Few things in anime, Naruto, can charge the atmosphere with as much excitement and amazement as when Kyuubi appears on screen. This interpretation of the mythical Japanese creature, the 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 devastated 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 sheer power. And, when Naruto is unable to contain his strong emotions, he is consumed by the Kyuubi, losing both his sanity and control in a fit of unbridled and pure rage. Naruto does a 360, changing from the lovable prankster we all love to a wild monster who, if he passes a certain point, can no longer tell friend from foe.

Kyuubi origins

But where is the origin of the Kyuubi? Kishimoto-sensei certainly didn’t just pull this Kyuubi legend out of his hat. In fact, the Kyuubi is based on the Japanese mythological creature called Kitsune. Translated, Kitsune means ‘fox’. The fox, as described in Japanese folklore, is a cunning, intelligent but mischievous creature. In fact, Kitsune is often called a ‘trickster’ and incidentally, this is how Naruto is portrayed early in the story. The kitsune can transform into a human being, a skill it learns when it reaches a certain age, usually 100 years. However, the most common is that she transforms into a beautiful woman, a seductress, very similar to ‘Naruko’, the feminine form of Naruto when he does his Oiroke no Jutsu.

The kitsune can have multiple tails, ranging from one to nine. The number of tails the kitsune has indicates its age, wisdom, and strength. In the anime, when Naruto succumbs to the Kyuubi’s temptation of power, his charka leaks out and forms like ‘tails’. The number of tails coming out of Naruto, the stronger he gets and the more he loses control of himself. So far in both the manga and Naruto Shippuden, we have only seen up to four tails of Naruto. At that point, 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 gets all nine tails of the Kyuubi, in a sense he will die, and the Kyuubi will once again be released to wreak havoc on the world.

Nine Tails

Therefore, the Kyuubi, a nine-tailed fox, is a creature in its prime. In fact, in the anime, the Kyuubi is said to be the strongest of the nine Bijuus spread across the five countries. One blow from their powerful tails can cause entire villages to collapse and tidal waves 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 therefore 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 them being Gaara’s Shukaku, the Bijuu of the wind. And of course another is the Kyuubi, the Fire Bijuu, the strongest of all tailed beasts. So that’s all. Hopefully this will give you an idea of ​​where the Kyuubi is coming from, as well as some of the applications that the Kyuubi is being applied to within Naruto’s world.