Top 10 Kitsune Boys in Anime

Kitsune is the Japanese word meaning “fox”. In Japanese folklore, foxes have always had a strong presence. Usually, foxes are depicted as very clever and smart, with magical abilities. What's more, they are said to be able to turn into human form and coexist with human beings, peacefully or not. In fact, it's not a given that foxes are good and behave; they can trick others with their abilities, while on the other hand they can be faithful comrades and guardians. Well then, let's get to the point. This ranking is meant to mention ten kitsune boys who made our heart beat faster, or burst into laughter! Stick with us until the end and enjoy!


10. O-chan from Hiiro no Kakera: The Tamayori Princess Saga

  • Episodes: 13
  • Aired: April 2012 – June 2012

Let's get this ranking started with a story revolving around Tamaki Kasuga, a teenage girl returning to the small village of her ancestors. There, he discovers the truth about her existence: she will become the next Tamayorihime, after her grandmother. The Tamayorihime, as the word suggests, is a princess with the duty of sealing away the Onikirimaru, that is an artifact of the gods with the power to destroy the whole world. As her guardians, she will have five handsome guys vowing to protect her at all costs!

For our 10th position we chose a little kitsune youkai called O-chan. He acts a bit like a little mascot in the group bound to protect Tamaki. He seems to have a strong bond with everyone, above all with Yuichi, but the person he likes the most is Tamaki. In fact, when she is troubled, he is always next to her trying to comfort her. During the show, O-chan doesn't turn into human form, as it happens in the video game instead. Still, we wanted to put him into this chart as he represents that part of Japanese folklore that depicted foxes as animals who stuck to humans fondly!


9. Kuugen Tenko from Our Home's Fox Deity (Wagaya no Oinari-sama)

  • Episodes: 24
  • Aired: April 2008 – September 2008

Toru and Noboru Takagami are the descendants of the Mizuchi bloodline, which has always been hunted by youkai (spirits). To protect the lives of her beloved grandsons, their grandmother gives Toru and Noboru a powerful weapon: a fox deity named Kuugen Tenko, followed up by a shrine maiden named Ko. While hunted by monsters and youkai, these two brothers will start living with Tenko and the strangest things will happen!

Tenko is an ancient demon kitsune who served as a guardian for a hundred years, but ended up sealed away eventually. Tenko was freed when the situation got complicated for the Takagami brothers, and so he decides to serve them. Even though he'd do anything in order to protect the two brothers, let's not forget he is a fox. Tenko is mischievous and up to all sort of pranks, he is curious and smart, but still he likes to do whatever he wants. And since he doesn't remember if he was a male or a female to begin with, guess what? He can shape shift into a male or a female!


8. Yahiko from The Morose Mononokean (Fukigen na Mononokean)

  • Episodes: 13
  • Aired: June 2016 – September 2016
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Hanae Ashiya is your typical high school student who fears that if he can't make friends during his first week of school, he will be doomed. Yet, his fear takes form before his eyes, since a youkai attaching to him makes Ashiya so sick that he passes the first week in the school infirmary. Tired with that situation, Ashiya finally decides to ask for help. That's when he meet Haruitsuki Abeno, the owner of a tea room called Mononokean, whose actual task is to guide youkai into the other world.

Yahiko is a kitsune youkai who met Abeno when Abeno was 7-years-old. When they meet again, years after, he ends up feeling disappointed at the fact that Abeno doesn't remember him. In his first appearance, he was a white fox with three tails, while when he takes human form he looks like a little blonde-haired child. Yahiko being a kitsune, he maintains all the characteristics of a fox; he is mischievous and likes to play a lot. Other than that, he acts on his own will and is very childish. It's impossible to forget how Yahiko forced Ashiya to play hide and seek with him, Abeno, and Zenko! He has a cute side with him, as well, as he is scared to death that the ones he truly cares for could change.


7. Shippo from InuYasha

  • Episodes: 167
  • Aired: October 2000 – September 2004

InuYasha is an anime following the adventure of Kagome Higurashi, a 15-year-old girl whose life drastically changes when she's dragged in the family's shrine well, and found herself 500 years in the past, and during the Sengoku Era. Since Kagome happens to be the holder of the Shikon Jewel – a jewel granting wishes, within her – and since after a battle this jewel shatters to pieces, Kagome will have Inuyasha, a monk, a demon slayer and, of course, Shippo, the little kitsune youkai help her recollect the pieces.

