Behind the Pokémon: Ninetales And The Mythology of the Kyūbi No Kitsune

Today is December 31st, 2023.

So, what’s a better way to celebrate the last day of the year than by learning about the inspiration behind one of the most elegant Pokémon in the franchise?

NINETALES.

Before we delve into the mythological inspiration of Ninetales, let’s take a quick look at this Pokémon:

“Ninetales (Japanese: キュウコン Kyukon) is a Fire-type Pokémon introduced in Generation I.

It evolves from Vulpix when exposed to a Fire Stone.

In Alola, Ninetales has a dual-type Ice/Fairy regional form. It evolves from Alolan Vulpix when exposed to an Ice Stone.

Ninetales is a quadrupedal canine Pokémon covered in thick, luxurious golden-white fur. It has a small mane of thicker fur around its neck and a long, fluffy crest atop its head. It has slender legs with three-toed paws and nine, long tails with pale orange tips. It has red eyes, pointed ears, and a triangular black nose.

While intelligent enough to easily understand human speech, Ninetales is a very vengeful Pokémon that has been known to curse those who mistreat it. The curse can last up to 1,000 years. As mentioned in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team, once a Ninetales casts its curse, it cannot be removed even by Ninetails itself. It can live for 1,000 years due to the energy within its nine tails, each of which is said to have a different mystical power. Flames spewed from its mouth can hypnotize an opponent and its gleaming red eyes are said to give it the ability to control minds. The anime has shown that it can swim while Pokémon-Amie shows that Ninetales lick their paws to clean themselves. Being the result of an evolution via Evolution stone, Ninetales are rarely found in the wild, though they can be found in grasslands.”–Bulbapedia.

As stated, Ninetales has nine tails, which is fitting for a Pokémon inspired by the Kyūbi no Kitsune, or “Fox of nine tails” in Japanese.

The Kyūbi no Kitsune is a mythological creature from Japanese folklore. They are the kitsune, or foxes, who have lived for 1000 years and whose fur has become gold or white.

Being nine-tailed is another significant characteristic of this type of kitsune. The number nine is deeply symbolic and holds various interpretations across different cultures.

In the case of Kyūbi no Kitsune, the nine tails are said to represent not only its strength and supernatural abilities but also its wisdom and intelligence.

The depictions of the Kyūbi no Kitsune are varied, but there is a certain consensus of them as mischievous creatures, capable of shape-shifting into young and beautiful women and as wielders of powerful magic.