Someone in the Breakfast Topic below linked a clip of the pandaren animations from Blizzcon; they mention the importance of having the weaponless and weapons-using animations look similar, so I'd imagine they will show you using your weapons.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=E1hGj9gHs00

I'd also heard - and I can't recall where, so don't quote me on this - that the monk's chi-using abilities/orb builders would be unarmed, while their orb-using abilities/finishers would use weapons.

Either way, it sounds like fun. I can't wait to see the gnome roll animation. :D

I hope they animate it right, I don't want to see weapons suddenly materialize in my characters hands when using an armed attack after an unarmed one.

at blizzcon in one of the Q&A's (possibly art) they spoke to the idea that a monk fights with both his weapons and his fists and that attacks would utilize both. They said it's fun to attack with your hands to build up your dark or light energy and then you're big 'finishers' would use your weapons.

The Monk's animations are making me convinced that the older race revamps are gonna come in MoP, or most likely in 5.0. The video the other guy linked with the Pandaren Animations looks really cool, and with the Monk animations being shown too, they've gotta have similar animations for the other races that choose Monk. And with TOR coming soon, with it's nice animations, I feel like Blizzard have to compete.

Also the Warlock talent that has all those improved demons might hint to some sort of better pet models. Wait, didn't they promise new male/female forms in Cataclysm?

And would it be too much to ask to get non looping animations for casting spells? That's what it seems from the Monk animations for fighting. Maybe for example, on Summon Imp, you would see the Imp gradually crawl out of the ground as the spell's being cast. Or maybe Pyroblast would see the fireball gradually get larger as your casting.

@Tigore
"...older race revamps"
I'd just be happy if they put the plastic surgeon next to the barber shop. If the human male could get his hairlip fixed I might roll one...after 6 years.

@ Tigore - They stated at Blizzcon that they're actively working on updating models for older races. My impression was that we shouldn't expect it for 5.0, but probably some time during MoP.

Regarding the male/female demons: Yes, they said they're working on them, but they didn't "promise them during Cata". In fact they all but said not to hold your breath cause it wouldn't be any time soon. I agree, though. Implementing a talent that allows us to have augmented demons would be a perfect opportunity to revamp the old demon models.

They specifically stated during the panels that monks typically fight with their hands and feet, keeping their weapons sheathed, but that they draw their weapons for powerful special attacks.

Which is pretty ingenious, if you ask me. I had never considered that as a possible way to do a fighting style for WoW.

It's actually the opposite- the monk's orb builders use the weapon and the finishers are unarmed. Your orb builder attack actually changes names based on the weapon you're using, it's called "strike" when unarmed or using fist weapons but when I picked up a staff it changed to "Clobber" and utilized that weapon, while Tiger Palm and Shadow Kick still used the unarmed attacks.