import PMD / PMX to Unity. My old trick uses Blender, PMD Importer, and FBX Exporter. It was like this below, (mine was old anyway…) *keep scrolling for a simpler way* Recipe
- One Teaspoon of Blender (I use 2.71)
- A cup of Sugiany Blender MMD Tools
- a PMD Model of course
- And 1Kg of Patients
Stereoarts’ MMD4Mecanim
And it was really long and hard and it doesn’t even have an automatic physics configuring! And then I found this good guy posts about MMD4Mecanim which only import PMD / PMX to Unity Assets folder and it’ll automatically do the magic and poof! You got PMD model on Unity.
Any motions can be played with this
Why MMD4Unity ? Isn’t MMD just enough ?
- Unity has Mecanim, it’s easier (for me) to animate especially a lazy person like me (too lazy to reanimate every locomotion for every model)
- Unity 5 now has full access of epic post processing. Depth of Field! Bloom! Motion Blur! Edge Detection!
- And many more…
What you’ll need for MMD4Mecanim,
- Unity
- Stereoarts’ MMD4Mecanim (download is on MMD4Mecanim_Beta_*.zip)
- A PMD / PMX Model.
NOTE FOR PMD Users : Since I see this only supports PMX, you have to convert your PMD to PMX first. Download PMX Editor, then open your PMD file and save it as PMX.
And here’s how to import your PMD / PMX Model to Unity
- Download and extract PMD / PMX Model, copy whole folder to Unity Assets folder
- Then you’ll found there’s a MMD4Mecanim assets file (It has Unity logo)
- Read the License agreement and then click process.
- If you have a VMD File (MMD’s Motion data), copy your VMD data to Unity Assets and put your VMD to Animation Clip field.
- Then press process
- Always remember to set Animation Type to Humanoid then press Apply. If you not, no animation can be played unless you import a VMD file.
- Remember to select your Animator controller and Check Apply Root Motion and turn on Bullet Physics
- Now add your processed FBX to your scene, it’s now compatible for all your Mecanim like ThirdPersonHumanoid. If you want to add VMD to your mecanim, just Create a New state then put your anim-ized VMD there, and play.
- Flawless isn’t it ?
imagination XD 
April 26, 2015 at 3:13 PM
i’m still using old legacy animation XD
need to learn basic mecanim in future.
Soooo this will be new opportunity to create MMD game in unity eh?
April 26, 2015 at 7:06 PM
Wew, why would you still using legacy animation ? It’s really difficult if you want to make them walk and you have many character.
Yeah I guess so, but I’ll only use it for animation. Cause nothing I can use from MMD except the VMD. I mean all their models were copyrighted. I just use MMD to make motion then export it to VMD and convert it to FBX use it for mecanim. Most MMD models are well rigged so, it’s really easy to make animation using it.
May 19, 2015 at 5:52 AM
ok the scripts dont work for unity 5 and it doesn’t do the rest when i’m on the importing the pmd into unity help
May 19, 2015 at 8:52 AM
I’ve done this on Unity 5. Perhaps it only supports PMX. You should convert your PMD to PMX first, use PMX Editor, then open your PMD file and save it as PMX.
May 20, 2015 at 5:25 AM
i figured it out it was because i didn’t make a new project :D
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July 23, 2015 at 4:49 AM
Oh my gosh, thank you! This was really helpful! :D
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February 26, 2016 at 12:48 AM
So… it’s been more than half a year since the last comment, but I could use some help. This might require its own post in and of itself, or I should probably look somewhere else, but I’m trying to simply set up some static poses for a PMX file that I imported using MMD4Mecanim. I keep getting an “Animator is not playing a Playable” error. I also am clueless about how to set up an animation controller or animations (pitiful, I know). Maybe I could get help?
February 26, 2016 at 8:55 AM
You should keyframe all bones and also make 2 keys of static poses. For instance, Frame 0 is Standing Pose, Frame 2 should be the same pose again. So MMD4Mecanim will able to read it as animation clip not as pose. Or maybe you forgot to set your pose as Humanoid ? Mecanim sometimes requires Humanoid.
March 1, 2016 at 1:34 AM
…What do you mean by “keyframe all bones”? Do you mean edit every single one of the main bones into the Animation window? I’m sorry, I really am a complete newb when it comesto this stuff. If you want me to, I could send an email or something, we can talk about how to actually do this sort of work, as I have no clue where to begin. I feel way in over my head, but I really want to do this. So… could you help me with this?
