diff --git a/dtool/src/dtoolutil/textEncoder.I b/dtool/src/dtoolutil/textEncoder.I
index 766319d6da..c9eeb0ec66 100644
--- a/dtool/src/dtoolutil/textEncoder.I
+++ b/dtool/src/dtoolutil/textEncoder.I
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ get_unicode_char(size_t index) const {
  * according to set_encoding().
  */
 INLINE void TextEncoder::
-set_unicode_char(size_t index, int character) {
+set_unicode_char(size_t index, char32_t character) {
   get_wtext();
   if (index < _wtext.length()) {
     _wtext[index] = character;
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ reencode_text(const std::string &text, TextEncoder::Encoding from,
  * otherwise.  This is akin to ctype's isalpha(), extended to Unicode.
  */
 INLINE bool TextEncoder::
-unicode_isalpha(int character) {
+unicode_isalpha(char32_t character) {
   const UnicodeLatinMap::Entry *entry = UnicodeLatinMap::look_up(character);
   if (entry == nullptr) {
     return false;
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ unicode_isalpha(int character) {
  * otherwise.  This is akin to ctype's isdigit(), extended to Unicode.
  */
 INLINE bool TextEncoder::
-unicode_isdigit(int character) {
+unicode_isdigit(char32_t character) {
   const UnicodeLatinMap::Entry *entry = UnicodeLatinMap::look_up(character);
   if (entry == nullptr) {
     // The digits aren't actually listed in the map.
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ unicode_isdigit(int character) {
  * otherwise.  This is akin to ctype's ispunct(), extended to Unicode.
  */
 INLINE bool TextEncoder::
-unicode_ispunct(int character) {
+unicode_ispunct(char32_t character) {
   const UnicodeLatinMap::Entry *entry = UnicodeLatinMap::look_up(character);
   if (entry == nullptr) {
     // Some punctuation marks aren't listed in the map.
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ unicode_ispunct(int character) {
  * otherwise.  This is akin to ctype's isupper(), extended to Unicode.
  */
 INLINE bool TextEncoder::
-unicode_isupper(int character) {
+unicode_isupper(char32_t character) {
   const UnicodeLatinMap::Entry *entry = UnicodeLatinMap::look_up(character);
   if (entry == nullptr) {
     return false;
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ unicode_isupper(int character) {
  * otherwise.  This is akin to ctype's isspace(), extended to Unicode.
  */
 INLINE bool TextEncoder::
-unicode_isspace(int character) {
+unicode_isspace(char32_t character) {
   switch (character) {
   case ' ':
   case '\t':
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ unicode_isspace(int character) {
  * otherwise.  This is akin to ctype's islower(), extended to Unicode.
  */
 INLINE bool TextEncoder::
-unicode_islower(int character) {
+unicode_islower(char32_t character) {
   const UnicodeLatinMap::Entry *entry = UnicodeLatinMap::look_up(character);
   if (entry == nullptr) {
     return false;
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ unicode_islower(int character) {
  * akin to ctype's toupper(), extended to Unicode.
  */
 INLINE int TextEncoder::
-unicode_toupper(int character) {
+unicode_toupper(char32_t character) {
   const UnicodeLatinMap::Entry *entry = UnicodeLatinMap::look_up(character);
   if (entry == nullptr) {
     return character;
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ unicode_toupper(int character) {
  * akin to ctype's tolower(), extended to Unicode.
  */
 INLINE int TextEncoder::
-unicode_tolower(int character) {
+unicode_tolower(char32_t character) {
   const UnicodeLatinMap::Entry *entry = UnicodeLatinMap::look_up(character);
   if (entry == nullptr) {
     return character;
diff --git a/dtool/src/dtoolutil/textEncoder.h b/dtool/src/dtoolutil/textEncoder.h
index 30004ef5d3..1e1d9eeda4 100644
--- a/dtool/src/dtoolutil/textEncoder.h
+++ b/dtool/src/dtoolutil/textEncoder.h
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class StringDecoder;
 
 /**
  * This class can be used to convert text between multiple representations,
- * e.g.  utf-8 to Unicode.  You may use it as a static class object, passing
+ * e.g.  UTF-8 to UTF-16.  You may use it as a static class object, passing
  * the encoding each time, or you may create an instance and use that object,
  * which will record the current encoding and retain the current string.
  *
@@ -78,21 +78,21 @@ PUBLISHED:
   INLINE void append_unicode_char(char32_t character);
   INLINE size_t get_num_chars() const;
   INLINE int get_unicode_char(size_t index) const;
-  INLINE void set_unicode_char(size_t index, int character);
+  INLINE void set_unicode_char(size_t index, char32_t character);
   INLINE std::string get_encoded_char(size_t index) const;
   INLINE std::string get_encoded_char(size_t index, Encoding encoding) const;
   INLINE std::string get_text_as_ascii() const;
 
