Line #56 Manga/Gingitsune


1	[[quoteright:265:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gingitsune1_1694.jpg]]
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3	''Gingitsune'' (ぎんぎつね lit. ''Silver Fox'') is a fantasy slice of life {{Seinen}} manga series written and illustrated by Sayori Ochiai. It was serialized in ''Ultra Jump'' from 2009 to 2022, and compiled into 18 volumes.
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5	Makoto Saeki is the daughter of a shrine priest in a small Inari Shinto shrine dedicated to the God Ukanomitama. Despite being the fifteenth generation heiress of the Shrine, she is living a good life after her mother died. However, she has an unusual gift when she met the messenger of the god Inari: an anthropomorphic fox named Gintaro, declaring her the successor. Gintaro can see a short glimpse into the future and find lost things despite being rude and unmotivated, but still developed a good friendship with Makoto. As she is the only girl who can see the spirit, both of them decide to be a go-between for the gods and humans as they try to help those who come to the shrine.
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7	The manga has sold over 1 million copies in Japan. An anime adaptation aired from October to December 2013, spanning 12 episodes and covering the first 3 volumes of the manga.
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9	The anime is watchable on [[http://www.crunchyroll.com/gingitsune-messenger-fox-of-the-gods Crunchyroll]]. Premium members worldwide except Asia may watch it, and other viewers may watch it free in the following areas: USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Central and South America, and Portugal.
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11	----
12	!!Tropes present in ''Gingitsune'':
13
14	* TwelveEpisodeAnime: The anime roughly covers the first 17 chapters of the manga.
15	* TwoDVisualsThreeDEffects: Pretty much every car. Thankfully, it never gets in the way of the SceneryPorn.
16	* BaitAndSwitchCredits: The anime opening has a scene of Makoto, Satoru, Yumi, and Hiwako at a summer festival wearing kimonos. No such event or scene appears in any of the episodes.
17	* ABoyAndHisX: A girl and her divine fox messenger.
18	* AMinorKidroduction: Episode 1 begins with 4-year-old Makoto meeting Gintaro [[DownerBeginning at her mother’s funeral]].
19	* TheAce: Satoru gets a lot of attention because he has [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter even better grades than Hiwako]], is very good at UsefulNotes/{{Kendo}}, and good looking. He's also a lot better when it comes to keeping the shrine clean and following rules than Makoto is.
20	** BrokenAce: However, people who don't know him don't tend to see his emotional isolation and virtually non-existent social skills. Additionally, the reason why he's so helpful at home is because he's afraid of being a burden.
21	* AffectionateGestureToTheHead: Gintaro does this with Makoto a lot. She’ll sometimes complain that he’s treating her like a child because of it. He starts doing it with Haru and Satoru later on.
22	* AllLoveIsUnrequited: The show has very little romance, with multiple examples of the HopelessSuitor trope.
23	** Hiwako towards Tatsuo, Makoto's father. Yumi teases her about it when she discovers it.
24	** Shinichi Yoshizumi towards Hiwako. Aside from their ten year age difference, he also works for her father. In episode 8 he asks the gods to let him not fall in love with her to avoid the problems that would crop up if they were to develop a relationship.
25	** Seishirou, the StudentCouncilPresident, who has a crush on Hiwako, although she doesn't notice it nor seems to care.
26	** In the manga there’s Kosugi, who has a crush on Makoto. He manages to get Satoru’s help introducing him to her, but he is hopelessly awkward around her.
27	** Also in the manga [[spoiler: Satoru]] starts falling for [[spoiler: Makoto]] who is totally unaware. [[spoiler: Satoru]] steps back to allow his friend [[spoiler:Kosugi]] to pursue her, but in chapter 74 she has a GreenEyedEpiphany towards [[spoiler:Satoru]]
28	%% * AllLovingHeroine: Makoto
29	* AffectionateNickname: Makoto sometimes calls Gintaro "Gin".
30	%% * AloofDarkHairedGirl: Hiwako
31	* AlphaBitch: Yumi initially comes off like one. However, she gradually warms up to Makoto and becomes good friends with her, and surprisingly didn't consider the other girls to really be her friends in the first place.
32	** LovableAlphaBitch: Especially as she tells off her not-cronies, to stop harassing Hiwako.
33	* AndroclesLion:
34	** The reason Gintaro is so loyal to Makoto; she looks just like the girl who gave him an orange when he was dying.
