Apparently Human Merfolk: Difference between revisions

 

{{examples}}

* ''Not'' the mermaids themselves, but the Panthalassa race in ''[[Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch]]'' is composed of these. Most of them, however, don't have a choice but to live underwater (until the seal on their civilization breaks, that is), and we only see a few of them, many of whom we're supposed to assume are human until we realize that they've survived instances where they should have drowned. They also have nebulous, unexplained superpowers and [[Creepy Cool Crosses]]. Huh.

* The titular [[Squid Girl]] is equally comfortable on the beach or in the ocean.

 

* [[DC Comics]] has [[Aquaman]], Aqualad, and their kin

* [[Marvel Comics]] has Namor the [[Sub-Mariner]] who has slightly pointy ears and wings on his feet as he can also fly, but looks much closer to human than fish.

* The Top Cow comic ''[[Fathom]]'' is about a member of a race of water-based humanoid [[Elemental Shapeshifter]]s who have this among their abilities.

 

* At the end of ''[[Splash]]'' Allen becomes one of these so he can be with the more typical mermaid love Madison.

* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055844/ There's] an old Soviet romantic sci-fi film called ''Chelovek-Amfibiya (The Human Amphibian)'', in which an oceanologist's son with sick lungs [[We Can Rebuild Him|was given]] [[Biopunk|additional implants]] [[Artistic License: Biology|derived from the gils of a young shark]]. [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|He can survive on land, but mostly sticks to the sea, where he's more comfortable with breathing.]] The main plot point of the movie is {{spoiler|the gradual deterioration of his ability to breathe atmospheric air and the need to forever leave dry land and live purely in the sea}}.

* The Mariner in ''[[Waterworld]]'', played by Kevin Costner, has gills behind the ears.

 

* The titular character of ''[[Percy Jackson & the Olympians|Percy Jackson and The Olympians]]'' what with him being Poseidon's illegitimate son and all.

* ''[[The Secret of Platform 13]]'' has Melisande, a merrow who is proud of having feet and continually points them out, for some reason touchy about the idea that people will mistake her for a mermaid.

* The rifters from Peter Watts' [[Rifters Trilogy]] are modified humans (cybernetics and genetic engineering are used) who can survive in deep sea conditions. In fact, they prefer the sea to staying in their confined [[Underwater Base]].

 

* The oceanids, nereids, and naiads of [[Greek Mythology]] look entirely human, though perhaps more beautiful than mortals.

* This is the typical form of mermaids in the [[Arabian Nights]] and other Middle Eastern folklore; the only difference between them and land-dwelling humans is that they (and in one story, their children with humans) can breathe underwater.

 

== [[Tabletop Games]] ==

* [[Traveller]]: The Nexines who actually are human merfolk. They are a race genetically engineered for underwater mining.

* ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'':

* In ''[[Tales of Legendia]]'' there's the Ferines, an aquatic race that looks perfectly human despite the fact that {{spoiler|they evolved completely underwater; their planet had NO dry land until humans from space came and raised it from the ocean}}.

* ''[[Aquaria]]'' has Li become this shortly after Naija finds him. It's a handy side benefit of your [[Fish Person]] girlfriend having magic powers, though it might only work if they're in close proximity—Li puts his old diving helmet back on if Naija decides to leave him behind somewhere. [[Half-Human Hybrid|Their son]] might also count.

 

== [[Western Animation]] ==

* ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants]]'' gives us Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, parody [[Expy|Expies]] of Aquaman and Aqualad.

* Marina and her people (all of whom are mute) from ''[[Stingray (1964 TV series)|Stingray]]''

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Mer Tropes]]

[[Category:Not Quite Human]]

[[Category:Index of Fictional Creatures]]