   INLINE static std::string reencode_text(const std::string &text, Encoding from, Encoding to);
 
-  INLINE static bool unicode_isalpha(int character);
-  INLINE static bool unicode_isdigit(int character);
-  INLINE static bool unicode_ispunct(int character);
-  INLINE static bool unicode_islower(int character);
-  INLINE static bool unicode_isupper(int character);
-  INLINE static bool unicode_isspace(int character);
-  INLINE static int unicode_toupper(int character);
-  INLINE static int unicode_tolower(int character);
+  INLINE static bool unicode_isalpha(char32_t character);
+  INLINE static bool unicode_isdigit(char32_t character);
+  INLINE static bool unicode_ispunct(char32_t character);
+  INLINE static bool unicode_islower(char32_t character);
+  INLINE static bool unicode_isupper(char32_t character);
+  INLINE static bool unicode_isspace(char32_t character);
+  INLINE static int unicode_toupper(char32_t character);
+  INLINE static int unicode_tolower(char32_t character);
 
   INLINE static std::string upper(const std::string &source);
   INLINE static std::string upper(const std::string &source, Encoding encoding);
diff --git a/dtool/src/dtoolutil/unicodeLatinMap.cxx b/dtool/src/dtoolutil/unicodeLatinMap.cxx
index 87c9cb5a7d..288b85a4ce 100644
--- a/dtool/src/dtoolutil/unicodeLatinMap.cxx
+++ b/dtool/src/dtoolutil/unicodeLatinMap.cxx
@@ -1378,7 +1378,7 @@ static const wchar_t combining_accent_map[] = {
  * Returns the Entry associated with the indicated character, if there is one.
  */
 const UnicodeLatinMap::Entry *UnicodeLatinMap::
-look_up(wchar_t character) {
+look_up(char32_t character) {
   if (!_initialized) {
     init();
   }
diff --git a/dtool/src/dtoolutil/unicodeLatinMap.h b/dtool/src/dtoolutil/unicodeLatinMap.h
index fb94154f7f..6ed3c5f17c 100644
--- a/dtool/src/dtoolutil/unicodeLatinMap.h
+++ b/dtool/src/dtoolutil/unicodeLatinMap.h
@@ -112,17 +112,17 @@ public:
 
   class Entry {
   public:
-    wchar_t _character;
+    char32_t _character;
     CharType _char_type;
     char _ascii_equiv;
     char _ascii_additional;
-    wchar_t _tolower_character;
-    wchar_t _toupper_character;
+    char32_t _tolower_character;
+    char32_t _toupper_character;
     AccentType _accent_type;
     int _additional_flags;
   };
 
-  static const Entry *look_up(wchar_t character);
+  static const Entry *look_up(char32_t character);
 
   static wchar_t get_combining_accent(AccentType accent);
 
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ private:
   static void init();
   static bool _initialized;
 
-  typedef phash_map<wchar_t, const Entry *, integer_hash<wchar_t> > ByCharacter;
+  typedef phash_map<char32_t, const Entry *, integer_hash<char32_t> > ByCharacter;
   static ByCharacter *_by_character;
   enum { max_direct_chars = 256 };
   static const Entry *_direct_chars[max_direct_chars];
diff --git a/dtool/src/prc/notifyCategory.I b/dtool/src/prc/notifyCategory.I
index 5793917d91..20678fbace 100644
--- a/dtool/src/prc/notifyCategory.I
+++ b/dtool/src/prc/notifyCategory.I
@@ -82,26 +82,6 @@ is_debug() const {
   // Instruct the compiler to optimize for the usual case.
   return UNLIKELY(is_on(NS_debug));
 }
-#else
-/**
- * When NOTIFY_DEBUG is not defined, the categories are never set to "spam" or
- * "debug" severities, and these methods are redefined to be static to make it
- * more obvious to the compiler.
- */
-constexpr bool NotifyCategory::
-is_spam() {
-  return false;
-}
-
-/**
- * When NOTIFY_DEBUG is not defined, the categories are never set to "spam" or
- * "debug" severities, and these methods are redefined to be static to make it
- * more obvious to the compiler.
- */
-constexpr bool NotifyCategory::
-is_debug() {
-  return false;
-}
 #endif
 
