Is it possible to make the character appear as if it is flying above everything?
I know how to disable the collision with this in data-updates:
data.raw['character']['character'].collision_box = nil

I want to make the character look like it is using some type of anti-gravity thing.

I suppose that removing shadows (or shifting shadows away from the character) would help. Also, there are different render layers. If not specified, "lower-object" will be used. I guess setting it to "air-object" could help.

(EDIT: There is another mod that specializes in flying characters: Jetpack! Looks like I've been on the correct track, because in prototypes/phase3/jetpack.lua, lines 174ff. of version 0.3.11, Earendel makes flying versions of all characters where he does remove shadows animations and changes the renderlayer to air-object. Additionally, he removes footstep_particle_triggers.)

By the way, setting the shadow animations to nil won't work! Shadow and no-shadow animations must have the same count of directions and frames. Replacing the images with a transparent image should work, though.

Can't you also offset the shadows so that it looks like they are being cast from a flying object? (Edit: wait I somehow missed you mentioning that in the first sentence's parenthetical. Still, I think it would be better than just disabling them.)

I suppose that removing shadows (or shifting shadows away from the character) would help. Also, there are different render layers. If not specified, "lower-object" will be used. I guess setting it to "air-object" could help.

(EDIT: There is another mod that specializes in flying characters: Jetpack! Looks like I've been on the correct track, because in prototypes/phase3/jetpack.lua, lines 174ff. of version 0.3.11, Earendel makes flying versions of all characters where he does remove shadows animations and changes the renderlayer to air-object. Additionally, he removes footstep_particle_triggers.)

By the way, setting the shadow animations to nil won't work! Shadow and no-shadow animations must have the same count of directions and frames. Replacing the images with a transparent image should work, though.

Thanks I will have a look at that mod.