Editing Shellformer

{{disambig2|toys that have lots of kibble|toys from a long time ago that still haven't been sold|Shelfwarmer}}
[[File:BWN-toy DeadEnd.jpg|right|upright=2.2|thumb|A Shellformer that forms a ''shell''.]]
'''Shellformer''' is a fandom term (most often used derisively) for a [[Toy|Transformer]] that transforms by "peeling" [[kibble|pieces of one form]] to reveal the other form inside. Literally, the majority of the [[alternate mode]] is a "shell" that closes completely (or close enough) around the robot parts, with the [[robot mode]] having very little genuine integration of the alternate mode parts. Sometimes, the term '''panelformer''' is used as a synonym.

Shellforming is often the result of a design failing to include appropriate parts integration to support an aesthetically pleasing alt mode, and is often the result of attempts to produce a "realistic" [[beast mode]].  Sometimes, however, it may be an intended part of the design. For example, ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (toyline)|Age of Extinction]]'' [[Crosshairs (AOE)#Generations|Deluxe Class Crosshairs]] uses the panels that form the majority of his [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] to create the appearance of a [[Transformer clothing#Trenchcoats|trenchcoat]]. 

Meanwhile, toys such as One Step Changers and Turbo Changers use very simple transformations, often involving shellforming, to make them easy and fun to transform for young children. Like the previous Crosshairs example, this would fall under the category of being a feature rather than clumsy design.

In some of the most extreme cases, such as the ones pictured on this page, one can remove almost the entirety of the alternate mode parts and still have a complete, fully-functional robot figure left over. The ''[[Beast Wars Neo (toyline)|Beast Wars Neo]]'' line is probably most notorious for this, with many original molds featuring large chunks of beast mode paneling hanging off completely mechanical robot bodies.

Also see: [[kibble]].

