What do ya'll think about MC turning into Physical Monsters/Beasts?

[Staag]

For me, I love it when paired with Isekai. (Yes, I love that garbage genre)

It's just something about a human trying to comprehend being a monster, it makes me curious. Will this person stay 'human' whilst being a monster or surrender to its form's purpose (Usually killing or some evil and/or destructive thing).

What I love most is when a Monster MC becomes an amalgamation of both, neither fully human nor as unreasonable as a monster. Something with intelligence and reason but has a body capable of flattening entire civilizations and cultivating fear, something inhuman. Also, they're more of a reflection of humanity in my opinion, albeit its most destructive reflection.

Plus, it has an entire bag's worth of trauma. Identity Issues? Check. Agony Issues? Check. Moral Dilemma Issues? Check.

How will this MC process trauma through its monsterized body? Will their conclusion be human, or monster? It's just so interesting to me. (Note: I hate it when these MC's return to being human.)

 

[Peter3135566]

I like those storys too, as long as the mc dosent suddenly gain human body and then it turns into a just more convuloted isakei story. Otherwise, monster mc can be realy awsome!

 

[Cipiteca396]

If they either like their new form, or get to go back to being human, I'm fine with it. Considering how narrow the niche is, there's probably too many of these books in my reading list, so... I guess I rather like it.
Maybe because it gets rid of the usual 'nerfs' that authors give their isekai and OP characters.
Why do you need to put unreasonable shackles on the character if they're already kill-on-sight spooky monsters?

 

[AnonUnlimited]

I read that as turning into physical mothers/breasts.... I think I've been on smuthub too long.

 

[GlassRose]

See I like these kinds of stories- but not the ones that go too far down the angst and identity crisis route. I want a story where the mc becomes a (physical) monster, and is like, 'oh, this is right, this how I'm supposed to be, I've been missing this all along'. Who embraces their form, without going full off-the-hook monster (morally).

Cause that's how it feels like it should be, to me! I'd want that! Ignoring that I wouldn't be willing to sacrifice the life I have for that. But if it did spontaneously happen, having a monstrous form would be a benefit, rather than a detriment. Assuming the type of monster is close enough to one of a couple iterations I'd like. I mean, I do like the humanoid form aesthetically and practically in many ways, so preferably I'd have the option to shapeshift into a humanoid form. Still wouldn't mind having overtly non-human features in that form, again ignoring the likely discrimination and hate for non-humans I'd probably experience (and resulting danger).

A human face, torso, and posture is the most important, then I could have monsterified limbs, eyes, ears, horns or other accoutrements, some extra appendages like a tail, wings, or back-limbs (like spider legs or sickle arms or tentacles (not the horny kind, and no suction cups)). Possibly a more in-between form where the monsterification is full-body but still mostly human shaped, and I'd have a full-monster form after that. There's a few different options for that. I'd love to be able to shift between any of them, but I could settle for one!

It's a similar situation to how I felt about genderbender. I didn't get why the characters I'd read would make such a big deal out of it, and held so firmly onto their former identity- until I learned I was trans.

It can break my immersion when characters reject or resist their monstrous nature, just because the dissonance between their view and my own are conflicting in such a visible and fundamental way.

 

[PancakesWitch]

See I like these kinds of stories- but not the ones that go too far down the angst and identity crisis route. I want a story where the mc becomes a (physical) monster, and is like, 'oh, this is right, this how I'm supposed to be, I've been missing this all along'. Who embraces their form, without going full off-the-hook monster (morally).

Cause that's how it feels like it should be, to me! I'd want that! Ignoring that I wouldn't be willing to sacrifice the life I have for that. But if it did spontaneously happen, having a monstrous form would be a benefit, rather than a detriment. Assuming the type of monster is close enough to one of a couple iterations I'd like. I mean, I do like the humanoid form aesthetically and practically in many ways, so preferably I'd have the option to shapeshift into a humanoid form. Still wouldn't mind having overtly non-human features in that form, again ignoring the likely discrimination and hate for non-humans I'd probably experience (and resulting danger).

A human face, torso, and posture is the most important, then I could have monsterified limbs, eyes, ears, horns or other accoutrements, some extra appendages like a tail, wings, or back-limbs (like spider legs or sickle arms or tentacles (not the horny kind, and no suction cups)). Possibly a more in-between form where the monsterification is full-body but still mostly human shaped, and I'd have a full-monster form after that. There's a few different options for that. I'd love to be able to shift between any of them, but I could settle for one!