 /**
diff --git a/dtool/src/prc/notifyCategory.h b/dtool/src/prc/notifyCategory.h
index f3e99b09ba..9a2a9fa4e2 100644
--- a/dtool/src/prc/notifyCategory.h
+++ b/dtool/src/prc/notifyCategory.h
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ PUBLISHED:
   INLINE bool is_spam() const;
   INLINE bool is_debug() const;
 #else
-  constexpr static bool is_spam();
-  constexpr static bool is_debug();
+  constexpr static bool is_spam() { return false; }
+  constexpr static bool is_debug() { return false; }
 #endif
   INLINE bool is_info() const;
   INLINE bool is_warning() const;
diff --git a/dtool/src/prc/notifyCategoryProxy.I b/dtool/src/prc/notifyCategoryProxy.I
index eaca9b6e33..fbdac1f0ca 100644
--- a/dtool/src/prc/notifyCategoryProxy.I
+++ b/dtool/src/prc/notifyCategoryProxy.I
@@ -72,12 +72,6 @@ is_spam() {
   // Instruct the compiler to optimize for the usual case.
   return UNLIKELY(get_unsafe_ptr()->is_spam());
 }
-#else
-template<class GetCategory>
-constexpr bool NotifyCategoryProxy<GetCategory>::
-is_spam() {
-  return false;
-}
 #endif
 
 /**
@@ -90,12 +84,6 @@ is_debug() {
   // Instruct the compiler to optimize for the usual case.
   return UNLIKELY(get_unsafe_ptr()->is_debug());
 }
-#else
-template<class GetCategory>
-constexpr bool NotifyCategoryProxy<GetCategory>::
-is_debug() {
-  return false;
-}
 #endif
 
 /**
diff --git a/dtool/src/prc/notifyCategoryProxy.h b/dtool/src/prc/notifyCategoryProxy.h
index 06f38ec804..5465529583 100644
--- a/dtool/src/prc/notifyCategoryProxy.h
+++ b/dtool/src/prc/notifyCategoryProxy.h
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@ public:
   INLINE bool is_spam();
   INLINE bool is_debug();
 #else
-  constexpr static bool is_spam();
-  constexpr static bool is_debug();
+  constexpr static bool is_spam() { return false; }
+  constexpr static bool is_debug() { return false; }
 #endif
   INLINE bool is_info();
   INLINE bool is_warning();
diff --git a/panda/src/collide/collisionTraverser.cxx b/panda/src/collide/collisionTraverser.cxx
index 6e8a01d68f..35f7966a3f 100644
--- a/panda/src/collide/collisionTraverser.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/collide/collisionTraverser.cxx
@@ -1254,7 +1254,7 @@ compare_collider_to_geom(CollisionEntry &entry, const Geom *geom,
 
     if (geom->get_primitive_type() == Geom::PT_polygons) {
       Thread *current_thread = Thread::get_current_thread();
-      CPT(GeomVertexData) data = geom->get_vertex_data()->animate_vertices(true, current_thread);
+      CPT(GeomVertexData) data = geom->get_animated_vertex_data(true, current_thread);
       GeomVertexReader vertex(data, InternalName::get_vertex());
 
       int num_primitives = geom->get_num_primitives();
diff --git a/panda/src/distort/projectionScreen.cxx b/panda/src/distort/projectionScreen.cxx
index e3bed91e27..74314bce06 100644
--- a/panda/src/distort/projectionScreen.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/distort/projectionScreen.cxx
@@ -484,8 +484,7 @@ recompute_geom(Geom *geom, const LMatrix4 &rel_mat) {
   const LMatrix4 &to_uv = _invert_uvs ? lens_to_uv_inverted : lens_to_uv;
 
   // Iterate through all the vertices in the Geom.
-  CPT(GeomVertexData) vdata = geom->get_vertex_data(current_thread);
-  vdata = vdata->animate_vertices(true, current_thread);
+  CPT(GeomVertexData) vdata = geom->get_animated_vertex_data(true, current_thread);
 
   CPT(GeomVertexFormat) vformat = vdata->get_format();
   if (!vformat->has_column(_texcoord_name) || (_texcoord_3d && vformat->get_column(_texcoord_name)->get_num_components() < 3)) {
@@ -507,7 +506,7 @@ recompute_geom(Geom *geom, const LMatrix4 &rel_mat) {
   PT(GeomVertexData) modify_vdata = geom->modify_vertex_data();
 
