Kitsune

**Kitsune** means fox in Japanese, and they are yōkai, an extradimensional being residing exclusively in Japan. They are known to shapeshift from human to a fox of various sizes, use a special type of fire unique only to them, and have to consume human’s life force as their only form of sustenance.

## Characteristics

Kitsune are shapeshifters, taking on many human forms, most predominantly young, attractive girls or women. They are identified by their exceptionally azure eyes, vulpine-like qualities, and foxfire which they use against their enemies.

They have two distinct forms: a fox and a foxfire form, both of which allows one to escape, attack, or evade. The most common form kitsune take in Japan are the red fox, but it can also turn into a white one and can range in size, from small to large, a typical trait for yōkai to manipulate this power at will.

Kitsune mostly appear human by default, but sometimes their true form would manifest in a given situation, either intoxicated or when their guard is down. Kitsune often disguise themselves as young and attractive girls or women to seduce mortal men and, in the modern day, male adolescents and even women to feed upon of their souls. The larger the amount of souls they eat per day, the longer they can live, and their power will grow seven times. Kitsune are also intelligent and use psychic-based powers like illusion to subdue their targets; however, it does not work against other yōkai or demons.

Kitsune are more active at night, especially during a full moon where they are at their strongest, similar to werewolves except with more magical abilities. Their diet consists of only human souls which are metabolized and restores their health upon getting injured. They are far more dangerous than a fox spirit (their Chinese counterparts) or a Nine-Tailed Fox (their Korean equivalents), which neither consume human flesh or life-force to survive, but are still dangerous nonetheless.

## History

In *Episode I*, as their first official mission together, Lemar Wolfblood, Hannah Sommers, and Cody Harris were sent to Japan to fight on the bequest of Hatsumi, a longtime friend of Lemar.

## Powers and Abilities

Based on The Kitsune, this species of yōkai have a number of abilities at their disposal which includes, but is not limited to:

* **Enhanced Strength**: The Kitsune in *Episode I* was strong enough to overpower Lemar, Sommers, and Hatsumi for a time. It also managed to destroy Lemar’s sacred knives, but was unable to break his Desert Eagles and was shot several times.
* **Enhanced Speed and Reflexes**: Kitsune are faster than the human eye can perceive, appearing as a blue streak or lightning bolt when running, or a blur of afterimages in combat. The Kitsune in *Episode I* was able to dodge all gunfire and climb buildings in less time it took for its opponents to visually notice.
* **Enhanced Durability**: Kitsune, according to legend, are nearly unstoppable when it comes to physical attack. In *Episode I*, Lemar’s physical attacks were ineffective against it, but his amorphous darkness and blessed silver bullets could pierce its tough flesh and fur with ease.
* **Enhanced Endurance and Stamina**: Kitsune can last far longer than mortals in combat, have a higher pain threshold, and can sustain more serious and debilitating injuries without flinching.
* **Magic**: Kitsune’s supranatural power originate from magic. The one whom Lemar, Hannah, and Hatsumi fought in *Episode I* used illusory powers and other abilities including:
* **Longevity**: Kitsune can live for 900 years, after which they will manifest all nine tails like their Chinese and Korean counterparts and achieve divinity at 1,000 years old.
* **Age-Empowerment**: The older a kitsune is the more powerful they become. Their power stems from the number of tails which grow over their long life. The one in *Episode I* had five fox tails, meaning it was five hundred years old, indicating that if it waited another five hundred years it would become a divine entity.
* **Foxfire Manipulation**: Kitsune use a unique pyrokinetic ability known as ‘foxfire’ that is the color green.
* **Flight**: No matter what form they take, kitsune can fly, especially at great speeds.
* **Invisibility**: Kitsune can turn invisible at will, making them impossible to track by the human eye; however, demons like Lemar or other yōkai like Hatsumi can detect them without difficulty.
* **Intangibility**: Kitsune can phase through solid matter like walls or ceiling, mainly as a way to escape.
* **Invulnerability**: Kitsune are nigh-impossible to kill. Only magic has been shown to be their only known weakness so far in the series.
* **Shapeshifting**: Kitsune, like most yōkai, are shapeshifters, their true form being a fox which vary in size according to their will. They can don any human appearance, but they mostly prefer women so they could lure in their prey. Kitsune can also change into a ‘foxfire form’ which allows them to become invincible against attack, but unable to counter without being tangible in return.
* **Foxfire Form**: Kitsune can into a cloud of azure ‘mist’ which is intangible and invincible, allowing them to evade attack. The Kitsune in *Episode I* manifested its pyro properties and abilities while corporeal to defend against certain attack like one did against Lemar.
* **Fox Form**: Kitsune can change from their human forms to a fox which varies in size according to their will. This is their true form and they can stretch to great lengths in this state and augmenting their physical abilities beyond that of humans.
* **Psychic Powers**: Kitsune are intelligent, aloof, and prone to using psychic-based attacks, predominantly illusion-casting like when one attempted to subdue Hannah so it could consume her life-force, only to be interrupted by Lemar and Hatsumi and forcing it to flee.
* **Life-Force Absorption**: Kitsune’s diet consist solely of human souls. They ingest said souls via a kiss to the mouth, restoring their overall health and power. If starved of it, kitsune will die.

