- "YOU'RE A KID NOW, YOU'RE A SQUID NOW"
- ― Infamous line from a North American Splatoon commercial
- "Ford, you're turning into a penguin. Stop it."
- ― Arthur Dent, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The power to shapeshift into animals. The reflexive form of Animal Transmutation. Variation of Biomorphing. Not to be confused with Animal Imitation or Animal Physiology.
Also Called[]
- Animal Megamorphing/Metamorphosis/Metamorphing
- Animal Shapeshifting/Shifting
- Animorph/Animorphing/Animorphism
- Faunal Mimicry/Shapeshifting/Shifting
- Self-Animal Transmutation/Transmogrification
- Skinwalker Effect
- Therianthropic Shapeshifting (Relating to werebeasts only)
- Therianthropy (Relating to werebeasts only)
- Theriomorphosis
- Wildlife Form/Mimicry/Metamorphosis/Shapeshifting/Shifting
- Zoanthropic Shapeshifting
- Zoology Shapeshifting/Form/Mimicry
- Zoological Metamorphosis/Shifting
- Zoomorphosis
Fiction-Specific Terms[]
- Animality (Mortal Kombat)
- Beast Within (Bayonetta)
- Protean (Vampire: The Masquerade)
- Wild Shape (Dungeons & Dragons)
Capabilities[]
The user with this ability can transform into any animal they want whether partially or completely, as well as use the abilities, traits and appearance/physiology of animals by rearranging their own DNA structure. They are able to transform into animals that exist, alien animals, animals that are extinct, such as dinosaurs, or a combination of different animals.
The user may have this ability from an empty genetic code, allowing them to accept any form from which they have a DNA sample, others may be able to alter their form mentally and change just by seeing and mimicking animal features. The user may even turn into a unique animal from their wild imagination.
Applications[]
- Transform into animals.
- Varies Animal Powers
- Animal Flight/Gliding/Wing Manifestation(To retain the airborne capabilities of most animals in human form.)
- Animal Flexibility (To retain the pliability of most animals in human form.)
- Animal Senses (To retain the senses of all animals in human form.)
- Animal Speed (To retain the speed of all animals in human form.)
- Animal Speed Swimming (To retain the speed of all marine animals in human form.)
- Animal Strength (To retain the strength of all animals in human form.)
- Animal Vision (To retain the strong eyesight of most animals in human form.)
- Aquatic Breathing/Gill Manifestation (To retain the water breathing of most marine animals in human form.)
- Bioluminescence (To retain the light of most animals in human form.)
- Camouflage/Invisibility (To retain the disguise technique of most animals in human form.)
- Detection (Animals can sense the presence of other entities, enhanced humans, beings of myths, dangers even weathers.)
- Empathy (Most animal species can feel the emotions of others.)
- Gender Transformation (Most animals can change their sexual characteristics.)
- Vocal Replication (Most species of birds can mimic voices or sounds.)
- Echolocation/Radar (Most animals can use sound waves to traverse their way from place to place.)
- Limb Regrowth/Regrowth (To retain the body regeneration of lizards in human form.)
- Regenerative Healing Factor (To retain the self-healing of most animals in human form.)
- Venom Secretion (To retain the venom of most animals in human form.)
- Claw Retraction (To retain the claws of carnivorous creatures in human form.)
- Wallcrawling (To retain the crawling skill of most animals in human form.)
- Scale Manifestation/Hair Generation/Feather Manifestation (Animals have different types of skins.)
- Peak Human/Enchanced/Supernatural/Absolute Condition (Many different animals like dragons, phoenixes, etc have very powerful physiologies.)
- Prehensile Tongue (Various animals have long tongues.)
- Tail Manifestation/Stinger Tail/Swimming Tail/Sharp Tail/Clubbed Tail/Serpentine Tail/Thagomizer Protrusion (Animals have different types of tails.)
- Multiple Legs (Most insects and marine creatures have a multitude of legs.)