35	** Likewise Haru became loyal to Satoru’s family because his great-grandfather tried to save her when she was dying.
36	* ApologizesALot: {{Deconstructed}}. Satoru, because he grew up with guardians who made him feel like he was a burden for just existing.
37	* AsianFoxSpirit: Besides Gintaro there’s Haru, Kinjiro, and Otomatsu. In this universe, ''kitsune'' seem to start out as normal foxes who have died and then became heralds of the god Inari. Their fur becomes white and they become anthropomorphic beings that are InvisibleToNormals.
38	* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: Makoto and Gintaro [[VitriolicBestBuds disagree, bicker, and complain about each other]], but it's clear that they care about each other a lot. Gintaro tells her the things she does don't really bother him as much as he says they do, they're both upset when Gintaro runs away after their argument, and Makoto [[PlatonicDeclarationOfLove tells him she loves him]].
39	* BeastMan: Gingitsune has several types of humanoid animals that fit this trope. Most appear in the manga.
40	** FoxFolk: Gintaro, Haru, Kinjiro and Otomatsu
41	** BirdPeople: The roosters Watari and Gunji
42	** WolfMan: Tetsuro
43	** There’s also the [[RighteousRabbit rabbits]] and the [[MischiefMakingMonkey monkeys]] in the manga.
44	** The [[AsianLionDogs lion-dogs]] are a fictional species but they still count.
45	* BelligerentSexualTension: Yumi and Shohei are a couple yet they always seem to be arguing.
46	* BigBrotherMentor: Gintaro plays this role for Makoto. He later takes Satoru and Haru under his wing.
47	** Taisuke is a literal example. He has two younger siblings he gets along well with.
48	* BigEater: Kozue, one of Makoto's friends. She is almost always eating, was rushed to the hospital in one episode when she got a stomachache from eating too much, and even says that her dream is to become a chef or a nutritionist.
49	* BitchSlap: In the manga Yumi ''slaps'' Makoto when the fortune she told her doesn’t come true right away.
50	* BlatantLies: In episode 6, Haru claims to be hanging out with Gintaro to keep ''him'' company while Satoru is spending time with Makoto and her friends. Gintaro pretends to believe this.
51	* BrattyHalfPint: Haru is small and childish acts bratty towards anyone who isn’t Satoru.
52	* BreadEggsMilkSquick: What the hell, Mr. Saeki.
53	-->'''Episode 3: I used to see a lot of turtles, especially on the street by the river. And when the cars hit them their shells would blow up like fireworks!
54	* BreakingTheGlassCeiling: The anime ends before Makoto decides what she wants to do after high school. In the manga [[spoiler: she decides to become a Shinto priest like her father. While there are female priests in modern day Japan and her family anr friends are supportive it’s still a male dominated profession and all of the other priests who have appeared in the manga are male]].
55	* BrokenBird: Haru explains that Satoru's afraid of letting anyone get close to him because of [[DomesticAbuse his experience with his family]].
56	* BroodingBoyGentleGirl:
57	** Makoto and Gintaro blend this trope with GleefulAndGrumpyPairing.
58	** Makoto also has this dynamic with Satoru and patiently coaxes him out of his shell.
59	* BystanderSyndrome: Gintaro’s laziness often manifests as this trope. If it wasn’t for [[ChronicHeroSyndrome Makoto]] he wouldn’t lift a finger to help anyone.
60	* CentralTheme: Shintoism and its place in modern Japan.
61	** Tradition versus progress.
62	** The loneliness of immortality and the briefness of human life.
63	* ChildhoodFriends: Yoshitomo and Tatsuo
64	* ChronicHeroSyndrome: Makoto likes helping others no matter how mundane or inconvenient it may be. Gintaro is more reluctant but he ends up helping Makoto in her efforts anyway.
65	* ClingyJealousGirl: Haru to Satoru. She gets angry when girls tease him, and especially when they try to hit on him, such as Shouhei's sisters.
66	* CockyRooster: Watari and Gunji, who are both more aggressive and intimidating than most other messengers.
67	* ContinuityNod: In episode 5, it's mentioned that heralds sometimes run away when they are unhappy at their shrine, which Gintaro did in the first episode, Kinjiro did before then, and Haru did when she left with Satoru.
68	* CuddleBug: Makoto likes being affectionate with Gintaro and frequently uses TheGlomp on him. There’s also a lot of HoldingHands.
