Transforming Mecha



""Damn! The plane turned into a frikkin' robot!""

- Hikaru Ichijou, Super Dimension Fortress Macross

If one cool vehicle can help the hero out, then more than one can certainly be better, right? But if the hero is out with one, and needs the other, he's up the creek. Not so, for he's driving a Transforming Mecha, which can mechanically rearrange itself into a variety of different machines for different roles.

The most common form of this is humanoid/animaloid robot to vehicle. The vehicle and humanoid form will most often share parts, characteristics and details. For instance, big tough robots will change into trucks and tanks, while light fast robots will shift into fighter jets or sports cars. The design of the robot form is usually done using elements from the vehicle form, making it at least visually plausible that one can become the other without swapping anything out back at the shop. The vehicle form usually has an advantage, like a higher speed, or the ability to Masquerade as a mundane vehicle.

It is, of couse, also possible that the two will not resemble each other in any way, and the transformation will be based on matter replication or other semi-magical technology. The advantage to the mechanical transformation is that it's possible to design a toy that works almost exactly like the mecha on the show.

The switchover itself will either be a full-blown Transformation Sequence in Super Robot shows, or a lightning-fast parts shuffle in a Real Robot show. There are sometimes exceptions, as with the Telescoping Robot's ability to expand outwards. A reliable source for Technology Porn.

A variation, sometimes used in combination, is the modular parts system, with which a mecha can re-equip with different tools and weapons for different jobs, like the FAST packs from Macross or the weapon systems from Centurions. This type of system is in use in real-life militaries, which have such things as up-armoring kits for vehicles and universal hard-points on combat aircraft.

There is also the matter of the vehicle that transforms into the same vehicle, only much cooler. These are more common in shows aimed at younger audiences, but appear from time to time throughout the genre. The typical explanation being that the cooler form is the vehicle's true form, while the ordinary one is a disguise.

The physics and logistics of the transformation concept are tenuous at best. Most of the internal space of the vehicle would have to be taken up by the robot's parts, but they usually seem to have cargo and passenger room much like an equivalent mundane craft. The extra weight of the unused robot components would probably reduce the capabilities of the vehicle form, but in most cases it's faster, tougher and overall better than the non-transforming types.

Frequently, it is possible to anticipate if a vehicle will transform into a robot form if it contains strangely out-of-place elements in its design, as if its engineers suddenly decided to ignore the laws of aerodynamics. Examples include strange protruding bulges and unnecessary giant hand-shaped areas. Most of the time, if the characters within a show are not aware of the vehicle's ability to enter a robot mode, they ignore these design quirks prior to the robot's first transformation. Much to their surprise, the robot changes form near the end of the pilot episode or the beginning of the second. Note, though, that there are certainly exceptions, with the tell-tale bits instead being alt-mode bits that are obvious in robot mode. (Transformers fans refer to these as kibble.)

