Kitsune
From Kitsuhana
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The Kitsune FAQ - written by Alynna Trypnotk Shiiba
Kitsune
Just what is a kitsune?
In the strictest sense, a kitsune is a fox spirit. However that is only the simple answer. As a fox develops spiritually it crosses a threshold that brings it into a higher state of existence than of a generic fox you'd find in your woods. This generally manifests as additional tails on the fox. At this time, the fox is *still a fox* because in a sense a kitsune is no different than a fox. But it has also become kitsune.
Note at this point, kitsune is just a word, an agreed upon word, selected from the Japanese language because the phenomena of kitsune has been most pronounced in that culture. However the concept of the multi-tailed fox has been apparent in multiple cultures, including India, Vietnam, Korea, China and of course Japan.
Therefore, the difference between fox and kitsune, can only be thought of as a state of spiritual advancement that the fox achieves, not a fundamental change into another species. The word 'kitsune' has been generally used to describe this state, which is represented and evidenced by the accumulation of additional tails.
How do you say 'Kitsune'?
Kitsune is made up of 3 Japanese phonemes: ki-tsu-ne.
There is actually two different ways to say this.
The standard pronunciation would be kee-tsoo-nay.
Kyoto accent drops the 'oo' sound in most cases and the pronunciation keets-nay is also valid.
What is the kanji for kitsune?
The kanji for kitsune is the same as for fox:
狐
This character is Unicode 0x72D0, or Unicode 29392, in UTF-16.
What is the difference between a fox and a kitsune?
Speaking from my own experience, there is no *big* difference. There are differences, but not ones that really change the nature in some significant way. A fox that becomes a kitsune, just doesn't stop being a fox. That being said, there are differences. The additional tails that come from being a kitsune is the major one, and is the only difference that is always manifest. The requirement of energy feeding, is also a difference, but I do not have proof positive that all kitsune develop this attribute, only that the attribute is present in a good amount of folk-lore and many of the kitsune that i've met, share this attribute. Note that all through this document I may use 'fox' and 'kitsune' interchangeably, but usually, I will use 'fox' to mean 'one tailed fox' and 'kitsune' to mean '2 or more tailed fox'.
Where can kitsune be found?
Because kitsune are fox spirits, they can be found *anywhere there are foxes*. This means yes, they can be found in North America and Europe, where they would go by other names (such as a werefox). Conversely it would be rare for them to be found in South America and Australia, where there are few if any foxes.
Are kitsune therianthropes?
If I went on my own experiences exclusively, I would have to say that kitsune are most definitely therianthropic. But this seems to vary, *slightly* amongst kitsune. *Most* kitsune I have met, can feel the movement of their tails, and have other experiences that are shared primarily therianthropic. In the cases of people who believe they are kitsune but cannot feel their own limbs, please see the next question.
Can kitsune possess other people?
In the strictest sense, yes. This has been documented many times and in fact, the Japanese have had it listed as a mental condition as late as 1911 (kitsune-tsuki: fox possession). If you are asking if you, AS a kitsune, can possess another, I'd have to say, probably not, since you are inside the body that's operating the browser to read this. If you are asking if a kitsune could possess you? Yes, they could, and when someone tells me they are a kitsune, the first thing I do is check to see if they are possessed by a kitsune.
What is the difference between being a kitsune and being possessed by a kitsune?
The difference is a relatively simple, but not obvious one, if you are a kitsune, the primary spirit occupying the body is a fox spirit. This usually results in therianthropic attributes. Such people are also more likely to act like foxes and have fox instincts. People possessed by kitsune, most often see or interact with the fox spirit as another part of themselves, and depending on ones coping strategy, may display evidence of being a multiple personality system. It is possible to be possessed by more than one fox (one story told about a situation of possession by 157 foxes ^o.o^).
Here are some indicating factors that i've discovered through both logical thought about this and interaction with people who believe they are kitsune. The belief that one is a kitsune is common in both the cases of being possessed by a kitsune and being a kitsune yourself. There are exceptions, do not consider these hard rules:
- If someone believes they are a kitsune but in their mind, refers to the kitsune in the third person (like: I'll ask my kitsune self), they are more likely to be fox possessed. If they speak about being kitsune in the first person, it is more likely they themselves are a kitsune.
- If someone believes they are a kitsune, but cannot feel their tails and ears in the spiritual sense, it is likely that if kitsune is present there, that it is a fox possession. A person who can feel these things is more likely to be the kitsune themselves.
- If someone believes they are a kitsune, but do not do any energy feeding, I would check to see if they were fox-possessed. Especially if they claim a high instance of being 'accused' of feeding from someone when they do not know they are. It is possible that the fox possessing them might be doing the feeding without their knowledge.
A noted caveat here .. evidence of fox-possession is not a clear indicator that the host spirit itself is not kitsune. It is definitely possible, in fact ideal, if other foxes are sharing a body with a kitsune. If a human (or some other kin) finds that they are possessed by a kitsune, they have two options, let them stay or have them removed. This choice is entirely up to them.
Tails
Kitsune Balls
Elements
Are kitsune elementally based?
Kitsune are also not born with elements. No kitsune comes born aligned to an element. However if they are born where a certain element is abundant, the chances of gaining an affinity for the most plentiful element in the area of their kithood is very high. The principle of "You are what you eat" seems to apply to kitsune as well as many other things. If a kitsune
What elements are there, anyway?
I'll be quite blunt on the issue of elements. I do not recognize the 13 element system, and honestly, Foxtrot is a good friend of mine still, but his page is a roleplaying guide to kitsune, and I have to say that we should do our best to stop calling his site 'authorative' on kitsune.
Directly from my energy feeding experience, I have encountered 6 types of energy I would consider 'elemental':
- Fire
- Ice
- Air
- Water
- Earth
- Lightning
The other forms of elements are just mixed versions of these, and introduces complexity where there is none.
As for Celestial and Void? They are essentially the same element, for the intents and purposes of feeding. Both feed off the energy of life, its just that the servants of Inari typically get the energy from the good works that they do (since positive energy flows to them from the recipient of the good deed) and the nogitsune tend to take it by force or trickery. Both myobu and nogitsune could get this energy from sex, though through different methods.
Kitsune in general require both elemental and life energy to sustain themselves. This is why you get so many kitsune claiming to be "celestial and fire" or "void and lightning"... they don't realize it and neither do many others, but they are actually right in a real sense. They need elemental and life energy and they have chosen their preferred methods of acquiring that energy.
There will be an article about this later.