69	* CutenessProximity: Makoto and Yumi are both like this.
70	* DarkAndTroubledPast: Satoru's introduction in episode 4 shows that both of his parents died in a car accident. His grandfather then tries to raise him, but passes away shortly afterwards as well, forcing his aunt to raise him along with her two kids. Unfortunately his cousins and aunt are strict with him, and the former even boss him around, making him pick up their toys for them. As a result, he doesn't like living there, and moves out at the first opportunity. He also begs Makoto's father to let him move out after he's found a place to live in despite his guardians already giving him the money to help with living expenses.
71	** Haru was only a cub when she was hit by car.
72	** Gintaro himself has suffered a lot in his long life. He was originally an ordinary fox who was hit in the head with a rock by an angry farmer. The injury slowly killed him. After that he became a herald at the Saeki shrine where he watched all of the humans he bonded with die, and was eventually abandoned by his partner Kinjiro.
73	* ADayInTheLimelight: Many of the episodes, especially after the introduction of Satoru and Haru in episode 4 ("Satoru and Haru").
74	** The turtle herald in episode 3.
75	** Episode 7 covers Shouhei's family shrine, and the two local heralds there, Fuu and Fuku.
76	** Episode 8 focuses on Hiwako and her father's assistant, Shinichi.
77	** Episodes 9 and 10 focus on Haru and Satoru, respectively.
78	* DebutQueue: The early episodes introduce a couple of new characters each time.
79	* TheDefroster: Makoto. Just about everyone she’s friends with is someone whose heart she thawed.
80	* DefrostingIceQueen: Gintaro is a male version of this trope.
81	** Hiwako, who used to be stoic and cold, now laughs and has become a lot nicer to people. Seishirō has noticed this and likes the change.
82	** Satoru acts this way at first, but gradually warms up to Makoto and her friends after he realizes they're trying to help him to stop being so isolated.
83	* DeliberatelyMonochrome: Yuuko Saeki's funeral in the prologue. It thankfully doesn't last.
84	* DelicateAndSickly: [[PosthumousCharacter Yuuko]] was this in life. Tatsuo says it was why she had to become a {{Miko}} because she would have put her health in greater danger.
85	* DirtyOldMan: Yoshitomo has a thing for high school girls and is not ashamed to show it.
86	** Yoshizumi is a downplayed example. He has a crush on Hiwako but he struggles with this because she’s both a teenager and his boss’s daughter.
87	* DivineBirds: There are bird heralds in the manga that fit this trope. Besides the roosters there are three-legged crows. All of them are sacred to the sun goddess Amaterasu.
88	* ElementalPowers: Some of the heralds display these abilities.
89	** PlayingWithFire: Gintaro and Haru can create flames to divine the future.
90	** BlowYouAway: Fuu and Fuku can control the wind.
91	** LightEmUp: Gunji and Watari can create light. Mitsuki has power over moonlight.
92	** AnIcePerson: Tetsuro can make it snow.
93	* EmbarrassingNickname: Satoru doesn't like that the other students call him [[PrincelyYoungMan Ouji]].
94	* ExpectingSomeoneTaller: Yumi says this almost word-for-word when first meeting Satoru.
95	* ExtremeDoormat: Gintaro is a downplayed example. He wants everyone to think he’s a cold-hearted tough guy and he’ll put up a fight if Makoto tries to boss him around, but 9 times out of 10 he gives in anyway.
96	* EvilDetectingDog: Normal animals like dogs and cats can perceive [[InvisibleToNormals heralds]] and tend to respond with fear and aggression. The heralds may not be evil but they are indeed supernatural.
97	* EyesAlwaysShut: Yoshizumi-san and Makoto’s friend Kozue.
98	* EyesOutOfSight: Kinjiro's fur always covers his eyes.
99	* TheFaceless: Makoto's mother. In episode 11, when Makoto remembers her in a flashback and when she is shown in a family photo, her face is never shown. [[spoiler: Averted in the manga where her face is revealed.]]
100	* FatAndSkinny: Gintaro and Kinjiro.
101	* FatherIWantToMarryMyBrother: When Makoto was younger, she claimed to become her father's bride. She thought her father was joking, but Gintaro confirms it.
102	* FieryRedhead: Kosugi is a HotBlooded member of the kendo team and TheRival to Satoru and he is the only character with red hair.
