This disclosure relates to methods, non-transitory computer readable media, and systems that use style-aware puppets patterned after a source-character-animation sequence to generate a target-character-animation sequence. In particular, the disclosed systems can generate style-aware puppets based on an animation character drawn or otherwise created (e.g., by an artist) for the source-character-animation sequence. The style-aware puppets can include, for instance, a character-deformational model, a skeletal-difference map, and a visual-texture representation of an animation character from a source-character-animation sequence. By using style-aware puppets, the disclosed systems can both preserve and transfer a detailed visual appearance and stylized motion of an animation character from a source-character-animation sequence to a target-character-animation sequence.