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Anime and Manga

 * Most terrestrial mecha in Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Macross 7, and all related series, and one is always flown by the main protagonist. The titular Macross class of vessels are  the  some of the largest transforming mecha ever shown on television. The original SDF Macross was over one kilometer tall. The Battle sections of the later New Macross class vessels, when transformed into humanoid form, are approximately four kilometers tall.
 * Additionally, there is a reasonable explanation for the use of these mechas (well, at least the fighter-jet sized ones), something not all Real or Super Robot shows care to give to the viewers, mind it. In the first few episodes of the original series, Roy Focker states that the Valkyries were designed to be able to fight "on even grounds" with the Zentradi. While most Giant Robot shows have mechs almost entirely for Rule of Cool, a quick flash of Fridge Brilliance makes one realize that "on even grounds" doesn't mean tech-wise, but the fact that using Variable Fighters (VF-1's) is the only way to engage in true infantry-based-warfare with the Zentradi, while their jet-based primary form is to provide fast, long-distance travel that would normally be provided by transport planes/choppers, and the Gerwalk transitional form exists (as stated in the show itself) as a VTOL form for difficult terrain for taking off in the Valkyrie form and landing in the Battroid form. There is a certain degree of Mundane Utility to the Gerwalk mode as well, some supplementary materials state that this is the mode that they use to transport Valkyries around the hanger for maintenance outside of combat.
 * Daimos: The titular Humongous Mecha was one of the first ones. He could transform into a rocket-shaped spaceship.
 * Getter Robo in all its incarnations was both a Combining Mecha and a Transforming Mecha.
 * Many of the LFO mechs in Eureka Seven can transform into land vehicles.
 * Zoids were mostly monoform, but Liger Zero from New Century Zero had a modular swap-out system.
 * In Sonic X, Tails's plane Tornado II transforms from a plane into a really fast plane. Later, he adds a bipedal mecha transformation. These come from directly from the games: Sonic Adventure features Tails's Tornado transforming from one plane into another (with no actual effect, really), while Tails runs around in the bipedal mecha in Sonic Adventure 2.
 * All of the robots in King of Braves Gao Gai Gar could transform. And then they started combining with each other and bolting extra bits on.
 * Another very early example was Pook (from the slavic (or was it Celtic?) word Pooka, a type of animal spirit) from Astro Boy, a robot kid who could turn into a variety of animals before his transformation system was destroyed by trying to change into too many things too fast. In the GBA game he also becomes a Combining Mecha, gaining the ability to change into the "heart" of the planet destroying alien robot Garon. Transformers show up a few other times in Astroboy, including Odette, a robot ballet dancer who turns into a swan who was created for a fairytale theme park attraction based on Swan Lake.
 * The Super Robot Brave Raideen, who debuted around the same time as Getter Robo, was probably the first straight-up example of a giant robot who became a vehicle, turning into a bird-themed aircraft.
 * Gundam: In "rough" order.
 * Mobile Suit Gundam: The original (titular) RX-78-2 Gundam is one, with its core-fighter and G-Fortress. Unlike many, it's a single suit with one mode, just ships in three different parts.
 * Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: The Zeta Gundam which transforms into a plane design for greater speed.
 * Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ: As the direct successor to the Zeta gundam, it follows the same design.
 * Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn: continues the trend with the Loto (MS to Tank), Delta Plus, ReZEL and Ankusha (MS to Flight Form); the latter two can carry friendly MS into battle while transformed. The titular Unicorn also transforms, from an ordinary mobile suit with a Unicorn horn to a red-glowing Gundam of death.
 * Mobile Suit Victory Gundam: Victory 1 & 2 Gundams which transform and combine.
 * Mobile Fighter G Gundam: The Nether Gundam, which can turn into a windmill (yes, really). The Heaven's Sword Gundam, which has a bird-like flight mode and a fighter mode. And then there's the Devil Gundam, which keeps coming up with more and more new forms as the series goes on.
 * Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: The titular gundam (known in series as "Unit 1") can go from Bird mode to Mobile Suit mode and back, and Wing Zero could transform as well. Epyon transformed into a dragon shapped mecha. Gundam Wing Endless Waltz changed the designs however.
 * Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: A large number of them, to the point that most of them transform. The Strike Gundam (the one operated by the protagonist) uses Mecha Expansion Packs. Orb's military force mainly consist of Murasames, mass-produced transforming mobile suits, in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny. There are other examples in ZAFT and the EA as well.
 * Mobile Suit Gundam 00: The Flags (and their European counterpart the Enact) have robot mode and a vaguely airplane like mode, as do the Kyrios and Arios Gundams. The final episode of Gundam 00 contains what has to be the best, albeit likely unintentional lampshading of this trope ever, when Big Bad Mobile suit transforms from a Mobile Suit into . . ..
 * SD Gundam Force: Captain Gundam has a Gunvehicle mode.
 * Mobile Suit Gundam Age: The Gundam AGE 1 has two Mecha Expansion Pack that actually replace the arms and legs. The AGE 2 fits the more traditional transformation meaning by transforming into a plane mode, in addition to using removable parts like the AGE 1. By the time the AGE 2 is constructed, it appears that the Red Shirt mecha for the Earth faction can use similar designs to the AGE 1.
 * A mild example, Sonic Divers from Sky Girls can transform between Glider Mode (read: jet mode) and Armor Mode (read: mobile suit mode). These transformations are more for functionality than visual, because of their aerial exoskeleton armor structure, Sonic Divers can't perform a flashy transformation without grinding their pilots into meatbag.
 * The QT Arms in Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo. They start off as a spaceship with a circular set of rocket boosters on the back, but can transform into a sort of centaurian humanoid form utilizing the boosters as a set of legs.
 * In Viper'sCreed, the mechs can transform into a motorcyle-like form for added speed, but the catch is that they can't be too high from the roadway or they can't gain their energy through wireless power. Enemy mecha mooks on the other hand don't have this limitation.
 * The Ride Back vehicles from the anime of the same name can switch between a Segway-like standing mode where they have wheels instead of feet for better agility; and a bike like form equivalent to a human doing the splits-which has higher speed.
 * Phoron of Shinkyoku Soukai Polyphonica has a bike that can transform into some sort of piano-based music center. Since Magic Music is fundamental in the world of Polyphonica, this is definitely a good thing.
 * Rinne no Lagrange has the Vox units, which transform from a plane into a mecha.
 * In Code Geass, Gino's Tristan can turn into a jet and back.
 * Lelouch/Zero's Shinkirou could also transform into a Jet/Submarine "Fortress Mode". The MR-1 frames seem to be a mass-produced civilian variation of this, going from truck to mecha.
 * In Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, The Arc-Gurren and Chouginga Dai Gurren are multi-kilometric spaceships that double as Meta Mechas (the latter, apart of being a Meta Mecha of the former, can ALSO become the Moon.
 * Some of the Four Generals seem to have multi-mode mecha. Adiane's can go from a humanoid shape with a talking vagina to a hulking scorpion monster mech.
 * The Kiyalunga combines this with Mecha Expansion Pack in that it can transform into a lance and shield that can then be wielded by the King Kittan to form the King Kittan Deluxe.
 * Team Rocket in Pokémon has made several of these, including a recent one that goes from digger to piloted mech. They're not as durable as most examples of the trope.
 * Argento Soma: The SARG robots can switch between being a plane and a robot.
 * Nekketsu Saikyo Gosaurer has a bunch of mechs that go from being a ELEMENTARY SCHOOL to a bunch of robot dinosaurs
 * The titular characters from Karas can change into jets or tank-racecar hybrids. Their actual transformations are a bit cheaty, as they go through a portal and come out changed on the other side. In the end, though, it doesn't really matter due to Rule of Cool.
 * Genesis Climber Mospeada features two types: the MOSPEADA, motorcycles that can turn into powered armor, and the Legioss, which is similar to the Valkyrie fighters from Macross.
 * The Motoslaves that the Knight Sabers ride from Bubblegum Crisis. Transformed, they can either act as independent combat robots or as extended power suits to provide their riders with additional firepower and some aerial mobility.
 * Mazinger Z gets in on the action in Shin Mazinger by having the titular mech turn into a giant fist.