103	* FoodAsBribe: Makoto frequently uses [[TrademarkFavoriteFood tangerines]] to make Gintaro obey her.
104	* FourTemperamentEnsemble:
105	** Makoto is Sanguine: Extroverted, cheerful, and people-oriented. She means well but sometimes struggles with empathy and being sensitive towards others.
106	** Gintaro is Melancholic: Introverted and brooding. More sensitive and empathetic than he lets on, but usually blunt and harsh.
107	** Satoru is Phlegmatic: Introverted and quiet. Polite, kind, sensitive, and empathetic towards others.
108	** Haru is Choleric: Extroverted, short-tempered, unfiltered in speech, often likes to make "in your face" insults.
109	* TheForeignSubtitle: Airs as ''Gingitsune: Messenger Fox of the Gods'' on Crunchyroll.
110	* FortuneTeller: Makoto is doing this in the first episode using Gintaro's ability to see the future.
111	* FreudianTrio: Subverted with Hiwako as TheSpock (see NotSoStoic below), Makoto is TheKirk and Yumi is TheMcCoy.
112	* FriendlessBackground[=/=]LonerTurnedFriend: Hiwako and Satoru.
113	* FullyDressedCartoonAnimal: All the heralds are fully clothed.
114	** Except for the turtle, who is an AccessoryWearingCartoonAnimal.
115	* TheGadfly: Yumi likes to tease people, especially her friends.
116	** Fuu and Fuku play pranks because they want to cheer up the humans who always seem sad (especially since there's a graveyard near their shrine) and also because [[ItAmusedMe they find it fun]].
117	* GenkiGirl[=/=]{{Keet}}: Fuku and Fuu, unsurprisingly as [[AnimalStereotypes they're both monkey spirits.]]
118	* GentleGiant: Gintaro is very large and imposing, but he's quite the NiceGuy too, and it often takes a lot to get him angry. Even then however, he doesn't seem to hold grudges for very long.
119	* GodsNeedPrayerBadly: If heralds are away from their god’s shrine for too long they’ll disappear. Not only that but the shrine they left will fall to ruin.
120	* GoodParents:
121	** Tatsuo, Makoto's father, is quite fine with Satoru moving in, despite Makoto's initial protests about a non-blood related boy and a girl living under the same roof. He also doesn't get angry with the kids after they damage a couple of things at the shrine.
122	** Satoru's grandfather, who vowed to raise Satoru as his successor after the latter's parents died in a car accident. Unfortunately he too passes away shortly afterwards, and Satoru's aunt is a much worse guardian for him.
123	* HalfIdenticalTwins: The two monkey heralds Fuu and Fuku.
124	* HeadPet: Makoto puts the turtle herald on top of Gintaro’s head to transport him to a new shrine. Gintaro complains about this but doesn’t bother to remove the turtle at all.
125	* HeavySleeper: The two lion-dog heralds, Saimaru and Utamaru, who fall asleep a couple of times while talking to Gin and Makoto.
126	* HeIsNotMyBoyfriend: When Satoru and Makoto go out, several people assume they're dating and she has to keep telling people that he's just a friend of the family who happens to be living with them.
127	* HiddenEyes: Satoru, a few times in episodes 4 and 5 when he has a falling out with Haru, and again in episode 6 when the girls try to force him to be more social. Later episodes continue this, as he is always struggling to hide his emotions.
128	* HonoraryUncle: Yoshitomo to Makoto.
129	* HotBlooded: Haru tends to yell quite a bit, partly because she's a fairly young herald (80 years or so, but compared to Gintaro's hundreds she's still fairly new), and partly because she doesn't think people take her seriously due to her extremely short height.
130	* HugeGuyTinyGirl: Gintaro and Makoto.
131	** Satoru and Haru. Satoru is apparently short for his age but next to Haru he’s a giant.
132	** Also applies to Gintaro and Haru as a duo. The former is huge even for a herald and the latter is tiny. Doubles as LittleGuyBigBuddy.
133	* HumblePie: The first episode had this with Makoto. She and Gintaro had an argument because she was using his power for selfish reasons and acting like a brat when she didn't get her way. After realizing she was wrong, she apologizes and starts treating him with more respect. Also, Yumi tries to get back together with her boyfriend, but it isn't until she learns to be more humble that she is successful.
