Shapeshifting

:For other uses, see Shapeshifting (disambiguation).

Shapeshifting in fiction

Shapeshifting can be a rich symbolical and narrative tool and shapeshifting fiction has been around at least since the days of ancient Greece. Today, the theme appears in many fantasy and science fiction stories. Both occasionally feature races of shapeshifters, and both magic and technology can be used to impose a change in form.

Related Topics:
Shapeshifting fiction - Fantasy - Science fiction

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The word "transmogrification" has been popularized by the eponymous device used in Calvin and Hobbes

Related Topics:
Eponymous device - Calvin and Hobbes

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Notable shapeshifters in fiction

:See werewolf novels and list of werewolf movies for lists of fiction featuring werewolves.

Related Topics:
Werewolf novels - List of werewolf movies

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• Beorn in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth is a skin-changer, a man who could assume the appearance of a bear.
• Mavin Manyshaped and her son Peter in Sheri S. Tepper's True Game novels.
• Morph and Mystique in the Marvel Comics universe.
• Odo, one of the main characters of '.
• T-1000, an evil robot with shapeshifting abilities from '.
• Many types of shapeshifters occur in Laurell K. Hamilton's novels in the Anita Blake series, such as werewolves, werejaguars, wererats, and even a wereswan.
• In the Harry Potter series, trained Animagi can transform at will into one specific animal, and so far each example in the books has taken a different form. Metamorphmagi including Nymphadora Tonks possess shapeshifting abilities which have been only sketchily defined so far.
• D. M. Wind's novel The Others is about a group of shapeshifters from another dimension who can turn into any animal at will, though they usually take the form of either wolves or panthers.
• Many of Jack L. Chalker's novels involve one or more transformations; he wrote an essay on physical transformation as a metaphor for various psychological changes, included in his short story collection Dance Band on the Titanic. This theme is used several times in the Jerry Cornelius stories by Michael Moorcock, as well as in works by Robert Sheckley, Nina Kiriki Hoffman and others.
• The Animorphs series is about a group of five kids who are able to "morph" into any animal they have touched and purposely "acquired" its DNA. The Animorphs received their powers--rather, technology--from a scientifically advanced alien species called the Andalites.
• Martia from .
• Shang Tsung, an evil sorcerer who can copy the appearance and abilities of his opponents in the Mortal Kombat video game series. Also, fallen Elder God Shinnok of the same series, who posseses the ability to imitate any person down to the voice.
• The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, in which the main character wakes up to find himself transformed into a monstrous vermin.
• Beast Boy, Metamorpho, and Amazing Man in the DC Universe.
• Amelia Atwater-Rhodes's Kiesha'ra series features falcon, snake, and hawk shapeshiters.
• Dr. Jonathan Chase from the TV-Series Manimal is able to change into any animal, although on the series only his shifting into a hawk and a black panther are shown.