Shellformers should not be confused with the [[Pretender]]s.
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==Notable shellformers==
<center><gallery>
File:G1Scourge Toy1986.jpg|[[Scourge (G1)#Generation 1|Scourge]]
File:BW-toy Rattrap.jpg|[[Rattrap (BW)/toys#Beast Wars|Most of the first]] [[Terrorsaur (BW)#Beast Wars|year of Beast]] [[Razorbeast#Toys|Wars Basic]] [[Armordillo#Toys|Class figures.]]
File:Bwmegatron_toy.jpg|Ultra Class [[Megatron (BW)/toys#Beast Wars|Megatron]]
File:BW_terragator_toy.jpg|Basic Class [[Terragator#Beast Wars|Terragator]]
File:BW Retrax Toy.jpg|[[Retrax#Beast Wars|This figure is probably 90% kibble.]]
File:Under3.jpg|[[Under-3]]
File:Bigconvoy shell.jpg|[[Big Convoy#Toys|The weather is too hot, so I take off my woolly fur coat.]]
File:BWN-toy Break.jpg|[[Break|The robot is the prize inside. No refunds.]]
File:BWN-toy_MachKick.jpg|[[Mach Kick|Beast Wars Neo Mach Kick]]
File:RID Side Burn Toy.jpg|[[Side Burn (RID)#Robots In Disguise|Car Robots Speedbreaker/Robots in Disguise Side Burn]]
File:RID-toy_SkyByte.jpg|[[Sky-Byte (RID)#Robots in Disguise (2001)|Car Robots Gelshark/Robots in Disguise Sky-Byte]]
File:Energon_Mirage_toy.jpg|[[Tidal_Wave_(Armada)#Energon|<s>Pretty Soldier Sailor''</s> Mirage.]]
File:Cyb-toy ThunderblastDecep.jpg|[[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Thunderblast]]
File:Megatronclassicstoy.jpg|Voyager Class [[Megatron (G1)/toys#Classics (2006)|Megatron]]
File:SWTFtoy-VaderDeathStar.JPG|[[Darth Vader]]/[[Death Star]]
File:SWTF-toy LukeSnowspeeder.JPG|[[Luke Skywalker]] (snowspeeder)
File:NikemusPrime.jpg|[[Optimus_Prime_(G1)/toys#Sports_Label|Nikemus Prime]], [[Megatron_(G1)/toys#Sports_Label|Nikeatron]] and unreleased [[Starscream_(G1)/toys#Sports_Label|Nikescream]].
File:Movie TranScanning Bumblebee toy.jpg|[[Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#Trans-Scanning|Trans-Scanning Bumblebee]]
File:TransScanningOptimusPrime.jpg|[[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Trans-Scanning|Trans-Scanning Optimus Prime]]
File:Ani-toy WreckGar.jpg|[[Wreck-Gar (Animated)|Wreck-Gar]]
File:ROTF HumanAlliance Sideswipe Epps.jpg|[[Human Alliance]] [[Sideswipe (Movie)#Human Alliance|Sideswipe]]
File:ROTF-toy_RollbarScout.jpg|[[Rollbar (ROTF)#toys|Revenge of the Fallen Rollbar]]
File:ROTF Brawn Deluxe.jpg|Deluxe Class [[Brawn (ROTF)|Brawn]]
File:DOTMtoy-SentinelPrimeVoyager.jpg|Voyager Class [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)#Voyager Class toys|Sentinel Prime]]
File:DOTM Cyberverse Topspin toy.jpg|[[Cyberverse (toyline)|Cyberverse]] Legion Class [[Topspin (DOTM)#Cyberverse|Topspin]]
File:Prime-toy_GariKunCola.jpg|[[Gari Robo-kun#Toys|Gari Robo-kun]]
File:AOEtoy-FirstEditionOptimusPrime.jpg|[[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#First Edition|First Edition Optimus Prime]]
File:TF4-Voyager-Galvatron.JPG|Voyager Class [[Megatron_(Movie)/toys#Generations|Galvatron]]
File:GenerationsAOECrosshairsDeluxe.jpg|Deluxe Class [[Crosshairs (AOE)|Crosshairs]]
File:Takara-lost-age-series-battle-command-optimus-prime.jpg|Lost Age Series [[Optimus_Prime_(Movie)/toys#Lost_Age_Series|Battle Command Optimus Prime]]
File:TF-RID-Combiner-Force-1-Step-Bumblebee.jpg|One-Step Changer [[Bumblebee (WFC)#toys#CombinerForce1Step|Bumblebee]]
File:TF-TLK-Turbo-Changer-Drift.jpg|Turbo Changer [[Drift (AOE)#TurboChanger|Autobot Drift]]
File:Cyberverse-Ultra-Shadow-Striker.jpg|Ultra Class [[Shadow_Striker_(Cyberverse)#Ultra_Class|Shadow Striker]]
File:Studio Series-MV5-Deluxe-Class-WWII-Bumblebee.jpg|Deluxe Class [[Bumblebee_(Movie)/toys#SS26|WWII Bumblebee]]
File:WFCS-Voyager-Starscream.jpg| [[Starscream_(G1)/toys#War_for_Cybertron:_Siege|Siege Starscream]] and all his [[Seeker_(body-type)#War_for_Cybertron:_Siege|redeco]]s.
File:Masterpiece-MP-43-Megatron-(Beast-Wars).jpg|[[Megatron (BW)/toys#Masterpiece|''Masterpiece'' Beast Megatron]]
File:TF-Generations-WFC-E-Battle-Master-Soundbarrier.jpg|[[Soundbarrier#War for Cybertron: Earthrise|''Earthrise'' Soundbarrier]]
File:TF-Generations-WFC-E-Deluxe-Arcee.jpg|[[Arcee_(G1)/toys#War_for_Cybertron:_Earthrise|''Earthrise'' Deluxe Class Arcee]]
File:TF-Cyberverse-2018-Deluxe-Arcee.jpg| [[Arcee_(Cyberverse)#Toys|''Cyberverse'' Deluxe Class Arcee]]
File:TF-WFC-S-Unicron.jpg| [[Unicron/toys#War for Cybertron Trilogy|''War for Cybertron'' Unicron]]
File:Studio-Series-86-Scourge.jpg|[[Scourge (G1)/toys#Studio Series|''Studio Series'' Scourge/Sweep]]
File:TF-Legacy-Deluxe-Class-Needlenose.jpg|[[Needlenose (G1)#Legacy|''Legacy: Evolution'' Needlenose]]
</gallery></center>

[[Category:Fan terminology]]
[[Category:Toys]]