134	* HypocriticalHumor[=/=]NotSoAboveItAll:
135	** Haru complains about being woken up by noisy kids visiting the shrine in episode 9, then starts cheering on the girls when they fight against the boys. Gintaro later complains about not being able to sleep through the noise and points out that Haru ended up being the loudest one.
136	** In the same episode, she criticizes Gin for liking tangerines. But then Satoru tells them that she likes creamed buns. Gin immediately jokes to her about this.
137	* [[IAmNotMyFather I Am Not My Mother]]: Makoto knows she’s not like her mother and doesn’t react well when Gintaro unfavorably compares them.
138	* IdenticalGrandson: Satoru to his great-grandfather Seigo.
139	** Also implied with Makoto and the girl who gave a dying Gintaro an orange.
140	* ImmortalImmaturity: Haru is eighty years old but she looks and acts like a child.
141	* InASingleBound: Gintaro can jump extremely high, making it easy for him to lounge around on rooftops.
142	* InformedAttribute: {{Lampshaded}}. When the turtle herald says that since he regained his strength, he's able to speak more quickly, though Gintaro says he doesn't sound any different.
143	* InnocentlyInsensitive: Makoto falls into the trope most often with the heralds. Most humans are formal and polite with them, and respectfully use the [[UsefulNotes/JapaneseHonorifics “sama” honorific]] when referring to them by name. By contrast Makoto is overly casual with heralds. She grew up with Gintaro who didn’t mind her calling him “Gin”, and tends to treat other heralds she meets the same way without thinking.
144	** Another example is when she assumed that Haru was a male kitsune and accidentally offended her.
145	* IntergenerationalFriendship: Makoto and Gintaro, a high school girl and centuries-old herald, though they've been together since Makoto was 4 years old. It's said that it's rare for an heir to be so young.
146	** Satoru and Haru also have this. Haru is much older than she looks, and Satoru first gained "the sight" when he was 5.
147	* InvisibleToNormals: Heralds can only be seen by people with "the sight", which are usually shrine heirs/heiresses. Because of this, most people no longer believe they or the gods exist. This also becomes awkward when Makoto talks to them in public and people think she's [[TalkingToThemself talking to herself.]]
148	* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Gintaro, such as in episode 5 when he acts like he doesn't care about what's happened between Satoru and Haru and can't be bothered to help, though he's waiting for Satoru to realize that [[ThisIsSomethingHesGotToDoHimself making up with Haru is something he has to decide and figure out himself]] and he does help find Haru.
149	** Yumi also starts out as this.
150	* KarmaHoudini: Fuu and Fuku’s pranks cause a lot of distress (and sometimes property damage) for everyone around them. They get some scolding from Makoto’s group but are ultimately still allowed to continue on with no consequences whatsoever.
151	* KindheartedCatLover: Yumi, to the point that she’ll ignore her boyfriend in favor of a cat.
152	* TheKnightsWhoSaySquee: Gintaro is a fan of samurai period dramas. In a chapter of the manga an actor from the show he likes comes to the shrine, making him uncharacteristically excited.
153	* LadyLooksLikeADude: Haru is not happy when Makoto assumes she is a male kitsune.
154	* LargeAndInCharge: Taisuke is the captain of the kendo team and also the biggest member.
155	* LateForSchool: In episode 1 Makoto wakes up late for school and misses the bus. Episode 2 begins similarly but she makes it to the bus just in time.
156	* LightningGlare: Hiwako and Yumi do this twice in episode 3.
157	* LittleMissSnarker: Haru is definitely this trope.
158	* LoveTriangle:
159	** Hiwako is implied to have [[PrecociousCrush a crush on Makoto's father]], and [[ObliviousToLove doesn't seem to realize that]] both [[MayDecemberRomance her driver/father's assistant]] and Seishirō are in love with her.
160	** Friends [[spoiler: Satoru]] and [[spoiler: Kosugi]] both fall for [[spoiler: Makoto]]. The former puts his feelings aside so the latter can have a chance with her. However she ends up falling for [[spoiler: Satoru]] but hasn’t told anyone about this yet.
161	* LuminescentBlush: Makoto and Satoru when asked if they are on a date. Hiwako when Yumi accuses her of having a crush on Makoto's dad.
162	* TheMagicGoesAway: A major theme in the story first exemplified by the turtle herald’s situation, and later the monkeys. In modern Japan people visit shrines less and less, with some even being destroyed and built over. The number of priests who can see heralds is also dwindling.