It's a similar situation to how I felt about genderbender. I didn't get why the characters I'd read would make such a big deal out of it, and held so firmly onto their former identity- until I learned I was trans.

It can break my immersion when characters reject or resist their monstrous nature, just because the dissonance between their view and my own are conflicting in such a visible and fundamental way.

So you still want to be humanoid as a monster, which is lame as fuck. I bet you would be crying your eyes out if you became some sort of freaky bug larva thing with tiny stubby legs that can't carry you anywhere you want and mandibles constantly drooling, your eyes can't see colors clearly anymore and you're dizzy all the time. Not so nice anymore, isn't it???
You're only wishing about an idealized super monster form with all the convenient things, when the monster reincarnation genre usually give their main characters an unconvenient form that doesnt perform like an human and come with many weaknesses, usually its worse than being even a weak human, that's the fun part because they not only have to suffer while getting through this horrendous monstrous body, but also survive as a weak creature, adapt, and then evolve through the foodchain slowly.

 

[cabbag3]

What I love most is when a Monster MC becomes an amalgamation of both, neither fully human nor as unreasonable as a monster.

Plus, it has an entire bag's worth of trauma. Identity Issues? Check. Agony Issues? Check. Moral Dilemma Issues? Check.

So you mean furri—
jk

For me, I think stories where the MC gets something that's beyond them are always interesting, something bigger than us. Ex. Death Note, and Cheolsu Saves the World.
Granted they're not necessarily isekai or monster stuff so maybe they won't get discriminated compared to being a monster or something.

 

[Cipiteca396]

I bet you would be crying your eyes out if you became some sort of freaky bug larva thing with tiny stubby legs that can't carry you anywhere you want and mandibles constantly drooling, your eyes can't see colors clearly anymore and you're dizzy all the time.

... Aren't you just describing being a human toddler (with teeth)?

I'm glad most reincarnation stories skip those early years.

 

[theInmara]

As monsters ourselves, we eat it up.

We like all variations of it, so long as the MC doesn't change back into human in the end. Or, if they do, they at least retain something of their experience that permanently separates them from the rest of humanity. (Ostensibly because otherwise what's the point of the story? But really because we want the MC to be a monster like us.)

We also particularly like it when the MC finds out they were never human in the first place.

All for very similar reasons to GlassRose.

But, generally, the less common the themes and the less anthropocentric the story, the better. Not for novelty, but for something we relate better to.

Being a challenge for humans to read is a bonus.

 

[NotaNuffian]

I read the title and thought that it is referring to MC being a shapeshifter, capable of using multiple forms.

Personally, I don't see the reason why MC needs to return to monke and forgo the human lifestyle. Be like Beast Boy, sex in horse mode is fun.

But if it is about tunring beast with no ctrl Z... eh it can be fine.

 

[ordinary_people]

well once i read a dragon mc , and well the mc became almost dragon mentally and also some skeleton mc.

so I quite like mc become monster in isekai.

 

[GlassRose]

So you still want to be humanoid as a monster, which is lame as fuck. I bet you would be crying your eyes out if you became some sort of freaky bug larva thing with tiny stubby legs that can't carry you anywhere you want and mandibles constantly drooling, your eyes can't see colors clearly anymore and you're dizzy all the time. Not so nice anymore, isn't it???
You're only wishing about an idealized super monster form with all the convenient things, when the monster reincarnation genre usually give their main characters an unconvenient form that doesnt perform like an human and come with many weaknesses, usually its worse than being even a weak human, that's the fun part because they not only have to suffer while getting through this horrendous monstrous body, but also survive as a weak creature, adapt, and then evolve through the foodchain slowly.

So? That's not what I care for, and this thread was asking how I feel about the genre, so I said my piece about what kind of stories I like in the genre.

My point, and my issue, is sometimes there will be characters incarnated as monsters that are just, better than being human, but character will get all hung up because 'I'm not human anymore, I'm a monster!' and I just don't get it. My point is that humanity is confining, physically and as an identity, not that all monsterhood is desirable.