Shippo is a kitsune youkai whose father has been killed, so he is the first one to join Kagome and Inuyasha, right to accomplish his revenge. As for the appearance, he is half human and half fox. Like almost all the kitsune spirit, he can shape shift, but he usually fails as his tail gives him away. His character is very strong-willed and determined. Shippo usually likes to give Inuyasha cheeky advice, and that's what make this little kitsune youkai very amusing!


6. Kogitsune from Natsume's Book of Friends (Natsume Yuujinchou)

  • Episodes: 13
  • Aired: July 2008 – September 2008

Takashi Natsume is an orphaned boy who during the years changed home and jumped from a relative to another, without managing to settle down in one place. The problem lies with the fact that every relative he lived with, ended up deciding he was just too strange. His strangeness is all up to the fact that he can see what normal humans cannot: the youkai. Table turns when he finds the Book of Friends and meets Madara, alias Nyanko-sensei – a powerful spirit trapped in the body of a maneki neko. Alongside Nyanko-sensei, he starts a journey bound to give all those spirits whose name is on the book, their names back. Natsume will understand the importance of true friendship and the warmness of having a place to return to.

Kogitsune is a little kitsune boy who has a lot in common with Natsume. He is an orphan, like Natsume, and has a gentle nature. Right due to his shy and kind nature, he is frequently bullied. One day, while he was being bullied from other youkai, Natsume saved him and Kogitsune suddenly understood how amazing a person Natsume was. He sticks to him whenever they meet, but since he doesn't want to disappoint him, he promises to become stronger to fight the bully back. He cannot switch into human form, so normal humans see him as a little fox, but Natsume and the other youkai see him as a little boy with fox ears and tail.



5. Gintarou from Gingitsune: Messenger Fox of the Gods

  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: October 2013 – December 2013

When Makoto Saeki's mother passed away, Makoto gained the ability to see the gods' agent. That is an ability running in Makoto's family, but it's limited to one living relative at time. Gintarou in a kitsune youkai who protects the Inari temple since the Edo period, and he will help Makoto in this new adventure!

Gintarou is not completely a kitsune, as he stands up and talks, but is not completely a human either. He is very tall, his fur is white and his pawns are very big. As for his personality, Gintarou appears to be very lazy, and a bit arrogant. He seems not to stand Makoto sometimes. The truth is that he is very kind, and deep inside he truly cares for her. Gintarou has the ability of the fortune telling, and aside from this, he proves to be very wise, giving Makoto and the other always the right advice.


4. Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files

  • Episodes: 112
  • Aired: October 1992 – January 1995

This show revolves around Yuusuke Urameshi, who is a 14-year-old delinquent always asking for trouble. One day, he saves a young boy who was about to be hit by a moving car. It was a righteous sacrifice, as he saved a young boy even though he himself died, and yet the gods aren't prepared to welcome him. His sacrifice was just too much out of his character; so they offer a deal, and he can have his life back, if he completes some tasks. Alongside Yuusuke, there's Kazuma Kuwabara, and two demons – Hiei and Kurama.

Talking about Kurama, he has a soul of a kitsune youkai, fused with a human body. When he is in his human form, Kurama has very delicate features and is often mistaken for a woman; long, dark pink hair with green eyes and a tiny figure. In his kitsune form, Kurama switches into a long, silver-haired man, with fox ears and tail. He maintains the typical character of a fox, as he is very cunning and calculating; what's more he is able to put aside his emotions while fighting and he is very strong. He'd do anything to protect the ones he loves, and that's why he can easily become merciless during a fight. Kurama is a very reliable teammate, and he has a gentle heart that make him one of the most loved character in this show.