163	* MayflyDecemberFriendship: Any friendship between a human and a herald counts as this.
164	* MonsterAndTheMaiden: Gintaro and Makoto are a great example of this trope.
165	** Haru and Satoru are a gender inverted example.
166	** In the manga there’s Tetsuro and Toko. Tetsuro is a wolf spirit with no specific shrine and Toko is his human companion.
167	* {{Miko}}: Makoto says being a shrine maiden will be her career.
168	* MischiefMakingMonkey: Fuu and Fuku fit this trope perfectly.
169	* MissingMom: Makoto's mother is deceased.
170	* MistreatmentInducedBetrayal: In the manga [[spoiler: Satoru plans to go to law school so he can legally take back the Kamio shrine from his abusive aunt. She treats this like a huge betrayal]].
171	* MoonRabbit: Mitsuki the rabbit herald has the kanji for “moon” in her name and has some ability to control moonlight.
172	* MoralityPet: Makoto to Gintaro; she's normally the one who gets him to help out those who need it. It’s not that he lacks morals, though, he’s just lazy.
173	* MyGodWhatHaveIDone:
174	** Makoto yells at Gintaro and tells him to leave after Yumi's fortune telling goes bad, partly because Makoto didn't give the full explanation. She then realizes how important he is, and goes back to apologize to him.
175	** Satoru realizes that he shouldn't have sent Haru away, and goes out looking for her.
176	* NaiveEverygirl: Makoto
177	* TheNapoleon: Haru acts this way a lot, and is often HotBlooded as well. She thinks the others don't take her too seriously because of how tiny she is.
178	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: The little kids damage the dippers and one of the fox statues in episode 9. They then run off, but return later to apologize for it because one of the boy's grandmother told them that the gods would be angry with them, and that the fox spirits would eat them. Makoto's dad brushes it off, but accepts the apology since they realized what they did was wrong and promised not to do it again.
179	* NoNameGiven: The turtle herald is the only herald who is never referred to be name.
180	* NotSoStoic: In episode 6, Satoru gets increasingly angry as Makoto and her friends continue bothering (with his HiddenEyes becoming more and more prominent) until he finally snaps, [[BigShutUp telling them all to shut up]] and hitting them over the head with his school workbook. Makoto reacts to this [[MoodWhiplash by laughing.]]
181	** Hiwako becomes much more openly emotional after her [[IceQueen cold exterior]] [[DefrostingIceQueen cracks and stays broken]] in episode 2.
182	* ObliviousToLove: Hiwako is unaware that her driver Yoshizumi has a crush on her. She also rejects all of Seishirou’s advances, although this may be a case of AbhorrentAdmirer.
183	** Likewise in the manga Makoto doesn’t know that Kosugi [[spoiler: or Satoru]] has a crush on her.
184	* {{Ojou}}: Hiwako, who is the daughter of a politician.
185	%% * OnlyOneName: The heralds.
186	* OpenMindedParent: Tatsuo can’t see Gintaro or any of the other heralds, but he believes they exist and never doubts Makoto or Satoru when they tell him they’re there.
187	* OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent: Makoto is this as well as a {{Miko}}.
188	* OrphansOrdeal: Poor Satoru has had it rough. [[spoiler: First his parents are killed in an accident. He is HappilyAdopted by his grandfather but the old man soon dies, leaving Satoru with his aunt’s family. They treat him horribly and it gets so bad that he runs away from home. Things only get better when he moves in with the Saeki family.]]
189	* OurGhostsAreDifferent[=/=]OurSpiritsAreDifferent: The heralds are spirits of animals who have died. They are {{invisible to normals}} and are messengers to their respective gods.
190	* PalsWithJesus: Makoto has known Gintaro, the fox messenger of the god Inari, since she was four. They developed a very close friendship in that time, and other heralds are surprised by how chummy they are.
191	** Satoru and Haru as well.
192	* PerpetualFrowner: Gintaro always has a grumpy look on his face often while folding his arms for extra grumpiness. He does occasionally smile or laugh but by facial markings still make it look like he’s frowning.
193	* PervertRevengeMode: Sweet little Makoto punches Takami in the stomach for groping her butt.
194	* PinkySwear: Featured in the opening and in episode 12. Makoto does this with Gintaro as they promise to be together forever.
195	* PlatonicDeclarationOfLove: Makoto tells Gintaro this in episode 2. He reacts with a LuminescentBlush.
