Flashy transformations have been at the forefront of shonen anime for decades, with many series creating some of the strongest transformations that completely redefine beast mode. From drawing influence from mythology to influence from the foundations of the animal kingdom, anime has always found new and creative ways to add spice to a power system.
Of course, there are also those transformations that are purely an enhanced version of a character, adding a small detail or two to signify an elevation in strength. Although these forms are interesting, the transformations that tap into the most drastic and inhuman changes will beg the most questions about the absurdity of the situation. Consequently, such narrative choices will also heighten the tension and overall possibilities of an anime through a character’s beastly form alone.
10 Scariest Transformation Scenes In Anime
Anime from horror to shounen and shoujo feature some of the scariest transformation scenes, from Fruits Basket to Junji Ito.
10 Filo Is the Queen of Birds
The Rising of the Shield Hero (2019), Kinema Citrus
The Rising of the Shield Hero is a harsh isekai reality check, as the anime delves into the darkest possibilities that come with entering a fantasy world. The series follows Naofumi, one of four students from modern-day Japan who are transported to the kingdom of Melromarc to serve as the Four Cardinal Heroes, each representing a weapon. As for Naofumi, he is the shield hero, who is ostracized and humiliated from the get-go.
Despite the troubles along the way, Naofumi quickly adapts to the fantasy setting and even gathers some companions along the way, first Raphtalia and then Filo, who turns out to be the queen of all Filolial, a species of bird-like transport animals. As the queen, Filo displays special abilities, such as being able to transform into a humanoid form as well as a super-powered fluffy bird form. As a character, Filo’s transformation has completely flipped the way that beast transformations are perceived in anime.
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9 Baek Yoonho Only Shows a Glimpse of His Power
Solo Leveling (2024), A-1 Pictures
With the recent release of the long-awaited Solo Leveling anime adapted from the manhwa of the same name comes fresh details and a slight restructuring of the prologue. The anime taps into the deeper arcs of the story and presents well-blended and exhilarating introductions to many characters who do not make an appearance until later in the manhwa. This gives the perfect platform to start building fandoms early, and provides a glimpse into characters such as Baek Yoonho.
Baek Yoonho is one of Korea’s few S-rank hunters, and the anime introduces him along with a few of the other S-rank hunters, like Choi Jong-In and Min Byung-Gyu, as they deal with a horrifying ant’s nest that crops up on Jeju Island. Although the operation eventually fails, the anime gives a short look into the S-rank hunter’s overbearing powers, especially with Baek Yoonho’s tiger transformation, which will only become more nuanced as the series continues.
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8 Nezuko Redefines Demon Transformations
Demon Slayer (2019), Studio Ufotable
The shonen series Demon Slayer was one of 2019’s biggest phenomena in anime and continues to be going into the coming future, as the story follows a brother and sister on their quest to vanquish the demons that plague the world. The main character, Tanjiro, joins the Demon Slayer Corps with the conviction to avenge his family who were slaughtered by demons, all the while caring for his little sister who has been turned into a bloodthirsty demon herself.
Although Nezuko is normally able to control herself and remains in her iconically docile form, there are times when the demon within her takes over, prompting a drastic transformation. A horn grows on her head, veins seem to want to pop out of her skin, and she takes on an overall more mature appearance, which ultimately resurfaces questions on the foundation of demon transformations.
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7 Rimuru Is Able To Take the Form of Nearly Anything
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (2018), 8bit Studio
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is one of the classic forebears of modern isekai anime, as it took the world by storm even before its first episode debuted. The story follows a middle-aged Japanese man who is killed and transported to a fantasy world. However, the twist is he has been reborn as a slime named Rimuru, one of the weakest monsters in the fantasy universe.
Luckily for Rimuru, he was endowed with a system and the broken ability to devour anything and gain its abilities. Using this ability, Rimuru is able to transform into anything he consumes, from inanimate energy crystals to dire wolves. Such versatility has completely redefined the way beast transformations have previously been displayed in anime.
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6 Alucard Can Take the Form of His Familiars
Hellsing Ultimate (2006), Madhouse et al.
Hellsing Ultimate is a classic reboot of the 2001 series Hellsing, and is an anime that does shy away from seinen themes, frequently bursting into action, horror, and gore. The series follows the main character, Alucard, who is an overpowered vampire under the employment of an organization called Hellsing.
Although Alucard is a vampire, his abilities stray from and far overtake those of the traditional conception. One particular ability is Alucard’s ability to transform and use the power of his familiars. For example, his familiar, Bakersville, is a vicious-looking hound that Alucard can manifest into his arms and control to attack his enemies. He also can turn into anything from bats to cockroaches to chairs, providing a fresh contrast to his more beastly transformations.