And yeah I'm going to talk about my ideal scenario, but don't get all elitist on me just because I have an ideal. I'd settle for less. I'll have my stated issue with characters who are in less than ideal monster forms.
Of course, if you design a monster to be an existence that just suffers, then you'll suffer as it, the point is that being a monster in general isn't inherently suffering, potentially even better than being human.

And so what if I want to have the option to be humanoid? It's just a shape, a body layout. A convenient one, and since I'm not sexually deviant in that way, one that's basically necessary for engaging in that part of life. If I wanted to.

I wouldn't even necessarily use that form that much. I mean it might be necessary, at least to start with, when interacting with other people (which is necessary for mental health). But depending on my mood, other shapes sound far more comfortable, and depending on the situation, more practical.

I could post paragraphs on paragraphs of all the different permutations of my ideal, even disregarding the humanoid part, but that would be long and pointless. And it's not like being humanoid makes something not a monster. Oftentimes, humanoids, or beings hiding behind human facades, are the scariest monsters. What's scarier than a horrific eldritch abomination? One that's hidden behind a veneer of humanity, a mask of sanity, that you think you can trust, before the endless madness and tides rage burst forth and consume you after one misstep, one accidental triggering, one innocuous comment. And you can never know what it will be that will set it off on you, you can only pray it will leave you alone before its facade cracks.

And, wow, can't believe you're the author of Reborn as a Ghost. I read a decent amount of that. Does that make you 'lame as fuck' then?

 

[greyblob]

 

[NotaNuffian]

View attachment 31572

Ps. Just noticed from the pic, it is a werewolf versus aware wolf

 

[FallenMoon3]

It's hard to find a novel that has this complexity, that makes the protagonist's monster species make a difference in the story. In most of the ones I've read, when the protagonist becomes a monster, his behavior is the same as a human (but psychopathic). Chrysalis is one of the few books I've read that explores this well.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Had support characters like this but never an MC. May have to play around with the idea at some point. If I ever finish more than one or two of my current projects... :D

 

[Staag]

It's hard to find a novel that has this complexity, that makes the protagonist's monster species make a difference in the story. In most of the ones I've read, when the protagonist becomes a monster, his behavior is the same as a human (but psychopathic). Chrysalis is one of the few books I've read that explores this well.

It also solves one of my icks of Isekai-ed teenagers suddenly having no morality when killing actual people. If you turn into a monster even if you were a teenager, it becomes understandable. Trauma? Body Dysmorphia? Were those elements of monstrosity that changed you? Or is your monstrous form a real reflection of your hidden ferocity?

My interest in Monster MCs started when I saw comparisons of animals helping other animals like a whale helping a seal from orcas and humans being the most vile organisms on earth, i.e cannibalizing people, killing other humans for selfish desire or abusing others in lust for power.

Are we not monsters ourselves? Is the Monster MC a monster because their form forced them to be a monster or were they simply free from human morals and showed their true selves? Or, when you see a Monster MC be more human than your standard bandit, and then people start realizing that maybe humans are not as sacred as thought or monsters are simply beings that are not obliged to human morality but aren't incapable of human kindness. Plus, oftentimes than not, Kaiju Battles end up happening when these types of stories happen in later arcs.

Had support characters like this but never an MC. May have to play around with the idea at some point. If I ever finish more than one or two of my current projects... :D

They are really hard to balance, since they have to be both like-able or interesting enough for the readers to be hooked whilst making sure that they remain a 'monstrous' because if they don't then the whole monster form becomes unnecessary. Also, if it's just a monster killing everything then the story just ends up becoming boring.

See I like these kinds of stories- but not the ones that go too far down the angst and identity crisis route. I want a story where the mc becomes a (physical) monster, and is like, 'oh, this is right, this how I'm supposed to be, I've been missing this all along'. Who embraces their form, without going full off-the-hook monster (morally).

Cause that's how it feels like it should be, to me! I'd want that! Ignoring that I wouldn't be willing to sacrifice the life I have for that. But if it did spontaneously happen, having a monstrous form would be a benefit, rather than a detriment. Assuming the type of monster is close enough to one of a couple iterations I'd like. I mean, I do like the humanoid form aesthetically and practically in many ways, so preferably I'd have the option to shapeshift into a humanoid form. Still wouldn't mind having overtly non-human features in that form, again ignoring the likely discrimination and hate for non-humans I'd probably experience (and resulting danger).

