diff --git a/src/main/java/com/tiedup/remake/v2/bondage/datadriven/DataDrivenItemDefinition.java b/src/main/java/com/tiedup/remake/v2/bondage/datadriven/DataDrivenItemDefinition.java
index ce1a4db..da1e07c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/tiedup/remake/v2/bondage/datadriven/DataDrivenItemDefinition.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/tiedup/remake/v2/bondage/datadriven/DataDrivenItemDefinition.java
@@ -103,7 +103,8 @@ public record DataDrivenItemDefinition(
      * is not present in this map (or null), the item falls back to its full
      * {@code ownedParts}.</p>
      *
-     * <p>This field is required in the JSON definition. Never null, never empty.</p>
+     * <p>Optional in JSON. When absent, defaults to empty map (= all owned bones
+     * enabled for all animations, no filtering).</p>
      */
     Map<String, Set<String>> animationBones,
 
@@ -111,9 +112,10 @@ public record DataDrivenItemDefinition(
     Map<ComponentType, JsonObject> componentConfigs
 ) {
 
-    /** Compact constructor: default null componentConfigs to empty immutable map. */
+    /** Compact constructor: default null maps to empty immutable maps. */
     public DataDrivenItemDefinition {
         if (componentConfigs == null) componentConfigs = Map.of();
+        if (animationBones == null) animationBones = Map.of();
     }
 
     /** Check whether this definition declares a given component type. */
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/tiedup/remake/v2/bondage/datadriven/DataDrivenItemParser.java b/src/main/java/com/tiedup/remake/v2/bondage/datadriven/DataDrivenItemParser.java
index 91f5d91..a8b9a03 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/tiedup/remake/v2/bondage/datadriven/DataDrivenItemParser.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/tiedup/remake/v2/bondage/datadriven/DataDrivenItemParser.java
@@ -261,17 +261,27 @@ public final class DataDrivenItemParser {
         // Optional: creator (author name for tooltip)
         String creator = getStringOrNull(root, "creator");
 
-        // Required: animation_bones (per-animation bone whitelist)
-        Map<String, Set<String>> animationBones = parseAnimationBones(
-            root,
-            fileId
-        );
-        if (animationBones == null) {
-            LOGGER.error(
-                "[DataDrivenItems] Skipping {}: missing or invalid 'animation_bones'",
+        // Optional: animation_bones (per-animation bone whitelist)
+        // When absent, all owned bones are enabled for all animations.
+        Map<String, Set<String>> animationBones;
+        if (!root.has("animation_bones")) {
+            // Not an error — absent means "permissive" (all owned bones, all animations)
+            animationBones = null;
+            LOGGER.info(
+                "[DataDrivenItems] {}: animation_bones not declared — all owned bones enabled for all animations",
                 fileId
             );
-            return null;
+            // null is fine — the record constructor defaults it to Map.of()
+        } else {
+            animationBones = parseAnimationBones(root, fileId);
+            if (animationBones == null) {
+                // Field was present but malformed — parseAnimationBones already logged details
+                LOGGER.error(
+                    "[DataDrivenItems] Skipping {}: 'animation_bones' is present but invalid",
+                    fileId
+                );
+                return null;
+            }
         }
 
         // Optional: components (per-component JSON configs)