March 1, 2016 at 8:51 AM
See here : http://i67.tinypic.com/2vvrms1.jpg
Just key it like the picture.
March 1, 2016 at 11:49 PM
…Okay, after tinkering with the Animator for a little while, I think I’m starting to understand it just a bit. Just a bit. Even still, it’s a bit challenging. One of the models I’m using has over 300 bones or so, it’s kinda daunting.
March 2, 2016 at 12:30 AM
Aww man. I usually use select all (CTRL + A). But, you can only key for every bone you’ve rotated from base pose.
For example, you have T-Pose on base pose, and you want to make hands down pose. You rotated L and R shoulder and give it a key on 1st frame and same key on 2nd frame. And so on. Other bone part like cape or anything else didn’t changed, so you don’t have to key it
March 3, 2016 at 1:29 AM
All right, I’ve been tinkering with it for a little while, and the one thing that’s frustrating me to no end is that I can’t animate using the muscles. They’re all there in the “Animator” tab of the New Property menu, but it won’t allow me to add the muscle movements to the dopesheet. That would smooth out this entire process so much. But unfortunately, looks like I need to move each bone individually. Is that true, or is there a way to enable muscles?
March 3, 2016 at 8:57 AM
Have you set your character to Humanoid ? They usually auto generate muscle, just don’t touch it, unless you’re pro on it.
March 4, 2016 at 1:07 AM
All right, so all of my models are set to Humanoid, but I have another question: with the animation of the bones, are they animated based on the three basic axes in the editor, or are they based on the location of the joints?
March 4, 2016 at 9:10 AM
I’m sure they’re animated based on Local Axis not World Axis
March 5, 2016 at 12:34 AM
…Is there an easier way that we can stay in contact? Maybe over email or social media or something?
March 5, 2016 at 1:38 PM
look at “contact me” page…
March 16, 2016 at 6:14 PM
Hello,
I followed your tutorial and managed to import a model and animation without a problem.
I am having a problem with Android build though. The animation wont play – character is stuck on first frame of animation. I tried to force the animation via scripting without success. It works in editor, works on windows, it doesnt workon Android.
I’m using Unity 5.3.3 personal. I tried latest beta too (5.4).
Any help appreciated. Also, thanks for this tutorial.
March 16, 2016 at 6:18 PM
Hmm.. I never tried to Android. It could be MMD4Mecanim aren’t compatible for Android. Or maybe, you didn’t set your MMD Character as Humanoid.
Also check your MMD Character Animator (have you assigned a start animation clip or not) or Animation Clip (Is it loop or not)
MMD4Mecanim use Bullet Physics, but I think that shouldn’t be a problem.
March 16, 2016 at 7:03 PM
Thanks for replying. I’ll try it again later. Maybe I misconfigurated something. I do have a default animation set in animator though.
Could be that mmd4mecanim doesn’t support android. Haven’t tough about that.
March 16, 2016 at 10:04 PM
Thanks for replying.
I do have a default animation (set to converted vmd). As I said, it works flawlessly on windows and unity editor.
I’ll try later with logcat to see if it shows any errors.
Haven’t tought about the support on Android. Will check that out if I can get any info.
March 25, 2016 at 1:00 AM
I am having issues with getting the morphs to animate with the vmd files. I used to make it work in the past, but cant seem to get them to work now. Also, my cloths on my model are sticking in a weird direction. The morphs are there and are editable, it just seems that the vmd file isn’t including the facial morph portions.
March 25, 2016 at 8:29 AM
I remember when I edit in MMD and export all keys to VMD, the facial wont work even on MMD. It seems Facial can’t be exported through MMD.
March 26, 2016 at 1:54 AM
I downloaded it from deviantart. There was no editing by me. Is it true that none of your facial animations have worked? Have you had some success?
March 26, 2016 at 1:02 PM
See my result GIF above. I tried to export all keys including facial VMD with MMD, when importing to Unity it got no facial motion. Happens on MMD too, my exported VMD didn’t have facial too
March 25, 2016 at 1:02 AM
Can someone help me with getting the cloth to hang properly to do. Does it have something to do with bullet physics
March 25, 2016 at 8:20 AM
Do your model has physics ? Also check your PMX model on Unity if the bullet physics were on / Init.
March 28, 2016 at 12:32 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAoGxvBAIBM By the way I just wanted to give a little proof of concept. The animation imports include the face morphs in this vid. Start from 1:15.
