Follow TV Tropes

Following

History VoluntaryShapeshifting / WesternAnimation

Go To

OR

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* ''[[WesternAnimation/RockPaperScissorsNickelodeon Rock, Paper, Scissors]]'': Paper [[ExactlyWhatItSaysontheTin being a piece of paper]] can fold himself up and even take on the form of a paper airplane.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* “WesternAnimation/PacMan”: Pinky of the Ghost Monsters can change his shape into anything he can think of.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* Music/DavidBowie (yes, ''that'' [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed David Bowie]]) has shapeshifting powers in ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' world. In one scene he transforms into a bird and flies away, prompting Hank to comment that "the guy from ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}'' turned into a bird and flew away!" A later episode reveals that he's not ''actually'' David Bowie, but is a big enough fan that he likes using David Bowie's appearance.

to:

* Music/DavidBowie (yes, ''that'' [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed David Bowie]]) has shapeshifting powers in ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBros'' world. In one scene he transforms into a bird and flies away, prompting Hank to comment that "the guy from ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}'' turned into a bird and flew away!" A later episode reveals that he's not ''actually'' David Bowie, but is a big enough fan that he likes using David Bowie's appearance.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* The Flying Parallinis from the ''WesternAnimation/{{Cyberchase}}'' episode of [[Recap/CyberchaseS5E6TheFlyingParallinis the same name]] can change their shape by “flexing their angles”.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Updating Links


* Franchise/FantasticFour-like superhero ImagineSpot episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' has this with Tommy able to shape-shift into animals.

to:

* Franchise/FantasticFour-like ComicBook/FantasticFour-like superhero ImagineSpot episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' has this with Tommy able to shape-shift into animals.



** In one ''WesternAnimation/HarveyBirdmanAttorneyAtLaw'' episode, Zan could vouch for Franchise/WonderWoman's whereabouts because he was her bathwater at the time.

to:

** In one ''WesternAnimation/HarveyBirdmanAttorneyAtLaw'' episode, Zan could vouch for Franchise/WonderWoman's ComicBook/WonderWoman's whereabouts because he was her bathwater at the time.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* Peter Griffin develops this in the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "[[Recap/FamilyGuyS3E21FamilyGuyViewerMailOne Family Guy Viewer Mail 1#]]" in the segment "Super Griffins".

to:

* Peter Griffin develops this in the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "[[Recap/FamilyGuyS3E21FamilyGuyViewerMailOne Family Guy Viewer Mail 1#]]" #1]]" in the segment "Super Griffins".
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* Peter Griffin develops this in the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode Viewer Mail 1# in the segment Super Griffins.

to:

* Peter Griffin develops this in the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "[[Recap/FamilyGuyS3E21FamilyGuyViewerMailOne Family Guy Viewer Mail 1# 1#]]" in the segment Super Griffins."Super Griffins".
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'': In "[[Recap/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteersS2E17And18SummitToSaveEarth Summit to Save Earth]]", the BigBad Zarm pulls this off easily and perfectly multiple times, to the point of getting the voice just right. Most notably, he poses as the Earth Summit's president and manages to [[spoiler:coax out the rings from the Planeteers by impersonating ''Gaia'']]. The fact that he earlier has stolen the Heart Ring, thus making Ma-Ti unable to see through the ruse and alert the others until it was too late, certainly helped him in the latter case, though.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* ''WesternAnimation/BestAndBester'': The titular duo are unique in their neighbourhood, as they're the only ones in all Bettervale who can change their forms into something new. This allows them to perform numerous different tasks about town.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Pocoyo}}'': Pato is able to do this due to his detachable limbs.

Added: 4

Changed: 30

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* Several aliens in ''WesternAnimation/MenInBlack: The Series'' could alter their forms to conform to life amongst earthlings. An interesting case is a sociopathic alien that could willingly change forms, yet another member of his race was shown using a special suit like many OTHER aliens in the show.

to:

* Several aliens in ''WesternAnimation/MenInBlack: The Series'' ''WesternAnimation/MenInBlackTheSeries'' could alter their forms to conform to life amongst earthlings. An interesting case is a sociopathic alien that could willingly change forms, yet another member of his race was shown using a special suit like many OTHER aliens in the show.



