diff --git a/include/common_structs.h b/include/common_structs.h
index 04e04641b..aae6c978f 100644
--- a/include/common_structs.h
+++ b/include/common_structs.h
@@ -1094,22 +1094,23 @@ typedef struct ModelAnimator {
     /* 0x008 */ s16* animReadPos;
     /* 0x00C */ s16* savedReadPos;
     /* 0x010 */ AnimatorNode* rootNode;
-    /* 0x014 */ u8 nextUniqueID;
-    /* 0x015 */ u8 staticNodeIDs[0x7A]; // ?
-    /* 0x08F */ char unk_08F[0x1];
-    /* 0x090 */ f32 nextUpdateTime;
-    /* 0x094 */ f32 timeScale;
-    /* 0x098 */ Mtx mtx;
-    /* 0x0D8 */ void* baseAddr;
-    /* 0x0DC */ s16* animationBuffer;
-    /* 0x0E0 */ StaticAnimatorNode* staticNodes[0x7A];
-    /* 0x2C8 */ StaticAnimatorNode** staticRoot;
-    /* 0x2CC */ s32 treeIndexPos;
-    /* 0x2D0 */ s32 savedTreePos;
-    /* 0x2D4 */ void (*fpRenderCallback)(void*);
-    /* 0x2D8 */ void* renderCallbackArg;
-    /* 0x2DC */ char unk_2DC[4];
-} ModelAnimator; // size = 0x2E0
+    /* 0x014 */ AnimatorNode* nodeCache[0x7A];
+    /* 0x08E */ u8 nextUniqueID;
+    /* 0x08F */ u8 staticNodeIDs[0x7A]; // ?
+    /* 0x109 */ char unk_08F[0x1];
+    /* 0x10A */ f32 nextUpdateTime;
+    /* 0x10E */ f32 timeScale;
+    /* 0x112 */ Mtx mtx;
+    /* 0x152 */ void* baseAddr;
+    /* 0x156 */ s16* animationBuffer;
+    /* 0x15A */ StaticAnimatorNode* staticNodes[0x7A];
+    /* 0x342 */ StaticAnimatorNode** staticRoot;
+    /* 0x346 */ s32 treeIndexPos;
+    /* 0x34A */ s32 savedTreePos;
+    /* 0x34E */ void (*fpRenderCallback)(void*);
+    /* 0x352 */ void* renderCallbackArg;
+    /* 0x356 */ char unk_2DC[4];
+} ModelAnimator; // size = 0x35A
 
 typedef ModelAnimator* AnimatedMeshList[MAX_ANIMATED_MESHES];
 
diff --git a/src/animator.c b/src/animator.c
index 358295209..8a28b60da 100644
--- a/src/animator.c
+++ b/src/animator.c
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ void animator_make_identity(Matrix4f mtx) {
     mtx[3][3] = 1.0f;
 }
 
-AnimatorNode* get_animator_child_with_id(AnimatorNode* node, s32 id) {
+AnimatorNode* get_animator_child_with_id_helper(AnimatorNode* node, s32 id) {
     s32 i;
 
     if (node->uniqueIndex == id) {
@@ -136,9 +136,33 @@ AnimatorNode* get_animator_child_with_id(AnimatorNode* node, s32 id) {
 
     for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_COUNT(node->children); i++) {
         if (node->children[i] != NULL) {
-            AnimatorNode* child = get_animator_child_with_id(node->children[i], id);
+            AnimatorNode* child = get_animator_child_with_id_helper(node->children[i], id);
+            if (child != NULL) {
+                return child;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+AnimatorNode* get_animator_child_with_id(ModelAnimator* animator, s32 id) {
+    AnimatorNode *node = animator->rootNode;
+    s32 i;
+
+    if (animator->nodeCache[id] != NULL && animator->nodeCache[id]->uniqueIndex == id) {
+        return animator->nodeCache[id];
+    }
+    if (node->uniqueIndex == id) {
+        return node;
+    }
+
+    for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_COUNT(node->children); i++) {
+        if (node->children[i] != NULL) {
+            AnimatorNode* child = get_animator_child_with_id_helper(node->children[i], id);
 
             if (child != NULL) {
+                animator->nodeCache[id] = child;
                 return child;
             }
 
