| Naruto is one of the most popular manga and | | | | sometimes they take on the form of a human. |
| anime series around. It features a young | | | | Some tales have them tricking others by |
| boy, Naruto, whose body actually contains the | | | | changing into human form while others |
| spirit of a fearsome nine-tailed fox that had | | | | describe them as friends or guardians or even |
| been terrorizing his village some twelve | | | | wives. |
| years earlier. At that time, this nasty fox | | | | |
| was captured and its spirit was sealed in the | | | | A kitsune (the Japanese word for fox) can |
| body of a baby boy (our Naruto). | | | | have up to nine tails, as did the evil fox in |
| | | | Naruto's past. And from the older stories, it |
| Jump ahead twelve years and you've got the | | | | seems that the more tails he has, the more |
| star of the story, now a mischievous and | | | | powerful he is. Most folk tales state that a |
| hyperactive young ninja with great | | | | fox will grow more tails only after it's |
| aspirations. Both Naruto anime (animated | | | | lived for one thousand years. |
| television shows) and manga (the comic book | | | | |
| series) go through episodes of high-flung | | | | Interestingly, Japanese folklore originally |
| adventures battling monsters, other ninjas | | | | portrayed the fox as having only good |
| and, last but not least, doing ninja exams. | | | | attributes, and their evil and mischievous |
| | | | traits came in with Chinese and Korean folk |
| Both the manga and anime series have spawned | | | | tales. Some consider the kitsune as a deity |
| numerous fan sites and forums, with all | | | | and they will make offerings to them. There |
| manner of products available online (screen | | | | are quite a few tales about kitsune, both |
| savers, online games, etc.) and for sale | | | | good and evil, with foxes shape-shifting into |
| (apparel, DVDs, and more). But what lies | | | | human form (a skill they only acquire after |
| behind this popular series is an interesting | | | | the age of 100) and then covertly living as |
| fact: the story of Naruto is based solidly | | | | part of a family until finally being |
| on traditional Japanese culture. | | | | discovered (they often seem to have trouble |
| | | | hiding their tails when assuming human |
| Author and artist Masashi Kishimoto was born | | | | form!). |
| in Japan in 1974 and it is an area very rich | | | | |
| in history. Kishimoto won Shonen Jump | | | | A common belief is that foxes will |
| magazine's Hop Step Award for new manga | | | | impersonate beautiful women. Early in Japan's |
| artists with his manga Karakuri, but he | | | | history, it was thought that any woman alone, |
| didn't stop there. His first Naruto version | | | | particularly at night, could actually be a |
| was a story of fox spirits and the story | | | | fox. Other stories tell of fox spirits |
| grew. It fast became a most popular ninja | | | | inhabiting humans: there is even a word, |
| manga, in fact one of the most popular in | | | | Kitsunetsuki, which means "the state of being |
| Japan. | | | | possessed by a fox." It's been said that |
| | | | humans possessed by fox spirits tend to go |
| What may have escaped some western Naruto | | | | mad and run naked through the streets, among |
| fans is the interesting story of the fox. | | | | other things. |
| Fox myths abound in Japanese culture, dating | | | | |
| back as far as the fifth century B.C. Stories | | | | However, our Naruto isn't evil or nasty. |
| portray foxes as intelligent beings | | | | It's easy to see, though, how he gets away |
| possessing magical abilities which increase | | | | with so much mischief. A popular and |
| as they age and gain wisdom. One of their | | | | adventurous story, it will be that way for |
| tricks is their ability to shape-shift and | | | | generations to come. |