* Heisenberg in ''Westernanimation/{{Phantom 2040}}'' is a collections of billions of [[{{nanotechnology}} microscopic]] fractal biots whose control module accidentally gained self-awareness. He can take any form, and even change colors at will, but his external "brain" is rigid and must be kept close (which usually means surrounded by his 'body').

to:

* Heisenberg in ''Westernanimation/{{Phantom 2040}}'' ''WesternAnimation/Phantom2040'' is a collections collection of billions of [[{{nanotechnology}} microscopic]] [[{{Nanomachines}} microscopic fractal biots biots]] whose control module accidentally gained self-awareness. He can take any form, and even change colors at will, but his external "brain" is rigid and must be kept close (which usually means surrounded by his 'body').



* Old 1960s cartoon ''WesternAnimation/TheMightyHercules'' featured a beast called The Chameleon Creature, which could transform into anything it wanted, even new forms it invented on the spot. An exiled Olympian named Otis gained its powers and becamse known as The Chameleon Man, and he could likewise turn into anything he wanted, often disguising himself as harmless normal animals until transforming into a giant monster to attack.

to:

* Old 1960s cartoon ''WesternAnimation/TheMightyHercules'' featured a beast called The Chameleon Creature, which could transform into anything it wanted, even new forms it invented on the spot. An exiled Olympian named Otis gained its powers and becamse became known as The Chameleon Man, and he could likewise turn into anything he wanted, often disguising himself as harmless normal animals until transforming into a giant monster to attack.attack.
----
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* In ''WesternAnimation/AbbyHatcher'', Grumbles can shapeshift into almost anything. This even extends to other Fuzzlies as well.
* In ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'', Jake the Dog can alter just about every aspect of his physical being except for his coloring and in one episode he was even able to get around this limitation to pretend that part of himself was an ''entirely different person''. One of his children, Jake Jr., has a lesser version of this power which is limited to her hair. [[spoiler:Jake inherited this power from an alien shapeshifter who [[FaceFullOfAlienWingWong implanted an egg]] in Jake's dad Joshua's head, which resulted in Jake's birth.]]
* D.U.F.U.S., Dr. Quark's robot from the ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'' episode, "Robotnik's Rival" has this ability. At one point in the episode, he uses this ability to transform into Sonic and Tails and trick Robotnik and Quark when the real Sonic and Tails escape from Robotnik's dungeon. He feels guilty about tricking his master afterwards...but he gets over it, about ten seconds later.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'' has Clayton and [[spoiler:Penny]]. The former can take whatever form he wants because he's made out of clay. The latter's transformations are based on [[PsychoactivePowers her emotions]].
* To a very limited extent, Meatwad from ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce''. He can form a hotdog (made out of meat), or an igloo (made out of meat). Occasionally he takes other forms (meat bridge, Samurai Lincoln). And in TheMovie an office park complex.
* Clayface from ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' could assume human forms, and then change to a blob to attack if he is found out.
* Inque from ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' had a body made of a black viscous fluid, and could shape herself at will.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Beetlejuice}}'', as with his film version.
* Ben Tennyson from the ''Franchise/Ben10'' series can change into almost any alien using the Omnitrix and Ultimatrix. He can transform into aliens, originally choosing from a set of ten, [[ArtifactTitle with later additions]]. A future, 30-year-old incarnation of the character is stated to have 10 ''thousand'' aliens to choose from.
** It was taken ''much'' further in ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce''. In addition to a completely different set of ten aliens from the original series, the season 2 finale has the Omnitrix's creator, Azmuth, activate the ''true'' Master Control function, allowing Ben to choose from 1,000,903 total alien species' from across the Milky Way galaxy.
* The 2006 revival of ''WesternAnimation/BikerMiceFromMars'' featured Catatonian shape-shifters, who were Catatonians with the power to change their physical appearance. One notable member of them was Catalina Cat-A-Call, who tried to lure the Biker Mice into a trap by assuming the form of a Martian mouse and claiming to be Stoker's niece in "A Better Mouse Trap" and later infiltrated the Martian military in an attempt to get to Carbine and impersonate her to deceive Throttle in the ClipShow episode "Carbine's Conundrum".
* Klone from ''WesternAnimation/{{Blackstar}}'' is a rare example of a good-aligned shapeshifter, using his powers to combat the forces of evil and once to even sneak into the BigBad's hideout.
* The Fleeblebroxians from the ''WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers'' episode "Dale Beside Himself" can shapeshift into whatever they want to. One of them spends half of the episode as a Dale {{Doppelganger}}.
