History MorphicResonance / WesternAnimation

* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'': When Transformers reconfigure themselves to have different vehicle forms, their robot-mode bodies tend to look roughly similar to their previous forms.
** For example, ''Generation 2'' gave Optimus Prime [[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Image:CombatheroPrime_toy.jpg a new "Hero" body]] that still had his distinctive red truck cab chest, even though his chest actually became the ''underside'' of his new vehicle mode (which had a ''white'' cab of a completely different design).
** Mind you, that's a major improvement over the [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers original series]], which applied the same concept going ''backwards'' in time. G1 Bumblebee had VW Beetle hood halves on his feet long before he turned into one (indeed, [[AnachronismStew long before there was any such thing as a Beetle, or Volkswagen, or automobiles, or Germany, or anything resembling present-day humans]]).

** ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'': Several of the transformers' faces resemble that of their beast modes. For example, Rattrap has buckteeth like a rat, Cheetor and Tigatron (big cats) both have catlike noses and whiskers and Dinobot has sharp teeth in and out of raptor mode.

** And who can forget the episode "Only Human"; when [[ReplacementScrappy Rodimus]], [[NumberTwo Ultra Magnus]], [[LoveableRogue Springer]], and [[TheHeart Arcee]] are [[ForcedTransformation forced into human bodies]], not only does Arcee's hair resemble her robot form's helmet, but [[ContrivedCoincidence they almost immediately find a building with jumpsuits in their robot forms' color schemes for them to wear]].

** Gems are capable of VoluntaryShapeshifting, but all their different forms maintain the same unusual [[AmazingTechnicolorPopulation skin]] and hair colors. Their [[HeartDrive gems]] do not shapeshift, and will often be visible when they change form. [[JustifiedTrope This makes sense]] given that their shapeshifting powers stem from their bodies being HardLight projections produced by their gems. Gems also [[FusionDance fuse with one another]], creating larger forms that will generally borrow features from both of their components to differing degrees. For example, every single one of Garnet's fusions seen thus far has kept her CoolShades, albeit in different shapes.

* WesternAnimation/YamRoll of the so-named cartoon can transform into pretty much anything, but that anything will be colored like his yam filling and wearing his trademark cowboy hat. His mentor has similar powers, always turning into something brown with a white beard.

*** Discord, the spirit of chaos and disharmony, can take many shapes on a whim, but he often retains some aspect of his true draconequus form, typically his antlers, lopsided tooth and yellow/red eyes, or some aspect of his FashionableAsymmetry, if only with the color scheme. In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E25TwilightsKingdomPart1 Twilight's Kingdom –- Part 1]]", this is downplayed when he turns into a stallion, as it would give him away, but he still keeps the overall grey color scheme of his head (including his unicorn horn remaining light blue to match his normal goat horn).

* Here's a tip for new viewers of ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'': if Jack encounters a character or creature with red, green, and black predominantly featured in its color scheme, it's going to be [[BigBad Aku]] in disguise. Yes, this even applies when said character is the MadScientistsBeautifulDaughter.

** Likewise, when his master Hordak does a full-body shapeshift, his new form will have the same coloration as well as his FACE on it.
* The ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'' character Mermista is a mermaid who can turn into a human at will. In the latter form, she sits with her legs pressed together whenever possible.

** A CouchGag parodying human evolution actually showed various prehistoric animals resembling Homer Simpson gradually turning into, well, guess. There is also an octopus resembling Mr. Burns, a dragonfly resembling Lenny Leonards, a pterodactyl resembling Agnes Skinner, a ''UsefulNotes/TyrannosaurusRex'' resembling Bart, a ''Stegosaurus'' resembling Lisa and a small mammal resembling Moe Szyslak (which did evolve ''from'' Cave-Moe -- or Cave-Moe devolved back into a Moe-like rodent, to keep with the theme of his occasional attempts at suicide).
** The third segment of "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS14E1TreehouseOfHorrorXIII Treehouse of Horror XIII]]" is about Dr. Hibbert being a mad scientist who turns people into animals that retain characteristics of who they originally were: for example, we have Homer as a walrus, Marge as a jaguar with a beehive hairdo, Bart as a spider, Lisa as an owl, and Maggie as an anteater.

* On ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManAndHisAmazingFriends'', the Chameleon's eyes would flash to indicate it was him wearing whatever shape he was in.

