How Japan’s Legendary Shape-Shifting Fox ‘Kitsune’ Became a Global Pop Culture Sensation
Dr. Emily Zarka of the PBS series Monstrum examined the historical and cultural evolution of the Kitsune, examining how this Japanese yokai (legend) of a nine-tailed, shape-shifting fox transcended its origins in ancient folklore to become a global pop culture sensation.
Why is the Kitsune Japan’s most enduring yokai? This video examines 2,500 years of folklore, religion, history, and pop culture to explain how the legendary shape-shifting fox became Japan’s most influential supernatural figure—and why its stories continue to thrive today.