%%* The Polymorphic Specters from ''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko''.
* Courage from ''WesternAnimation/CourageTheCowardlyDog'' would often assume different forms when trying to explain to the Bagges that they're in danger or the person/monster/supernatural being/whatever they're dealing with can't be trusted, though it may just be done as a visual gag. However, there are times when Courage's shapeshifting proves to be very useful in tough situations.
* Two episodes of ''WesternAnimation/ExoSquad'' feature a Neosapien who was transformed into a [[BlobMonster blobish creature]] that could shapeshift by Automutation Syndrome and medical experiments.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' has mainly all of the fairies in fairyworld who can shapeshift at will due to their magic powers. Cosmo and Wanda can also do this -- except in one episode where Cosmo's fagiggly gland acts up causing [[InvoluntaryShapeshifter just the opposite]] to happen to him.
* Peter Griffin develops this in the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode Viewer Mail 1# in the segment Super Griffins.
* Every member of Oberon's Children from ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' is a Shapeshifter. Heck, "changeling" was another name for them used by the title characters.
* The shapeshifter experiment from the ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' episode "[[Recap/GravityFallsS2E2IntoTheBunker Into the Bunker]]".
* Nergal Jr from ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'' effects this when he assumes teacher Miss Butterbean's form and gives the bully Sperg a good going over.
* Goo from ''WesternAnimation/{{Gumby}}'' was the most clay-like of the {{Claymation}} characters therein.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/HeckleAndJeckle'' cartoon "The Power of Thought," the two birds realize they can change into anything they want simply by invoking cartoon physics.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheHerculoids'' episode "The Mutoids". The title characters can assume the form of any humanoid or change themselves into solid rock.
* According to WordOfGod, Heloise on ''WesternAnimation/JimmyTwoShoes'' is "a bit of a shapeshifter". Exactly what this implies is vague, but it certainly [[InformedAbility isn't used very obviously on the show]]. "The Hooded Chicken" reveals that it's just her feet. Whenever she ''has'' feet, that is.
* [[PunnyName Camille Leon]] in ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible''. Via an experimental plastic surgery she can look like any human being she wants.
* The shapeshifting experiment Morpholomew from the ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitchTheSeries''.
* Several aliens in ''WesternAnimation/MenInBlack: The Series'' could alter their forms to conform to life amongst earthlings. An interesting case is a sociopathic alien that could willingly change forms, yet another member of his race was shown using a special suit like many OTHER aliens in the show.
* ''WesternAnimation/MiddlemostPost'': Parker can do this. Comes with being a cloud, supposedly. Makes sense, as clouds don't have much of a consistent shape.
* Chameleon from ''WesternAnimation/MightyDucksTheAnimatedSeries'', he can shapeshift into nearly any sort of humanoid, even ones larger than himself. More importantly, he can disguise himself as a human to go where the other Saurians can't.
* The luchadores from ''WesternAnimation/MuchaLucha''. At first it seemed like it was just to illustrate their attacks, but it turned out they actually do this real time.
* ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'':
** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEscapeFromCatrina'': Catrina's henchman Rep can change his shape on a whim, although he doesn't seem to be able to change his color scheme. Generally, he only briefly takes other shapes in order to deal with particular situations, such as by turning into a bird to rescue a falling bushwoolie or into a bull to charge down Catrina.
** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyAndFriends'': Penna birds can change their shape at will. Over the course of "The Gost of Paradise Estate", Pluma takes on the forms of a ghost, a monstrous bat, a GiantSpider, a living mirror and a living prism.
** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
*** Nightmare Moon can turn into a thorn, a cloud of starry mist, and even several ponies at once.
*** [[EmotionEater The changelings]] are a race that are capable of changing their form using innate magic. They are more-or-less pony-shaped in their natural state and are commonly seen copying the appearance of ponies -- doing so convincingly enough to fool their friends. Their shapeshifting is more versatile than just that, however, and they can mimic other creatures such as dragons, and even inanimate objects like rocks.
*** In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E16ItAintEasyBeingBreezies It Ain't Easy Being Breezies]]", Twilight Sparkle demonstrates a new spell she found in the Castle of the Two Sisters that lets her transform herself and her friends into Breezies in order to help Seabreeze and his friends get home.
*** In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E25TwilightsKingdomPart1 Twilight's Kingdom, Part 1]]", Discord once again demonstrates this power, both for the sake of puns, and to lure Tirek into a trap by turning into a unicorn stallion.
*** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie2017'' introduces the hippogriffs, who can change into seaponies and back thanks to a magic pearl.
* Newton, the big humanoid newt from ''WesternAnimation/NedsNewt'', can turn into pretty much anyone and anything (as long as he is fed with the special "Zippo" food; when he's not, he's just an ordinary boring newt). He is fond of shortly turning into a random celebrity to provide a joke, but often also uses this for his {{Zany Scheme}}s.
