Blade is a vampire hunter from Marvel comics, which decided to commission an anime series of the character from Madhouse studio. The first episode happens to feature a Romanian werewolf named Radu. He transforms into a blond wolfman, and the creature design is pretty good. The TF itself is shown through (slight) semi-muzzle-growth, hands elongating, and feet bursting out of shoes. As with almost all detailed cartoon werewolf TFs, his back is shown bulging, but doesn't rip through his shirt (that detail is unusual). Though the TF is intact, I edited the beginning of this video rather badly.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Hidan no Aria (Werewolf Transformation)
The 12th and final episode of this (somewhat stupid-looking anime) features a villain named "Vlad" becoming a werewolf. Some people have mocked the show for that, but I'll actually defend it on that count--before the 20th century vampires and werewolves were often less distinct, and in Eastern Europe (the home of vampires) it wasn't uncommon for vampires to also be werewolves. Count Dracula himself was able to change into a wolf, as Bram Stoker fans know. It's only in the late 20th century that werewolves and vampires have been seen as radically different monsters.
And since Western folklore takes its time to spread, Japan still hasn't fully processed the distinctions between Western monsters. When the Osama Tezuka wrote a manga about werewolves, he called it Vampires. Nobody in Japan thought twice. So if the Japanese want to mix up vampires and werewolves, they're actually being more traditional than most Westerners.
Though this is a werewolf transformation, it seems to focus most on muscle growth--we don't get any muzzle-growing or other lupine TF elements. Oh well...
You can watch the episode here. The TF begins at the 06:25 mark.
And since Western folklore takes its time to spread, Japan still hasn't fully processed the distinctions between Western monsters. When the Osama Tezuka wrote a manga about werewolves, he called it Vampires. Nobody in Japan thought twice. So if the Japanese want to mix up vampires and werewolves, they're actually being more traditional than most Westerners.
Though this is a werewolf transformation, it seems to focus most on muscle growth--we don't get any muzzle-growing or other lupine TF elements. Oh well...
You can watch the episode here. The TF begins at the 06:25 mark.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Ryu Wolf?
It's been a while since I played Street Fighter, but I believe this character's name is Ryu. Some clever person seems to have manipulated the sprites used during Blanca's transformation to make Ryu wolf-out. Whoever that clever artist might be, we salute him.
Edit: Jonathon Ansley comments that "the sprites used are Ryu from Street Fighter, and a re-colored John Talbain from the Vampire Savior/Darkstalkers series. There MIGHT be a Blanka sprite in the beginning but for the most part it's Ryu and Talbain.Either way it's still pretty cool."
Thanks Jonathon!
(Click to enlarge)
Edit: Jonathon Ansley comments that "the sprites used are Ryu from Street Fighter, and a re-colored John Talbain from the Vampire Savior/Darkstalkers series. There MIGHT be a Blanka sprite in the beginning but for the most part it's Ryu and Talbain.Either way it's still pretty cool."
Thanks Jonathon!
The Art of Mamabliss
I've been following transformation online since 1997, and I can tell you one thing: TF artists burn out. I've watched so many come and go that a pattern emerges: a brilliant entrance, several years of productivity, a period of declining workrate, an even more fallow period, then disappearance. Eventually the artist pulls his work from the web to try and erase every trace of his presence. Though I can draw somewhat well, I've never led the life of an active amateur artist, so I can't presume to say what makes TF artists burn out. But they do.
And yet there are always exceptions. One of these is Mambliss. She (or he?) has been producing art for years now, and unlike so many bitter burn-outs has remained good humored and able to put up with the irritating demands of people who view artists as their servants. She's also still as productive as when she started, and--unlike so many people who tried and failed--she's managed to make money from TF art. Her site (linked above) has a free preview section, but in order to see the many TF sequences she's drawn over the years, you have to subscribe. It's worth doing so. Her style is extremely distinctive and sensual--the linework is whispy, the figures funky, the imagery sensual and not for the prudish. For an example, take a look at this freebie donkey TF from her blog.
