Blender is a great tool if you are on a budget. Why? It is free and does everything that an expensive 3d program can do. Blender has been used by tons of people to make shorts and movies. Blender is not my cup of tea but for many artists they can make wonderful things.
Here is a tutorial by artist Brandon White who has created his own Anime style series.
Here are some of his episodes
One of the best ways to learn is to check out the behind the scenes to watch over an artist’s shoulder.