March 28, 2016 at 5:56 AM
I got it to work:
As shown in the video, you should drag in or use the exact prefab created from the converter. Then drag your motion data created from the program onto the prefab in the hierarchy.
That way, you can see the default animcontroller they made for you. Then, just start the game
March 28, 2016 at 11:02 AM
Yeah, yesterday I also tried with VMD it works with facial.
This is how I do,
1. Import all downloaded PMX file into Unity Assets folder
2. There’ll be an .assets file to click, agree all of them
3. There’ll appear VMD animation, I insert a VMD animation and press process.
4. Wait until conversion progress done
5. Once done, Put it on Scene. and then make New Animator Controller, make new idle state, insert your VMD
Yeah works.
Maybe some VMD can’t recognise some PMX facial. Like for example, Your VMD model is TDA Miku, I use VMD on Non TDA Yuzuki Yukari. No facial can be seen.
March 30, 2016 at 4:52 AM
Have you tried t work MMD4Mechanim LipSync? (I need it for text-to face mouth morph)
March 30, 2016 at 8:36 AM
Nope I haven’t. But I’m sure it can work. Check my blendshape lipsync tutorial.
April 8, 2016 at 4:29 AM
Do you have any tips on fixing the hair and cloth bleeding throuDo you have any tips on fixing the hair and cloth bleeding through the model?
April 8, 2016 at 6:48 PM
you mean clipping ? I know that BulletPhysics in MMD4Mecanim is better than Unity built-in Physics.
Try this : https://laboratoriesx86.wordpress.com/2014/07/27/joint-based-hair-cloth-physics-for-unity/
April 17, 2016 at 4:33 AM
Is there a way/setting I could use that would prevent ‘clipping’ automatically. I’d like to clone the prefab attributes, but change the model. (for example, I want the scripts to be the same, but change the model). This process will be automated
April 17, 2016 at 9:02 AM
You can right click the attribute you want and copy paste it.
Or You can have the attributes at the root of the model, and change the model in the children
April 14, 2016 at 8:40 PM
thanks for share this
May 14, 2016 at 11:46 PM
Thank you for this post… Finally got Miku into Unity and into the Oculus… all in a day. Far less hassle than I thought it was going to be. Now I just have to do something with all this new found knowledge.
May 30, 2016 at 6:53 AM
I’ve successfully imported my model and converted it to fbx, but the problem is it has no textures applied, I read somewhere that you have to manually do this since the textures get broken cuz of original japanese names or something? I don’t really know how to fix the texture issue. My fbx has no textures applied, but I have the whole folder in unity which has all the textures, so I have the textures but they are not on the fbx model.
May 30, 2016 at 9:20 AM
Well… Just try to put the texture in materials I guess ?
The texture can’t be broken, it’s only material can’t find the texture.
May 31, 2016 at 11:42 PM
just to check this should work for unity 5 right?
I’ll look up how to apply textures to materials, I tried dragging the textures into the material folder hoping it would auto update the model but I guess it doesn’t work that way.
May 31, 2016 at 11:54 PM
Yeah this works with Unity 5.
June 30, 2016 at 3:36 PM
Neroid here and with todays question.
I got a mmd model “Jjin’s Aya Drevis” but i dont see the bone thingy you said and when the model its imported its also not textured.
i have both a pmx and pmd but neither has that any help?
June 30, 2016 at 3:46 PM
You sure your settings are correct or any missing files (also check your file naming is that is japanese word or english) ? And also does it work on MMD ? This MMD4Mecanim should work for all PMX file.
June 30, 2016 at 6:57 PM
on mmd it has the textures/skins of the model and the rag for movements .but once added in blender it doesnt look like it have any animation possibilities,also there is no pose mode.
In blender its just a normal model with her hands on
lastly what setting are you referring to?
Could it be also that my blender is 2.77?
June 30, 2016 at 7:44 PM
Hmm this could be difficult, cause I never encountered problem like this.
From what I do, I just download PMX model from site and then copy paste all to Unity Asset folder without touching with Blender.
If you have PMX, then import to blender again, and then export to PMX, you may have some data loss.
June 30, 2016 at 11:21 PM
I fixed it nvm . but please last help on how i can actually animate it?
i dont have a vmd i just want to make it have like : iddle,running,walking :D
June 30, 2016 at 11:29 PM
You can animate it with blender or any 3D Software. Just use the model and animate it. MMD also possible, animate on MMD then export to VMD and then import to Unity and then convert VMD using PMX2FBX, but this will require you to reimport your converted FBX.