- Antenna Protrusion (To retain the sensory appendages of insects/crustaceans and arthropods.)
- Arthropodal Limbs (To retain the leg appendages of arthropods.)
- Tentacle Manifestation (Most marine animals have tentacles.)
- Antler/Horn Protrusion (To retain the antlers/horns of most animals in human form.)
- Beak Protrusion (To retain the strong jaws of birds in human form.)
- Flipper Protrusion/Fin Manifestation(To retain the flat limbs of marine/semi aquatic creatures in human form.)
- Electricity Generation (To retain the electric capability of jellyfish and electric eels in human form.)
- Thermoreception (To retain the infrared vision of most animals in human form.)
- Pincer Claws (To retain the hands of crustaceans/scorpions in human form.)
- Proboscis Protrusion (To retain the trunks of elephants/tapirs and most insects in human form.)
- Tusk Protrusion (To retain the tusk of most animals in human form.)
- Shell Formation (To retain the protective exoskeleton of Testudines in human form.)
- Personal Pouch (To retain the pouch of marsupials in human form.)
- Cheek Pouch Protrusion (To retain the mouth pouches of rodents, monkeys and platypuses in human form.)
- Quill Protrusion (To retain the sharp spines of rodents.)
- Lure Protrusion (To retain the bioluminescent lure of most deep sea fish.)
- Hoof Protrusion (To retain the hard feet of ungulates.)
- Sucker Protrusion (To retain the suction cups of cephalopods, insects, amphibians and most mammals.)
- Varies Animal Powers
- Animal Swarming
- Partial Transformation
- Anthrozoic Shapeshifting: Shapeshifting to a humanoid form of an animal physiology.
- Appendage Generation
- Natural Weaponry
- Theriothyrsus Shapeshifting: Shapeshifting to a human head on an animal body.
- Zoocephalic Shapeshifting: Shapeshifting to a human body with an animal head.
Variations[]
Species[]
Other[]
- Animal Hybrid
- Alien Animal
- Animal Speedster
- Beastfolk
- Beastwere
- Elemental Animal
- Extinct Lifeform
- Futuristic Lifeform
- Monstrous Animal
- Superpowered
- Transcendent Animal
- Unicellular Physiology
- Unique Skin
- Werebeast
Associations[]
- Animal Emerging
- Animal Imitation
- Animal Manipulation
- Animal Mode
- Animal Soul
- Animalia Symboisis
- Animal Transmutation
- Animatronic Mimicry
- Apex Predator
- Beast Soul
- Biomorphing
- Composite Organism Physiology
- Deliberate Genetic Indexing of forms.
- Elemental Animal
- Environmental Adaptation
- Giant Animal Physiology
- Human Morphing
- Mythic Morphing
- Mutated Beast Physiology
- Shapeshifting
- Skinwalker
- Species-Shifting
- Human Physiology: according to science humans are actually animals (related to primates).
- Spiritual Animal Physiology
- Superior Human Physiology
- Taur Physiology
- Ultimate Being
- Zodiac Physiology
- Zoolingualism
Limitations[]
- Above all else, for users of this ability, all living things, including animals, must abide by the laws of the shape they inhabit.
- May have a limited selection of predetermined animal forms to take (i.e., non-extinct animals or those too advanced in evolution).
- May require a visual memory or genetic sample of target animal through touch or assimilation.
- Incapable to transform into inanimate objects, or anything else other than animals.
- May be constrained by thermodynamic laws on conservation of mass.
- May take on memories or characteristics of morphed or assimilated animals.
- May not maintain human mentality.
- Staying too long in an animal form may affect users' mind/thought processes and/or make it harder to return into original form.
- May not be able to combine several animal forms.
- May not be able to morph directly from one animal to another.
- May take some time to transition.
- The user might be in pain while transitioning into something.
- May not be able to completely change one's DNA.
- May be vulnerable to Taming, Animal Manipulation and Shapeshifting Negation.
- May not be able to speak in a human language, unless they’re a species of bird which technically can talk or (if possible) telepathic speaking.