* Strangely enough, on ''WesternAnimation/{{Superfriends}}'' the Wonder Twins have differing shapeshifter tells: it was Zan whose face was usually visible as a reflection on the surface of whatever water-based item he turned into. Jayna maintained her purple eyes no matter the form she took.
* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'': Just like in the comics, Beast Boy can transform into any animal, but he is always green. If the animal has teeth, then his snaggletooth is also kept. In one episode where the villain makes it so he can only transform into inanimate objects, he still maintains his green coloring.
** In ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'', he also retains his normal speaking voice.
* WesternAnimation/TomTerrific, the 1950s TV cartoon character, could transform himself into anything -- but always kept his face and trademark funnel hat.
* When Franchise/{{Transformers}} reconfigure themselves to have different vehicle forms, their robot-mode bodies tend to look roughly similar to their previous forms.

* Falina in ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingFeatsOfYoungHercules'' still has green eyes as a sable, and her red hair has become red fur.

** Acknowledged in the ''WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse'' episode "Ben Again". Younger and older Ben team up in the climax, and when both turn into one of older Ben's standards, younger Ben retains the white shirt and black stripe.

* Although he's not a shapeshifter, WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom's green eyes show in the face of whoever he's overshadowing. And that's true for other ghosts as well. When he turns into his ghost form, the suit he wears is the same one he wore when he first transformed into a ghost.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/DorothyAndTheWizardOfOz'' episode "Locket Locket in My Pocket", Wilhelmina's magic locket turns the wearer into the person whose portrait is in it. When she uses it to turn herself into Dorothy and has a run-in with the real one, her disguise is seen through because her hair retains a green streak from her real form. Likewise, when Dorothy's friends wear the locket themselves, they put their own spins on her gestalt: Toto's hair is the same gray as his fur and he keeps his tail, Scarecrow's hair is blonde and looks like the hay under his hat, Tin Man keeps his funnel, and Lion's hair is amber like his mane and he also keeps his tail.
* In ''Toys/EverAfterHigh'', [[MeaningfulName Bunny Blanc]] retains her white hair color upon shifting into rabbit form... and, less explicably, her black eyeshadow.

** And who can forget the episode "Only Human"; when [[ReplacementScrappy Rodimus]], [[NumberTwo Ultra Magnus]], [[LoveableRogue Springer]], and [[TheChick Arcee]] are [[ForcedTransformation forced into human bodies]], not only does Arcee's hair resemble her robot form's helmet, but [[ContrivedCoincidence they almost immediately find a building with jumpsuits in their robot forms' color schemes for them to wear]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'', whenever Nergal Junior [[ShapeShifting transforms]] into a different shape, he always keeps his signature lime green eyes, jagged yellow teeth, and nerdy glasses.

* In an episode of ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]]'', Gorilla Grodd succeeds in his plans to turn every human into an intelligent ape, leading to an amusing scene where Lex Luthor looks at himself in a mirror and sees that he's as bald as ever.

* This happens in one of the later episodes of ''WesternAnimation/TheMagicSchoolBus'', where the kids learn about animals living in the city, and their hairstyles are kept when they're changed into animals. The same could be said for any of their other transformations, including those The Bus undergoes.
* The mascaritas' [[SignatureMove Signature Moves]] from ''WesternAnimation/MuchaLucha''. For example, Ricochet's "Pulverizing Pinball" has him turn into a large sphere colored to resemble his wrestling mask, and Buena Girl's "Bulldozer of Truth" has her turn into a bulldozer with her outfit colors.

** The ancient dragon Grougaloragran retains his bushy eyebrows and beard, as well as a general dark color, whether he transforms into a human or a [[GiantSquid giant kralamoure]].

** In Season 2 Episode 5, Yugo, Amalia, and Evangelyne are turned into piglets, but retain some recognizable traits, like Eva's green eyes and [[YouthfulFreckles freckles]], or dark skin and tufts of green hair for Amalia.
** Also happens with the heroes changed into Thursters in Season 2 Episode 13. You can still recognize them, which make the scene where Evangelyne and Sadlygrove try to touch each other that much more pathetic.
** And again in Season 2 Episode 21, when the Bellaphones turns the male members of the party into apes or monkeys.

* In ''WesternAnimation/YoohooAndFriends'' the protagonists' fur retains the colors of their human forms.

** And who can forget the episode "Only Human"; when [[ReplacementScrappy Rodimus]], [[NumberTwo Ultra Magnus]], [[LoveableRogue Springer]], and [[TheChick Arcee]] are [[BalefulPolymorph forced into human bodies]], not only does Arcee's hair resemble her robot form's helmet, but [[ContrivedCoincidence they almost immediately find a building with jumpsuits in their robot forms' color schemes for them to wear]].

* In an episode of ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]]'', Gorilla Grodd succeeds in his plans to turn every human into an intelligent ape, leading to an amusing scene where Lex Luthor looks at himself in a mirror and sees that despite being covered in fur, his head's still as bald as ever.