To animate with 3D software, export the animation clip as FBX and then import to unity. On Import setting, choose Standard to Humanoid. You’ll able to retarget your Imported FBX with animated FBX. Also remember to make the Animation Controller stuff, or else you’ll see nothing.
June 30, 2016 at 11:46 PM
Do i need to convert the vmd ? with pmx2fbx cause if i remember correctly that program doesn’t work on my win 10
June 30, 2016 at 11:53 PM
Look,
> Don’t import to Unity first if you want to animate your PMX character with MMD.
> You got your character in MMD
> You animate your character in MMD
> You export your animated character as VMD.
> Import those VMD and all your PMX stuff like materials or somewhat like that.
> Follow my guide correctly.
> Remember to put your VMD in animation properties in your PMX before processing.
> Process your PMX and VMD using PMX2FBX in Unity.
> DONE! You got your PMX with VMD as animation clip! But it still in Generic, so you might need to change to Humanoid.
And by the way, I use Windows 10 64-bit, and PMX2FBX works very fine. Use it on Unity, not in the .exe
October 12, 2016 at 3:13 PM
Hey i really love your tutorial, thank you so much for that.
I am currently working on a project that converts VPD Data (Poses) to be used in Unity.
If you are interested in that i can give you my Code (not completed yet).
However i have a question: After i import my MMD to Unity i can not move the IK Bones around.
Any Idea why that is the case?
October 12, 2016 at 7:01 PM
Isn’t you can’t really move IK on Unity (Except you use plugin) ?
It’ll automatically be like normal skinned mesh once you import it as Generic or Humanoid. Check your Animation import setting on your processed PMX, check if IK is on or not.
October 19, 2016 at 6:10 AM
Well basicly im trying to use VPD files in my unity project.
I dont want animations, i just want the poses :)
if (GameObject.Find(“上半身”)) GameObject.Find (“上半身”).transform.localRotation = new Quaternion (-0.281157F, 0.000000F, 0.000000F, 0.959662F);
if (GameObject.Find(“上半身”)) GameObject.Find (“上半身”).transform.localPosition = new Vector3 (0F, 0F, -0F);
Currently trying this, but with more or less 0 success.
This data i get from the VPD files.
October 19, 2016 at 6:10 PM
Firstly, you have to convert that VPD file into VMX. You see in MMD there’s Export Pose or Animation, choose animation it’ll export as VMX.
Even it just pose you have to convert it to VMX. then you can put it on Unity
October 19, 2016 at 7:49 PM
Yeah i did something like that. I just made an animation consisting out of 1 frame, and exported to VMD.
Now i need to find out how these AnimationControllers work. Like how do i set the state from script in c#
January 6, 2017 at 4:54 PM
Il need one last time your assistance,i want the mmd4mechanim to not call at all bullet physics when game starts,its a pain since i have my own physics but i cant seem to find a solution since it keeps beeing called from script
January 6, 2017 at 5:16 PM
Check the plugin before you convert, it probably in others or advanced tab, it says there use Bullet Physics, just uncheck that and use unity default instead
January 6, 2017 at 5:34 PM
on another note ,cause i use character controller is there any way to not use rigidbody? or can you tell me a way to climb slopes and going down withought lavitating?
January 6, 2017 at 6:07 PM
character controller don’t use rigidbody tho. Calculate y position by yourself. Usually I remember using CharacterController.Move can automatically apply gravity, but dunno. I kinda forgot
January 6, 2017 at 7:34 PM
im at a bit loss here apologies for my incompetence,you see in unity i cant make my char whom is a mmd model go down stairs withought lavitating,if i apply to much gravity she isnt able to climb it up which causes a conflict mind beeing a bit more clear since i am bit confused :3
January 6, 2017 at 7:57 PM
I kinda forgot how to apply gravity on character controller, but I guess you can google that (Sorry I couldn’t help at the moment).
but am guessing is, put a collider whether box collider or mesh collider to stairs, then on your MMD, remove all physics, it can be turned off, that it says Bullet Physics, just uncheck that.
If you use Character Controller, then for move I guess you can use .Move or SimpleMove, I remember they usually apply gravity. But just search on google to make sure
February 28, 2017 at 6:42 PM
Is it possible to import only the VMD? Or to import the VMD with the model, but separate the motion from that model and put it in the older model? I can’t really imagine myself recreating the animator tree and fixing the loops, bool and stuff just because I want to update the character with a single animation, it makes me feel so sad :'(
February 28, 2017 at 6:47 PM
no you can’t. You need a dummy pmx file to convert VMD to unity mecanim or legacy animation file.