- The user might gain the flaws of some animals such as:
- Color blindness, eyeless, poor vision, near deaf hearing.
- Possess the fears of other animals, (for example, horses fear snakes, elephants fear rodents and bees, snakes fear birds and mongoose, insects fear birds etc.)
- Bugs are easily squashed to death, bees die after stinging, most sharks must move perpetually or they die, birds can’t see glass, marine and semi-aquatic creatures need water to survive, certain animals won’t survive outside of their proper habitat, most animals are cannibalistic, reptiles need heat to survive, most venomous animals lack immunity to their own venom, most animal venom has no cure leading to death, horns, beaks, fins and flippers don’t grow back if damaged, insects drown from waters etc.
- Animals dislike noises.
- Specialized poison for animals such as rat poison or pesticide can probably have an effect on the user.
- Human food is bad for animals, which could have an effect on the user.
- Disease for animals can probably affect the user.
- Users forms will probably force them based on sexual dimorphism, male users become male animals and vice versa.
- Unless user can change back to their original form, such as human, in time, may be mistaken for real animal, especially if user is and remains in the form of a dangerous animal, (lion, tiger, bear, wolf, venomous snake, spider, venomous frog, venomous lizard, etc.) may cause fear, terror, and panic among the public, and therefore may result in being wrangled and captured, held as a captive in a cage, kennel, etc. , tranquilized, or even, in extreme cases, killed or euthanized in various ways, essentially being treated just like a dangerous animal on the loose.
Known Users[]
See Also: Animorphism.
Anime/Manga/Aeni/Manhwa[]
- Secre Swallowtail/Nero (Black Clover)
- Yoruichi Shihōin (Bleach); black cat
- Various Arrancar (Bleach)
- Beastmen (BNA: Brand New Animal)
- Atsushi Nakajima (Bungou Stray Dogs); via Beast Beneath The Moonlight
- Sōseki Natsume (Bungou Stay Dogs); via I am a Cat
- Sister Jill (Cutey Honey)
- Beast Tamers (The Beginning After the End); Beast Will
- Lisanna Strauss (Fairy Tail)
- Darius (Fullmetal Alchemist)
- Heinkel (Fullmetal Alchemist)
- Jerso (Fullmetal Alchemist)
- Roa (Fullmetal Alchemist)
- Zampano (Fullmetal Alchemist)
- Heewon (The Haunted House/Shinbi Apartment)
- Kars (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part II: Battle Tendency)
- Diego Brando (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part VII: Steel Ball Run); via Scary Monster
- Sablé Prince (Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru); Snake or frog
- Therianthropes (Killing Bites)
- Babbo (Marchen Awakens Romance)
- Tamaki Amajiki (My Hero Academia)
- Zoan Devil Fruit Users (One Piece)
- Users of Pactio's (Negima)
- Genma Saotome (Ranma 1/2); panda
- Shampoo (Ranma 1/2); cat
- Mousse (Ranma 1/2); duck
- Ryoga Hibiki (Ranma 1/2); black pig
- Kusuo Saiki (Saiki Kusuo no Psi-nan)
- Regina Olympia Folnar (Swordsman of Magic Technique School and Summoned Vasreus)
- Baek Yoonho (Solo Leveling)
- Beast (Undead Unluck)
- Zoo Dopant(Kamen Rider W)
- Ai (Mission: Yozakura Family)
Comics[]
- Calvin (Calvin and Hobbes)
- Garfield "Gar" Logan/Beast Boy (DC Comics)
- Samuel Register/Zookeeper (DC Comics)
- Bernhard Baker/Animal Man (DC Comics)
- Ashley Rayburn/Primer (DC Comics)
- Jayna (DC Comics)
- Apex Ava (DC Comics)
- Humanimalians (Extinctioners)
- Olivia Lewis/Managerie (Image Comics)
- Everyone (Kevin & Kell)
- Tatiana Caban/Catiana (Marvel Comics)
- Narya/Snowbird (Marvel Comics)
- Amka Aliyak/Snowguard (Marvel Comics)
- Meggan Puceanu (Marvel Comics)
- Maria de Guadalupe Santiago/Silverclaw (Marvel Comics)
- Sun Wukong/Monkey King (Marvel Comics)
- Metamorphia (Sonic the Comic)
- Vampirella (Vampirella); only able to turn into a bat.