* The ''WesternAnimation/OhYeahCartoons'' short "Kameleon Kid" was about a boy who gained the power to change into animals and inanimate objects after a lab accident.
* ''WesternAnimation/RainbowButterflyUnicornKitty'': Felicity (who normally appears as a horned cat with a rainbow color palette) can transform into four other forms (rainbow, butterfly, unicorn, kitty) with unique powersets.
* Franchise/FantasticFour-like superhero ImagineSpot episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' has this with Tommy able to shape-shift into animals.
* Aku from ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'', who even refers to himself as "the shape-shifting Master of Darkness". He can change his shape, size, or appearance to pretty much anything he wants, even creating multiple copies of himself. Luckily, [[MorphicResonance he never got the hang of changing his color-motif along with his shape]].
* Double Trouble's M.O. in ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower''. They treat shapeshifting as an art, completely dedicating themselves to becoming their target both physically and emotionally. They use their skills as a shapeshifter, TheSocialExpert, and a MasterActor to perfectly impersonate nearly everyone on the show, to devastating effect, before [[spoiler:using their newly acquired knowledge of Catra's character to deliver a brutal BreakingSpeech]].
* Hordak, the main villain of ''WesternAnimation/SheRaPrincessOfPower'', uses cybernetics to transform either parts of or his whole body into different weapons and vehicles as he needed. Typically his transformations are all metal and some form of his face is present on the vehicle he turns into.
** Similarly, his sidekick Imp can change shapes as well, utilizing his abilities to spy on the Great Rebellion. He also doesn't have the same limitations as his master, able to conceal his features, and even his color scheme in a chosen form. (Interestingly he can also manifest his face on a shape if he wants to, allowing him to communicate with others.) His only limitation seems to be he can only become something that approximate his physical size (i.e. he cannot become a giant ''T. rex'' or shrink down to be a lethal virus).
* ''WesternAnimation/ShaggyAndScoobyDooGetAClue'': Scooby-Doo change into whatever shape a situation calls for after eating the special Scooby Snacks that Shaggy's reclusive uncle Albert had been developing. Once it metabolizes and he burps, Scooby returns to normal.
%%* Replicon from ''WesternAnimation/SkysurferStrikeForce''.
* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', the kids are captured by aliens. Their leader is a shapeshifter who initially takes the form of Stan's dad. The kids denounce this as stupid (a TakeThat against ''Film/{{Contact}}''), and he goes on to take a variety of forms ripped from pop culture, all of which the kids reject. Finally, he asks them what they want -- and they settle on "a taco...that craps ice cream", a form he [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments assumes for the remainder of the episode]].
* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' has the main character often transforming into a variety of different shapes and forms, such as in the episode "Gone" where after everyone in Bikini Bottom disappears he takes on the forms of several characters to replicate interactions with them. Patrick also seems to occasionally transform.
* ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekTheAnimatedSeriesS1E6TheSurvivor The Survivor]]". After the Enterprise crew rescues the philanthropist Carter Winston, he turns out to be a shapeshifter alien called a Vendorian.
* In ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'', all gems have shapeshifting powers, but the most common shapeshifter is Amethyst, who can shapeshift similar to Jake -- transform into anyone or anything, except her color.
* The Wondertwins of ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends''. They even had [[ByThePowerOfGreyskull catchphrases for their transformations]] too!
** Played with in an older Creator/CartoonNetwork commercial. Zan and Jana are there to present to the child viewers the difference between real and imaginary scenarios, but the PSA is cut just short of revealing their "simple phrase" when Zan realizes (and begins complaining about) how he's always turning into something water-related, regardless of the situation at hand.
** In one ''WesternAnimation/HarveyBirdmanAttorneyAtLaw'' episode, Zan could vouch for Franchise/WonderWoman's whereabouts because he was her bathwater at the time.
* Uni the Sea Urchin from ''WesternAnimation/SushiPack'' uses this ability which makes him one of the Sushi Pack's biggest threats.
