Few things in the anime, Naruto, can charge the atmosphere with as much excitement and wonder as when Kyuubi appears on screen. This interpretation of the Japanese mythical creature, Kitsune, is one of the most mysterious and interesting characters in anime. The Kyuubi, as I’m sure most Naruto fans know, is the nine-tailed demon fox that once ravaged Konoha and was sealed by the fourth Hokage within the body of Uzumaki Naruto, the main character of the series. Naruto, for all his kindness, is often affected by the Kyuubi’s efforts to tempt him with his raw power. And, when Naruto is unable to contain his strong emotions, the Kyuubi consumes him, losing his sanity and control in a fit of pure and unbridled rage. Naruto does a 360, changing from the lovable prankster we all love into a savage monster who, past a certain point, can no longer tell friend from foe.

Origins of the Kyuubi

But where is the origin of the Kyuubi? Kishimoto-sensei certainly didn’t just pull this legend of the Kyuubi out of his hat. In fact, the Kyuubi is based on the Japanese mythological creature called the Kitsune. Translated, Kitsune means ‘fox’. The fox, as depicted in Japanese folklore, is a cunning, intelligent, yet mischievous creature. In fact, the Kitsune is often called a ‘trickster’ and by the way, this is how Naruto is portrayed at the beginning of the story. The kitsune can transform into a human being, an ability he learns when he reaches a certain age, usually 100 years old. More commonly though, she transforms into a beautiful woman, a seductress, much like ‘Naruko’, Naruto’s female form when he does his job. Oiroke no Jutsu.

The kitsune can have multiple tails, ranging from one to nine. The number of tails a kitsune has indicates its age, wisdom, and strength. In the anime, when Naruto succumbs to the lure of the Kyuubi’s power, his chakra leaks out and forms as ‘tails’. The amount of tails Naruto grows, the stronger he becomes and the more he loses control of himself. So far, in both the manga and Naruto Shippuden, we have only seen up to four Naruto tails. At that moment, he completely loses control of himself and will start attacking everyone, friend or foe. If it is not contained, or if the Kyuubi is not resealed and Naruto grows the nine tails of the Kyuubi, he will die, in a sense, and the Kyuubi will be released once more to wreak havoc on the world.

Nine Tails

Thus, the Kyuubi, a nine-tailed fox, is a creature at its best. In fact, in the anime, the Kyuubi is said to be the strongest of the nine Bijuus spread across the five countries. One hit from his powerful tails can cause entire villages to collapse and tidal waves to form. In fact, it is so powerful that it is considered a “natural disaster” by the villagers, and is often believed to be a force that arises when humans become too evil and thus need to be “purged”. The reason why Kishimoto chose the Kyuubi to become the strongest Bijuu is probably based on the Japanese legend of the 9 Bijuu, five of which are elemental Bijuu, one of which is Gaara’s Shukaku, the Wind Bijuu. And of course, another is the Kyuubi, the Fire Bijuu, the strongest of all the tailed beasts. So that’s all. Hopefully this will give you an idea of ​​where the Kyuubi comes from, as well as some of the applications the Kyuubi is applied to within the world of Naruto.