- Pantha (Vampirella); only able to turn into a panther.
Literature[]
- Andalites (Animorphs)
- Animorphs (Animorphs)
- Tom Berenson (Animorphs)
- Some Controllers (Animorphs)
- Mythic Animal Clans (Geronimo Stilton: The Dragon of Fortune)
- Marcus Edge (Half Bad)
- Nathan Byrn (Half Bad)
- Animagus (Harry Potter); only one animal species per person
- Artemis (Percy Jackson Novels)
- Frank Zhang (Heroes of Olympus)
- Beorn (The Hobbit)
- Samirah Al-abbas (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard)
- Alex Fierro (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard)
- Angel (Maximum Ride)
- Users of the Animorfum Spell (Ology Series)
- Ymbrynes (Peculiar Children Series); only able to turn into one kind of bird per person
- Artemis/Diana (Greco-Roman Mythology)
- Dionysus/Bacchus (Greco-Roman Mythology)
- Achelous (Greek Mythology)
- Periclymenus (Greek Mythology)
- The Ogre (Puss in Boots)
- Shapeshifters and Shapeshifter-Chameleons (Shadow Falls)
- Perry Gomez
- Kevin
- Roberto Esparza
- Steve
- Nikki
- Shifters, Werewolves, Werepanthers (The Southern Vampire Mysteries; True Blood)
- Shifters (Supernatural Prison)
- Fluxers (Upside-Down Magic)
- Elinor "Nory" Boxwood-Horace; hybrid-animals only
Live Television/Movies[]
- Grace Choi/Wylde (Arrowverse/Black Lightning)
- Garfield Logan/Beast Boy (Titans)
- Hus (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
- Dracula (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
- Kumiko Ishihara (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight)
- New Vampires (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Ten)
- Shifters, Werewolves, and Werepanthers (HBO's True Blood)
- Hannah Webster (Charmed)
- Pain and Panic (Disney’s Hercules)
- Dracula (Dracula)
- John McKenna (Forest Warrior)
- Vamp (Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths)
- Werewolf (Lost Tapes)
- Skinwalker (Lost Tapes)
- Alan Diaz (Mighty Med)
- Maui (Moana); via Maui's Fish Hook
- The Shadow Master (Round the Twist); only able to turn into a black cat.
- Magenta (Sky High); only able to turn into a black/purple guinea pig.
- Ralph (Twice Upon a Time)
- Cara Cruz (Wansapanataym)
- Wendy Beauchamp (Witches of East End); black cat.
