Nine-Tailed Fox

Nine-Tailed Fox
キュウビキツネ
Character Data
AKA		Kyūbi
Romaji		Kyuubi kitsune
Debut		Kemono Friends (2015 Game)
Cryptid Data
Classification		Yōkai
Origin		Chinese, Korean, Japanese
F.R.A.		Unknown
Based On		Fox
Read More		Nine-Tailed Fox, Kitsune
Conservation

Nine-Tailed Fox

Pavilion

KF3

Nexon Game

Gallery

Not what you were looking for? See Kyuubikori

The Nine-Tailed Fox is a youkai Friend that appeared in the original Kemono Friends mobile game.

Appearance

Nine-tailed fox has white hair with rainbow highlights floating in the air and a purple task on the front of her head. She has yellow eyes accompanied with tapered red glasses. A giant green rope surrounds her neck with a gigantic bell attached to it. Her top is composed of a white full-length sleeves shirt with a neckline that is cut very low in front, refers to wide, gently curving deep V, white gloves with white fur cuffs, a red ribbon and two red bows, a pocket at each side and at her left breast. She wears a very short red circular skirt with pressed-in ridges.

She wears white gradient thigh-high socks with red and blue strokes. She also has a pair of traditional and difficult-to-wear geta(下駄), more specifically, "Tengu geta", which has only a single, thin and tall wooden base, or "tooth", compared to the usual geta. Just as the myth, she has fox nine tails. The tip of each tail has a different color from a rainbow.

Series Appearances

Appearances In Kemono Friends Media

Media		Role
2015	Nexon Game	↪ Minor character, playable.
2018	Kemono Friends Pavilion	↪ Observable character.
2019	Kemono Friends 3	↪ Minor character, playable.

Origins

the nine-tailed fox (九尾狐) in the Shanhaijing

The nine-tailed fox or Huli jing (狐狸精; literally: "fox spirit") or jiuweihu (九尾狐; literally: "nine-tailed fox"), having been originated from Chinese mythology, is a common motif in the mythology of East Asian countries. In East Asian folklore, foxes are depicted as a familiar spirit possessed of magic powers. Nine-tailed foxes appear in Chinese folklore, literature, and mythology, in which, depending on the tale can be a good or a bad omen. The nine-tailed fox occurs in the Shanhaijing (Classic of Mountains and Seas), compiled from the Warring States period to the Western Han period (circa 4th to circa 1st century BC). In chapter 14 of the Shanhaijing, Guo Pu had commented that the nine-tailed fox was an auspicious omen that appeared during times of peace.

In the Korea culture, the nine-tailed fox also called kumiho is a creature that appears in the tales and legends of Korea. A fox that lives a thousand years turns into a kumiho, like its Japanese and Chinese counterparts. It can freely transform, among other things, into a beautiful woman often set out to seduce boys. The Kumiho evolved it was later believed that a Kumiho had to consume human hearts in order to survive. The most distinctive feature that separates the kumiho from its two counterparts (kitsune and huli jing) is the existence of a 'yeowu guseul' (여우구슬, literally meaning fox marble/bead) which is said to consist of knowledge. According to Korean mythology, the yowu guseul provides power to the kumiho and knowledge (and intelligence) to people if they can steal and swallow one. The kumiho can absorb humans' energy with it.

In the japanese culture, the nine-tailed fox also called Kitsune, can have up to nine tails, depending on its age, wisdom and power. The only way to kill a kitsune is to cut off all of its tails, as it is said that one of the tails is its main tail and the source of all its power. Not knowing which tail is the main one, one would have to cut off all its tails to kill it.One, five, seven, and nine tails are the most common numbers in folk stories. When a kitsune gains its ninth tail, its fur becomes white or gold.

Trivia

• The motif of nine-tailed foxes from Chinese culture were eventually transmitted and introduced to Korean and Japanese culture.

• The current Japanese kitsune can sometimes be evil and sometimes good, but the Korean counterpart over the years has become a symbol of evil.

• There are two common classifications of kitsune. The zenko (善狐, literally good foxes) are benevolent, celestial foxes associated with the god Inari; they are sometimes simply called Inari foxes. On the other hand, the yako (野狐, literally field foxes, also called nogitsune) tend to be mischievous or even malicious.

References

1. "Kumiho: The Nine-Tailed Fox". From Korea With Love.

2. "Kitsune". Mythical Creatures Guide.