History Main / Tanuki

* ''VideoGame/{{Splatoon}}'' features a large statue of a tanuki in Inkopolis Plaza, right across from one of a [[AsianFoxSpirit Kitsune]]. Both statues are decorated during Splatfest celebrations, with the tanuki being decorated in the color of Marie's team. This played into the second Japanese Splatfest, whose theme was Red Fox vs. Green Tanuki.

* A [[NiceHat hat]], to be ready to protect against trouble or bad weather

Tanuki (commonly transcribed as "tanooki") are a type of canid that lives in Asia (and now Europe), commonly referred to in English as "raccoon dogs". In Japanese mythology, tanuki are said to have magic powers such as {{shapeshifting}} (usually performed with a [[TransformationTrinket leaf on their forehead]]). Pranksters and tricksters, Tanuki spirits are generally [[BigFun fat and jolly]], like to drum on their bellies (a sound which has the Japanese onomatopoeia "ponpoko"), and are associated with good luck.

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' has long had the tanuki, or "raccoon dog", as one of the possible breeds of hengeyokai (basically an Asian animal-based {{ShapeShift|ing}}er). They first appeared in the 1st Edition supplement ''Oriental Adventures'', where they were described as always evil, with enhanced strength but lower than normal wisdom. They later reappeared in 3rd edition's remake of the same sourcebook, where they lost the "Always Evil" aspect. They made their final appearance to date for 4th edition in issue #404 of Dragon, where they lost the wisdom penalty (indeed, wisdom and charisma were the "floating" ability score boosts), and finally gained a climbing speed.

* [[PunnyName Tom Nook]] from ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'' is a tanuki. (The English translations officially call him a raccoon, but the obvious pun makes it clear what he ''really'' is.) Of note is the fact that all furniture items in the games (such as those that Tom Nook sells) are transformed into leaves when put in one's inventory. And, naturally, Nook's [[ChasteToons nephews]] Timmy and Tommy are also tanuki, although this is less obvious. Tanuki statues also appear. Prior to ''New Leaf'', he normally wore only an apron, a nod to tanukis' large testicles (though oddly enough, his uniforms for both Nook 'n' Go and Nookington's have him wear a [[HalfDressedCartoonAnimal a shirt with no pants]]). He’s also said to [[TanukiKitsuneContrast have a rivalry with Crazy Redd]], who’s a fox.

** Yoh's father, Mikihisa Asakura, has a more traditional fox/tanuki pair, maed Imari and Shiragaki, as his spirit allies.

Tanuki are [[TanukiKitsuneContrast often paired]] with {{Kitsune}}, usually as rivals with [[WeakButSkilled less raw power and ambition but more skill at shapeshifting and trickery]] - a famous expression is "the fox has seven disguises, but the tanuki has eight". In fact the term ''kitsune-tanuki'' ([[AlternateCharacterReading pronounced "kori"]]) exists to refer to them collectively, and can also be used to mean a sly or deceptive person. Likewise the fortunetelling game [[OuijaBoard Kokkuri]] is written with the characters ''kitsune-dog-tanuki''.[[note]]Either a reference to [[EvilDetectingDog the ability of dogs to detect shapeshifters]], or to {{Tengu}} (whose name is written as "heavenly dog").[[/note]]

* The {{Kemono}} {{Hentai}} manga ''Build Tiger'' has a tanuki named Inari as a VillainOfTheWeek. Given the manga's [[{{Fanservice}} premise]], it's not surpising that his balls are his most prominent feature, and he even uses them as his primary means of attack by way of PartialTransformation. Oddly enough the name "Inari" is more associated with {{Kitsune}} than tanuki.

* ''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'': Miroku's buddy Hachi is a man-sized tanuki that normally dresses like a human and often uses his shapeshifting to become a kind of [[GiantFlyer giant floating windsock]] that transports Miroku around. Shippo is a ''{{kitsune}}'' [[IAmNotWeasel who angrily corrects]] when he's sometimes referred to as a tanuki because of his shapeshifting abilities and small stature.
* ''Manga/KamisamaKiss'' has a brothel of female Tanuki [[HookerWithAHeartOfGold prostitutes]] that make various periodical appearances. [[{{Kitsune}} Tomoe]] knows them all by name and before [[PluckyGirl Nanami]] showed up, [[MrViceGuy regularly visited]] the place.

* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', the one-tailed beast Shukaku is an enormous demon in the form of a huge (and somewhat insane) tanuki, though it [[{{Bowdlerize}} lacks the oversized testicles]]. His [[PowersViaPossession host]] Gaara can also create a statue of Shukaku out of sand similar to wayside statues seen in Japan. In reference to the tanuki[=/=]{{kitsune}} rivalry, Gaara is introduced as an EvilCounterpart to the kitsune-possessed Naruto. While Shukaku is much weaker than Naruto's Nine-Tailed Fox, Gaara is able to physically transform into his Tailed Beast (thus unleashing its full power) long before Naruto can do the same and without the physical injuries Naruto suffers for most of the series.

** Ponchi is a Tanuki that makes a pair with Conchi, a fox (or ''{{Kitsune}}''), which is another animal regarded with mystical powers of deception in Japanese mythology. The less said about his testicles, the better. Suffice it to say that he inverts the GroinAttack. Fitting with their mischievous sense of humor, both he and Conchi are {{Captain Ersatz}}es of WesternAnimation/RenAndStimpy.

* [[UsefulNotes/TokugawaIeyasu Ieyasu Tokugawa]] in ''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors'' is associated with the tanuki, in contrast to his rival Mitsunari Ishida, who is associated with the {{Kitsune}}.

