History Main / PerpetualMolt

-->-- [[http://www.tsunamichannel.com/index.php?date=2002-09-12&comic=MaMi "Magical Mina #41]]", ''Webcomic/TsunamiChannel''

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':

* While ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' character Jin Kazama does not usually leave a trail of feathers wherever he goes in his Devil Jin form, he is not excempt from this trope: in his Tekken 4 ending, Devil Jin escapes Honmaru through the roof, leaving behind a rain of black feathers (among them a single white one, symbolizing the good in him). The same scene is used as the very first visual of the Tekken 5 opening.

** This is also carried over into ''VideoGame/{{Dissidia}}''. Play with the extended battle openings on, and both Sephiroth and Ultimecia will enter with falling black feathers fluttering around them. Ultimecia actually takes this a step further by molting constantly all throughout any battle with her. If you don't know what's going on, the first time you see it you may be prompted to think your PSP is developing dead pixels.

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Brawl'' subjects Pit to this trope. Every time he flies, he seems to lose a ton of feathers. But he's using a magic one (the move was based off a powerup from ''VideoGame/KidIcarus'') so that's okay.

** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'', Cuckoos constantly molt while you hold them (as parodied in [[http://www.awkwardzombie.com/comic1-092010.php this]] ''Webcomic/AwkwardZombie'' strip).

* [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in one scene in the ''[[ForgottenRealms Shadow of the Avatar]]'' trilogy, where Storm Silverhand trails a shapeshifter who's taken falcon form right then...and who's explicitly described as both flying and shedding feathers faster than a real falcon would be capable of or could possibly afford, respectively.

* {{Egregious}} example in ''Anime/MacrossZero'': as Shin's damaged VF-0 [[spoiler:rises from the ocean, held aloft by the power of the Bird Man, it sheds a monumental trail of feathers before being whisked away in a beam of light]]. Where the feathers came from is anyone's guess, as the VF-0 is a TransformingMecha that closely resembles an F-14 Tomcat and the Bird Man is [[NeglectfulPrecursor a Protoculture construct]] covered in shell-like armor. It comes from tribal magic, Gaia spirit and pure force of symbolism.

-->-- [[http://www.tsunamichannel.com/index.php?date=2002-09-12&comic=MaMi "Magical Mina #41]]", ''Webcomc/TsunamiChannel''

-->-- [[http://www.tsunamichannel.com/index.php?date=2002-09-12&comic=MaMi "Magical Mina #41]]", ''TsunamiChannel''

** The Helmaroc King in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker''.

* In ''AceOnline'', one of the RandomlyDrops armor is the Exorcist Binder, a [[CoolPlane jet fighter the shape of a bird]]. One of the weapons associated with this armor is Charisma of Emperor, which is a set of missiles that leaves a trail of [[CrazyAwesome burning feathers]]. Supposedly, Exorcist Binder itself is supposed to leave a trail of feathers from its jet engine wake. Not that fanmade mods hasn't fixed it yet.

* Averted in ''WatershipDown'', in which Kehaar is seen to lose only one flight feather. That one was probably justified, as he was recovering from a cat attack and the lost feather might've been shed because it was damaged, not because he was molting out-of-season.

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}'', ships of the Aarakocra ([[PettingZooPeople bird folk]]) are made faster than normal, but there's a-Achhoo! good reason why the rest of Wildspace races don't form a-Achhoo! line to buy them at three times the stated price... or even seek passage more than once. What with feathered sails and the atmosphere perpetually contaminated with down feathers.

* In ''HappyFeet'', this trope is subverted. The main character, Mumble, is an adult Emperor Penguin. Yet he didn't ever finish shedding his down feathers in the movie. He's the only adult penguin that has this occur. It was later explained that the editors wanted him to have a unique look throughout the movie. This permanent molt makes it look like he is wearing a tuxedo, appropriate for tapdancing. Played straight in the storybooks, however.

* In the ''[[WesternAnimation/PixarShorts Pixar Short]]'' called "For the Birds", a large bird stands in the middle of a telephone wire populated with many small birds, bending it down like a bowstring. When they make him fall off, it snaps back, and all the birds shoot into the air and fall to the ground featherless, the feathers falling around them.

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda''"

* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'', Cuckoos constantly molt while you hold them (as parodied in [[http://www.awkwardzombie.com/comic1-092010.php this]] ''Webcomic/AwkwardZombie'' strip).
* The wings that encase Link when playing the Song of Soaring in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask''. Kaepora Gaebora does it to help Link cross a series of invisible platforms in Goron Village.
* The Helmaroc King in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker''.

