Kitsune

“	They're called Kitsune, fox-like shapeshifters. They're pretty rare. They...look human...till they sprout out claws and teeth, turn into a literal supernatural fox, and then stab you behind the ear to get to your brain.	„
	— Rayne, abou Kitsune

Kitsune, often called Were-Foxes by Mia, are a supernatural species of shape-shifting fox-like creatures that, in their natural appearance, look similar to werewolves and skinwalkers. They are also a Japanese trickster spirit with no consent of right or wrong. Kitsune means fox in Japanese, as their name is the Japanese word for Fox, and they are commonly described and known as intelligent beings who possess mystical powers and magical abilities, in Japanese folklore, that, like with vampires, increase with their age and wisdom. However, Kitsunes seem to be very rare and uncommon.

Kitsunes and Werewolves do appear get along, but they do also have their differences. If a Kitsune is bitten by a werewolf, it will either lose its powers and become a werewolf or die and turn to dust. Like with Werewolves, the eyes of a Kitsune glow a bright, light orange.

Every century, they must feed on the pituitary gland, a part of the brain- without it, they will die. When they do, they grow a new tail, causing them to become more powerful, and when they reach nine tails (Kyuubi no Kitsune), they become demi-gods, reaching superhuman intelligence and almost extreme powers. Foremost among these abilities is the ability to assume a human form. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to trick others as foxes in folklore, other stories often portray them as faithful guardians, friends, lovers and wives. The folklore says they are afraid of dogs to the point that they run away every time they see one. They do not kill their prey, but rather, give their victims a new pituitary gland.

Description[]

There are 13 types of Kitsune: Celestial, Spirit, Wild, River, Wind, Time, Sound, Forest, Mountain, Fire, Thunder, Ocean and Void.

Kira Yukimura is a teenage kitsune, of the type Thunder, who discovers her newly awakened powers.

Kira's mother Noshiko Yukimura is also a kitsune, though what type is currently unknown, who is close to 900 years old.

Lilly Yen is a forest kitsune, who’s powers activate in Season 1.

A Void Kitsune, a 1000 year old malevolent spirit.

Kitsune are described as being Tricksters with no care for the concept of right or wrong.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. Local traditions add further types. For example, a ninko is an invisible fox spirit that human beings can only perceive when it posseses them. Another tradition classifies kitsune into one of thirteen types defined by which supernatural abilities the kitsune possesses.

Physically, kitsune are noted for having as many as nine tails. These kyūbi no kitsune (九尾の狐, nine-tailed foxes) gain the abilities to see and hear anything happening anywhere in the world. Other tales attribute them infinite wisdom (Omniscence).

There are thirteen different kinds of Kitsune, each with a corresponding element, listed as follows: Heaven (or Celestial or Prime), Void (or Dark), Wind, Spirit, Fire, Earth, River, Ocean, Mountain, Forest, Thunder, Time and Sound. One of the most important things to a Kitsune is freedom. They do not fare well to being locked away, and do not like to be forced to do something they don't want to. Doing something like that would be likely to get you killed if they are freed. Kitsune love playing tricks. They like to take things and hide them from people, or do just about anything else to piss someone off. In some stories, kitsune have difficulty hiding their tails when they take human form; looking for the tail, perhaps when the fox gets drunk or careless, is a common method of discerning the creature's true nature. Variants on the theme have the kitsune retain other foxlike traits, such as a coating of fine hair, a fox-shaped shadow, or a reflection that shows its true form. Kitsune-gao or fox-faced refers to human females who have a narrow face with close-set eyes, thin eyebrows, and high cheekbones. Traditionally, this facial structure is considered attractive, and some tales ascribe it to foxes in human form. Kitsune have a fear and hatred of dogs even while in human form, and some become so rattled by the presence of dogs that they revert to the shape of a fox and flee. A particularly devout individual may be able to see through a fox's disguise automatically.

One folk story illustrating these imperfections in the kitsune's human shape concerns Koan, a historical person credited with wisdom and magical powers of divination. According to the story, he was staying at the home of one of his devotees when he scalded his foot entering a bath because the water had been drawn too hot. Then, "in his pain, he ran out of the bathroom naked. When the people of the household saw him, they were astonished to see that Koan had fur covering much of his body, along with a fox's tail. Then Koan transformed in front of them, becoming an elderly fox and running away."