- Mei Lee (and the other females in her family) (Turning Red); red panda
- Isis (Witches of East End); rat
- Doric (Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves)
- Tetlapanquetzal (The League of 5)
- Zoraida Zorga (Detetives do Prédio Azul)
Cartoons[]
- Huntress Wizard (Adventure Time)
- Transformers (Beast Wars/Beast Machines)
- Maximals
- Predacons
- Dark Heart (The Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation)
- No Heart (The Care Bears Family)
- Merlock (Ducktales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp)
- Beast Boy (Young Justice)
- Jackie Frost and Northwind (Ever After High)
- Bunny Blanc (Ever After High); rabbit
- Hopper Croakington II (Ever After High); frog
- Fairies (Fairly Odd Parents)
- Lucifer Morningstar (Hazbin Hotel)
- Haiku (Jackie Chan Adventures)
- Jade Chan/Amazing T-Girl (Jackie Chan Adventures)
- Johnny Test/Johnny X (Johnny Test)
- Shifter (Justice League Unlimited/DC Animated Universe/DCAU)
- Kipo Oak (Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts)
- Song Oak (Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts)
- Fara Maku & Tea Gora (Gargoyles); panther
- Tetlepanquetzal (The League of 5)
- Formlings (Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu)
- Troy Winter/Extroyer (Max Steel 2013 TV series)
- Animan (Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir)
- Fei Wu (Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir); via Prodigious
- Maui (Moana)
- Nimona (Netflix Nimona)
- Koala Princess (OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes); koala
- Joy Lefrog (Regal Academy)
- Dinobots (Robots in Disguise); dinosaurs
- Catra (She-Ra: Princess of Power); panther
- Orm (The Snow Queen)
- Twitch (Sofia the First)
- Zinessa (Sofia the First); Siamese cat only
- Maggie Nelson/Mosaic (Stan Lee's Mosaic)
- The Changeling (Rugrats)
- Changing Baby (Rugrats)
- Spirit Rangers (Spirit Rangers)
- Jayna (Super Friends)
- Astraea (Space Sentinels)
- Shifters (Supernatural Academy)
- Kevin Reynolds (Supernoobs)
- Changerella (Supernormal)
- Madam Mim (The Sword in the Stone)
- Merlin (The Sword in the Stone)
- Mystique (X-Men Evolution)
- Garfield Logan/Beast Boy (Teen Titans 2003)
- Bubbles (The Powerpuff Girls Reboot)
- Leonardo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2003 TV series); only in the game "Super Quest".
- Dinobots (Transformers G1); dinosaurs
- Predacons (Transformers Prime)
- Predaking
- Darksteel
- Skylinx
- Shifter (Ultimen)
- Kratt Brothers (Wild Kratts); via Creature Power Suits
- Kalshara (Winx Club)
Tabletop Games[]
- Druids (Dungeons and Dragons); via Wild Shape
- Lycanthropes (Dungeons and Dragons)
- Lyra Debont (Amor de Otro Mundo)
- Amber Brotherhood (Warhammer); via Ghur
- Changing Breeds (World of Darkness)
Video Games[]
- Luke Custer (Altered Beast 2005)
- Umbra Witches (Bayonetta); via Beast Within
- Druid class (Diablo II: Lord of Destruction)
- Morrigan (Dragon Age)
- Atreus (God of War)
- Kameo (Kameo: Elements of Power)
- The Fighters (all versions of Mortal Kombat 3); via Animality
- Kotal Kahn (Mortal Kombat 11)
- Shantae (Shantae)
- Bat Spin (Skylanders); giant bat
- Chaos (Sonic the Hedgehog)
- Inklings (Splatoon); squids
- Agent 3
- Agent 4
- Octolings (Splatoon); octopuses
- Agent 8
- Rin Kaenbyou (Touhou Project)
- Spectral Knights and Darkling Lords (Visionaries)
- Leo (WarioWare)
- Druid Class (World of Warcraft)
Web Animation/Original/Series
- Qrow Branwen (RWBY); corvid
- Raven Branwen (RWBY); corvid
- Charles Darwin (Super Science Friends)
- SCP-239 - The Witch Child (SCP Foundation)
- SCP-2750 - Navajo Skinwalkers (SCP Foundation)
- Entity 33 - "The King" (The Backrooms)
Folklore/Mythology[]
- Phooka (Irish and Scottish Mythology)
- La Lechuza (Mexican Mythology); owl only
- Nycticorax Bird (Medieval European Mythology); only into other nocturnal bird species
- Naguals (Mesoamerican Mythology)
Known Objects[]
- Animal Transformation Biscuits (Doraemon)
- Animal Transformation Egg (Doraemon)
- Merlock's Talisman (DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp)
- Maui's Fish Hook (Moana)
- Monkey Talisman (Jackie Chan Adventures)
- Zoan Devil Fruits (One Piece)
- Zodiac Stone (Minions: The Rise of Gru)
- T'aya Necklaces (Spirit Rangers)
- Prodigious (Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir)