History Main / KibblesAndBits

** This was one of the toys' main advantages; they ''never'' used detachable kibble, all of the parts were in both modes. It was also one of their main disadvantages, since it tended to make the robot forms look ridiculous
*** Except that they did, quite a lot, and it didn't help. Cy-Kill, Cop-Tur, Tank, just to name some of the first-year designs, all had parts that either came off for transformation, moved to other places on the toy for transformation, or could come off and be lost regardless. Helicopter designs in particular often had the blades able to pop off.

* Franchise/{{Transformers}}
** Bulkhead in ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'' shows off the single most awesome use of kibble ever, by converting the "leftover" parts of his vehicle mode [[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Image:Bulkheadchair.jpg into a chair.]] One of his many toys [[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Bulkhead_(Animated)#Leader_Class can do the same thing (leader, 2008).]] This shows the impact kibble has on the fandom, as everyone went crazy with that idea.
** A number of other transformers have the ability to move the wheels on their legs down to their feet, allowing them to skate with them. Bumblebee uses this liberally in ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'', and Optimus Prime does so at one point as well.
** Hot Shot of ''Anime/TransformersArmada'' can do it as well. Interestingly, Bumblebee in ''Animated'' was ''intended'' to be a new version of Hot Shot before the live-action film increased Bumblebee's name value. It's been noted even by people who didn't know about this that he ''acts'' more like a Hot Shot than a Bumblebee.

When the ''majority'' of an alternate mode is this, it's known as a "[[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Shellformer Shellformer,]]" as one mode forms a shell around the protein-packed peanutty goodness that is the other. It's basically like a toy hiding within an egg, and the egg becomes a large backpack or cape behind the robot.

A related term is "Partsforming" (portmanteau of "Parts" and "Transforming"), when a TransformingMecha transforms by removing kibble altogether and re-attaching it somewhere else on its body (after transforming what's left) to finish the transformation. A classic example would be the original Optimus Prime toy who had his hands removed from his arms and stored in his cab in vehicle mode. In more lazy transformation, the entire transformation may consist of partsforming, with the core toy remaining essentially the same and only the position of the kibble determining its current mode (the original Omega Supreme toy was notorious for being almost ''entirely'' partsforming, with no actual "transforming"). Often in CombiningMecha, a degree of partsforming is expected as the combiner's hands, feet or head may not be part of the mecha who becomes its arms, legs or torso.

If the media product in question is MerchandiseDriven, kibble can severely hurt the playability of the resultant toys, as the "hanging" pieces can restrict articulation or - if they can be detached and separated from the main robot - become easily lost. On the other hand, the latter case has created a lucrative online trading business for fans in need of a replacement.

In principle the kibble itself can be visually appealing, not to mention the fact that oftentimes the kibble is necessary for the transformation to work at all, so it's not all bad. Classic characters such as Prowl have the doors of their vehicle mode form apparent [[WingedHumanoid wings on the character]] and are not only perfectly fine for articulation but also gives him a [[DistinctiveAppearances distinctive (and badass looking) silhouette]]. Same goes for [[TheStarscream Starscream]] and his fellow Seekers, for whom the airplane cockpit chest and aircraft wings on their back are a defining aspect of their appearance (and a second group of similar airplane Decepticons had their airplane nosecones rest on top of their heads, giving them the affectionate fan nickname of "Coneheads"). And depending on how flexible the design is, fans can sometimes create their own appearance for the character, shifting the kibble to become a pseudo-shield, armor or weapon that the original designers did not intend for. The alternative with zero kibble often results in very bland looking toys with limited articulation, which is referred to as a "brick" as it has the functionality of a statue.

-->-- '''Wiki/TFWikiDotNet'''

** The ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' ''Transformers'' (no, they weren't tied into the Transformers universe, but apparently the similarity in transforming, not to mention the [[Series/{{Animorphs}} crappy TV show]] airing at the same time, led to a line of Transformer/Animorphs toys being released) toys had similar problems with animal parts hanging off. The [[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Hork-Bajir 'Visser Three to Hork Bajir']] one is an especially huge mess because it was a triple changer. Tobias's body still looks very hawk-like in his human form, with the hawk head visible hanging down in the back, and the human form of the Jake/Tiger one [[https://tfwiki.net/wiki/File:Jake.jpg looks like he's halfway through donning a mid-tier fursuit]].

* A lesser-used definition of 'kibble' (which, however, was the earliest known use of the word as Transformers slang) is the parts that are left over from a toy's transformation. A truly disappointing number of the finer details of older CombiningMecha come from a bag of parts, to the point that the individual vehicles on their own are basically just framework. If you lay out Superion's extra bits as they would be if they were on the final robot, it's more likely to be recognized as Superion than if you assembled the five bots and didn't add the combiner kibble. As toy technology improves, this is less so today, to the point where [[https://tfwiki.net/wiki/File:Generations_cw_superion.JPG the most recent designs]] don't have any at all (although they still have plenty of the ''other'' kind of kibble).