A human face, torso, and posture is the most important, then I could have monsterified limbs, eyes, ears, horns or other accoutrements, some extra appendages like a tail, wings, or back-limbs (like spider legs or sickle arms or tentacles (not the horny kind, and no suction cups)). Possibly a more in-between form where the monsterification is full-body but still mostly human shaped, and I'd have a full-monster form after that. There's a few different options for that. I'd love to be able to shift between any of them, but I could settle for one!

It's a similar situation to how I felt about genderbender. I didn't get why the characters I'd read would make such a big deal out of it, and held so firmly onto their former identity- until I learned I was trans.

It can break my immersion when characters reject or resist their monstrous nature, just because the dissonance between their view and my own are conflicting in such a visible and fundamental way.

I am also a fan of gender bender albeit I'm the freaky kind so y'know, less complex interest and more depraved related. But I love the idea of morphing bodies.

Though I'm not as inclined to desire humanoid forms, I do want forms that are able to 'grasp' items. Whether by tongue, mouth, fingers or whatever as long as they can function as a 'hand' then I'd be happy.

Regarding the resisting or rejection of monstrous nature, I do like it! As long as they end up accepting it in the end. Instead of immediate acceptance, sometimes the journey to accepting own's predicament and changed form can be the entire point of the story.

My only issues with monster designs are if they are cluttered too much i.e have too much details and parts, they end up becoming human but more evolved. I prefer monsters with an upside and down-side, since humans themselves are monsters in their own right. Humans have incredible stamina and can create tools incredibly strong for the natural world. Monsters with upsides like having jet-like flight with the down-side of having no legs are one of my favourite, as in the exchange of one feature in order for a different feature.

As monsters ourselves, we eat it up.

We like all variations of it, so long as the MC doesn't change back into human in the end. Or, if they do, they at least retain something of their experience that permanently separates them from the rest of humanity. (Ostensibly because otherwise what's the point of the story? But really because we want the MC to be a monster like us.)

We also particularly like it when the MC finds out they were never human in the first place.

All for very similar reasons to GlassRose.

But, generally, the less common the themes and the less anthropocentric the story, the better. Not for novelty, but for something we relate better to.

Being a challenge for humans to read is a bonus.

Agreed! I love when humans and the monster who thinks like a 'human' clash or interact, it's just ironic.

Two monsters of similar human origin meet.

I also hate it when the MC turns into a human in the end, then it stops being a journey of self-acceptance and soul finding and more a 'curse-ending' journey.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

They are really hard to balance, since they have to be both like-able or interesting enough for the readers to be hooked whilst making sure that they remain a 'monstrous' because if they don't then the whole monster form becomes unnecessary. Also, if it's just a monster killing everything then the story just ends up becoming boring.

One that I keep going back to was originally created as a kind of "mystical Hulk" for a Champions game, who I never got the points right on but finally decided to insert into an early attempt at serial fiction and now might show up in some of my ongoing ones - he was a very young priest during the Spanish Inquisition, cursed by the real witch (a brother of the innocent woman he arrested and ended up having executed), to house a demon - after nearly one hundred years of wandering the Earth fighting each other for control of the body, the personalities somehow merged and now he's a "dark hero" - one who tries to only fight other supernatural horrors but who also knows that leaving the bad guys alive is not always the best option. He just does not seem to work well alone, but is great (at least for me) to write playing off of others (especially more idealistic characters).

 

[Staag]

One that I keep going back to was originally created as a kind of "mystical Hulk" for a Champions game, who I never got the points right on but finally decided to insert into an early attempt at serial fiction and now might show up in some of my ongoing ones now - he was a very young priest during the Spanish Inquisition, cursed by the real witch (a brother of the innocent woman he arrested and ended up having executed), to house a demon - after nearly one hundred years of wandering the Earth fighting each other for control of the body, the personalities somehow merged and now he's a "dark hero" - one who tries to only fight other supernatural horrors but who also knows that leaving the bad guys alive is not always the best option. He just does not seem to work well alone, but is great (at least for me) to write playing off of others (especially more idealistic characters).

True! Adding such a Monster Character really affects so many characters if used well.

 

[SternenklarenRitter]

I need the character to have a way to communicate or at least a path towards communication (for example they might be telepathic, or periodically go back to human to be able to talk). So long as they have a way to communicate, I enjoy non-human(oid) transformation stories.