She also has a free archive site that stores many of her older TF sequences, and these you can see right now. Just scroll down to the bottom of the page. I've picked out some of the best male TFs for the benefit of my readers. Here are my picks:
"Cici's Mount" (Horse TF)
"The Locket" (Horse TF)
"All the Way" (Horse TF)
"Equine Transformation" (Horse of course)
"First Time" (Werewolf TF)
"Seals" (Short seal TF)
"Tutoring" (Very short werewolf TF)
"Renamon" (Digimon TF--I don't usually care for those critters, but some readers might)
Readers will notice a preponderance of horse TFs. This is not due to my own taste, but rather to what sequences Mamabliss has chosen to make available for free. Subscribers to her site will see a wider range of transformations.
And yet there are always exceptions. One of these is Mambliss. She (or he?) has been producing art for years now, and unlike so many bitter burn-outs has remained good humored and able to put up with the irritating demands of people who view artists as their servants. She's also still as productive as when she started, and--unlike so many people who tried and failed--she's managed to make money from TF art. Her site (linked above) has a free preview section, but in order to see the many TF sequences she's drawn over the years, you have to subscribe. It's worth doing so. Her style is extremely distinctive and sensual--the linework is whispy, the figures funky, the imagery sensual and not for the prudish. For an example, take a look at this freebie donkey TF from her blog.
She also has a free archive site that stores many of her older TF sequences, and these you can see right now. Just scroll down to the bottom of the page. I've picked out some of the best male TFs for the benefit of my readers. Here are my picks:
"Cici's Mount" (Horse TF)
"The Locket" (Horse TF)
"All the Way" (Horse TF)
"Equine Transformation" (Horse of course)
"First Time" (Werewolf TF)
"Seals" (Short seal TF)
"Tutoring" (Very short werewolf TF)
"Renamon" (Digimon TF--I don't usually care for those critters, but some readers might)
Readers will notice a preponderance of horse TFs. This is not due to my own taste, but rather to what sequences Mamabliss has chosen to make available for free. Subscribers to her site will see a wider range of transformations.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
News Update 4 (Dutchbull Updates, and Teen Wolf reactions)
Before I begin posting my own stuff, I should note that Dutchbull has once again updated his terrific site, and you should head over there now.
I particularly recommend checking out the clips from Outcast (a teenager to hulkish monster TF--an anonymous commenter notes that the beast is anatomically correct; pause at the 50 second mark for proof) and Le poil de la bête, a Quebecois werewolf movie. I'd planned on having these on my blog, but Dutchbull beat me to the punch. An obvious sign that I need to update more often!
Dutchbull updates every couple of months, but he always announces the exact date in advance and is always true to his word. How many other webmasters are so consistent and trustworthy? Dutchbull's site is especially valuable since Shadowlord Inc. (still the largest TF media site on the net) has been dormant for five months.
There's one other set of new clips on Dutchbull's site that I particularly recommend: those from Teen Wolf. Readers of this blog know that I was a supporter of the series well before it aired, despite the know-nothing carping from other netizens. I'm happy to say they were wrong and I was right--Teen Wolf is a critical and commercial success and will return for second season (shooting starts in November). Though its pilot was deceptively generic, the series began deftly toggling between thriller, horror, romance, comedy, and high school drama. Characters who first seemed like stereotypes ended up as well-developed members of an excellent ensemble cast. The mystery at the heart of the series (who was the Alpha?) was unexpectedly and wisely revealed before the finale, which left more than enough plot strands for next season's story arc. Showrunner Jeff Davis said the whole series was essentially structured like an eight-hour movie and was right. It also looks just as good as one--the photography and lighting were far above TV standards. Lastly, I don't think I've ever seen a better looking group of male werewolves on TV...
...Which means that I pretty much for forgive the show for being slightly disappointing in the TF department. Scott's transformations were quick, and being an omega werewolf, he didn't have all that far to transform (omegas are little more than humans with long ears and nails and gnarly facial features). The same went for Derek. That left the Alpha, who transformed into an honest-to-God wolf monster, but only once onscreen (watch it here). We mostly saw his back during the TF, though there were some nice muzzle-growth spasms beforehand. Mostly CGI too, but of decent quality. Anyway, we have to remember that Teen Wolf has a limited budget and managed to disguise that in other areas for most of its run. I hope that next season they'll have enough money to spend on (British)Being Human-style animatronics--especially since the new Alpha is played by a stunningly handsome actor who I would dearly love to see going through the throes of an American Werewolf-style TF.
