This disclosure generally relates to character animation. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, this disclosure relates to pose selection using data analytics techniques applied to training data, and generating 2D animations of illustrated characters using performance data and the selected poses. An example process or system includes obtaining a selection of training poses of the subject and a set of character poses, obtaining a performance video of the subject, wherein the performance video includes a plurality of performance frames that include poses performed by the subject, grouping the plurality of performance frames into groups of performance frames, assigning a selected training pose from the selection of training poses to each group of performance frames using the clusters of training frames, generating a sequence of character poses based on the groups of performance frames and their assigned training poses, outputting the sequence of character poses.