** This is also carried over into ''{{Dissidia}}''. Play with the extended battle openings on, and both Sephiroth and Ultimecia will enter with falling black feathers fluttering around them. Ultimecia actually takes this a step further by molting constantly all throughout any battle with her. If you don't know what's going on, the first time you see it you may be prompted to think your PSP is developing dead pixels.
* In ''VideoGame/BatenKaitos'', [[spoiler:[[BatenKaitos Kalas]], post-FaceHeelTurn]] molts when he first [[spoiler:gets his pretty glowy white wings.]]

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'' subjects Pit to this trope. Every time he flies, he seems to lose a ton of feathers. But he's using a magic one (the move was based off a powerup from Kid Icarus) so that's okay.

--->'''Palutena:''' It... looks like your wings are losing feathers, Pit.\\

'''Palutena:''' I wonder if you're wings are going bald.\\

* In ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution'', Angel is spotted by Cyclops and Rogue, who don't know his civilian identity yet, by the trail feathers he leaves. As a rule, though, he doesn't leave a shower of feathers behind in any version.

* ''VideoGame/{{Banjo-Kazooie}}'' turns this trope into a gameplay mechanic: Red Feathers must be used continuously to keep Kazooie in flight.

* Parodied [[http://www.tsunamichannel.com/index.php?date=2002-09-12&comic=MaMi here]] in ''TsunamiChannel''.
* Also parodied again [[http://www.awkwardzombie.com/comic1-092010.php with]] the same ''AwkwardZombie'' comic.

* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'', Cuckoos constantly molt while you hold them (as parodied in [[http://www.awkwardzombie.com/comic1-092010.php this]] ''AwkwardZombie'' strip).

* While ''{{Tekken}}'' character Jin Kazama does not usually leave a trail of feathers wherever he goes in his Devil Jin form, he is not excempt from this trope: in his Tekken 4 ending, Devil Jin escapes Honmaru through the roof, leaving behind a rain of black feathers (among them a single white one, symbolizing the good in him). The same scene is used as the very first visual of the Tekken 5 opening.

** In ''KingdomHearts'', The optional battles Sephiroth also feature him warping around the stage, leaving a shower of feathers whenever he does so, and also the occasional falling when he attacks with his sword.

* In ''BatenKaitos'', [[spoiler:[[BatenKaitos Kalas]], post-FaceHeelTurn]] molts when he first [[spoiler:gets his pretty glowy white wings.]]

* ''{{Pokemon}}'' has the Feather Dance move, which coats the opponent in feathers, reducing their Attack...probably by cushioning any physical blows that they attempt to make.

* ''{{Banjo-Kazooie}}'' turns this trope into a gameplay mechanic: Red Feathers must be used continuously to keep Kazooie in flight.

* In the ''PanzerDragoon'' universe, massive flying creatures called Els Enora can shed large quantities of feathers at will. These feathers quickly act as a seed crystal for nearby snow and ice particles, forming a giant wall/net in the path of fleeing prey. And by "prey" we mean player character, who must act quickly to shoot a hole in the wall of feathers or suffer collision damage.
* ''WorldOfWarcraft'' has Giorgio's Caduceus of Pure Moods, a healing staff with a head that looks like a pair of wings encircling an egg, and has a magical aura that makes it look like it's molting. It drops of Ji-Kun, a large bird boss from the Throne of Thunder raid who uses a FeatherFlechettes attack.

* The elder Sakamoto-sama in ''PrincessPrincess'' is shown emitting a PerpetualMolt, even though he doesn't have wings or feathers.

* {{Egregious}} example in ''Anime/MacrossZero'': as Shin's damaged VF-0 [[spoiler:rises from the ocean, held aloft by the power of the Bird Man, it sheds a monumental trail of feathers before being whisked away in a beam of light]]. Where the feathers came from is anyone's guess, as the VF-0 is a TransformingMecha that closely resembles an F-14 Tomcat and the Bird Man is [[NeglectfulPrecursor a Protoculture construct]] covered in shell-like armor. It comes from tribal magic, Gaia spirit and pure force of symbolsim.

* Also parodied again [[http://www.awkwardzombie.com/comic1-092010.php wth]] the same ''AwkwardZombie'' comic.

* ''Manga/AngelSanctuary''

* ''AngelSanctuary''
* ''TheBrideOfTheWaterGod'': The Emperor sheds more or less continuously when he is wearing his miniature black wings.
* Creator/{{CLAMP}}'s ''[[{{X1999}} X/1999]]''.
* ''DNAngel:'' To say the angels [[PhantomThief Dark]] and [[LightIsNotGood Krad]] shed feathers all over the place is the understatement of the year. It can be said without exaggeration that there's times when they shed thousands of feathers all at once.