Other supernatural abilities commonly attributed to the kitsune include possession, mouths or tails that generate fire or lightning (known as kitsune-bi; literally, fox-fire), willful manifestation in the dreams of others, flight, invisibility, and the creation of illusions so elaborate as to be almost indistinguishable from reality. Some tales speak of kitsune with even greater powers, able to bend time and space, drive people mad, or take fantastic shapes such as a tree of incredible height or a second moon in the sky. Other kitsune have characteristics reminiscent of vampires or succubi and feed on the life or spirit of human beings, generally through sexual contact.

Kitsune possess great intelligence, long life, and magical powers. Foremost among these is the ability to shapeshifting into human form; a fox is said to learn to do this when it attains a certain age (usually a hundred years, though some tales say fifty).

Kitsune usually appears in the shape of a beautiful woman, a young girl, or an old man, but almost never an elderly woman.

Appearance[]

Kitsune are mostly noticed for is their tails as a fox may possess as many as nine of them. Generally, an older and more powerful fox will possess a greater number of tails, and some sources say that a fox will only grow additional tails after they have lived for a thousand years. After that period of time, the number increases based on age and wisdom (depending on the source). However, the foxes that appear in folk stories almost always possess one, five, or nine tails, not any other number.

Kistunes look like regular human beings but have the ability to partially shapeshift themselves into animal-like qualities. A Kitsune's primary weapon is their claws; they can extend claws from their fingertips upon demand. And, if they are feeding or attacking, their eyeballs turn yellow and foxlike while the pupils narrow. All in all they take on a very similar appearance a werewolf does.

Kira Yukimura and her mother Noshiko have both displayed glowing orange eyes as per their nature.

Kitsune, in their younger years, naturally possess an aura in the shape of a flaming fox.

Initially this aura is only visible to beings with a supernatural vision, or a developed image using flash photography. They can eventually learn to mask, conceal this aura to hide themselves. InIlluminated, Kira shows Scott her then unidentified aura via a photo. Later on, he locates Kira using his werewolf vision and sees her Fox-shaped aura around her frame in full detail. Kira underwent a Kitsune Evolution, her inner Fox becoming more powerful. As such, her kitsune aura became more pronounced.

In the heat of battle, Kira's aura would become naturally visible. It would flare up all around her, she'd experience losses of control and an innate bloodlust, even coming close to killing her mother. Noshiko explains this is due to the power within Kira being in conflict between Kira's human side and the Fox.

Scott witnesses Kira's Evolved aura with his werewolf vision when he and Kira are looking for Kira's belt sword. The Fox Spirit has grown from simply encasing and shielding Kira to flaming all around her, grown in size and had taken on a more threatening shape. It has also become separate from Kira as the Spirit points out the location of the misplaced sword to the werewolf with Kira none the wiser.

When she'd experience these homicidal episodes, her aura flaring up, the Fox Spirit would take control of Kira. This is shown when Kira would rant, or say in her sleep, "Watashi wa shi no shisha da", ("I am the messenger of death" in English), even though Kira knows no Japanese at all.These said rules are: if an Alpha werewolf were to Bite a kitsune, they'd lose their kitsune abilities whilst changing into a new canine shifter, the Bite can exorcise anogitsune of its host because the body is changed, and a werewolf is immune tokitsunetsuki.

Foxes, in the real world, are solitary animals, they can be pesky, and rely on their cunning to survive. In contrast, wolves and other pack animals are innately predators, are more direct and follow a code of loyalty, as they are social creatures.

One particular kitsune, a nogitsune who had renounced his humanity, went on a terror spree while operating by his own rules as he saw fit. More than just simply his monstrous nature, he appeared to play by these rules as if they were to come by naturally.

When this Dark kitsune was first summoned by Noshiko Yukimura, Noshiko had intended for him to possess her to escape death and seek justice for a mass slaughter.

However, it's stated Kitsune are not meant to be controlled, commanded by a master. This could be because of the rule of Foxes being solitary creatures, that they are more freedom minded.

kitsunes are commonly portrayed as Tricksters. They are known to play games, tricks with their victims. In order for a game to be played, it must have rules for the players to operate by. Languages, for instance, don't follow a fully concrete set of rules as they are often complex, interchangeable.

Kira found she is unable to read the coded novel featuring the Dread Doctors. The novel had been written by supernatural Gabriel Valack to work as a tool to trigger memory senses of the brain to uncover repressed memories.