@@ -169,12 +193,27 @@ AnimatorNode* get_animator_child_for_model(AnimatorNode* node, s32 modelId) {
     return NULL;
 }
 
-void free_animator_nodes(AnimatorNode* root) {
+void free_animator_nodes_helper(AnimatorNode* node) {
     s32 i;
 
+    for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_COUNT(node->children); i++) {
+        if (node->children[i] != NULL) {
+            free_animator_nodes_helper(node->children[i]);
+        }
+    }
+    heap_free(node);
+}
+
+void free_animator_nodes(ModelAnimator* animator) {
+    AnimatorNode *root = animator->rootNode;
+    s32 i;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_COUNT(animator->nodeCache); i++) {
+        animator->nodeCache[i] = NULL;
+    }
     for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_COUNT(root->children); i++) {
         if (root->children[i] != NULL) {
-            free_animator_nodes(root->children[i]);
+            free_animator_nodes_helper(root->children[i]);
         }
     }
     heap_free(root);
@@ -243,8 +282,12 @@ void delete_model_animator_node(AnimatorNode* node) {
 }
 
 void delete_model_animator_nodes(ModelAnimator* animator) {
-    animator->nextUniqueID = 0;
+    s32 i;
 
+    animator->nextUniqueID = 0;
+    for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_COUNT(animator->nodeCache); i++) {
+        animator->nodeCache[i] = NULL;
+    }
     if (animator->rootNode != NULL) {
         delete_model_animator_node(animator->rootNode);
         animator->rootNode = NULL;
@@ -306,6 +349,10 @@ s32 create_model_animator(s16* animPos) {
     animator->rootNode = NULL;
     animator->nextUniqueID = 0;
 
+    for (j = 0; j < ARRAY_COUNT(animator->nodeCache); j++) {
+        animator->nodeCache[j] = NULL;
+    }
+
     for (j = 0; j < ARRAY_COUNT(animator->staticNodeIDs); j++) {
         animator->staticNodeIDs[j] = j + 1;
     }
@@ -346,6 +393,10 @@ s32 create_mesh_animator(s16* animPos, s16* animBuffer) {
     animator->animReadPos = animPos;
     animator->savedReadPos = animPos;
 
+    for (j = 0; j < ARRAY_COUNT(animator->nodeCache); j++) {
+        animator->nodeCache[j] = NULL;
+    }
+
     for (j = 0; j < ARRAY_COUNT(animator->staticNodeIDs); j++) {
         animator->staticNodeIDs[j] = j + 1;
     }
@@ -397,7 +448,7 @@ AnimatorNode* add_anim_node(ModelAnimator* animator, s32 parentNodeID, AnimatorN
         if (nullRootNode) {
             animator->rootNode = ret;
         } else {
-            child = get_animator_child_with_id(animator->rootNode, 1);
+            child = get_animator_child_with_id(animator, 1);
             ASSERT(child != NULL);
 
             for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_COUNT(child->children); i++) {
@@ -411,7 +462,7 @@ AnimatorNode* add_anim_node(ModelAnimator* animator, s32 parentNodeID, AnimatorN
         }
     } else {
         ret->uniqueIndex = nextUniqueID;
-        child = get_animator_child_with_id(animator->rootNode, parentNodeID);
+        child = get_animator_child_with_id(animator, parentNodeID);
         ASSERT(child != NULL);
 
         for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_COUNT(child->children); i++) {
@@ -586,13 +637,13 @@ s32 step_model_animator(ModelAnimator* animator) {
             animator->flags |= flags & 0xFFFF;
             return 1;
         case AS_SET_NODE_FLAGS:
-            node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator->rootNode, animator->staticNodeIDs[*args++ - 1]);
+            node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator, animator->staticNodeIDs[*args++ - 1]);
             flags = *args++;
             node->flags |= flags;
             animator->animReadPos = args;
             return 1;
         case AS_CLEAR_NODE_FLAGS:
-            node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator->rootNode, animator->staticNodeIDs[*args++ - 1]);
+            node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator, animator->staticNodeIDs[*args++ - 1]);
             flags = *args++;
             node->flags &= ~flags;
             animator->animReadPos = args;
@@ -608,7 +659,7 @@ s32 step_model_animator(ModelAnimator* animator) {
             z = (f32)*args++ * 180.0 / 32767.0;
             animator->animReadPos = args;
 