* {{Egregious}} example in ''MacrossZero'': as Shin's damaged VF-0 [[spoiler:rises from the ocean, held aloft by the power of the Bird Man, it sheds a monumental trail of feathers before being whisked away in a beam of light]]. Where the feathers came from is anyone's guess, as the VF-0 is a TransformingMecha that closely resembles an F-14 Tomcat and the Bird Man is [[NeglectfulPrecursor a Protoculture construct]] covered in shell-like armor. It comes from tribal magic, Gaia spirit and pure force of symbolsim.

* A plot point in the Pure arc of ''MermaidMelodyPichiPichiPitch''. Lucia [[GottaCatchThemAll must collect]] the fragments of Seira's heart, which have attached themselves to Michel's angel feathers. This means she has to run into him when his QuirkyMinibossSquad attacks the town. [[FridgeLogic Why]] he wouldn't just ''stay'' in his own dimension is beyond me, especially with his health condition...

* The titular mecha from ''RahXephon'' does this in the show's intro, and near the end of the series.

* Suigintou in ''RozenMaiden''. This trope was the trigger of a two-episode StoryArc: [[spoiler:one of Suigintou's feathers got stuck on Shinku's body, causing her and Hinaichigo to temporarily become inert dolls]]. Indeed, Suigintou's PerpetualMolt is ''weaponized''. She keeps shooting those feathers as projectiles at her enemies.
* The trope is so pervasive that the cover to the soundtrack album to ''{{Simoun}}'' shows Aaeru and Neviril reclining on a helical motor wheel with the feathers from a PerpetualMolt flying in the air around them, even though neither of them have wings or feathers, and no bird or angel is visible anywhere nearby.

%% * ''TrinityBlood''. (expansion needed)
%% * ''VisionOfEscaflowne'' (expansion needed)
* The villain Dr. Muraki in ''YamiNoMatsuei'' was occasionally surrounded by white feathers falling from the sky, usually in highly allegorical circumstances. When protagonist Tsuzuki was possessed by a demon, he grew large black bird's wings that shed feathers, too.
* [[spoiler:Ash/Angela]] from the anime ''Manga/BlackButler''. Interestingly, [[spoiler:Sebastian loses black feathers when he gets menacing,]] even though he has no wings.
* Vicious' cormorant in ''Anime/CowboyBebop''.
* Every appearance of Beelzebumon in ''Anime/DigimonXrosWars'' starts with feathers falling down.
* Every character with wings in ''MakaiOuji'' both angel and demon seems to shed their feathers all the time, the worse offender of this trope is Lucifer, the emperor of demon. He is a fallen angel but he has wings for hair and in one episode he shed/rain feathers enough to pile up on the ground.

* When wings, including bird-like angel-wings, were introduced to the MMO ''CityOfHeroes'', they were originally planned to be in PerpetualMolt. This was, however, scrapped before they "went live", due to the demands this would've put on the physics engine. With the release of issue 20.5, a "feather" aura which produces this exact effect is available for Incarnate characters to purchase.

* Ran of ''Manga/AkameGaKiru'', when he releases his Teigu and shows his wings, they are constantly losing feathers, which is in fact a purposely built in feature of them as he can manipulate the feathers to attack his targets and they are extremely deadly.

* Vicious' cormorant in ''CowboyBebop''.

* While the eponymous archangel in ''{{Michael}}'' doesn't fly, the number of feathers he drops from his wings throughout the movie seem to be an indicator of how much longer he can stay on Earth. [[spoiler:After bringing a dog back to life, he loses many feathers all at once, and is greatly weakened.]]

* Parodied in ''ThirdRockFromTheSun'' as the death of a chicken is punctuated by a "snowfall" of feathers -- in 3D, no less!
* Explained in an episode of ''{{CSI}}'', when a pile of feathers is found at a crime scene. When they were taken to a pet store to attempt to identify the type of bird, the owner explains that birds only shed one or two at the most. For the amount found, "Someone yanked. Hard."

* In ''{{Spelljammer}}'', ships of the Aarakocra ([[PettingZooPeople bird folk]]) are made faster than normal, but there's a-Achhoo! good reason why the rest of Wildspace races don't form a-Achhoo! line to buy them at three times the stated price... or even seek passage more than once. What with feathered sails and the atmosphere perpetually contaminated with down feathers.

* In ''XMenEvolution'', Angel is spotted by Cyclops and Rogue, who don't know his civilian identity yet, by the trail feathers he leaves. As a rule, though, he doesn't leave a shower of feathers behind in any version.