Comic Books

 * While none of these appear in American Born Chinese, the trope is discussed and deconstructed in a rather philosophical way. In an early scene, the child protagonist tells an old woman that he wants to be a transformer when he grows up. After she gets a brief explanation of the concept, the woman uses it to illustrate a point to the kid: anyone can become something they aren't, but have to sacrifice their soul to do so. This is the core theme of the whole book.
 * Of course, assuming you take the old woman literally, this means that every single example on this page has had congress with the devil. Good to know!

Film

 * Spaceball One/Mega-Maid, from Spaceballs.
 * The agents' cars in Men in Black can transform from a mundane car (an LTD in the first film, a Mercedes-Benz in the second) into a superpowered jet-propulsed car at the touch of a Big Red Button.
 * In the Michael Jackson's Moonwalker movie and games, Michael himself is one of these, which can morph into a sportscar, a robot(aka the Jacksonator), or a space fighter plane, with the power of a Wishing Star.
 * In the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, Bond's Lotus Esprit can also become a really fast submarine.
 * Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow (2004) had airplanes that could transform in mid-dive into submersibles. The hero doesn't bother pointing this out to the Damsel Scrappy who's in the cockpit with him, so she's rather annoyed.
 * Centauri's car in The Last Starfighter took the angular wedge design of the DeLorean, turned it Up to Eleven, then made it a transforming Flying Car and Cool Starship.

Literature

 * In what may be the earliest example of this trope, there was "The Terror", a vehicle from Jules Verne's The Master of The World which could become an airplane, a submarine & some kind of tank/armoured car that could move so fast it could not be seen by the naked eye, making this one...
 * Travis S. "Doc" Taylor used transforming mecha in his One Day on Mars series of Hard Sci Fi books. Marine issue Mechs had 3 modes: Fighter, Bot and a hybrid Eagle mode with talons hanging down. Army tanks would switch into 2 modes: Hovertank and Bot. Justified throughout the book as assisted by AI and made enemies worry about 3 different styles of attack, rather then one.

Live-Action TV

 * Ambassador Magma, by Osamu Tezuka is the possible Trope Maker. The giant robot was capable of transforming into a rocket.
 * Most seasons of Power Rangers have at least one mecha that can both combine and transform on its own.
 * The Rescue Megazord from Power Rangers Turbo and its Super Sentai counterpart Gekisou Sentai Carranger's VRV Robo is a Combining Mecha made of five Transforming Mecha.
 * The Dinozords from the first season combined into a tank which would then be transformed into the humanoid battle mode, often without ever firing a shot. There was an instance of it transforming back to tank mode to knock Goldar over before switching to battle mode again.
 * One pre-Power Rangers Super Sentai, Denshi Sentai Denziman, had the Daidenzin, which could transform from the space shuttle-like DenziFighter into the Super Robotesque Daidenzin.
 * Knight Rider managed to include this in a couple ways. In the original series, the fourth season introduced both "C" mode (Convertible) and Super Pursuit Mode. C mode had the hardtop (with t-tops) somehow folding away behind to make a convertible out of KITT. SPM had various pointy bits and a rocket booster pop out of places to allow a huge speed boost. In the new pilot, KITT did something of the reverse - he was able to disguise himself as a more mundane, base model Mustang to avoid standing out quite so much. It's unknown at this time how much that particular transformation might impact performance, or what other transformations might be possible.
 * In the series proper, KITT transforms into other Ford Product Placement Opportunities vehicle types for specialized situations, like an F-150 for off-road.
 * KARR in the new series was capable of literally transforming from a Mustang like KITT into a very scary wheeled exosuit bristling with machine guns and missile launchers. In the original series as well as the new, KARR is voiced by Peter Cullen which makes this a very full circle Shout-Out to the man and one of his most famous roles.

Newspaper Comics

 * A weird place for one of these..the old Heathcliff cartoons, the ones featuring the Cadillac Cats. The namesake car moves from car to boat to..um, house trailer, I guess.

Tabletop Games

 * Battle Tech has the Land-Air Mechs, which are Battlemechs that were able to transform into fighter craft. The originals were based off artwork of the Macross Valkyrie Fighters above, though there are now some that use artwork original to Battle Tech.

Toys

 * Transformers, obviously enough, and probably the most famous example in the west. The higher capability is somewhat of a Justified Trope here, as some individual Transformers are older than our whole species. Also notable for being sentient rather than piloted (although the original toys were repainted from Japanese toys that were supposedly piloted).
 * Worth noting is that a number of Transformers have more than two modes... In fact, there's a few with six, and one with ten.
 * Later installments into the franchise would go on to show that transformation is not just present in the Transformers themselves, but can be found in almost every aspect of their society. Animal species, weapons, ships, buildings and in certain continuities their entire home planet of Cybertron (also their god, Primus) are capable of transformation.
 * The Baterra from Bionicle could shapeshift into just about anything, including trees and rocks, but avoided taking on the shapes of other people out of choice. Sadly, they never appeared as sets, although there were plans. Toys that did shapeshift were the Bohrok/Bohrok-Kal (into balls) and the Vahki (bipedal to quadruped).

