“ | Look at her tails! Disgusting kitsune! She's tried to disguise her monstrous nature! | „ |
~ Ryogan to the Emperor, Fairest #9 — "The Hidden Kingdom Chapter Two: Hard-Boiled Wonderland" |
Kitsune are a Fable species, one of which, Tomoko, lives in hiding in Tokyo, Japan. It debuts in Fairest #8 — "The Hidden Kingdom Chapter One: Big in Japan."
Physiology
In their regular form, kitsune appear as a hybrid creature with a human body and a fox's head. They can also take human shape, but even then, they always have many bushy tails: When Tomoko was expelled from the Celestial Palace, she had three fox tails; by the time she was reunited with Rapunzel, that number had increased to six.[1]
Kitsune have been known to bite humans and feed on their blood, with or without their consent. They have also been known to enter into romantic or sexual relationships with humans.[1]
They keep their soul outside their body in a foxfire, a portable, glowing, burning orb.[1] They can use this foxfire to bend others to their will, and others can do the same by stealing their foxfire and use it to enforce their will and influence others to their own interest. However, if a kitsune goes without her foxfire for too long,[2] or the orb is destroyed, they will die.[3]
Appearances
Fairest
- Fairest #8 (first appearance)
- Fairest #9
- Fairest #10
- Fairest #11
- Fairest #12
- Fairest #13
Original source
Kitsune ("fox" or "fox spirit"[4]) are trickster foxes from Japanese folklore. They are a form of yōkai known for their paranormal abilities, particularly their talent for metamorphosis. These abilities are believed to enhance with age. Kitsune are thought to have lifespans that can reach hundreds or even thousands of years.[5] Kitsune grow a new tail every hundred years, and can have up to nine tails.[4] Foxfire, an eerie, ghostly light that may appear on the ground after dark, is thought to be generated when a kitsune rubs its furry tails together.[6]
They are generally categorized into two distinct types: the mischievous and the good. Good kitsune are frequently believed to have a connection with the deity Inari. One type of good kitsune are deities known as tenko. These entities are said to be hundreds of years old and endowed with great power. They inhabit the sky and often take the form of female figures resembling humans.[5]
Mischievous kitsune are depicted as mischievous tricksters. Similar to the tenko, they have the ability to assume human form. However, this transformation is not entirely flawless, as kitsune typically maintain some fox-like characteristics. In traditional tales, they are known to possess women and, while feeding off their host's life force, they seduce men whom they intend to deceive.[5]
References
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