## Weaknesses

### Life-Force Dependency

Kitsune need to have human souls seeing that if starved of it for a significant period of time, especially when their power grows throughout the centuries, they will die. Lemar also was able to abs-orb all the souls The Kitsune had consumed over its lifetime and only increased his power and regenerate all his injuries instantly.

### Blessed silver and other forms of holy weaponry

Holy weaponry such as silver that is blessed can visibly hurt and weaken a kitsune as demonstrated in *Episode I*, but it is not lethal as the yōkai was able to regenerate, similar to Lemar’s physiology. Other weaponry, at least in practice, were ineffective against it, even getting destroyed by it upon the first engagement.

### Magic

Lemar, Hannah, and Hatsumi used magic to resist the Kitsune’s illusions and other abilities. They also used magic to help battle out of

## Trivia

* Kitsune are a type of yōkai, or interdimensional creatures which reside exclusively in Japan. They should not be confused with the fox spirit from China, which Lemar describes as being morally ambiguous like humans, or the Nine-Tailed Fox from Korea whom Wolf-blood praises them for not begin a direct danger to humans.
* The Kitsune in *Episode I* is the only known example, other than being mentioned and appearing in flashbacks in subsequent stories, of what they are capable of in the series. Capt. Fu in later stories is not blood related in any way to the Kitsune in *Episode I*.
* Kitsune, according to Japanese folklore, are depicted as being intelligent entities and possess magical abilities which increase with how long they live, along with wisdom they acquired over their lifetime. Their powers, just like what are listed here, include illusions, shapeshifting (particularly to human form), and the ability to use foxfire; however, unlike the Japanese folklore, Kitsune in *Blackbird* cannot and do not have the power to possess mortals, and Rodriguez has added that “to make Kitsune a menace, they would have to be a danger to humans. This is what monsters and demons are: a menace or force of evil which are far from being cool to the human eye. Life-force absorption is their only source of food in my opinion, and because of this fact that it is up to all supernatural hunters to hunt them all down.”
* Kitsune are not that common, so rare that upon discovering that one of these yōkai was the culprit in *Episode I* Lemar was in disbelief, thinking that they were extinct. This could indicate that Wolfblood was also involved in driving Kitsune into near-extinction, believing that there were no more.
* Kitsune, according to Japanese folklore, are mostly depicted as tricksters due to their intelligence and sly attitude, and having ranging from mischievous to malevolence which inspired Rodriguez’s version of these creatures; however, in certain Japanese legends they are sometimes depicted as being faithful guardians, lovers, and even wives. Anime has a lot to do with inspiration with what David Rodriguez wanted Kitsune to be in *Blackbird*.

## Works Cited

* Prof. Geller. “Kitsune Intelligent Fox in Japanese Folklore.” *Mythology.net*, 18 June 2017, <https://mythology.net/japanese/japanese-creatures/kitsune/>.
* “Kitsune.” *Yokai Wiki*, FANDOM powered by Wikia, <https://yokai.fandom.com/wiki/Kitsune>.
* Kitsune.” *Supernatural Wiki*, FANDOM powered by Wikia, <https://supernatural.fandom.com/wiki/Kitsune>.
* “Kitsune Physiology.” *Superpower Wiki*, FANDOM powered by Wikia, <https://powerlisting.fandom.com/wiki/Kitsune\_Physiology>.