Video Games

 * Bulk Slash has you piloting a mech with an alternate jet form.
 * The Neo Geo Beat'Em Up game Robo Army had a power-up that temporarily morphed the player character into a "Power Buggy", an invincible dunebuggy-type car that could barrel through hordes of enemies.
 * The Custom Robo series has the Lightning Sky class of robos, which transform into fighter jets.
 * The Interceptor car in the Spy Hunter series, which can become a boat, a motorcycle, and sometimes a jet plane.
 * A slew of original mecha in Super Robot Wars, notably the Wildraubtier & R-1 (which are Macross or Gundam style planes-to-robots) and the Grungust series (which take cues more from Daitarn 3).
 * Super Robot Wars W contains a ship, the Valstork, that transforms into the giant humanoid Valguard by augmenting itself with its in-house mech Valhawk, which itself has a plane Air Force mode and a humanoid Close Combat mode. When they fuse with the Armstra ship into the even more massive Valzacard, the Arm Arcus transforms into a sword or a bow for it to wield.
 * This is to say nothing of Aussenseiter and Daizengar's combination attack, which transforms Aussenseiter into... a giant mecha horse. Which Daizengar mounts. And then Daizengar produces a sword no less than three times the length of itself. That's about when Trombe! is reaching its climax in the song, and you REALLY should have been running a long time ago.
 * AND R-GUN! A Gundam-ish mecha transformed into a GUN?! nice for you gunned-to-crap by METAL! GENOCIDER!
 * Ow yeah! You're right! And don't forget R-gun was INTENDED TO BE A GUN FOR S!R!X! on the first place. Cue Ryuusei crying HYPER! TRONIUM! BUSTER! CANNON! for the god's sake!
 * The three main Agency vehicles in Crackdown all transform into bigger and badder forms as the player's Driving Skill rises. The Supercar turns into a machinegun-packing batmobile, the SUV turns into a monster-truck that can jump and drive up walls, and the Truck turns into... an even bigger and badder truck with a nitro-booster for maximum ramming power. No attempts are made to justify the blatantly impossible transformations. It happens because it's cool.
 * In Gunstar Heroes (both the original and the GBA remake), Green uses an ancient vehicle known as Seven Force. It has, of course, seven different variations. And you have to fight them all.
 * Viewtiful Joe has the Six Machine, a transforming vehicle with six forms: A humongous mecha, a car, a jet, a submarine, a subterrine, and a cannon.
 * In Xenosaga, the E.S. Dinah could transform from a starship to a mecha and back; only about half the ship was used in the mecha form, leaving the rest to be used as a large energy weapon or just left floating in orbit. The E.S. Naphtali could also transform from a cruise mode to combat mode.
 * Though the Dinah is more of a combiner, as its head is formed from a flying motorcycle that turns into a bed.
 * In Red Alert 3, the Empire's Tengus (anti-infantry mecha and anti-air jet) and V Xs (anti-air mecha and anti-tank chopper). The Sea-Wing/Sky-Wings are more Military Mashup Machine.
 * Dunno if it's intentional or not but the Mecha Tengu stylistically resembles a Variable Fighter in Gerwalk mode. Even the transformation and hovering movement is similar.
 * In Mischief Makers, each member of the Beastector has their own unique Transforming Mecha, which resembles the same animal as its pilot.
 * R Type TL series fighters transform into mecha when attached to force devices. They also use a different Wave Motion Gun when transformed.
 * The Terran Viking units in Starcraft II.
 * The Guardian Legend's main character, a Robot Girl who takes a humanoid form during the dungeon crawling parts of the game, then switches to spaceship form for some Vertical Scrolling Shooter action.
 * Mr. Heli Robo at the beginning of Stage 6 in Contra: Shattered Soldier.
 * Turbo Man in Mega Man 7, Ground Man in Mega Man and Bass, & Nitro Man in Mega Man 10; as well as Ride Boarski of Mega Man X 7.
