Image of a Kitsune (Second Life Avatar)
Species: Kitsune or Japanese Fox Spirit 狐
Subspecies: Nogitsune or Wild Kitsune. “Keepers of the Void”
Kitsune are considered a type of bakemono or demon. Specifically they are classed as Yōkai (妖怪 “phantom”, “spirit”, or “monster”). They are considered messengers of the Shinto Kami or God Inari. There are a not a hybrid of human and fox but more a distinct species with the ability to shape shift or appear human. There are stories of Kitsune taking on a human appearence usually as a beautiful woman with almond eyes, and high cheekbones and a fox tail which they find difficulty in hiding. Kitsune can act as guardians for human families or clans but if angered rarely forgive and for that reason historically many families refused any intermarriage into a fox protected family. They have a weakness for inari and tofu and kitsune soup which is named for them. Humans can become possessed by a fox spirit usually entering through the breasts or fingernails. Kitsunetsuki (狐憑き or 狐付き; also written kitsune-tsuki) literally means the state of being possessed by a fox. There is a hiearchy of Fox types associated with 13 shinto elements. A 9 tailed fox is considered powerful but old. The tails representing a life span of 9000 + years. As a kitsune will only grow an additional tail for each 1000 years they have lived. The more tails a kitsune has—up to 9 tails—the older, wiser, and more powerful it is. When a kitsune gains its ninth tail, its fur becomes white or gold. It becomes myobu or 九尾の狐 nine-tailed foxes. They become omnipotent or sometimes omniscience. The fox tail is what usually gives them away. Especially when they are drunk or lazy. When not in human form or possessing a human, a kitsune keeps the ball – hoshi no tama (star balls) – in its mouth or carries it on its tail. A fox is usually frightend by dogs that they will sometimes revert to fox form to flee. Foxes cry is called konkai or kon kon or gon gon. The bark of the fox is called gekker. Female foxes are vixen and not bitches (female dog). Kitsune are friendly with the Tanuki who is another shapeshifter. There is a hiearchy of Fox types associated with 13 Shinto elements:
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Some of the classes of Kitsune are:
myobu – Celestial
and all others are 野狐 nogitsune or wild literally “field foxes” :
nogitsune – Darkness, Wild “Keeper of the void”
kuko – Air, create or appear in mist & fog
Kiko or koryo – ghost foxes
ninko – invisible fox spirit, that can only be seen by humans that have been possessed by one.
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In classical Japanese, kitsu-ne means come and sleep, and ki-tsune means always comes. (Wikipedia) It is important to note that Kitsune are part of Japanese folklore while the neko is part of anime and manga creation and do not have a historical conterpart other than the “Bakeneko” demon cat. But they are often confused for one another.
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If you want to look for a kitsune they live at the end of rainbows and usually are out playing when it rains. But don’t watch a fox wedding as this will bring out their angry side.
Model : KayOss Oh
Quite Oh: A Second Life 