196	* PlatonicLifePartners: Makoto and Gintaro have been together since the former was only four years old and they’ve grown very close. Despite their bickering Gintaro says he’ll never forget Makoto and promises he will stay with her for the rest of her life.
197	%% ** Satoru and Haru as well.
198	* PluckyComicRelief: Tatsuo. His friend Takami is like this as well when he shows up.
199	* PosthumousCharacter: Yuuko's death meant that she has passed "the Sight" down to Makoto. The former gets mentioned semi-frequently since Makoto was 4 years old and has trouble remembering her mother sometimes.
200	* PragmaticAdaptation: The anime uses material from the first 17 chapters of the manga but cuts a few things out, adds a few things, and rearranges some events to fit within a 12 episode season.
201	* PrecociousCrush: Hiwako is implied to have one on Makoto's father Tatsuo, and Yumi makes fun of her for apparently having a [[LikesOlderMen preference for older men.]] This is later confirmed when Hiwako falls for Tatsuo’s friend Takami.
202	* PresentAbsence: This trope applies to Yuuko Saeki. From the very beginning her memory weighs heavily on Makoto, who inherited the sight from her and wants to be a {{miko}} because of her. Yuuko also comes up often in conversations with Gintaro, Tatsuo, and Yoshitomo.
203	* RealMenHateAffection: Zig zagged with Gintaro. The most he can muster up is an AffectionateGestureToTheHead to Makoto (occasionally Haru and Satoru). The only person he allows to initiate affection with is Makoto but he often complains when she wants to hug him or hold his hand. He seems to enjoy it anyway unless she’s being too rough or too clingy, in which case he’ll push her away.
204	* ReallyFondOfSleeping: A natural extension of Gintaro’s laziness. His favorite sleep spots are on the roof of the shrine or next to the offering box. He always complains when Makoto or anyone else wakes him up, and if he really doesn’t want to do something he’ll pretend to be sleeping.
205	* Really700YearsOld: Haru looks [[ImmortalImmaturity and acts like a child]] despite being over 80 years old.
206	** Gintaro is around 300 years old.
207	* RedOniBlueOni: Makoto is the more passionate and excitable one while Gintaro is very laid back, lazy, and more level-headed.
208	** His partner Kinjiro was also a red oni to him, being more active and emotional.
209	** Also the addition of Haru, who can get very HotBlooded and Satoru, who usually keeps his emotions in check.
210	* SceneryPorn: The backgrounds have a huge amount of detail and vibrant color. The show also plays up ShrinesAndTemples and nature blended with modern architecture to maintain excellent visual variety.
211	* SecondaryCharacterTitle: Gintaro is the “Silver Fox” the title refers to but he’s not the main protagonist. That role belongs to Makoto whose ComingOfAge and CharacterDevelopment drive most of the plot.
212	* SecretlyWealthy: Yumi thinks Makoto's father was this in episode 11. He actually was supposed to inherit a local brewery business, but gave it up to marry Makoto's mother, a local shrine maiden, and became a priest instead.
213	* {{Seers}}: Gintaro and Haru are both able to see the future and relay their messages to their priests. Gintaro states that he doesn’t enjoy knowing the future because in his opinion PrescienceIsPredictable.
214	* {{Seinen}}: Not kidding, Ultra Jump is a Seinen manga magazine. A lighthearted SliceOfLife is unusual for Seinen.
215	* SeniorYearStruggles: Makoto is only 16 but she and her friends frequently discuss topics like if they want to get married after high school and what jobs they want.
216	* ScrewDestiny: When Gintaro predicts that a stray cat will die by the end of the day Makoto is hell-bent on preventing it. Despite Gintaro saying YouCantFightFate she succeeds, much to his surprise.
217	* SheIsAllGrownUp: Yoshizumi met Hiwako when she was a child. He’s become quite smitten with her as a teenager.
218	* ShipperOnDeck:
219	** A couple of the girls at school wonder about this regarding Makoto and Satoru after the latter moves into her house.
220	** Makoto says Gintaro should make Haru his bride since she's a girl. Both of them immediately disagree, not wanting anything to do with the other.
221	* ShooTheDog: Right after moving to Saeki Shrine Satoru tries to make Haru leave him, thinking it will be better for both them. When she refuses he yells at her to make her leave. He soon regrets this decision and makes up with her.
