Kitsune are fox yokai or spirits who have mystical powers like the manipulation of fire, manipulation of their form and other forms (shapeshifting themselves and objects), as well as illusion magic and possession. In East Asian mythology, “one of the major types of fox behavior is the transformation into some other form. Usually, this is into a human (as we have seen above), but there are tales of transformation into a horse (Ainu-Chamberlain: 1888), an automobile (Japan-Buchanan: 1935), or even a teakettle (Japan-Seki: 1963; #31). These transformations are the most common roles for foxes in East Asian Folklore” (Johnson 40). Kitsune have been known to be divine beasts, serving the Kami/goddess of foxes, rice, tea, sake and agriculture, Inari, and/or mysterious entities/spirits known as yokai. Kitsune has been more commonly known to be women seducing men because “a fox is an animal of Darkness (belonging to the principle Yin), and he who has Light (the principle Yang) within himself, is liable to be enchanted by them. Even male foxes always take the shape of women to seduce men” (Johnson 42). Women are associated with Yin while men are associated with Yang. In “Japan today the kitsune-a charming and cunning deceiver that emanates an aura of danger and malevolence—is admired, worshiped, and feared” (Foster 213). There are more male representations of kitsune than before, and most are “alluring” characters, having the kitsune charm as seen in earlier myths and tails.

 In contemporary Anime, a well-known kitsune is Tomoe from Kamisama Kiss. Tomoe is a yokai and a servant of the gods. He “is the first yokai that we encounter in the series and the main male character, being designed as a bishonen, [a beautiful boy character whose looks are androgynous, attracting both men and women], wearing a flowery and strong-colored traditional yukata” (Chira 92). His bishonen character design is true to the kitsune origin myths with Kitsune as seductors (see Far Eastern Fox Lore By T. W. Johnson for more examples). Tomoe also has the ability to turn objects into other objects, which is shown when he transforms another character into an Ostrich. Moreover, he possesses the ability of fox fire.

Another similar kitsune, feature-wise is Ginji from Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits. He can change his form into nine different forms, which include a child, a young fox, an adult fox, and even a woman, which resonates with Johnson's statement that “even male foxes take the shape of women” (42). He is kind but can be manipulative and clever, but usually not in a negative sense. He will use his different forms like his child form to get closer to people. This is seen in episode one when he greets Aoi, the main character of the series, in his child form. He states, “I thought I’d be less likely to scare you if I introduced myself like this” (“I'm Marrying into an Inn for Spirits” 14:10).