The power to transform into or have a physical body made up of shadows. Technique of Darkness Manipulation. Variation of Elemental Mimicry. Not to be confused with Dark Form.
Also Called
- Living Shadow
- Shade
- Shadow Form/Physiology
- Umbral Physiology
Capabilities
User is made up of or can transform their body completely into shadows. Users' transformed form is either anatomically identical to their normal form, aside of being made of shadow, in which case, it contains all organs and is somewhat vulnerable to attacks. Alternately, the user can transform into homogenous matter, without any part of their form being more important than the other.
The user can assume a two-dimensional form, extend outward to become a larger shadow, blend into shadows completely, or even teleport through them.
Although not part of Energy Physiology, this power shares much with it:
Nigh Formed Shadow Beings are or can change into mostly physical beings, with the energy flowing through their being, fortifying their cells, bones and muscles. Their power is mostly focused to their bodies and while they gain some amount of energy-attacks, the changes and applications are mostly internal.
Full-Formed Shadow Beings are completely formed of energy, without anything truly left from their physical form. They gain impressive control over their form and vast capacity to expel energy in various ways.
Applications
Nigh Formed Shadow Beings
- Limited Darkness Manipulation
- Disease Immunity
- Elemental Shapeshifting
- Enhanced Condition
- Flat Body
- Intangibility
- Invulnerability
- Pain Suppression
- Shadow Camouflage
- Shadow Generation
- Thermal Resistance
Full-Formed Shadow Beings
- Contaminant Immunity
- Darkness Manipulation
- Disease Immunity
- Elemental Shapeshifting
- Enhanced Agility
- Enhanced Dexterity
- Enhanced Lung Capacity or Oxygen Independence
- Flat Body
- Flight/High-Speed Flight
- Intangibility
- Invulnerability
- Pain Suppression
- Quintessence Force
- Self-Sustenance
- Shadow Camouflage
- Shadow Generation
- Size Manipulation
- Supernatural Condition
- Umbrageous Teleportation
- Thermal Resistance
Techniques
Variations
- Darkness Mimicry is mostly similar, but the user is more vulnerable to light and empowered by darkness.
Associations
- Amorphous Physiology
- Darkness Manipulation
- Force Armor Generation
- Light Absorption
- Light-Darkness Mimicry
- Personal Void
- Scattering - some users are able spread their transformed form over vast areas.
- Shadow Energy Absorption
- Umbrakinetic Creature Creation
- Umbrakinetic Immunity
- Umbrakinetic Regeneration by drawing darkness/shadow to fill the wounds.
Limitations
- May be harmed by light.
- May be affected by light as if it was physical force.
- Light Manipulation and other effects that create bright light are especially effective against the user.
- May be limited to moving like a normal shadow, on solid surfaces.
- Complete darkness prevents shadows from forming.
Known Users
Manga/Anime
- The Shadow Card (CardCaptor Sakura)
- Rui Hachiōji (Code: Breaker)
- Saechika (Code: Breaker)
- Rogue Cheney (Fairy Tail)
- Kageyama (Fairy Tail)
- Chase (Fairy Tail)
- Gajeel Redfox (Fairy Tail); via Iron Shadow Dragon Mode
- Kagerō (Flame of Recca)
- Pride (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
- Alucard (Hellsing)
- Chandra (Kubera)
- One-Eyed Shadow (Sidekicks)
- Jiraiya (Naruto)
- Misty (Super Doll Licca-chan)
- Gekko Moriah (One Piece)
- Nightmare (Paradox Saga)
- Sarutoru (Ranma 1/2: Nihao My Concubine)
- Rionette (Rave Master)
- Makora (Samurai Deeper Kyo)
- Varete (Witch Hunter)
- Polpo (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure); via Black Sabbath
Video Games
- Makuta Teridax (Bionicle)
- Irnakk (Bionicle)
- Mask of Life (Bionicle)
- Shadow (Disciples)
- Koga Shuko (Double Dragon)
- Shadow Heartless (Kingdom Hearts)
- Cynder (Legend of Spyro)
- Reaper (Overwatch)
- Gengar (Pokémon)
- Darkrai (Pokémon)
