New idea for a 2D cutout 3D renderer.
I had the idea of a 3D renderer that projects a 2D cutout rig into a 3D space, but sort of minimizes the X rotation and keeps everything looking like the 2D drawings, but the lighting and animation is done using a low poly model.
Only that the 3D mesh is used to project the 2D planes vertex to the 3D mesh, but do the foreshortening as X and Y operations, to minimize the rotation distortion that rotating a plane will have.
And use the 3D low poly mesh as normal map information to draw the toon shadows on the 2D sprites.
Maybe have an library of 2D shapes to automatically switch based on angle to the camera.
Only that the 3D mesh is used to project the 2D planes vertex to the 3D mesh, but do the foreshortening as X and Y operations, to minimize the rotation distortion that rotating a plane will have.
And use the 3D low poly mesh as normal map information to draw the toon shadows on the 2D sprites.
Maybe have an library of 2D shapes to automatically switch based on angle to the camera.