April 2, 2017 at 11:59 AM
How can I import a locked model to blender
August 17, 2017 at 6:40 PM
The licence on the latest version, at least the English one, has been changed to a state that you essentially can’t use the plugin to do anything. Even excluding the rights to use it to make videos or images, let alone usage in a Unity project.
August 17, 2017 at 7:02 PM
Hmm, I checked their Readme, they didn’t state to forbid use of plugin tho, they just saying that you shouldn’t use MMD models for your game. For example, using TDA Miku model on your commercial / non commercial game without asking TDA for permission.
August 17, 2017 at 7:40 PM
The English licence says:
/ About non standalone platform.
Unsupported non standalone platform & I locked.
You can’t upload build binary, movie and pictures.
So please don’t modify or hack.
The Japanese version is slightly clearer, and it doesn’t say anything about movies.
There is also, in the Japanese Licence, the following (translated)
Conversion model and use of motion
Please do not use it except for private use in an environment not supported such as WebPlayer, WebGL, iOS, Android, UWP (HoloLens) etc.
In addition, please do not use it except for private use in an environment with low reproducibility of material, facial expression morph, motion.
(Please avoid using it damaging the character image.)
So the differences between the two kinda make if vague enough that you really can’t do anything other than create an application for yourself and can’t share anything you create, movies, applications, images.
October 3, 2017 at 8:09 PM
What version of blender did you use for this tutorial? I can’t find the pose mode option for blender 2.79.
October 3, 2017 at 8:11 PM
I use Blender 2.71
October 3, 2017 at 8:40 PM
Oops sorry I didn’t notice you use 2.71.
October 3, 2017 at 11:32 PM
Hey, I’m having a problem exporting a model in .fbx format. I followed all the steps mentioned in the first process but whenever I check the exported model in blender or unity or metaseq I see that the physics is all jumbled up and it shows but it’s not supposed to be showed. What am I doing wrong?
October 3, 2017 at 11:51 PM
I’m not really sure, have you tried with other MMD models tho ?
December 28, 2017 at 11:37 AM
The MMD4Mecanim author decided to be a jerk and so now it somehow detects that VRChat’s SDK is in the project, and throws up an error, refusing to let you use it at all.
The dumb thing is, the justification they have for this is that MMD models usually don’t permit redistribution, but I am trying to convert one which quite explicitly DOES permit redistribution.
December 28, 2017 at 11:46 AM
To add to this, the workaround should be just to avoid adding the VRChat SDK to the project until the very last minute. So I tried that, and now the import thing comes up properly, but pressing Process causes the screen to flash and then nothing(?) happens. A .MMDMecanim XML file appears in the model directory but the output files does not.
So I dunno, in addition to adding the restrictions, the newer version might have broken something fundamental, meaning that this shortcut no longer works. :(
December 28, 2017 at 11:57 AM
I don’t think MMD mecanim dev are that, they probably don’t care about vrchat at all. So it might just found some same plugins or conflicted script.
I’d say the work around is to make mmdmecanim as another project and vrchat sdk as another project, export converted mmd model to unity package and then import to vrchat, that way won’t lost any properties
January 2, 2018 at 1:18 AM
It’s quite believable they changed it to prevent use with VRChat. But it doesn’t matter. It’s very easy to import into Blender using mmd_tools and export to fbx from there.
January 18, 2020 at 1:13 PM
Hi, i have a problem with bullet physics, that the hair and cloth is moving badly, like a glith.
Video: https://youtu.be/sxNOPbz0Kak
Any Help?
August 7, 2020 at 12:16 AM
Please tell me how to control the MMD character, and how to attach VMD animation to each movement separately?
how to properly work with animation clips to attach them as motion tweens?
October 26, 2021 at 3:27 PM
Thank you so much for helping me getting my waifu into the zombie apocalypse game we are making.
March 20, 2023 at 12:31 PM
So is it just me or the MMDmecanim don’t actually make a copy of the blendshape to the animation? Since it didn’t for me, don’t know if anyone could help, just gonna leave it here.
March 20, 2023 at 12:34 PM
I don’t think it actually make a copy of the blendshape,
that’s why you gotta redo all the blendshape motions
at least that’s afaik.