Mason Hewitt offers input telling her kitsunes have difficulty with language. He recounts a myth where people could identify kitsune. When answering a phone call, the receiver would say "Moshi, Moshi" (meaning "hello", in Japan). They'd say the word for "hello" twice which would confuse a kitsune because it's a language trick. He surmises Kira can't properly read the novel because the entire coded story is one big language trick and it's confusing the Fox part of Kira. Noshiko tells Kira how to overcome this issue. The story was the confusing factor, so she should read the book without following the story, i.e. read it backwards.

Tails[]

Kitsunes create and collect their Tails as they age and grow more powerful. Tails are manifested as physical objects or real tails. Due to their enhanced reflexes and coordination, Kitsune prefer to have the objects representing their Tails altered into weapons they can wield. Tails are formed when a Kitsune triggers, uses or masters each of their supernatural talents. The more Tails a Kitsune possesses indicates the Kitsune's power level. Like how the full moon is to werewolves, Tails are also the source of a Kitsune's power.

Types of Kitsune[]

Apparently, there are thirteen types, however only five have been named. Celestial, Wild, Ocean, Thunder and Nogitsune (Void). We technically seen two types but only one has been named. Thunder. It is currently unknown what type of Kitsune Noshiko is.

Nogitsune[]

A Nogitsune is a Dark Kitsune, one of type Void. They draw their power from strife, chaos, tragedy and pain; they feed off of pain. Nogitsune are particularly prideful, they have a dark sense of humor and are dangerous when they have been offended. Nogitsune have the ability to possess other people, then copy their shapes, a talent known as kitsunetsuki. This means they are over a 100 years old. Dark Nogitsune spirits can be exorcised from their host, or their host-copy shapes can be killed, by two known methods. One is changing the body of the host. One known way this can be done is the the Bite of an Alpha werewolf. The other is being slain by a weapon wielded by a Kitsune. Two Nogitsune appear during Season 3 of Teen Wolf. One was the primary antagonist of Season 3B. This Dark Kitsune was a very powerful 1000 year old spirit, possessed Stiles Stilinski and was Noshiko Yukimura's enemy. The other encountered Chris Argent 24 years prior to the series who'd possessed a kumichō, the boss of a Yakuza family.

Known kitsunes[]

Lilly Yen

Powers and Abilities[]

Kitsune are known to have enhanced strength and speed. They are able to exert greater strength, run faster, jump higher and react quicker than what should be humanly possible. Using these superhuman traits in tandem, Kitsune can be efficient masters in combat. They also have an enhanced healing factor. They are able to heal and repair their cells faster than that of a regular human. Kira activates her healing ability by causing herself pain. She saves herself from a near-fatal chest wound, recovering over a day.