In the meantime, congratulations to everyone involved with the show, and best wishes for the new season!
I particularly recommend checking out the clips from Outcast (a teenager to hulkish monster TF--an anonymous commenter notes that the beast is anatomically correct; pause at the 50 second mark for proof) and Le poil de la bête, a Quebecois werewolf movie. I'd planned on having these on my blog, but Dutchbull beat me to the punch. An obvious sign that I need to update more often!
Dutchbull updates every couple of months, but he always announces the exact date in advance and is always true to his word. How many other webmasters are so consistent and trustworthy? Dutchbull's site is especially valuable since Shadowlord Inc. (still the largest TF media site on the net) has been dormant for five months.
There's one other set of new clips on Dutchbull's site that I particularly recommend: those from Teen Wolf. Readers of this blog know that I was a supporter of the series well before it aired, despite the know-nothing carping from other netizens. I'm happy to say they were wrong and I was right--Teen Wolf is a critical and commercial success and will return for second season (shooting starts in November). Though its pilot was deceptively generic, the series began deftly toggling between thriller, horror, romance, comedy, and high school drama. Characters who first seemed like stereotypes ended up as well-developed members of an excellent ensemble cast. The mystery at the heart of the series (who was the Alpha?) was unexpectedly and wisely revealed before the finale, which left more than enough plot strands for next season's story arc. Showrunner Jeff Davis said the whole series was essentially structured like an eight-hour movie and was right. It also looks just as good as one--the photography and lighting were far above TV standards. Lastly, I don't think I've ever seen a better looking group of male werewolves on TV...
...Which means that I pretty much for forgive the show for being slightly disappointing in the TF department. Scott's transformations were quick, and being an omega werewolf, he didn't have all that far to transform (omegas are little more than humans with long ears and nails and gnarly facial features). The same went for Derek. That left the Alpha, who transformed into an honest-to-God wolf monster, but only once onscreen (watch it here). We mostly saw his back during the TF, though there were some nice muzzle-growth spasms beforehand. Mostly CGI too, but of decent quality. Anyway, we have to remember that Teen Wolf has a limited budget and managed to disguise that in other areas for most of its run. I hope that next season they'll have enough money to spend on (British)Being Human-style animatronics--especially since the new Alpha is played by a stunningly handsome actor who I would dearly love to see going through the throes of an American Werewolf-style TF.
In the meantime, congratulations to everyone involved with the show, and best wishes for the new season!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Reader Contributions
It's been a long summer break, but I'm about to go into another update binge. Before I do, I'd like to highlight a couple of reader submissions.
When I announced my last update, I told the folks at TF World "if you have a TF tip-off, do let me know." Two folks wrote in with contributions. From Richard comes a youtube clip called "The Receptionist is Next Up!", which features a gradual werewolf transformation (it picks up around the 1:37 mark).
Meanwhile, from Bamadave comes a homemade donkey TF video. (NSFW.)
Thanks very much for the videos gentlemen. As for the rest of you, if you know of a good transformation that I haven't featured yet, please let me know. However, I should say that I'm not interested in the following: "poof" or instant transformations, male-to-female TG, and TFs involving inanimate objects. Thanks in advance, and stay tuned for more updates this weekend.
When I announced my last update, I told the folks at TF World "if you have a TF tip-off, do let me know." Two folks wrote in with contributions. From Richard comes a youtube clip called "The Receptionist is Next Up!", which features a gradual werewolf transformation (it picks up around the 1:37 mark).
Meanwhile, from Bamadave comes a homemade donkey TF video. (NSFW.)
Thanks very much for the videos gentlemen. As for the rest of you, if you know of a good transformation that I haven't featured yet, please let me know. However, I should say that I'm not interested in the following: "poof" or instant transformations, male-to-female TG, and TFs involving inanimate objects. Thanks in advance, and stay tuned for more updates this weekend.