3. Soushi Miketsukami from Inu X Boku Secret Service

  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: January 2012 – March 2012

Shirakiin Ririchiyo is the heir of the Shirakiin lineage, and she's tired of living alone. Her parents allow her to move out, but she has to stick to one condition: she will live in the “Ayakashi Kan” mansion, where only the ones blessed with supernatural powers can access, each of them accompanied with an agent of the Secret Service. In the beginning, she will refuse her agent, Soushi Miketsukami, but the situation changes when she discovers that he is the kitsune youkai she had saved in the past. Soushi just wants to show her gratitude, and will become her faithful guardian.

Exactly like Kurama, Soushi is half a youkai and half a human. He is the nine tailed youkai kitsune, and one of the most powerful agent of the SS. Even though he is strong and powerful, when it comes to Ririchiyo, Soushi turns into an obedient little puppy as he has a soft spot for her. In his human form, Soushi is a beautiful, bi-colored eyes guy with gray hair. In kitsune form, he grows nine fluffy tails, white fox hair and holds a katana. This is another example of a kitsune youkai very faithful a human; he'd put his own life at risk to protect her beloved Ririchiyo.


2. Tomoe from Kamisama Kiss (Kamisama Hajimemashita)

  • Episodes: 13
  • Aired: October 2012 – December 2012

This amazingly cute story revolves around Nanami Momozono, who's just been left full of debts by his gambler father. Having lost her home and without money, Nanami is not one to remain crying. Her determination his rewarded when she saves a mysterious man called Mikage who, seeing her situation, offers her his own home. Nanami can't believe it, and immediately runs to that address, but when she arrives, she has a bad surprise: that place is shrine. While she thinks she's just been tricked, a boy with fox's ears appear in front of her. He is Tomoe, Mikage's former familiar. From that moment on, some circumstances will lead Nanami to become the new Land God, and she will get to know Tomoe better.

Tomoe is a kitsune youkai who ends up serving Nanami Momozono as a familiar. He wields all the characteristics you would expect from a fox demon, as he is beautiful, to begin with, cunning and sly. He has the capacity to charm others and make them fall into his little traps. In the beginning of the show, he has a very difficult character and doesn't want to accept Nanami as the new Land God. Later on he will soften and show a cute side of himself: he will show a strong loyalty towards Nanami, and will protect her in spite his pouts.


1. Kokkuri-san from GUGURE! KOKKURI-SAN

  • Episodes: 12
  • Aired: October 2014 – December 2014

Gugure! Kokkuri-san is an amazing show that, sadly, went unnoticed. It is a rare gem in its genre, as it does a parody of basically everything regarding Japanese culture and way of living. The story revolves around Kohina, a child claiming to be a doll, who once decided to summon Kokkuri-san, the fox spirit who should be able to answer all your questions. But since times changed and now you can find your answer on the net, Kokkuri-san proved to be useless. While thinking of possessing Kohina, he took pity on the little child living alone and so became something like her housekeeper, devoting entirely to her. Alongside Kokkuri-san, even the dog ghost Inugami and the good-for-nothing raccoon dog Shigaraki start living with them, and so every day become full of exhilarating gags that make the viewers crack up!

Being Kokkuri-san a kitsune youkai, in human form he has fox ears and tail. His hair are long and he can shape shift into a woman as well. In his youkai form he has a yellow fur. He takes to heart Kohina's condition, getting to the extent where he hides her cup noodles, claiming they're dangerous for her health. So he takes care of everything in the house and wants Kohina to have more friends, instead of being alone all the time. Kokkuri-san is a bit of an exception, talking about fox's characteristics. He is a narcissistic, clean freak character, and probably that's why he arises sympathy right from the start. Since he comes directly from the Japanese folklore, and we like him very much, we thought he was the best fit for a first position!


Final Thoughts

Our ranking came to and end, but we hope you enjoyed it. These are the ten kitsune boys we loved in the anime world. They all share the important traits of a kitsune, even though there are some slight differences making them even more interesting. If you know other kitsune boys in the anime world, let us know in the comment below!

Gintarou-Gingitsune-Messenger-Fox-of-the-Gods-wallpaper-603x500 Top 10 Kitsune Boys in Anime

Writer

Author: Mari Mari

An italian girl currently living the Japanese Dream. I'm an anime and manga enthusiast (I mean... very enthusiast. XD), and my other hobbies are writing, reading, playing volleyball, listening to good music and thinking about pointless things.

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