* ''VideoGame/{{Splatoon}}'' features a large statue of a tanuki in Inkopolis Plaza, right across from one of a {{Kitsune}}. Both statues are decorated during Splatfest celebrations, with the tanuki being decorated in the color of Marie's team. This played into the second Japanese Splatfest, whose theme was Red Fox vs. Green Tanuki.

* ''Tribal Circumstances'' (also known as ''A School of Humans and Kemonos'' in the English translation) is a SliceOfLife {{Ecchi}} web manga that focuses on a school populated by students who range from normal human to BeastMan on the SlidingScaleOfAnthropomorphism, and the shenanigans of them trying to understand the quirks of each others' species. Among them is an anthropomorphic tanuki named Happei who, as a young person [[TruthInTelevision detached from many of the traditions of Japanese folklore]], [[PopculturalOsmosisFailure doesn't quite "get" some of the prominent stereotypes associated with tanuki]] and laments being associated with large bellies & big ballsacks. The punchline comes when his [[{{Kitsune}} fox]] friend, whom he envies for being associated with more "cool" things, points out that [[IResembleThatRemark he really does have a big belly and large balls]].

* In Buichi Terasawa's ''Takeru'', the titular hero's sidekick is a tanuki-like creature who appears to be partially translated into a tea kettle and can fully shift form of a large flying tea kettle which can be ridden on.

* In Buichi Terasawa's ''Takeru'', the titular hero's sidekick is a tanuki who frequently takes the form of a large flying teapot which can be ridden on.

* In ''Anime/InazumaEleven: Ares'', Tonegawa Tousen's mascot is a tanuki who can shapeshift into a girl, whose TransformationTrinket appears to be her leg bracelet.

* A one-episode character in ''[[Manga/EkoToIssho 090 ~Eko to Issho~]]'', which, not having ever mastered the transformation business, would hide by possessing people. LastOfHisKind. Is used to cause a ShipTease and maybe, just maybe, advance the plot.

* ''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'':
** Miroku's buddy Hachi is a man-sized tanuki that normally dresses like a human and often uses his shapeshifting to become a kind of [[GiantFlyer giant floating windsock]] that transports Miroku around.
** Shippo is a ''{{kitsune}}'' [[IAmNotWeasel who angrily corrects]] when he's sometimes referred to as a tanuki because of his shapeshifting abilities and small stature.

* ''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'': Miroku's buddy Hachi. Shippo is sometimes referred to as a tanuki because of his shapeshifting abilities and small stature, which always prompts an angry correction that he's a ''{{kitsune}}''.

Tanuki (commonly transcribed as "tanooki") are a type of canid that lives in Asia (and now Europe), commonly referred to as 'raccoon dogs'. In Japanese mythology, tanuki are said to have magic powers such as {{shapeshifting}} (usually performed with a [[TransformationTrinket leaf on their forehead]]). Pranksters and tricksters, Tanuki spirits are generally [[BigFun fat and jolly]], like to drum on their bellies (a sound which has the Japanese onomatopoeia "ponpoko"), and are associated with good luck.

* Of ''VideoGame/{{Pokemon}}'', Sentret and Zigzagoon are both designed after the tanuki. Sentret resembles the folklore version, with its round-tipped tail, while Zigzagoon resembles a real-life version. Sentret can spot an enemy from great distances and emits a loud cry as a warning. Though insignificant in battle, with below average statistical abilities and a small pool of moves to learn from, Zigzagoon can be useful as a party member. It is one of the few Pokémon that can have the "Pickup" ability, which will sometimes give you very rare items such as Rare Candy and PP Up, and its evolution, Linoone, can learn most HM moves, which are used to progress through otherwise [[InsurmountableWaistHeightFence insurmountable obstacles]].

The species is also becoming TheWoobie for an animal rights campaign against its slaughter in Chinese fur farms. If you want to know more, you can start [[http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/raccoon_dogs/ here]], but be warned of potential NightmareFuel. On a lighter note, it can be kept as a pet in some areas. See [[http://www.wasbeerhonden.nl/Pets.html this page]] for information.

* [[PunnyName Tom Nook]] from ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'' is a tanuki. (The English translations officially call him a raccoon, but the obvious pun makes it clear what he ''really'' is.) Of note is the fact that all furniture items in the games (such as those that Tom Nook sells) are transformed into leaves when put in one's inventory. And, naturally, Nook's [[ChasteToons nephews]] Timmy and Tommy are also tanuki, although this is less obvious. Tanuki statues also appear. Prior to ''New Leaf'', he normally wore only an apron, a nod to tanukis' large testicles (though oddly enough, his uniforms for both Nook 'n' Go and Nookington's have him wear a [[HalfDressedCartoonAnimal a shirt with no pants]]). He’s also said to [[TanukiKitsuneContrast have a rivalry with Crazy Redd]], who’s a fox in English but a {{kitsune}} in the original Japanese.

** Mamizou Futatsuiwa, the BonusBoss of ''Ten Desires'', whose character is based on the tanuki FolkHero [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danzaburou-danuki Danzaburou-danuki]]. Initially hailing from Sado[[note]]a Japanese city-island known for its large tanuki population[[/note]], she decides to stay in Gensokyo after being called to defeat the FinalBoss only to discover that the player character already took care of things.

* ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' has these youkai showing up here and there, but there are two notable ones:

* One of ''VideoGame/{{Smite}}'''s playable "gods" (which also include non-god figures like Hercules, Cerberus, and Achilles) is [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danzaburou-danuki Danzaburou-danuki]] (here just shortened to "Danzaburou"), a Hunter-type character who uses a BambooTechnology shotgun and rockets.