 * Lost Planet: Extreme Condition has the GAB-25 Vital Suit that can change from being a quadrupedal mech to high speed Drill Tank. It also has the GTF-13 which can transform between Mini-Mecha and jet-propelled snowmobile modes.
 * Star Fox 2 gave the Arwings and two other spacecraft a walking mech form-convenient for fighting on planets and inside battleships. This feature has not been carried over to a released game.
 * The protagonist of Thexder is one of these, transforming from a bipedal robot into a jet fighter. In the sequel, it attacks with Roboteching missiles, too.
 * Sweet Tooth's truck in Twisted Metal Black.
 * The Eidolons from Final Fantasy XIII, surprisingly enough, turned out to be these.
 * Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army comes with Final Boss the Soulless God Yasoumagatsu and the earlier Soulless God Oumagatsu, monstruous battleship/Evangelion hybrids capable of easily switching between forms. The transformation scene is awesome.
 * Clunky non-violent example: In the point-and-click adventure Amerzone, the rickety air/sea vehicle called the "hydrafloat" can rearrange its parts to fly as either plane or helicoptor, traverse water as a sailboat, fanboat or motorboat, or drag itself along with a grappling hook. No robot mode, sorry.
 * Several Ray Series bosses, including Ray Storm's first boss, and Sem-Strut in Ray Crisis.
 * The Vic Viper from Gradius appears in transformable form in Zone of the Enders.
 * , from Okami as a Sequential Boss. The presence of a Mecha in a game set in Ancient Japan is justified by the implication that
 * Star Hawk, the upcoming Spiritual Successor to Warhawk has these as the standard, flying vehicle.
 * C.O.R., a mod for UT 2 K 4, was basically team deathmatch with transforming mecha, and awesome.
 * Shogo is a rare case of a First-Person Shooter with Transforming Mecha.
 * Militron after his first defeat in Link: The Faces of Evil actually turns into a flying tank-chariot thing with spikes all over him to escape. He is seen transforming back in a cutscene prior to his second encounter, and after he is defeated again, his armor falls off, revealing a feeble old man underneath.
 * This is also true with Iron Knuckle from Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon, who instead turns into a spiky jet-chariot thing to escape after his first defeat, and after he is defeated again, his armor cracks open, causing his heart to fall out.
 * Future Cop LAPD has the x-1 alpha that transforms between a battle walker and a hover car.
 * Battle Engine Aquila has the battle engines, which can turn change between jet mode and walker mode.
 * Kid Icarus Uprising features the Great Sacred Treasure, which transforms into nearly half a dozen modes in the fight against
 * Anarchy Reigns has Garuda, who transforms into a jet and can be ridden on by his teammates in co-op modes.

Web Comics

 * In God(tm) a cappuccino machine is stuck in guardian mode and a Mormon Robot transforms into a bicycle.
 * Wild Arms 2 and Wild Arms 3 feature the Dragon Caliber, Lombardia. He's a living mechanical "dragon" who can transform into a jet, and becomes your Global Airship after defeating him. He even gets a Gundam-style launch sequence in his very first appearance.

Western Animation

 * The American cartoon M.A.S.K. had vehicles that turned into other vehicles.
 * Including Switchblade, a helicopter which could transform into a jet.
 * Another western example: Inspector Gadget had a minivan that would transform into a sports car.
 * Yet another western example: The Ghostbuggy, or "GB", from Filmations Ghostbusters (No, not the famous ones); this could transform into an airplane, a hovercraft, a snowmobile, and other vehicles. "Did I mention, it also travels in time?"
 * The Batman the Brave And The Bold episode "Night of the Huntress" reveals that the goddamn Batmobile can transform into one. And it even had a Rocket Punch.
 * Finn McMissile from Cars 2, who can actually transform from a car to a submarine.
 * His sidekick Holley Shiftwell can transform into an aircraft.