* Film/{{Bumblebee}}: In the more rarely-used form of kibble[[note]]"kibble" usually refers to vehicle mode parts "left over" in robot mode, but can refer to robot mode parts visible in vehicle mode[[/note]], Charlie realizes there's something seriously strange with her new car when she spots a robot face approximately where an oil pan should be (if the VW Beetle didn't have a rear engine, that is).

* The various ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' and ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' HumongousMecha have different combined forms that may either be fairly slender or cumbersome to the point that they shouldn't have any real range of motion. Generally, the technology-based series have fairly smooth looking Megazords while the animal-themed series usually have a giant animal head or five sticking out of the chest and/or sides. The base megazord usually isn't too bad, but as a MechaExpansionPack or two are introduced along with the top tier Ultrazord you may end up with shark fins on the waist, train engines on the shoulders, race cars on the legs and a tank for a backpack.

*** Some of the separate mecha from the DX Shurikenjin. [=DragoMaru=] and [=ShinobiMaru=] both have an arm mode. You would think that they would have the hand come separately, like with [[Series/SeijuuSentaiGingaman Gingaioh]], but nope, the hand can be seen between the legs.

*** The final mecha, [=GekiAtsuDaiOh=], is very bad with this. Especially the center part Genbumaru, which should look like a turtle, but instead looks like a robot with its lower legs and arms chopped off, since the upper legs and face of the combined robot are very clearly visible, as seen [[http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/powerrangers/images/8/89/Genbumaru.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20151001042101 here]]

** ''Series/KamenRiderDenO'': Den-O's armor consists of two pieces which swap around depending on which form is active: Sword Form's chestplate opens up vertically for Gun Form, and it becomes the backplate for Rod and Ax Form. Meanwhile, Ax Form's chestplate splits horizontally for Rod Form's chest and shoulders, and it is (of course) Sword and Gun's back. Wing Form is a recolored and modified Sword Form, while [[SuperMode Climax and Liner Forms]] are completely original.

*** The toy version of its feet joints have also been noted to have been poorly designed, due to being connected by just one small clip-joint each foot, with the additional weight of the Police's mech, the feet will drop off when lifting the entire mech by its body.

* A consistent problem with ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' toys; some (Greymon -> [=MetalGreymon=]) do it significantly better than others (Patamon -> Angemon, which had a particularly bad case of the shell problem). It was particularly bad with the [[FusionDance Jogress Evolution]] toys around ''Anime/DigimonAdventure02'', and it didn't help that they simply did not design Omegamon in a way at all friendly to an adequate combining toy. The ''Anime/DigimonFusion'' line mostly cleaned up its act in regard to this trope, but still had a small problem with Shoutmon's head still being somewhat visible when it's being used to form the V crest on the chest of Shoutmon X3 and higher.
** War Greymon and Metal Garurumon were the first digimon to be modeled after their toys instead of vice versa. This lead to creative use of kibble, such as Agumon's head and claws becoming the Brave Shield and Dramon Killers or Gabumon's feet, horn and tail becoming his shoulder mounted missile launchers, tail and wings respectively. However, this caused them to fit in poorly with their other forms due to clashing themes.

* A consistent problem with ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' toys; some (Greymon -> [=MetalGreymon=]) do it significantly better than others (Patamon -> Angemon, which had a particularly bad case of the shell problem). It was particularly bad with the [[FusionDance Jogress Evolution]] toys around ''Anime/DigimonAdventure02'', and it didn't help that they simply did not design Omegamon in a way at all friendly to an adequate combining toy. The ''Anime/DigimonXrosWars'' line mostly cleaned up its act in regard to this trope, but still had a small problem with Shoutmon's head still being somewhat visible when it's being used to form the V crest on the chest of Shoutmon X3 and higher.

In principle the kibble itself can be visually appealing, not to mention the fact that oftentimes the kibble is necessary for the transformation to work at all, so it's not all bad. Classic characters such as Prowl have the doors of their vehicle mode form apparent [[WingedHumanoid wings on the character]] and are not only perfectly fine for articulation but also gives him a [[DistinctiveAppearances distinctive (and badass looking) silhouette]]. Same goes for [[TheStarscream Starscream]] and his fellow Seekers, for whom the airplane cockpit chest and aircraft wings on their back are a defining aspect of their appearance (and a second group of similar airplane Decepticons had their airplane nosecones rest on top of their heads, giving them the affectionate fan nickname of "Coneheads"). And depending on how flexible the design is, fans can sometimes create their own appearance for the character, shifting the kibble to become a pseudo-shield, armor or weapon that the original designers did not intend for. The alternative to zero kibble often results in very bland looking toys with limited articulation, which is referred to as a "brick" as it has the functionality of a statue.

** Bulkhead in ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'' shows off the single most awesome use of kibble ever, by converting the "leftover" parts of his vehicle mode [[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Image:Bulkheadchair.jpg into a chair.]] One of his many toys [[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Bulkhead_%28Animated%29 can do the same thing (leader, 2008).]] This shows the impact kibble has on the fandom, as everyone went crazy with that idea.