Super Coordination: Kitsune naturally possess an enhanced coordination that supplements their enhanced strength and reflexes.
Shapeshifting: Kitsunes can take human form by shapeshifting into a human. They can also shapeshift into their true appearance, a large fox creature. Ability to turn into anything found in nature.
Super Strength: Kitsunes are stronger than humans. They can easily knock down and overpower humans with little difficulty. Like with Werewolves, Skinwalkers, and other shapeshifters, a Kitsune's strength increases in its fox form. Some older and more Kitsunes possesses an incredible level of strength and offensive power that can distort or do immense damage to almost anything in existence. Kitsunes are able to go toe-to-toe with some the strongest of beings with nothing but the raw force of their physical blows. However, the Primordial Beings and the Original Angel, as well as Lucifer himself, and any of the Archangels and other angels can overpower any Kitsune, no matter how old or powerful. Any level of weight the Kitsune needs to lift is almost irrelevant as their body can emit force that can repel an object of any mass. With this ability, the Kitsune could shatter rocks with their fists alone and even tear through walls with the sheer force of their strikes.
Enhanced Physical Attributes: Kitsune are faster, stronger and much more agile than normal humans. When they are disguised as people, they are often known for battling on all fours - sometimes even sprouting a tail if they let themselves get out of control - and being recognized as nothing but a shimmer constantly hitting left and right.
Super Leap: Kitsune can leap incredible distances, jump between/over hills, travel intergalactic or greater distances and perform other amazing feats.
Super Stamina: The Kitsune possesses remarkable physical energy, stamina and vitality, is essentially untiring and can keep working, fighting, mowing, etc. at optimal efficiency under any circumstances and for an unlimited duration.
Super Speed: Kitsune can move at speeds that only the most attuned of beings can grasp, allowing Kitsune to outrun or avoid somethings an opponent can use against the Kitsune. The Kitsune can move at great velocities, allowing them to reach or even surpass and perceive light speed movements and move at speeds that allow them to move past time and space itself. Kitsunes possess supernatural speed that is described as almost foxlike, making them faster than humans and they have much better stamina and agility. Along with their strength, they use their speed to catch their prey or enemies off guard and kill them swiftly and expediently. In fox form, their speed increases.
- Super Agility: Kitsunes have perfect balance, which gives them a better degree of flexibility and range of motion.
- Super Reflexes: Kitsunes speed also augments their reaction time, allowing them to react to danger and events much faster than a normal human. The movement generated by their reflexes can cause sonic booms by breaking the sound barrier.
Flawless Indestructibility: Kitsune with this ability have no physical, spiritual or mental weaknesses giving them immunity to everything harmful, essentially making them indestructible.
Weapon Proficiency: Kitsune with this ability need only to pick up a weapon before they instantly become proficient in it. The first time they pick up a sword, they can spar with masters, the first time they use a bow, they can hit bulls-eyes. Even alien, magical, or other weaponry that they should not understand comes naturally to them. Kitsune can understand and use any and all weapons with the proficiency of a master.
Invulnerability: Their extremely dense body tissue renders a Kitsune indestructible, capable of withstanding high-caliber bullets, sharp objects, extreme forces, asphyxiation, artillery shells, lasers, falls from great heights. Kitsune are also invulnerable to extreme temperatures (both hot and cold). In addition, Kitsune are immune to all earthly diseases, bacteria and viruses and other Kitsune (who can generate enough force to break through a Kitsune invulnerability). In addition, Kitsune are capable of breathing underwater and can even survive without an atmosphere, in outer space. Because of this, Kitsune are resistant to all forms of physical damage. Their enhanced durability allows them to exert much harder attacks when in battle (without them having to worry about injuring themselves in the process), with such attacks having the force to break the sound barrier and generate shock-waves in-between their bodies and what they come in physical contact with while exerting blows of tremendous force.
Regeneration: Kitsune can rapidly regenerate. In other words, they recreate lost or damaged tissues, organs and limbs, even stopping, aging. The rate and amount of healing varies widely (see Levels of Regeneration), Kitsune can regrow missing limbs, can put the limb back in place for rapid regeneration. They are generally in very good physical shape as their bodies are constantly reverting to healthy state, granting them inexhaustible stamina and vitality.
Super Stamina: Kitsunes possess unlimited endurance in all physical activities due to receiving better nourishment from the solar energy their cells process. In addition, a Kitsunes body stores enough solar energy to negate eat, drink, breathe and even sleep for as long as they want. This is evident as Kitsunes survive in the vacuum of space, as they do not require air. That said, Kitsunes can take part in battle sequences for as long as they want, without difficulty or fatigue.
Fox-Fire: Each Kitsune has a fox-like fire and can produce/create fire and lightning by rubbing their tails together. Kitsune can also create small balls of fire and even breathe fire. Kitsune are also able to absorb a large amount of electricity into her body. The foxfire appears to be more than just electrical. There is apparently a magical component as well as Kitsune was able to use lightning to repair a broken human.
Enhanced Swordsmanship: Kitsunes are able to learn how to wield a sword quickly.
Dream Manipulation: Similar to what Angels and Vampires do, Kitsune can cause willful manifestation in the dreams of others
Magic: Like witches, Kitsune can study any normal field of magic.
Mind Control: Similar to vampires, a Kitsune can cause someone to see anything the kitsune wishes, or overlook anything the kitsune wants them to, similar to compulsion.

Weaknesses[]

Because of their incredible power, Kitsune are difficult to kill. But they do have weaknesses.

Heart destruction: A Kitsune can only be killed by being stabbed in the heart with a knife or dagger. This is the only known method of how to kill them.
Decapitation: The act of removing the Kitsune's head will result in death.
Heart Extraction: It is possible that removing the Kitsune's heart will result in death.
Starvation: Without a regular supply of human brains (more specifically, pituitary glands) they will die.

Trivia[]

The sounds effects of Kitsune are that of cougar and leopard.