Basic Trope: A Mecha capable of changing into an alternative form.
- Straight: Troperion Alpha can transform from Warrior-Mode (an humanoid form) into Fighter-Mode (an aircraft form) and vice-versa.
- Exaggerated: Troperion Alpha can transform into Warrior-Mode, Fighter-Mode, Landmaster-Form, Marine-Form, Driller-Mode, Spaceship-Form, Animal-Form and Cannon-Form!
- Downplayed: Troperion Alpha has wings that pop out if it needs to fly.
- Justified: Troperion Alpha was designed as an well-rounded multi-task machine. Its humanoid form allows the pilot to manipulate tools and weapons with great precision, as well as improving its aim; while its aerial form allows it to perform lighting-fast strikes and greatly improves its mobility and range.
- Inverted:
- In Soviet Russia, mecha transforms you!note
- A mecha series in which the mecha, while staying the same shape all the time, gives its pilot the ability to shapeshift.
- The mecha has the ablity to Mode Lock itself and it's rider, protecting it from Forced Transformation and related issues.
- The Troperion doesn't transform itself at all but is incredibly fast, tough, and powerful and the best known in its class but allows the pilot to survive the high speeds by transforming them into a slimy mass of tentacles kept alive by the machines.
- Subverted: While originally conceived as a transforming unit, Troperion Alpha's modular mechanism turns out to be incomplete by the time it has to be emergency-deployed for the first time.
- Double Subverted: While originally conceived as a transforming unit, Troperion Alpha's armor turns out to be too bulky and obstructive for it to perform such a feat. However, in a critical point of the battle, its pilot is forced to eject the external armor and backup weapon system to reveal its High-Mobility alternate form.
- Parodied: Troperion Alpha's alternative forms are plainly silly, like a Vending-Machine-Mode, Zamboni-Mode, Wood-Chipper-Mode and Boom-Box-Mode.
- Zig Zagged: Troperion Alpha was conceived as a transforming unit, but the modular mechanism wasn't finished when it was deployed for the first time. Ejecting the external armor to reveal a sleeker form and backup weapon systems, the pilot initially believes this is one of its forms before being informed that's actually the skeleton. However, in the midst of combat they trigger Troperion Alpha's incomplete mechanism, changing the High-Mobility form into a more combat capable one.
- Averted: Despite being a show featuring Humongous Mechas, none of these machines have variable forms.
- Enforced: "Originally we didn't plan for Troperion Alpha to be a variable machine, but the producers insisted on it because of the popularity of the transforming toys"
- Lampshaded: "It transforms into a jet-fighter? This is the best mecha I've seen! I'm in LOVE with this machine!"
- Invoked: Troperion Alpha is designed as an infiltration and espionage machine with a relatively low-profile mobility form, (like a transport vehicle) and a combat oriented humanoid form.
- Exploited: Realizing the Troperion Alpha must have space to work with for the transformations, the Evulz Empire fire nanomachine-carrying missiles at it while in a less versatile form to lock it that way.
- Defied: When someone proposes they incorporate a variable form into Troperion Alpha's design, the development team ditches the idea and decides to create a modular-addon's system to emulate the functionality of a variable form. (ie. An aerial addon to replace the Fighter-Mode)
- Discussed:Hikari: Piloting Troperion Alpha is harder than I expected. For you to deal with two completely different control schemes, being able to alternate between its both forms at light-speed pace, and fight effectively with them you must have machine-like precision and inhuman reflexes.
Akira: So, are you giving up already? For me it is OK. Such an advanced machine deserves to be controlled by the best pilot around.
Hikari: I concur with you... That's why I'll be its pilot! - Conversed:Alice: I wish everyday machines had kickass alternative robot forms! Imagine how awesome would it be to crush rush-hour traffic with a giant mecha!
Bob: But if it were of common use, don't you think other people would try to pull the same dangerous stunt as you?
Alice: All the better for me! I would just crush them to prove who's the ultimate pilot! HA HA HA HA HA!
Bob: ...People like you are why we can't have things like that. - Implied: Through battle damage, two wing-like structures are revealed in Troperion Alpha's back.
- Deconstructed: The sheer complexity of the mechanism necessary for Troperion Alpha to even have one alternative form turns out to be an engineering nightmare. While the development team manages to actually accomplish the goal, it ends up eating a great amount of resources that could have been used to improve other issues, like its weapon and defensive systems. In addition, the inherent stress derived from the frequent transformations increase exponentially the maintenance cost and put a heavy toll into the useful life of the machine. As a result, the machine never manages to pass beyond the test-phase and the project ends up scrapped in favor something more efficient.
- Reconstructed: ...However, many years into the future, an imaginative scientist stumbles upon the abandoned records of the Troperion Alpha's project. By employing the latest technological advances, the scientist is able to create a corrected prototype of the legendary machine. This time not only it is functional, but it surpasses the expectations and scope of the original project.
- Played For Laughs: Alice pilots an airplane and refers to raising and lowering the landing gear as transformation.
Let's go Transforming Mecha! Fighter-Mode change: ENGAGED!