-            node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator->rootNode, nodeId);
+            node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator, nodeId);
             ASSERT(node != NULL);
             node->rot.x = x;
             node->rot.y = y;
@@ -621,7 +672,7 @@ s32 step_model_animator(ModelAnimator* animator) {
             z = (f32)*args++ * 180.0 / 32767.0;
             animator->animReadPos = args;
 
-            node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator->rootNode, nodeId);
+            node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator, nodeId);
             ASSERT(node != NULL);
             node->rot.x += x;
             node->rot.y += y;
@@ -633,7 +684,7 @@ s32 step_model_animator(ModelAnimator* animator) {
             y = *args++;
             z = *args++;
             animator->animReadPos = args;
-            node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator->rootNode, nodeId);
+            node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator, nodeId);
             ASSERT(node != NULL);
             node->pos.x = x;
             node->pos.y = y;
@@ -646,7 +697,7 @@ s32 step_model_animator(ModelAnimator* animator) {
             z = (f32)*args++ * 180.0 / 32767.0;
             animator->animReadPos = args;
 
-            node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator->rootNode, nodeId);
+            node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator, nodeId);
             ASSERT(node != NULL);
             node->scale.x = x;
             node->scale.y = y;
@@ -971,7 +1022,7 @@ void appendGfx_animator_node(ModelAnimator* animator, AnimatorNode* node, Matrix
 }
 
 AnimatorNode* get_animator_node_for_tree_index(ModelAnimator* animator, s32 arg1) {
-    return get_animator_child_with_id(animator->rootNode, animator->staticNodeIDs[arg1 - 1]);
+    return get_animator_child_with_id(animator, animator->staticNodeIDs[arg1 - 1]);
 }
 
 AnimatorNode* get_animator_node_with_id(ModelAnimator* animator, s32 id) {
@@ -1258,13 +1309,13 @@ s32 step_mesh_animator(ModelAnimator* animator) {
             animator->flags |= flags & 0xFFFF;
             return 1;
         case AS_SET_NODE_FLAGS:
-            node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator->rootNode, animator->staticNodeIDs[*args++ - 1]);
+            node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator, animator->staticNodeIDs[*args++ - 1]);
             flags = *args++;
             node->flags |= flags;
             animator->animReadPos = args;
             return 1;
         case AS_CLEAR_NODE_FLAGS:
-            node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator->rootNode, animator->staticNodeIDs[*args++ - 1]);
+            node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator, animator->staticNodeIDs[*args++ - 1]);
             flags = *args++;
             node->flags &= ~flags;
             animator->animReadPos = args;
@@ -1280,7 +1331,7 @@ s32 step_mesh_animator(ModelAnimator* animator) {
             z = (f32)*args++ * 180.0 / 32767.0;
             animator->animReadPos = args;
             if (nodeId != 0xFF) {
-                node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator->rootNode, nodeId);
+                node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator, nodeId);
                 if (node != NULL) {
                     node->rot.x = x;
                     node->rot.y = y;
@@ -1300,7 +1351,7 @@ s32 step_mesh_animator(ModelAnimator* animator) {
             z = (f32)*args++ * 180.0 / 32767.0;
             animator->animReadPos = args;
             if (nodeId != 0xFF) {
-                node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator->rootNode, nodeId);
+                node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator, nodeId);
                 if (node != NULL) {
                     node->rot.x += x;
                     node->rot.y += y;
@@ -1320,7 +1371,7 @@ s32 step_mesh_animator(ModelAnimator* animator) {
             z = *args++;
             animator->animReadPos = args;
             if (nodeId != 0xFF) {
-                node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator->rootNode, nodeId);
+                node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator, nodeId);
                 if (node != NULL) {
                     node->pos.x = x;
                     node->pos.y = y;
@@ -1340,7 +1391,7 @@ s32 step_mesh_animator(ModelAnimator* animator) {
             z = (f32)*args++ * 180.0 / 32767.0;
             animator->animReadPos = args;
             if (nodeId != 0xFF) {
-                node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator->rootNode, nodeId);
+                node = get_animator_child_with_id(animator, nodeId);
                 if (node != NULL) {
                     node->scale.x = x;
                     node->scale.y = y;