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I'm pretty newb-tier when it comes to animation so I can't give a good opinion there. I guess as long as it looks like pixel art, all should be good? haha

My opinion...as long as animations have been created frame by frame through edits at the pixel level...it's all good. I don't have an issue with using something like Spriter Pro either, in the right hands masterpieces can be made in animating software like that.

I agree as long as the method is true the tool should be irrelevant, pixel art gets a good bit of its reverent position from being such a painstaking style. I'm a cheapo so I use gimp myself. The more access the better

Painstaking is legit.
I laugh when people say things like pixel art is easy....
No friend, your pixel art is just bad...lol

Lolz yeah I hear that a lot!