   // Maybe the vdata has animation that we should consider.
-  CPT(GeomVertexData) animated_vdata = geom->get_vertex_data(current_thread)->animate_vertices(true, current_thread);
+  CPT(GeomVertexData) animated_vdata = geom->get_animated_vertex_data(true, current_thread);
 
   GeomVertexWriter texcoord(modify_vdata, _texcoord_name, current_thread);
   GeomVertexWriter color(modify_vdata, current_thread);
@@ -674,9 +673,8 @@ make_mesh_geom(const Geom *geom, Lens *lens, LMatrix4 &rel_mat) {
 
   Thread *current_thread = Thread::get_current_thread();
   PT(Geom) new_geom = geom->make_copy();
+  new_geom->set_vertex_data(new_geom->get_animated_vertex_data(false, current_thread));
   PT(GeomVertexData) vdata = new_geom->modify_vertex_data();
-  new_geom->set_vertex_data(vdata->animate_vertices(false, current_thread));
-  vdata = new_geom->modify_vertex_data();
   GeomVertexRewriter vertex(vdata, InternalName::get_vertex());
   while (!vertex.is_at_end()) {
     LVertex vert = vertex.get_data3();
diff --git a/panda/src/gobj/geom.cxx b/panda/src/gobj/geom.cxx
index 565f8c47b4..bafe523e0f 100644
--- a/panda/src/gobj/geom.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/gobj/geom.cxx
@@ -286,6 +286,28 @@ make_nonindexed(bool composite_only) {
   return num_changed;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Returns a GeomVertexData that represents the results of computing the
+ * vertex animation on the CPU for this Geom's vertex data.
+ *
+ * If there is no CPU-defined vertex animation on this object, this just
+ * returns the original object.
+ *
+ * If there is vertex animation, but the VertexTransform values have not
+ * changed since last time, this may return the same pointer it returned
+ * previously.  Even if the VertexTransform values have changed, it may still
+ * return the same pointer, but with its contents modified (this is preferred,
+ * since it allows the graphics backend to update vertex buffers optimally).
+ *
+ * If force is false, this method may return immediately with stale data, if
+ * the vertex data is not completely resident.  If force is true, this method
+ * will never return stale data, but may block until the data is available.
+ */
+CPT(GeomVertexData) Geom::
+get_animated_vertex_data(bool force, Thread *current_thread) const {
+  return get_vertex_data()->animate_vertices(force, current_thread);
+}
+
 /**
  * Replaces the ith GeomPrimitive object stored within the Geom with the new
  * object.
@@ -1311,8 +1333,7 @@ compute_internal_bounds(Geom::CData *cdata, Thread *current_thread) const {
   int num_vertices = 0;
 
   // Get the vertex data, after animation.
-  CPT(GeomVertexData) vertex_data = cdata->_data.get_read_pointer(current_thread);
-  vertex_data = vertex_data->animate_vertices(true, current_thread);
+  CPT(GeomVertexData) vertex_data = get_animated_vertex_data(true, current_thread);
 
   // Now actually compute the bounding volume.  We do this by using
   // calc_tight_bounds to determine our box first.
diff --git a/panda/src/gobj/geom.h b/panda/src/gobj/geom.h
index 833ac3cd83..82aac75cfa 100644
--- a/panda/src/gobj/geom.h
+++ b/panda/src/gobj/geom.h
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ PUBLISHED:
   void offset_vertices(const GeomVertexData *data, int offset);
   int make_nonindexed(bool composite_only);
 
+  CPT(GeomVertexData) get_animated_vertex_data(bool force, Thread *current_thread) const;
+
   INLINE bool is_empty() const;
 