- Cynder (Skylanders)
- Trap Shadow (Skylanders: Swap Force)
- Mephiles the Dark (Sonic the Hedgehog)
- Midna (The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess)
- Zato-1 (Guilty Gear)
- Shadow (Valkyrie Crusade)
- Dawn (Contrast)
- Demon Hunters (Diablo III)
Comics
- Shadow (Bear in the Big Blue House)
- Torivors (Beyonders)
- Shadow Thief (DC Comics)
- Obsidian (DC Comics)
- Specter (Marvel Comics)
- Shadow (Starcraft II: Soits)
- James Herondale (The Last Hours)
- Shadow (Angel Wars: Guardian Force)
Cartoons
- Shadow (Xiaolin Chronicles)
- Faraboo the Caretaker (Aladdin: the Animated Series)
- Ebon/Ivan Evans (Static Shock)
- Shadowkhan (Jackie Chan Adventures)
- King Sombra (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic)
- Aku (Samurai Jack)
- Shade Demons (American Dragon: Jake Long)
- Shade (Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu)
- Tinker Bell (Winx Club)
- Shadow creatures (Winx Club)
Film
- Koga Shuko (Double Dragon)
- Whisp (Monster High: 13 Wishes)
- Pitch Black (Rise of the Guardians)
Literature
- Hades (Percy Jackson)
- Valkyrie Cain (Skulduggery Pleasant)
- Solomon Wreath (Skulduggery Pleasant)
Tabletop Games
- Shadow Dragons (AD&D)
- Aurgloroasa
- Shimmergloom
Television
- Randy Klein (Smallville)
- Shadow Kin (Class)
- Corakinus
Gallery
The Shadow (Cardcaptor Sakura) is a living mass of shadows, and can gain more power by absorbing more shadows.
Rui Hachiōji (Code: Breaker) merges with her own shadow for full power.
Saechika (Code: Breaker) using his Dark Side to create his shadow armor.
Rogue Cheney (Fairy Tail) becoming shadows and can fade into shadows to dodge attacks and move swiftly.
Chase (Fairy Tail) is able to transform his body into a shadow and move around surfaces.
Pride (Fullmetal Alchemist) uses his shadow powers, which is actually his body's true form, as his humanoid body is just a vessel.
Jiraiya (Naruto) merging into Ryūsui's shadow and taking control of him, so long as he is holding his breath.
Gekko Moriah (One Piece) switching places with his shadow at anytime he desires, allowing him to teleport.
Gengar (Pokémon) is the Shadow Pokémon, possessing a shadow physiology and hiding in other people's shadows, draining them of their bodily heat.
Darkrai (Pokémon) becoming a shadow to escape danger and contact with humans.
Aku (Samurai Jack) is the self-proclaimed Shape Shifting Master of Darkness, and can transform his body of shadows into whatever he pleases.
Mephiles the Dark (Sonic the Hedgehog) is a mass of formless shadow, until he absorbs a target's shadow to take on that form with subtle differences.
Makora (Samurai Deeper Kyo) armors himself with the dimensional energy of his Shadow ability, allowing him to become intangible by absorbing all attacks.
Ebon (Static Shock) is a mass of living shadow, and change form from 3D to 2D, and teleport from one shadow to another.
Shadowkhans (The Adventures of Jackie Chan) are living shadow spirit warriors.
Midna (The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess) is capable of hiding inside Link's shadow, and does so to avoid the deadly light.
After losing his physical form, King Sombra (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic) was reduced to a literal shadow of his former self.
Shadow (Valkyrie Crusade)
Chase (Fairy Tail) can merge with almost any shadow and attack from almost anywhere.
Shadow (Angel Wars) is the Demon Lord of shadows, though he ironically does not possess one himself.
Dawn (Contrast) can physically merge with her own shadow.
Shade Demons (American Dragon: Jake Long)
James Herondale (The Shadowhunter Chronicles) can turn himself into a shadow.
Reaper (Overwatch) can turn into is shadowy form to move swiftly across the field and become invincible while in that form.
Polpo (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure) using Black Sabbath
Alucard (Hellsing)
Shadow creatures (Winx Club)