diff --git a/spatialmath/base/animate.py b/spatialmath/base/animate.py
index 3876a2ea..7654a5a0 100755
--- a/spatialmath/base/animate.py
+++ b/spatialmath/base/animate.py
@@ -104,6 +104,15 @@ def __init__(
             #     ax.set_zlim(dims[4:6])
             #     # ax.set_aspect('equal')
             ax = smb.plotvol3(ax=ax, dim=dim)
+        if dim is not None:
+            dim = list(np.ndarray.flatten(np.array(dim)))
+            if len(dim) == 2:
+                dim = dim * 3
+            elif len(dim) != 6:
+                raise ValueError(f"dim must have 2 or 6 elements, got {dim}. See docstring for details.")
+            ax.set_xlim(dim[0:2])
+            ax.set_ylim(dim[2:4])
+            ax.set_zlim(dim[4:])
 
         self.ax = ax
 
@@ -208,10 +217,12 @@ def update(frame, animation):
             if isinstance(frame, float):
                 # passed a single transform, interpolate it
                 T = smb.trinterp(start=self.start, end=self.end, s=frame)
-            else:
-                # assume it is an SO(3) or SE(3)
+            elif isinstance(frame, NDArray):
+                # type is SO3Array or SE3Array when Animate.trajectory is not None
                 T = frame
-            # ensure result is SE(3)
+            else:
+                # [unlikely] other types are converted to np array
+                T = np.array(frame)
             
             if T.shape == (3, 3):
                 T = smb.r2t(T)
@@ -309,7 +320,7 @@ def __init__(self, anim: Animate, h, xs, ys, zs):
             self.anim = anim
 
         def draw(self, T):
-            p = T.A @ self.p
+            p = T @ self.p
             self.h.set_data(p[0, :], p[1, :])
             self.h.set_3d_properties(p[2, :])
 
@@ -367,7 +378,7 @@ def __init__(self, anim, h):
 
         def draw(self, T):
             # import ipdb; ipdb.set_trace()
-            p = T.A @ self.p
+            p = T @ self.p
 
             # reshape it
             p = p[0:3, :].T.reshape(3, 2, 3)
@@ -421,7 +432,7 @@ def __init__(self, anim, h, x, y, z):
             self.anim = anim
 
         def draw(self, T):
-            p = T.A @ self.p
+            p = T @ self.p
             # x2, y2, _ = proj3d.proj_transform(
             #   p[0], p[1], p[2], self.anim.ax.get_proj())
             # self.h.set_position((x2, y2))
@@ -546,8 +557,6 @@ def __init__(
             axes.set_xlim(dims[0:2])
             axes.set_ylim(dims[2:4])
             # ax.set_aspect('equal')
-        else:
-            axes.autoscale(enable=True, axis="both")
 
         self.ax = axes
 
diff --git a/spatialmath/base/transforms2d.py b/spatialmath/base/transforms2d.py
index c64ed036..682ea0ca 100644
--- a/spatialmath/base/transforms2d.py
+++ b/spatialmath/base/transforms2d.py
@@ -1510,12 +1510,9 @@ def tranimate2(T: Union[SO2Array, SE2Array], **kwargs):
                 tranimate2(transl(1,2)@trot2(1), frame='A', arrow=False, dims=[0, 5])
                 tranimate2(transl(1,2)@trot2(1), frame='A', arrow=False, dims=[0, 5], movie='spin.mp4')
         """
-        anim = smb.animate.Animate2(**kwargs)
-        try:
-            del kwargs["dims"]
-        except KeyError:
-            pass
-
+        dims = kwargs.pop("dims", None)
+        ax = kwargs.pop("ax", None)
+        anim = smb.animate.Animate2(dims=dims, axes=ax, **kwargs)
         anim.trplot2(T, **kwargs)
         return anim.run(**kwargs)
 
diff --git a/spatialmath/base/transforms3d.py b/spatialmath/base/transforms3d.py
index ceff8732..3617f965 100644
--- a/spatialmath/base/transforms3d.py
+++ b/spatialmath/base/transforms3d.py
@@ -3409,12 +3409,9 @@ def tranimate(T: Union[SO3Array, SE3Array], **kwargs) -> str:
 
         :seealso: `trplot`, `plotvol3`
         """
-        anim = Animate(**kwargs)
-        try:
-            del kwargs["dims"]
-        except KeyError:
-            pass
-
+        dim = kwargs.pop("dims", None)
+        ax = kwargs.pop("ax", None)
+        anim = Animate(dim=dim, ax=ax, **kwargs)
         anim.trplot(T, **kwargs)
         return anim.run(**kwargs)