   INLINE size_t get_num_primitives() const;
diff --git a/panda/src/gobj/geomVertexArrayData.I b/panda/src/gobj/geomVertexArrayData.I
index cfe12f9013..30e5c590e8 100644
--- a/panda/src/gobj/geomVertexArrayData.I
+++ b/panda/src/gobj/geomVertexArrayData.I
@@ -45,7 +45,9 @@ has_column(const InternalName *name) const {
  */
 INLINE int GeomVertexArrayData::
 get_num_rows() const {
-  return get_handle()->get_num_rows();
+  CDReader cdata(_cycler);
+  nassertr(_array_format->get_stride() != 0, 0);
+  return cdata->_buffer.get_size() / _array_format->get_stride();
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/panda/src/gobj/geomVertexData.I b/panda/src/gobj/geomVertexData.I
index bfea5a10ef..bd68fc4cf4 100644
--- a/panda/src/gobj/geomVertexData.I
+++ b/panda/src/gobj/geomVertexData.I
@@ -60,9 +60,20 @@ has_column(const InternalName *name) const {
  */
 INLINE int GeomVertexData::
 get_num_rows() const {
-  GeomVertexDataPipelineReader reader(this, Thread::get_current_thread());
-  reader.check_array_readers();
-  return reader.get_num_rows();
+  CPT(GeomVertexArrayData) array;
+  {
+    CDReader cdata(_cycler);
+    nassertr(cdata->_format->get_num_arrays() == cdata->_arrays.size(), 0);
+
+    if (cdata->_arrays.size() == 0) {
+      // No arrays means no rows.  Weird but legal.
+      return 0;
+    }
+
+    array = cdata->_arrays[0].get_read_pointer();
+  }
+
+  return array->get_num_rows();
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/panda/src/gobj/geomVertexData.cxx b/panda/src/gobj/geomVertexData.cxx
index 5e5fa7a1d4..d97197e25c 100644
--- a/panda/src/gobj/geomVertexData.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/gobj/geomVertexData.cxx
@@ -621,13 +621,26 @@ copy_from(const GeomVertexData *source, bool keep_data_objects,
             const TransformBlend &blend = blend_table->get_blend(from.get_data1i());
             LVecBase4 weights = LVecBase4::zero();
             LVecBase4i indices(0, 0, 0, 0);
-            nassertv(blend.get_num_transforms() <= 4);
 
-            for (size_t i = 0; i < blend.get_num_transforms(); i++) {
-              weights[i] = blend.get_weight(i);
-              indices[i] = add_transform(transform_table, blend.get_transform(i),
-                                         already_added);
+            if (blend.get_num_transforms() <= 4) {
+              for (size_t i = 0; i < blend.get_num_transforms(); i++) {
+                weights[i] = blend.get_weight(i);
+                indices[i] = add_transform(transform_table, blend.get_transform(i),
+                                           already_added);
+              }
+            } else {
+              // Limit the number of blends to the four with highest weights.
+              TransformBlend blend2(blend);
+              blend2.limit_transforms(4);
+              blend2.normalize_weights();
+
+              for (size_t i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
+                weights[i] = blend2.get_weight(i);
+                indices[i] = add_transform(transform_table, blend2.get_transform(i),
+                                           already_added);
+              }
             }
+
             if (weight.has_column()) {
               weight.set_data4(weights);
             }
diff --git a/panda/src/grutil/multitexReducer.cxx b/panda/src/grutil/multitexReducer.cxx
index fdad25bb48..2fff484de3 100644
--- a/panda/src/grutil/multitexReducer.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/grutil/multitexReducer.cxx
@@ -866,7 +866,7 @@ transfer_geom(GeomNode *geom_node, const InternalName *texcoord_name,
     PT(Geom) geom = orig_geom->make_copy();
 
     // Ensure that any vertex animation has been applied.
-    geom->set_vertex_data(geom->get_vertex_data(current_thread)->animate_vertices(true, current_thread));
+    geom->set_vertex_data(geom->get_animated_vertex_data(true, current_thread));
 
     // Now get a modifiable pointer to the vertex data in the new Geom.  This
     // will actually perform a deep copy of the vertex data.
diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/geomNode.cxx b/panda/src/pgraph/geomNode.cxx
index 16e95442c2..17d5555e5d 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/geomNode.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/geomNode.cxx
@@ -376,8 +376,7 @@ r_prepare_scene(GraphicsStateGuardianBase *gsg, const RenderState *node_state,
     geom = transformer.premunge_geom(geom, munger);
 
     // Prepare each of the vertex arrays in the munged Geom.
-    CPT(GeomVertexData) vdata = geom->get_vertex_data(current_thread);
-    vdata = vdata->animate_vertices(false, current_thread);
+    CPT(GeomVertexData) vdata = geom->get_animated_vertex_data(false, current_thread);
     GeomVertexDataPipelineReader vdata_reader(vdata, current_thread);
     int num_arrays = vdata_reader.get_num_arrays();
     for (int i = 0; i < num_arrays; ++i) {
@@ -474,7 +473,7 @@ calc_tight_bounds(LPoint3 &min_point, LPoint3 &max_point, bool &found_any,
   for (gi = geoms->begin(); gi != geoms->end(); ++gi) {
     CPT(Geom) geom = (*gi)._geom.get_read_pointer();
     geom->calc_tight_bounds(min_point, max_point, found_any,
-                            geom->get_vertex_data(current_thread)->animate_vertices(true, current_thread),
+                            geom->get_animated_vertex_data(true, current_thread),
                             !next_transform->is_identity(), mat,
                             current_thread);
   }