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5 Ichigo Can Tap Into His Inner Hollow
Bleach (2004), Studio Pierrot
One of the big three of shonen anime, Bleach, which has recently released a continuation series called Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, is an enthralling story of spirits, demons, and soul reapers. Although the anime does not always use those terms, the series’ main antagonists, Hollows, are essentially demonic apparitions formed from human souls.
Bleach’s main character, Ichigo, is a soul reaper, or shinigami, whose job it is to vanquish such Hollows. However, deeper into the series, Ichigo’s own origins are called into question as he releases a terrifyingly powerful transformation that takes on both humanoid qualities and Hollow qualities. At the time of this transformation’s unveiling, waves of awe were released with every iteration of Ichigo’s new demonic-looking forms.
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Bleach Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 Announced Alongside Release Window
Right after the dramatic finale of the second season of Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, part 3 has been announced.
4 Naruto’s Nine-Tails Transformation Is Iconic
Naruto (2002), Studio Pierrot
The anime Naruto is completely founded on main character Naruto’s tragic backstory and his lonesome role in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. It is quickly revealed in the series that Naruto’s parents sacrificed themselves to seal the legendary Nine-Tailed fox who attacked the village into the body of the young boy, thus turning him into what the series calls a Jinchurichi, a host of a tailed spirit.
As Naruto grows towards his dream of becoming Hokage and his ninja powers develop, he also starts to grow more familiar with the Nine-Tails that exists inside him. On multiple occasions early in the series, Naruto nearly loses control of this power and lets it consume him in a plethora of horrifying transformations. Fortunately, by the end of the series, Naruto is able to completely control this power, leading to one of the coolest transformations in anime history.
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3 Kaido’s Fish-Fish Fruit Is Nothing Like How It Sounds
One Piece (1999), Toei Animation
One of the hegemons of shonen anime, One Piece has graced the anime world with endless adventures and possibilities for over two decades. The story follows Monkey D. Luffy in his quest to become the Pirate King, as he gathers the most eccentric crew that has traveled the Grand Line. Within this pirate universe, nothing is even close to traditional pirate fiction, as new power systems are created and there are infinite types of abilities, from Haki to beast transformations.
Of the beast transformations that appear in One Piece made possible by the conception of the Zoan-type Devil Fruit, Kaido’s transformation is arguably the fiercest. As one of the Yonko, or Four Emperors of the sea, Kaido’s strength is well tested, and his devil fruit, which is given the unassuming name of Fish-Fish Fruit, gives Kaido the ability to transform into a mythical Azure Dragon that shakes the entire pirate world.
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2 The Great Ape Transformation Founded Anime Beast Forms
Dragon Ball (1986), Toei Animation
As a franchise, Dragon Ball has long weathered the test of time, with multiple sequels, spin-offs, and movies, which include but aren’t limited to Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and Dragon Ball Super. The story begins with a young boy named Goku who has a tail resembling that of a monkey’s and travels through the martial world. The series’ conception takes clear influence from the classic story of Son Wukong, but the manga artist, Toriyama Akira, put his own unique twist on it.
One such twist is the Saiyan species, the space humanoids who can transform into giant Great Apes if they absorb the power of the moon. The main character, Goku, is one of such species, and his transformation, as well as his son Gohan’s, and his early enemy Vegeta’s, became iconic features of the early era Dragon Ball franchise. From this foundation came possibly anime’s most well-known transformation: the Super Saiyan, which has very little to do with the Great Ape transformation, aesthetics-wise.
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1 Titan-Shifters Completely Flips The Perception of the War
Attack on Titan (2013), Wit Studio and later MAPPA
Attack on Titan immediately revolutionized the shonen anime scene with its gory depictions and its unique world founded on a post-apocalyptic society. Most importantly, the series introduces one of anime’s most iconic enemies, the titans, which are gigantic humanoid creatures that seem to lack any intelligible reason, but feast on human beings. Such a premise creates relentless conviction for main characters seeking revenge, such as Eren, and it lays the foundation of the political unease that forms between the two entities of humans and titans.
However, not too long into the anime, it is revealed that Eren has the ability to turn into a titan and much more, raising surprise and outrage among the series’ entire cast. Such a monstrous transformation provides a doorway into the changing landscape of the war against titans, and what is really happening beneath the surface. Eren slowly exposes that humanity’s struggle isn’t a binary battle for survival against the towering monsters, it’s a sophisticated battle of titan-shifters, royalty, and all the mysteries that have yet to unfold. Given the brutal nature of Eren’s transformation and it’s incredible powers, it only makes sense that Eren’s Titan form is one of anime’s strongest transformations ever.
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