Share To Dare
There's this 3D modeling and animation package called messiahStudio made by a company called pmG. It was described by my coworkers as 'slightly odd but very artist-friendly'. (You'll need a separate application to create your meshes, though.)
It has made some slight fame as the tool of choice of one Joeri Christiaen who has made some very amusing shorts with it. (Check the trailer, it's worth it.)
So why am I telling you people about this? Well, they're having a sale. The normal version, full price $500, now for $10 and the pro version, full price $1200, now for $40.
The catch is that you'll only get the discount when enough people take them up on the offer, you'll get your money refunded otherwise. They currently are about half-way towards their goal. So, if you want to get your hands on some professional-level 3D software for really cheap, get out your credit card!