222	* ShrinesAndTemples: Most of the series focuses on Shinto shrines and episode 7 takes place mostly at a Buddhist temple that overlaps with a shrine.
223	* SittingOnTheRoof: Gintaro and Haru can most often be found lounging on the roof of the shrine.
224	* TheSlacker: Gintaro is very lazy and would rather lounge around the shrine than do any work.
225	* SlidingScaleOfShinyVersusGritty: Primarily on the Shiny end, but there are a few select gritty moments like the turtle herald's shrine and lake getting destroyed for city development.
226	* SmokingIsCool: Mitsuki the rabbit herald smokes a pipe.
227	* SnotBubble: The lion-dog heralds, when they keep falling asleep in episode 3.
228	* SpiritAdvisor: The heralds are all animal spirit versions of this trope.
229	* SpoilerOpening: Some of the characters shown don't appear until later, such Satoru and Haru, who are featured prominently but don't appear until episode 4.
230	* StalkerWithACrush: Seishirō, who goes up to Hiwako's limo and tells the driver to leave so he could take her home himself and tries to force him to reveal Hiwako's phone number.
231	* StepfordSmiler: Satoru smiles so Haru won't worry about him. He gets better though.
232	* StoicSpectacles: Hiwako
233	* TalkingAnimal: The turtle herald is much less anthropomorphic than the other heralds, who are more of the BeastMan variety.
234	** In the manga there’s also crow heralds who look like normal crows but can talk like humans.
235	* TertiarySexualCharacteristics: Fuku wears a red bow. {{Averted}} [[spoiler: with Haru,]] who doesn't have any to speak of, so Makoto didn't realize she was a girl.
236	* TheyCallMeMisterTibbs: The two lion-dogs ask Makoto not to call them "Lefty" and "Righty", since those are their nicknames for each other, and they tell her what their real names are.
237	** Haru objects to being called Haru-chan due to [[DudeWheresMyRespect being a herald]] and [[spoiler: Haru-kun since [[GenderReveal she's a girl]].]] Makoto sticks to Haru-chan.
238	* ThoseTwoGuys: Most heralds work in pairs. The two lion-dogs are always seen together.
239	* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Gintaro loves tangerines, but will settle for oranges, and whenever Makoto needs to ask him for a favor, she gives him at least one. There's a flashback showing him as an ordinary fox and a woman giving him a tangerine.
240	** Haru claims to like fried tofu, though it's mostly due to not having tried anything else. Although it turns out that [[spoiler: she really liked cream buns and is embarrassed by the fact. Gintaro teases her about it when he finds out, due to her making fun of him for liking tangerines earlier.]]
241	* TricksterTwins: Fuu and Fuku are constantly playing pranks on anyone who comes to the shrine.
242	* {{Tsundere}}: Gintaro is the more “tsun” type towards Makoto; he has a harsh exterior but he’s soft for her.
243	** Makoto herself is a “dere” type towards Gintaro. She’s usually sweet but she’s not above physically bullying him.
244	** Yumi is this with her boyfriend.
245	** Also Haru, who reluctantly becomes friends with Makoto and Gintaro.
246	* UnprovokedPervertPayback: Yumi punches Shouhei when her skirt flies up, despite the fact that it was the wind that did it (actually Fuu and Fuku playing a joke).
247	* UrbanFantasy: The heralds make up a significant part of the human world whether said humans [[InvisibleToNormals know it or not]]; however, the show is primarily a SliceOfLife.
248	* WeAreAsMayflies: Discussed in episode 3. Saimaru and Utamaru tell Makoto that human lifespans are very brief compared to a herald’s. This makes Makoto worry that Gintaro will forget her after she dies, but he gruffly denies this.
249	** Haru realizes that it's best to give Satoru some space to allow him to make friends with other humans because of this.
250	* WhenYouComingHomeDad: Hiwako barely sees her father, who is always working.
251	* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: Gintaro and Haru are afraid of dogs. Justified because foxes naturally see dogs as threats.
252	* XMarksTheHero: Gintaro has an X shaped scar above his left eye. [[spoiler: He got it when a farmer hit him with a rock.]]
253	* YouCanSeeMe: Fuu and Fuuku are shocked and delighted when they finally meet humans who can see them.
254	* YouRemindMeOfX:
255	** Gintaro compares Makoto to her mother, though usually he's complaining about how different she is from her mother.
256	** Satoru is compared to his great-grandfather.

Context Manga / Gingitsune