Fox Demons, otherwise known as Kitsune, are a type of "apparition" that constantly appear in anime. Among all the Kitsune-like characters or ones inspired by Kitsune, there are a wide range of mischievous little tricksters or cold and calculating killers. Not all of them are evil “Demons,” but some do fit that description.
Traditionally, the Kitsune is a type of Yokai, Japanese folklore spirits. However, their anime interpretations may be very different from the classical Yokai. To paint a picture of all the different ways this classic Japanese spirit is shown, it's worth taking a look at some of the most memorable Fox Demon characters in anime history.
7 Kudakitsune — XxxHolic
XxxHolic isn’t the most mainstream anime out there, but it does have a pretty dedicated fanbase. This story is about a down-on-his-luck boy named Kimihiro Watanuki, and his desire to get rid of his ability to see and attract Yokai and Yuuko. In exchange for eventually helping him, a woman basically makes him her servant. There's a lot to love about the tale.
One of the more recognizable Yokai in the show, Kudakitsune (later named Mugetsu by Watanuki), is a classical iteration of a Fox Demon spirit. Mugetsu is more animalistic than a lot of other Kitsune-type characters, acting more like a loyal pet than an actual human. But don't be fooled — Mugetsu is still absolutely a Kitsune, as seen by its nine tails, its ability to transform, and the fox-fire it spits out.
6 Catarina Devon — One Piece
Out of all the anime out there, One Piece just might have the largest amount of unique and recognizable characters. An absurd number of people, pirates, and marines have been introduced throughout the 1000+ chapters/episodes released so far. Yet, among them, a few specific pirate crews stand out from the crowd. Of course the Straw Hat Pirates are among them, but the Blackbeard Pirates, who serve as some of the series' main antagonists, are pretty recognizable as well.
Catarina Devon, the first woman to join Blackbeard's crew, is especially recognizable among her Impel Down compatriots. For one, she’s one of the most fearsome female pirates in history (aside from Big Mom, of course) according to the Marines. Secondly, her appearance itself is unique. And lastly, she’s one of the first Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit users seen in the series. Her use of the Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Nine Tailed Fox allows her to turn into a mythical nine-tailed Fox Demon. The only reason she's so low on this list is that she hasn't shown off much yet, but it's assuredly coming in the future.
5 Senko — The Helpful Fox Senko-san
The Helpful Fox Senko-san is a unique type of slice-of-life show. Rather than just making the viewers feel at ease like other standard slice-of-life series, Senko-san goes above and beyond to try and get the audience to feel the hyper-specific comfort of being pampered.
The series revolves around two main characters. The first is Kuroto, an overworked salaryman, and then Senko, the 800-year-old Kitsune deity who takes on the role of his "pamperer." Senko is one of the more recognizable Kitsune-type characters in recent anime thanks to her child-like appearance, fox-llike tail and ears, traditional garb, and old-fashioned way of speaking.
4 Renamon — Digimon Tamers
Digimon started as toy made to compete with Tamagochi, before Digimon Tamers (in an effort to emulate the Pokemon anime) become one of the earliest Isekai anime. Within this show, the Digimon called Renamon is inarguably one of the more “well-known” Kitsune-inspired characters. Renamon is beloved by Digimon fans of all ages, thanks to her unique design and more mature personality compared to the other main Digimon cast of the Digimon Tamers series.
As Ruki’s partner, Renamon is incredibly loyal, as well as hyper-intelligent when it comes to battle. And, for anyone doubting that Renamon is based on a Kitsune, take a look at her attacks. A variety of her attacks use leaves, which are commonly associated with Kitsune as the material they use for their transformations. Renamon actually has a doppelganger-esque attack as well.
3 Shippo — Inuyasha
Inuyasha, like Dragon Ball Z, is one of the most iconic shows when it comes to introducing children in North America to the concept of anime. And it’s the cast of Inuyasha that makes the show so incredibly memorable, with characters like Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku, and especially Shippo.
Shippo is a young Kitsune who eventually joins Inuyasha’s ragtag group and helps them throughout the rest of the series. He can transform into a variety of other forms, but because he’s young and inexperienced, these transformations are always slightly off, as he can't seem to ever transform his tail. Shippo is definitely one of the more child-like Kitsune seen in anime, and because of that, he's one of the more memorable examples.
2 Kurama (AKA Shuichi Minamino) — YuYu Hakusho
There aren’t many other anime out there as classic as YuYu Hakusho, and while the Spirit Detective/afterlife concept of this show plays a large part in its iconography, it’s the characters that really lock in it. Whether it’s Yusuke himself, Hiei, Kuwabara, or Kurama, the main cast of YuYu Hakusho are all incredible characters that would influence tons of anime moving forward. This is also the same reason why fans of the series are dreading the upcoming live-action Netflix adaptation.
Yoko Kurama, is an especially memorable character because of his constant battle with his own identity as both a Demon Fox and a human. Usually, Demon Foxes in anime are either mischievous or destructive. Kurama, however, is best described as “calculating,” though he is pretty bloodthirsty when transformed. This unique personality, combined with his relationships with the rest of the cast and his eye-catching color palette, all combine to land this A-Class Demon as the second most recognizable Demon Fox named Kurama.
1 Kurama The Nine-Tailed Beast : Naruto Franchise
Moving onto first place, this Kurama is, hands down, the most recognizable and most faithful Fox Demon of the bunch. A literal natural disaster, this nine-tailed Jinchuriki demon is the primary reason for Naruto’s absurd power, endless chakra, and horrible misfortune as a child.
Aside from a brief flashback, Kurama isn’t seen in full for a large majority of Naruto, being sealed within the title character. But in Shippuden, he makes a lot more appearances when Naruto goes within his own mind. and the two slowly transition from enemies to unexpectedly close friends.