* Beast Boy from ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'', of course, can change himself into [[{{Animorphism}} any animal that has ever lived]], earth-based or alien -- he just seems to need to know what it looks like. Being exposed to some chemicals in "The Beast Within" gave Beast Boy a powerful Werebeast form. While the transformation was involuntary in that episode, he shows the ability to transform into the Werebeast at will in "The End". Madame Rouge, one of the main villains from the fifth season, however, puts him to shame, being able to transform into ''anything'', period, in addition to the ability to reform herself if killed. Heat's her only weakness, and once away from it she just shifts back into an undamaged form like with every other form of punishment that's been tried against her, to the point that even a character [[ManOfKryptonite with magma powers]] was no match. She can also transform fast enough to stretch and grab ''Kid Flash.'' She's generally considered to be ''the'' deadliest one-on-one opponent in the show, barring the [[TheLegionsOfHell demon characters]].
* In ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012'', [[spoiler:Karai]] can eventually transform between her serpent and human form at will.
* There was shapeshifting of the "aquatic" kind in the 80's cartoon ''[[WesternAnimation/TheComicStrip Tiger Sharks]]''. The main characters could turn into human-fish hybrids when they entered the machine known as the Fish Tank.
* Gogo Dodo from ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' has this ability.
* WesternAnimation/TomTerrific can change into any shape he wants, simply because he can. As he states in his theme, "How I do it puzzles me!"
* Technically, Franchise/{{Transformers}}, [[WesternAnimation/ChallengeOfTheGoBots GoBots]] and other TransformingMecha: one or a few "alt-modes", usually turning into a vehicle or an animal.
** Worth noting is that the Franchise/{{Transformers}}, at least, tend to choose new alt modes to blend in with new surroundings.
** A special mention goes to [[spoiler:Shockwave]] from ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'', who has the ability to [[spoiler:disguise himself/shape-change into another robot form, going under the alias 'Longarm Prime'.]]
* Music/DavidBowie (yes, ''that'' [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed David Bowie]]) has shapeshifting powers in ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' world. In one scene he transforms into a bird and flies away, prompting Hank to comment that "the guy from ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}'' turned into a bird and flew away!" A later episode reveals that he's not ''actually'' David Bowie, but is a big enough fan that he likes using David Bowie's appearance.
* The [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Dragons]] in ''WesternAnimation/{{Wakfu}}'' are master shapeshifters, though all of their forms tend to share [[MorphicResonance certain traits]]. Adamai for example favors a short humanoid form when not in his natural dragon form, but has also taken on the form of a little bird and a giant rock golem during combat.
* Morph by Aardman, the creators of ''WesternAnimation/WallaceAndGromit''. Those skits aired on Nickelodeon during the '90s. Originally part of the ''Take Hart'' art show hosted by Tony Hart.
* Widget from the ''WesternAnimation/WidgetTheWorldWatcher'' series can shapeshift to pretty much anything as long as he isn't upside down.
* ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'':
** The prof Wizgiz, as the professor of Metamorphosymbiosis, is able to shape shift his body into form he requires.
** In the fourth season ofthere's the shapeshifter Duman, one of the Wizards of the Black circle, who can turn into creatures, other people, and even water. [[spoiler:Later on his powers became unstable, which eventually killed him]]. Oh, and Darcy can also turn into other people with her illusion powers. Professor Wizgiz at Alfea is the transformation teacher, and he can turn into various creatures.
%%* Chase Young in ''WesternAnimation/XiaolinShowdown''.
* WesternAnimation/YamRoll and his mentor Katcho Miso can both transform into a variety of objects, along with possessing [[StockSuperpowersIndex a slew of other special powers]].
* Heisenberg in ''Westernanimation/{{Phantom 2040}}'' is a collections of billions of [[{{nanotechnology}} microscopic]] fractal biots whose control module accidentally gained self-awareness. He can take any form, and even change colors at will, but his external "brain" is rigid and must be kept close (which usually means surrounded by his 'body').
* The ''WesternAnimation/ZigAndSharko'' episode "Magical Jellyfish" features a jellyfish that can transform into any creature it sees; what set it apart from the originals is its aqua blue color and pink lips. At one point, Zig has it assume Marina's form so he can replace her with the jellyfish; because of the color issue he has to paint it to look like her.
* Old 1960s cartoon ''WesternAnimation/TheMightyHercules'' featured a beast called The Chameleon Creature, which could transform into anything it wanted, even new forms it invented on the spot. An exiled Olympian named Otis gained its powers and becamse known as The Chameleon Man, and he could likewise turn into anything he wanted, often disguising himself as harmless normal animals until transforming into a giant monster to attack.

Top